This document provides information on musical theater and festivals in Asia, focusing on traditions from Japan. It discusses Noh and Kabuki, two forms of traditional Japanese theater. Noh and Kabuki performances use the pentatonic scale and vocal techniques like ipponchoshi. Kabuki features all-male actors known for stylized costumes and makeup. Key elements of Kabuki plays, stages, and performances are also outlined.

1. Musical Theater and Festivals of Asia
UNIT IV

2. OBJECTIVES
•Identify the varied art
forms used in Asian
Musical Theater to
communicate tales of
everyday social and
cultural relevance and
interests.

3. OBJECTIVES
•Analyze how elements
of sound, gesture
movement, and
costume affect the
creation and
communication of
meaning in an Asian
musical and popular
theater.

4. OBJECTIVES
•Evaluate the
performance of each
group with regards
to cultural
relevance, music
performance, and
movement.

5. Pre-assessment:
Describe the
performances shown
in the pictures.
•How do the actors
and actresses
perform on stage?

6. Pre-assessment:

7. Pre-assessment:

8. Pre-assessment:

9. JapaneseTheater
•Japan is rich in culture and tradition.
•One of the traditions that is very popular
until today is the traditional form of theater
which began at the end of sixteenth century.
•Noh and Kabuki are unique and genuine
expressions of the Japanese spirit and
culture

10. JapaneseTheater
•Noh and Kabuki performances used the
pentatonic style.
•Pentatonic scale is an Asian style of making
melodies adopted mainly from China.
•Japan’s “Sakura” is a traditional song that
uses the pentatonic scale.

11. JapaneseTheater
•Noh and Kabuki performances used the
pentatonic style.
•Pentatonic scale is an Asian style of making
melodies adopted mainly from China.
•Japan’s “Sakura” is a traditional song that
uses the pentatonic scale.

12. JapaneseTheater
•One of the key features of Japanese theater is
the vocal technique used in singing.
•Ipponchoshi (continuous pattern) is used in
speeches building up to an explosive climax in
the Aragoto (oversize, supernatural, rough
hero style.

13. JapaneseTheater
•Another technique adopted from the chanting or
joruri is called nori. It implies a very sensitive
capacity of riding the rhythms of the shamisen
(string instrument), declaiming each
accompaniment.
•Yakuharai technique in the same way describes
the subtle delivery of poetical text written in the
Japanese metrical form of alternating seven and
five syllables.

14. JapaneseTheaterVocaland
InstrumentalFeatures
•Dances and movements are accompanied by
shamisen music which collected and
popularized a number of aspects from all
previous forms of Japanese music, from
gagaku (classical court music imported form
China during 18th century), kagura (performed
in Shinto shrines), no (chant derives from
shomyo)

15. JapaneseTheaterVocaland
InstrumentalFeatures
•Nagauta (long song), the most popular
shamisen which reached a golden age in the
first half of the 19th century as dance music for
the henge mono or quick change pieces.
•Nagauta music is very flexible, can be
performed by one shamisen or an entire
orchestra of twenty musicians.

17. KabukiTheaterofJapan
•Kabuki is a form of traditional drama with
highly stylized song, mime, and dance, now
performed only by male actors.
•Japanese originally used this as a verb
meaning
“act dissolutely”, later interpreting the word
as “Ka” for song, “bu” for dance and “ki” for
art/ skill.

18. KabukiTheaterofJapan
•Kabuki theater is known for the stylization of its
drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by
some of its performers. Therefore it is sometimes
translates as “the art of singing and dancing”.
•Since kabuk is believed to derive from the verb
“kabubu” meaning to “lean” or “to be out of the
ordinary”, kabuki can be “bizarre” theater.
•The expression kabukimono referred originaaly to
those who are bizarrely dressed and paraded on a
street.

19. TheKabukiStageFeatures
•Hanamichi –a flower
path, a walk way into
the audience via
which dramatic
entrances and exits
are made.
•Okuni –also performs
here with her
entourage

20. TheKabukiStageFeatures
•Mawaro butal –the
interior of the theater
contains a revolving
stage
•Kogakudo –kabuki
theaters that have
stages both in front
of the audience and
along the sides help
create a bond
between the actors
and viewers

21. TheKabukiStageFeatures
•Hanamicho –a walkway
that cuts through the
audience seating area to
connect the stage with
the back of the theater.
Magicians and
supernatural beings often
make their entrances
from trapdoors in the
hanamachi. Some stage
have 17 trapdoors.
•Suppon –a platform that
rises from below the
stage

22. TheKabukiStageFeatures

23. TheThreeMainCategoriesofKabukiPlay
•Jidaimono
Historical or pre – Sengoku period stories
Set within the contexts of major events in
Japanese history.
Strict censorship laws during the Edo period
prohibited the representation of contemporary
events and particularly prohibited criticizing the
shogunate or casting it in a bad light, although
enforcement varied greatly over the years.

24. TheThreeMainCategoriesofKabukiPlay
•Sewamono
Domestic or post – Sengoku stories
Focused primarily upon commoners
(townspeople and peasants).
It is generally related to themes of family drama
and romance.

25. TheThreeMainCategoriesofKabukiPlay
•Shosagoto
Dance pieces

26. ElementsofKabuki
•Actors
Separated into two main categories:
1. Onna – gata – refer to the female roles
2. Aragoto – refer to the male characters
Most main characters in kabuki plays are
aragoto, because of its super - stylized
masculine, heroic style.

