This document provides an overview of various forms of musical theater and festivals in Asia. It describes the roles and characters in Chinese Peking Opera such as the Sheng, Dan, Jing, and Chou. It also discusses the visual performance elements, meanings of colors in makeup, staging, costumes, and movement principles. Kabuki theater in Japan is described along with characters like Aragoto and Onna-gata. The document also summarizes shadow puppet traditions from Indonesia (Wayang Kulit), Thailand (Nang), and their stories, characters, and puppeteers. Major festivals celebrating these forms are highlighted from China, Philippines, Japan, Thailand and Indonesia.

1. MUSICAL THEATER
AND FESTIVALS OF

3. PEKING OPERA
(CHINA)
 Peking opera also
known as the Beijing
opera still follows
traditional Chinese arts
in stressing meaning,
rather than precise
actions.

4. ROLES AND
CHARACTERS
1. Sheng- is the
main male role in
Peking opera
a. Xiaosheng actors
are often involved
with beautiful
women by virtue of
the handsome and
young image they

5. b. Wusheng
is a martial
character for
roles
involving
combat. They
are highly
trained in
acrobatics,
and have a

6. c. Laosheng
is a dignified
older role,
these
characters
have a gentle
and
cultivated
disposition,

7. ROLES AND
CHARACTERS
2. Dan - refers
to any female
role in Peking
opera
a. Laodan- old
woman

8. B. Wudan-
martial
woman

9. C.
Daomadan
are young
female
warriors

10. D. Qingyi
are
virtuous
and elite
women

11. E.
Huadan
are
vivacious
and
unmarrie

12. ROLES AND
CHARACTERS
3. Jing is a painted
face male role who
plays either primary
or secondary roles.
This type of role
entails a forceful
character, which
means that a Jing
actor must have a
strong voice and be
able to exaggerate
gestures. The red
color denotes loyalty

13. ROLES AND
CHARACTERS
4. Chou is a male
clown role. The
Chou usually plays
secondary roles
whose name also
means "ugly". It
reflects the
traditional belief
that the clown's
combination of
ugliness and
laughter could

14. VISUAL PERFORMANCE
ELEMENTS:
Peking-opera performers utilize four
main skills.
1. Song
2. Speech
3. Dance-acting
4. Combat

15. THE MEANING OF COLORS IN PEKING
OPERA MASKS/MAKE-UPS
• Red - devotion, courage, bravery,
uprightness and loyalty.
• Black - roughness and fierceness
• Yellow - fierceness, ambition and
cool-headedness
• Purple - uprightness,
sophistication and cool-
headedness
• Reddish purple - just and noble
character
• Blue - loyalty, fierceness and

16. STAGING AND
COSTUMES
1.Musicians are visible to the
audience on the front part of
the stage
2.Viewers are always seated
south of the stage. North is
the most important direction
in Peking Opera
3.Performers immediately move

17. STAGING AND
COSTUMES
4. Props- during Peking opera
they only utilizes a very few
props
table and at least one chair
Bed
A whip is used to indicate a
horse
An oar symbolizes a boat

18. STAGING AND
COSTUMES
5. Costumes in Peking opera
costumes are called
XINGTOU, popularly known as
XIFU, in Chinese origin of
Peking Opera

19. PURPOSE OF THE
COSTUME
 So that they enable the
audience to distinguish a
character’s sex and status
at first glance
 If it is NOBLE, HUMBLE,
CIVILIAN OR MILITARY,
OFFICIALS OR PRIVATE
CITIZENS

20. AETHETIC CLAIMS AND
PRINCIPLES OF
MOVEMENT IN PEKING
OPERA
1. Highest aim is TO PUT
BEAUTY INTO EVERY
MOVEMENT
2. Walking in large circle
always symbolizes
travelling a long distance

21. 3. Art forms, gestures,
settings, music and
character types are
determined by LONG
HELD CONVENTIONS
4. A CHARCTER
straightening his/her
costume and headdress
symbolizes that an

22. 5. Pantomimic is the
opening and closing of
doors and mounting and
descending of stairs

29. KABUKI (JAPAN)
 Is a Japanese traditional
theatre art that is
performed in a stylized
manner which combines
acting, singing and
dancing.
The term Kabuki in modern
Japanese means: ka,

30.  MIE – the actor holds
a piscuresque pose
to establish his
character and his
house name YAGO
 Fan – Symbolizes
wind in Kabuki

31. ARAGOTO - A
Japanese
terminology
which means
male roles
ONNA-GATA –
refers to
female roles

32. KIMONO AND
OBI
 elaborate
costumes of
the female
characters in
Kabuki

33. SUPPON – a platform
that rises from below
the stage
KUMADORI – enhances
or exaggerates facial
lines to produce
dramatic animal or

35. WAYANG KULIT
(INDONESIA)
 In wayangkulit the dalang
sings the mood songs
(suluk) at regular intervals
during performance.
Suluk are never
accompanied by the full
gamelan ensemble. Often a
single instrument

36. WAYANG KULIT
(INDONESIA)
 Kulit means “skin”; it
refers to the leather
construction of the
puppets in Wayang
Kulit

37. The stories are usually
drawn from the Hindu
epics:
1. Ramayana
2. Mahabharata
3. Serat Menak - a
story about the

38. DALANG – the
puppeteer of
Java, Indonesia

41. NANG SHADOW
PUPPETS OF
THAILAND
Shadow puppet (Thai:
Nang) was one form of
public entertainment in the
south of Thailand
They are manipulated
with rods that control
movements of the arms

42.  Nang recites tales of the
gods and contemporary
people tru; story of love,
current events and tradition.
It represents the norms and
mores of Thai society.
 Nang attempts to relay the
values and ideologies of a
changing world but,
preserving the mystical and

43. TYPES OF NANG
SHADOW PUPPET
1. Nang
Talung
2. Nang Yai
3. Nang

44. FESTIVALS OF
ASIA

45. CHINESE FESTIVAL:
CHINESE NEW YEAR

46. CHINESE NEW YEAR IS
KNOWN AS:
"Spring Festival," the
literal translation of the
Chinese name Chūnjié,
since the spring season
in Chinese calendar
starts with lichun, the
first solar term in a

47. Dragon Dance
 the traditional dance
during Chinese New
Year

48. PROPS THAT CAN BE
SEEN IN THE CHINESE
SPRING FESTIVAL
 Chinese fans
 Chinese
lanterns

50. FESTIVALS IN THE
PHILIPPINES
1.Sarsuela
2.Ati-atihan
3.Sinulog
4.Dinagyang
5.Panagbenga

51. FESTIVALS IN
CHINA
1.Peking
Opera
2.Lion
Dance
Festiva

52. FESTIVALS IN
JAPAN
1. Taiko Drum
2. Kabuki

53. Drums of Japan(Taiko
Drum)
 Signify pray for rain
 Signify boundaries of
a village
 Lead warriors into
battles in order to

54. FESTIVALS IN
THAILAND
1.Lantern
Festival
2.Nang
Shadow
Puppet

55. FESTIVALS IN
INDONESIA
1.Wayang
kulit
2.Bali
dance
Festival