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Essay

Part of an ensemble

By Aya Ogawa


日米のよいところを組み合わせて

日本とアメリカでは、舞台演劇の作り方が基本的に異なる。 例えば、日本では出演者は演技のみならず舞台周りの仕事もする一方、アメリカではオーディションで集められた出演者は演じることだけが仕事、といった具合。 しかし今ではどちらの演劇界も、互いのシステムのよいところを取り入れつつある。 それがどんな結果に結びつくのかが楽しみだ。

One of the marked differences between contemporary American and Japanese theater is the sense of ensemble amongst the cast. If you look at the average cast size of recent productions of American plays, aside from the big budget musicals, you will find small, intimate casts, whereas in Japan, you can easily find shows with casts of a dozen or more people. The reason for this is deeply tied to the fact that the two cultures have different models of play-building.

About eight years ago I had the opportunity to work in a production by playwright/director Yoji Sakate, who heads the theater company Rinko-gun. I was among three American actors in his "Emperor and Kiss." The rehearsal process with the company of about 15 actors began with physical training and some improvisation. I noticed immediately that there was an order within the company that was based on seniority (not surprising in Japan). Moreover, everybody contributed to all aspects of the production — from advertising and selling tickets to cleaning the rehearsal and office space.

The script didn't reach us until about a week or so into the rehearsal process, and when it did, it trickled in a few pages at a time. It was an exciting and sometimes frustrating process, not being certain how the story was going to unfold. But it became clear that Mr. Sakate was writing for each of the actors, that the roles were tailored to each cast member. The production was a great success.

In the U.S, the most common play-building model is where the playwright writes a script, the producer hires a director who selects the cast of actors from auditions, and the cast works together for four to six weeks before opening the show. Often the director will disappear after opening and the stage manager is left to keep the performances up to par. After the run of the show, everyone goes their separate ways.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both systems. American artists are autonomous; an actor can audition for many different productions and choose a higher-paying gig over lesser-paying ones. On the other hand, they are never guaranteed regular performance opportunities, and they often have no artistic control in the rehearsal process.

Japanese actors who are part of a theater company are expected to contribute a lot more to the work than just performing. In return, they develop deep relationships to their fellow company members — something that really shows on-stage. The Japanese playwright/director who produces his own work through his company has the ability to nurture long-term relationships with his performer-collaborators.

The theater industries in both countries are actually now beginning to absorb the benefits from each other's systems. New theater companies spring up every year in the U.S. and more Japanese artists are working freelance. It will be interesting to see how these trends play out.



Shukan ST: Dec. 21 2007

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