27. ElementsofKabuki
ONNA - GATA ARAGOTO

28. ElementsofKabuki
•Make – up
One of the most iconic parts of kabuki.
Actors apply their own make up by painting their
faces and necks white, then adding stylized lines
in red, black or blue.
The colors and lines that are used tells what kind
of character is being performed.
Red and blue are usually aragoto roles, onna-gata
playing young women have a very little paint.

29. ElementsofKabuki

30. ElementsofKabuki

31. ElementsofKabuki

32. ElementsofKabuki
•Make – up
Rice powder is used to create white “oshiroi”
base for the characteristic stage make – up, and
kumadori enhances or exaggerates facial lines to
produce dramatic animal or supernatural
character.

33. ElementsofKabuki
•Plot
Kabuki is performed in full-day programs.
The play occupies five acts.
1. Jo - an auspicious and slow opening which introduces
the audience the characters and the plot.
2-4. Ha – speeding events up, culminating almost always in
a great moment of drama or tragedy in the third act and
possibly a battle in the second and/or fourth acts.
5. Kyu – is almost always short, providing a quick and
satisfying conclusion.

34. ElementsofKabuki
•Props
Kabuki props are often quite interesting.
Flowing water is usually represented by fluttering rolls of
linen; or creature like insects and foxes.
Props often have symbolic meanings.
Fans are used to symbolize wind, a sword, a tobacco pipe,
waves or food.

35. ElementsofKabuki
•Props

36. ElementsofKabuki
•Costume
Costumes are swung from sticks or manipulated by
helpers who come on stage dressed in black hooded
robesso; they are invisible to the audience.
The female characters generally wear an elaborate
kimono and obi.
Pleated hakuma trousers are worn by characters of
sexes.
Actors playing both sexes often have a supported
midriff with a straight and curveless figure.
Wigs are important accessories, with each costume
having its own type.

37. ElementsofKabuki
•Costume
KIMONO AND OBI

38. UnderstandingCheck
1. A walkway which extends into the audience. (HANAMICHI,
KOGAKUDO, MAWARO BUTAL, SUPPON)
2. It is a Japanese terminology which means male roles.
(ARAGOTO, ONNA-GATA, SUPPON, HANAMICHI)
3. It is a Japanese traditional drama. (KABUKI, PEKING, NANG
SHADOW PUPPET SHOW, WAYANG KULIT)
4. In Kabuki theater art, a fan props symbolizes
_______________. (BIRD, INSECTS, RAIN, WIND)
5. The female characters in Kabuki wear an elaborate
________. (BALINESE COSTUME, KIMONO AND OBI, SAYA
AND BARONG TAGALOG, XINGTOU)

39. SummativeTest
MULTIPLE CHOICE. You are given only 10 seconds
to answer each item. Write the LETTER of the
correct answer in your activity notebook.

40. SummativeTest#1
It is Japan’s traditional drama.
a. Kabuki
b. Peking
c. Nang
d. Wayang Kulit

41. SummativeTest#2
What is the style used by most Asian countries in
making melodies?
a. Chromatic
b. Pentatonic
c. Octatonic
d. Whole - tone

42. SummativeTest#3
A Japanese term for long song.
a. Gagaku
b. Kagura
c. Nagauta
d. Shomyo

43. SummativeTest#4
A flower path, a walkway which extends into the
audience which dramatic entrances and exits are
made.
a. Hanamichi
b. Hanamicho
c. Kogakudo
d. Mawaro butal

44. SummativeTest#5
What category of the Kabuki play tells about the
life of the commoners?
a. Jidaimono
b. Sewamono
c. Shosagoto

45. SummativeTest#6
It is a picturesque pose which the actor holds to
establish his character?
a. Mie
b. Kakegoe
c. Kesho
d. Yago

46. SummativeTest#7
Refers to the female roles.
a. Aragoto
b. Kumadori
c. Robesso
d. Onna - gata

47. SummativeTest#8
Refers to the male roles.
a. Aragoto
b. Kumadori
c. Robesso
d. Onna - gata

48. SummativeTest#10
Enhances or exaggerates facial lines to produce
dramatic animal or supernatural character.
a. Aragoto
b. Kumadori
c. Robesso
d. Onna - gata

49. SummativeTest#11
In Kabuki theater art, a fan as props symbolizes
_______________.
a. Birds
b. Insects
c. Rain
d. Wind

50. SummativeTest#12
The female characters in Kabuki wear an elaborate
____________.
a. Balinese costume
b. Kimono and obi
c. Saya and barong tagalog
d. Xingtou

51. SummativeTest#13
Part of the Kabuki plot, is almost always shot,
providing a quick and satisfying conclusion.
a. Jo
b. Ha
c. Kyu

52. SummativeTest#14-20.KabukiMake-up
MATCHING TYPE. Match the Kabuki make-up in
COLUMN A with its meaning in COLUMN B. Write
the LETTER of the correct answer. You are only
given 60 seconds to answer.

53. COLUMN A COLUMN B
14. Red a. youthful joy
15. Pink b. villain, jealousy
16. Light blue c. peacefulness
17. Pale green d. indicates passion,
heroism
18. Black e. even temper
19. Green f. nobility
20.Purple g. supernatural