ご愁傷さま、エリザベスさん

We have very sad news to tell you. Last Thursday, April 16, 2009, Elizabeth Alexander's father passed away at home. We feel very sad for Elizabeth and her mother, sister, and brother. The funeral was yesterday, Thursday, April 23rd, at the St. Benedict the African -- East.

Humanities Festival at Payton in late March

　　　Payton's drama teacher, Ms. Kerry Catlin, organized Payton's first Humanities Festival to coincide with the Payton production of ”The Taming of the Shrew,” by William Shakespeare.　　Calvin Krogh appeared in the play as the father of Kate, the leading character. Rachel Schachtman, fourth year Japanese language student, played the role of the suitor of Kate's younger sister. Mari Feuer participated by organizing costumes. The production modernized some aspects of the play, allowing some of the men's roles to be played by women.

　　Kimmel Sensei gave a presentation on Japanese theater and spoke about　Noh drama お能、Bunraku 文楽、 Kabuki　歌舞伎、and her own particular research subject, Taishuu Engeki 大衆演劇。　There are interesting parallels between ancient Greek drama and the Noh (both having important religious elements), and between　Kabuki and Shakespearean drama (both products of the rising townsman and commercial classes).

Taishuu Engeki is a sort of working class off-shoot of Kabuki, performed in more modern Japanese, in small local theaters. It does have a traditional aspect, however. Troupes of taishuu engeki actors travel from theater to theater much in the way that Italian commedia dell'arte actors and Shakespearean actors traveled during the 16th and 17th centuries in Europe.