About the MAnsAku-no-kAi kyogen CoMpAnyMansaku-no-Kai Kyogen is one of Japan’s most celebrated Kyogen companies. Led by Artistic Director Mansaku Nomura, the company is known for their interpretations of comic classics and enjoyable performances. Mr. Nomura has more than 70 years in the art form, and has been designated a Living National Treasure of Japan.

Official Name: Nippon-koku

Capital: Tokyo

Japan is made up of more than 3,000 islands.

The main religions of Japan are Buddhism and Shinto

Population: 127.5 million

About 75% of Japan is covered by mountains and forests

Listen Up!

Check out more on Japan and its many art forms at iPass Japan! Culture + Hyperculture

http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/multimedia/series/AEMicrosites/ipass-japan

Tokyo, JapanWashington, D.C.

Snapshot of Japan

David M. Rubenstein Chairman

Michael M. Kaiser President

Darrell M. Ayers Vice President, Education

Additional support for Performances for Young Audiences is provided in part by The Clark Charitable Foundation; Mr. James V. Kimsey; The Macy*s Foundation; The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, Inc.; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; the Park Foundation, Inc.; the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; an endowment from the Ryna and Melvin Cohen Family Foundation; the U.S. Department of Education; the Verizon Foundation; Washington Gas; and by generous contributors to the Abe Fortas Memorial Fund, and by a major gift to the fund from the late Carolyn E. Agger, widow of Abe Fortas. Major support for the Kennedy Center’s educational programs is provided by David and Alice Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program.

www.kennedy-center.org/artsedge

Cuesheets are produced by ARTSEDGE, an education program of the Kennedy Center. ARTSEDGE is a part of Thinkfinity.org, a consortium of free educational Web sites for K-12 teaching and learning.

Learn more about Education at The Kennedy Center at www.kennedy-center.org/education The contents of this Cuesheet do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement from the Federal Government.

© 2012 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Please recycle this Cuesheet by sharing it with friends!

the MAnsAku-

A D e m o n str At i o n An D P e r f o r mAn c e o f Busu

Performances for Young Audiences is made possible by

no-kAi kyogenCoMpAny

Cuesheet P

erform

ance G

uid

e

the story of BusuTo make sure no one eats his delicious dessert, a master tells his two servants the tasty treat is actually a poison known as busu. But while the master is away, the servants discover the lie and eat it all up. To cover their tracks, the servants break one of the master’s household treasures. When the master returns home, the servants explain they ate the busu as punishment for their carelessness with his prized possession.

Watch for…

n The master’s and servants’ slapstick–style of exaggerated movements and dances, which help show how silly they all are trying to outwit one another.

n The play’s clown–like ending— a traditional characteristic of Kyogen theater.

n The English supertitles or translations broadcast above the stage, since the play will be performed in Japanese.

Dive into Japanese classical theater, known as Kyogen (prounounced KEE–YO–gen), with actors from the Mansaku-no-Kai Kyogen Company (Mahn–saw–COO–no–KYE). To start things off, actor Yukio Ishida (Yoo–kee–oh Ish–EE–dah) will show and tell you about this form of comic theater. But he needs your help! While everyone in the audience will be asked to participate from their seat, a number of student volunteers will join Mr. Ishida on stage. After you learn how Kyogen works, sit back and enjoy a performance of the Japanese play, Busu (pronounced BOO-soo).

kyogen: WhAt’s so funny?Developed centuries ago to serve as an intermission, or break, between the more serious and sacred Noh–style theater pieces, Kyogen is all about laughter and comedy, and roughly translated means “crazy talk.” Actors use exaggerated, silly language and actions to portray humorous situations or to poke fun at serious subjects. Today, Kyogen performances are still very popular throughout Japan. Both new and traditional works are found on stages across the country, as well as on cultural television programs.

WhAt DiD you finD funny?Did you laugh during the performance? Were you rooting for the master or his servants? How did their movements help make the story funny?

About the Demonstration and Performance

Traditional Japanese theater is more than 1,700 years old. The four classic styles include Kyogen (comedy), Noh (drama), Kabuki (dance/drama), and Bunraku (puppetry).

