Noh Training Project Tokyo 2018
June through July, 2018
Japan
2017’s Tokyo workshop was the first held in collaboration with the Kita School and was so successful that this year’s is even more expansive and diverse. Four separate workshops will offer participants a deep dive into different facets of noh. (Please note: the performance and mask workshops run simultaneously, so it is not possible to attend both.) All other workshops can be attended individually or consecutively. Available seats are limited, so please be certain to register as soon as possible.
• Sculpting Silk
Noh Costume Workshop
June 12-18
Kyoto and Fukuyama
The costume workshop begins with four days of lectures by renowned Japanese textile and noh costume scholar Monica Bethe. We then travel to Fukuyama to visit the noh stage of the Oshima family (Kita School). After an introductory lecture on the costumes and masks as used in performance, we are invited backstage for a final rehearsal and full performance. The workshop culminates in the unforgettable experience of spending a day dressing and being dressed in noh’s elaborate costumes.
Total cost: $1000 (Limit 8)
• Substance through Structure
Writing New Noh
June 19-24
Tokyo
Theatre Nohgaku is committed to promoting the creation of noh in languages other than Japanese; this workshop is an outgrowth of that commitment. We begin with an overview of noh’s poetic structures, including scene names, syllabic requirements, and musical features. Participants create outlines for new noh and are guided through the process of creating their own scenes. The final day is devoted to experiencing noh in performance at the Kita School’s theater in Meguro.
Total cost: ¥50,000 ($450) (Limit 8)
• Power through Resistance
Noh Chant, Movement, Instruments
June 24-July 13
Tokyo
Led by Kita School performers in conjunction with professional noh musicians and members of Theatre Nohgaku, participants engage in intensive training in the performance of noh. Each day starts with utai (chant), followed by shimai (dance) and hayashi (instruments). Evening practice sessions give participants an opportunity to hone the skills they are learning, and weekly attendance at performances and recitals provides context and inspiration. The workshop culminates in a recital on the Kita School’s noh stage in Meguro.
This workshop is physically strenuous and requires frequent kneeling, standing, and sustained concentration. Participants should expect to focus exclusively on the workshop for the full three weeks in order to receive the maximum benefit.
Total Cost: ¥80,000 ($750USD) (Limit 8 for beginners and 8 for those with prior experience.)
• Revealing the Hidden
Noh Mask Carving
June 24-July13
Tokyo
Participants will create their own noh masks in the home studio of master carver and instructor Hideta Kitazawa. Finished works will be displayed at the Kita School’s theater in Meguro for the final recital of the Power through Resistance Workshop.
Total Cost: ¥80,000 ($750USD) (Limit 4)
*N.B. The cost of individual workshops listed above DOES NOT INCLUDE AIRFARE, GROUND TRANSPORT, and LODGING OR DAILY EXPENSES. Theatre Nohgaku can offer advice and assistance, if needed, in securing lodging, but participants are solely responsible for their own arrangements.
For registration, or additional information, please contact the workshop coordinator by submitting the below form:
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