Japanese Theater: Kabuki

Japanese Theater: Kabuki

• Kabuki is a traditional Japanese theater that combines song, dance, and drama.
• The term "kabuki" comes from "kabuku," meaning "to be out of the ordinary."
• Kabuki was initially performed by women but is now performed exclusively by male actors.

Three Main Categories of Kabuki Plays

• Jidai-mono: Historical plays about the samurai class before the Sengoku period.
• Sewa-mono: Domestic plays focusing on family drama and romance.
• Shosagoto: Dance pieces showcasing elaborate choreography.

Kabuki Stage Features

• Hanamichi (flower path): A walkway extending into the audience for dramatic entrances/exits.
• Mawari Butai: A revolving stage for scene transitions.
• Seri: Stage traps used to raise and lower actors or props.
• Suppon: A special lift often reserved for supernatural characters.

Elements of Kabuki

• Mie: A dramatic pose held by the actor to establish character.
• Kesho & Kumadori: Elaborate face paint and makeup.
• Katsura: Wigs worn by actors.
• Kuroko: Stagehands dressed in black who are considered "invisible."

Kabuki Roles

• Onnagata: Male actors specializing in female roles.
• Aragoto: "Rough style" acting with exaggerated movements and speech.
• Wagoto: "Soft style" acting with more realistic gestures and speech.

Music in Kabuki

• Nagauta ("long song"): Performed on the shamisen, often accompanied by hayashi musicians playing flutes and drums.

Chinese Theater: Peking Opera (Beijing Opera)

• Peking Opera is a combination of music, vocal performance, pantomime, dance, and acrobatics and regarded as a cultural treasure of China.

Four Main Peking Opera Role Types

• Sheng: Male roles (young, old, or military figures).
• Dan: Female roles (young women, elderly women, or warrior women).
• Jing: Painted face roles, representing powerful or supernatural characters.
• Chou: Clown roles, often used for comedic relief.

Peking Opera Costumes

• Xingtou/Xifu: Distinctive outfits that indicate the rank and personality of the character.

Music in Peking Opera

• Xipi: High-pitched, lively vocal tunes.
• Erhuang: Steady, deep vocal melodies.
• Jinghu: The main string instrument.
• Erhu, yueqin, pipa: Additional stringed instruments.
• Percussion: Gongs, drums, and clappers provide rhythmic accompaniment.

Indonesian Theater: Wayang Kulit

• Wayang Kulit is a traditional shadow puppet theater from Java and Bali, based on Hindu epics like Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Wayang Kulit Stage Setup

• Kelir: A canvas screen where shadows are projected.
• Blencong: A coconut oil lamp used to cast shadows.
• Gedebog: A banana trunk where puppets are placed.

Music & Voice in Wayang Kulit

• Dalang: The puppeteer, who voices all characters and narrates the story.
• Suluk: Mood songs sung by the dalang.
• Gamelan Orchestra: Provides instrumental accompaniment.

Thai Theater: Nang

• Nang is shadow puppetry popular in southern Thailand, performed at village festivals and temple fairs.

Two Types of Nang Puppetry

• Nang Yai: Large shadow puppets used to depict Ramakien (Thai Ramayana), accompanied by songs and a piphát ensemble.
• Nang Talung: Smaller, intricately carved puppets that tell local folklore and legends.

China’s Spring Festival (Chinese New Year)

• The Spring Festival is the grandest festival in China, celebrated according to the Lunar Calendar.

Traditions of the Spring Festival

• House Cleaning & Decorating: Removes the old year’s dust to welcome fortune.
• Family Reunion Dinner: Includes symbolic foods like fish, dumplings, and rice cakes.
• Giving Red Envelopes (Hongbao): Seniors give money to children for good luck.
• Fireworks: Originally set off to scare away the monster Nian.
• Temple Fairs & Folk Shows: Include religious worship, dragon/lion dances, and games.

Japan’s Taiko Drum Festival

• The Taiko Drum Festival is a traditional drumming festival featuring ensemble performances (kumi-daiko).
• Kodō: A notable Taiko drumming group, meaning "heartbeat" or "children of the drum."

Traditional Attire for Taiko Drum Festival Performances

• Happi: Decorative coat.
• Hachimaki: Headband.
• Tabi: Traditional Japanese socks.
• Fundoshi: Loincloth

Indonesia’s Balinese Dance Festival

• Dance is an essential part of Balinese religious ceremonies.

Common Balinese Dances

• Kecak Dance: Performed at sunset, accompanied by men chanting in unison.
• Barong Dance: Depicts the battle between Barong (good) and Rangda (evil).
• Legong Kraton: A highly stylized, symbolic dance performed by young girls in gold brocade costumes.

Thailand’s Lantern Festival

• Yi Peng: Features floating sky lanterns (khom loi), symbolizing good luck and spiritual cleansing.
• Loi Krathong: People release lotus-shaped baskets (krathong) into the water to let go of negativity.