As is custom in Kyogen, male actors play both male and female roles.

the story of BusuTo make sure no one eats his delicious dessert, a master tells his two servants the tasty treat is actually a poison known as busu. But while the master is away, the servants discover the lie and eat it all up. To cover their tracks, the servants break one of the master’s household treasures. When the master returns home, the servants explain they ate the busu as punishment for their carelessness with his prized possession.

Watch for…

n The master’s and servants’ slapstick–style of exaggerated movements and dances, which help show how silly they all are trying to outwit one another.

n The play’s clown–like ending— a traditional characteristic of Kyogen theater.

n The English supertitles or translations broadcast above the stage, since the play will be performed in Japanese.

Dive into Japanese classical theater, known as Kyogen (prounounced KEE–YO–gen), with actors from the Mansaku-no-Kai Kyogen Company (Mahn–saw–COO–no–KYE). To start things off, actor Yukio Ishida (Yoo–kee–oh Ish–EE–dah) will show and tell you about this form of comic theater. But he needs your help! While everyone in the audience will be asked to participate from their seat, a number of student volunteers will join Mr. Ishida on stage. After you learn how Kyogen works, sit back and enjoy a performance of the Japanese play, Busu (pronounced BOO-soo).

kyogen: WhAt’s so funny?Developed centuries ago to serve as an intermission, or break, between the more serious and sacred Noh–style theater pieces, Kyogen is all about laughter and comedy, and roughly translated means “crazy talk.” Actors use exaggerated, silly language and actions to portray humorous situations or to poke fun at serious subjects. Today, Kyogen performances are still very popular throughout Japan. Both new and traditional works are found on stages across the country, as well as on cultural television programs.

WhAt DiD you finD funny?Did you laugh during the performance? Were you rooting for the master or his servants? How did their movements help make the story funny?

About the Demonstration and Performance

Traditional Japanese theater is more than 1,700 years old. The four classic styles include Kyogen (comedy), Noh (drama), Kabuki (dance/drama), and Bunraku (puppetry).

As is custom in Kyogen, male actors play both male and female roles.

About the MAnsAku-no-kAi kyogen CoMpAnyMansaku-no-Kai Kyogen is one of Japan’s most celebrated Kyogen companies. Led by Artistic Director Mansaku Nomura, the company is known for their interpretations of comic classics and enjoyable performances. Mr. Nomura has more than 70 years in the art form, and has been designated a Living National Treasure of Japan.

Official Name: Nippon-koku

Capital: Tokyo

Japan is made up of more than 3,000 islands.

The main religions of Japan are Buddhism and Shinto

Population: 127.5 million

About 75% of Japan is covered by mountains and forests

Listen Up!

Check out more on Japan and its many art forms at iPass Japan! Culture + Hyperculture

http://artsedge.kennedy-center.org/multimedia/series/AEMicrosites/ipass-japan

Tokyo, JapanWashington, D.C.

Snapshot of Japan

David M. Rubenstein Chairman

Michael M. Kaiser President

Darrell M. Ayers Vice President, Education

Additional support for Performances for Young Audiences is provided in part by The Clark Charitable Foundation; Mr. James V. Kimsey; The Macy*s Foundation; The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, Inc.; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; the Park Foundation, Inc.; the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; an endowment from the Ryna and Melvin Cohen Family Foundation; the U.S. Department of Education; the Verizon Foundation; Washington Gas; and by generous contributors to the Abe Fortas Memorial Fund, and by a major gift to the fund from the late Carolyn E. Agger, widow of Abe Fortas. Major support for the Kennedy Center’s educational programs is provided by David and Alice Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program.

www.kennedy-center.org/artsedge

Cuesheets are produced by ARTSEDGE, an education program of the Kennedy Center. ARTSEDGE is a part of Thinkfinity.org, a consortium of free educational Web sites for K-12 teaching and learning.

Learn more about Education at The Kennedy Center at www.kennedy-center.org/education The contents of this Cuesheet do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement from the Federal Government.

© 2012 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Please recycle this Cuesheet by sharing it with friends!

the MAnsAku-

A D e m o n str At i o n An D P e r f o r mAn c e o f Busu

Performances for Young Audiences is made possible by

no-kAi kyogenCoMpAny

Cuesheet P

erform

ance G

uid

e