The difference of stage between Japan and another countries

Stages are different between Japan and westan countries. The origin of stage, in Japan, is dance. However, in westan countries,  it is Greek drama, such as comedy and tragety.
Next, I explain class of actor. In japan, actors in Kabuki, are very low class people, like Eta,Hinin.So, stages are regarded as vulgar. On the other hand, in westan countries, actors are not so high class people, but some of them are under their king. For example, William Shakespeare, he was born in Stratford on Aibon, and was not so high class. Afterwards he became a memberof company of queen of England,and his writings were evaluated very much among noble people.
This stream affects modern sociaty. In Japan, stages are not as famous as in westan countries.On the point of actors school, theatre, westan countries are more expensive.

The Way of Practices of Actors/actresses

I will introduce the way of practice which actors or actresses usually do. There are many people who want to become an actor or actress, and they always train their own body.Here, these are some kinds of  training.
First, it is important to realize your own attitude, more closely, the peculiarity of your body. Why does it need? Because you are different from your role, so you have to remove moving yourself possibly. It is effective to develop your muscles and to do stretching to correct your peculiarity, such as push-up, sit-ups.  If you repeat doing exercises, you will sustain correct attitude.
One more important thing is utterance. Many actors do voice exercises every day. The point which you utter loud and clearly voice is breathing by stomach. Do so, and you  can take in more air. Moreover, it is also important to relax your body.
There are many other things to practice actor's skill. If you have an interest, let's try.

The famous stage directors in Japan

Stage directors are very important in creating stage. They  decide their stage's line, so the same stage becomes different when a stage director is different. A good example is "Willam Shakespeare." His play is not changing, but many stage directors use his play, and all of their stages have different atomosphere.
Here, I explain some famous stage directors in Japan.

Yukio Ninagawa…He is the one of stage directors who represent Japan. He is from Saitama. When he was  young, he belonged to "Gekidan Seihai," as an actor. However, He realized that he fit a stage director. Then, he started as a atage director. He produced some Shakespeare's play, such as "Hamlet ""Romeo and Juliet" and so on. Plus, he is known as a very strict stage director.

Kouhei Tsuka…He is a Japanese writer, and stage director. Heis from Korea. He placed "Tsukakouhei theatre company" and made a boom of stage from 1970 to 1980. He produced actors by"kuchidate", his unique way to produce. It is  that he thinks actors' part imprompuly.He died in 2010, July 10th.

The Famous Writer in Japan

Writer, it is the base of  stages. If there were no script, stages would not be.  I will introduce some famous writer in Japan. They wrote many scripts and they are often charge of stage directer, too.

Hisashi Inoue(1934~2010)He is a Japanese writer, novelist, and writer of broadcast.  He graduated from Sophia University, and then he worked as  a writer of broadcast. He wrote "Hyokkori-Hyoutanzima," it is one of his masterpieces. In 1984, he set up "Komatsuza," a theatrical company. He wrote "Shakespeare on Tenpo 12," "Chichitokuraseba,"and so on. Moreover, he received so many prize.  Plus, he was so slow to complete his pieces. So, some stages were canceled because of unfinished script!

Hideki Noda(1995~) He is an acclaimed Japanese actor, playwright and theater director who has written and directed more than forty plays in Japan, as well as working in foerien countries, bringing Japanese script. He is from Nagasaki. He attended Tokyo University to study law, but he dropped out after a time. In 1976, he set up  a theatrical company"Yumenoyuuminsya." Though this company was collapsed, he set up a new theatrical company "Noda-MAP." His pieces are individual at the point "Word Play" and "remake of classic stage drama." Moreover, he lost his light eye because of desease. Then, he wrote "Right-Eye," it is based on his real experience.

The Famous Stage Drama in Japan

I tried to do research on the famous stage drama in Japan, but I found that there is no example. In foreign country, some stage dramas are famous, like Romeo and Juliet or Cats. Because modern stage style was imported from Pasific countries, Japan has little history about stage(except for Kabuki, Nou, and so on.)

Instead of that, I will tell you the famous theatrical companies in Japan.

Bungakuza… it is a Japanese theatrical company. It, along with the Haiyūza Theatre Company and the Mingei Theatrical Company, stages Shingeki. The company was founded by Kunio Kishida, Mantarō Kubota and Bunroku Shishi on September 6, 1937. On March 25, 1938, the company staged its first public performances with "Migotona Onna", "Wagaya no Heiwa" and "Kunokkusu". Shinobu Terazima and Hiromi Hasegawa are former members.

Gekidan☆shinkansen…it is a Japanese under-ground theatrical company. In 1980,the company was founded by Hidenori Inoue and students at Osaka University of Arts. Arata Furuta and Jhun Hashimoto belong to the members. Moreover, some writings became movies.

The Kind of Stage Styles

There are many styles in stages.
comedy… it is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film.
tragedy…it is a form of art based on human suffering that offers its audience pleasure.
musical…it is a form of theater combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an integrated whole.
These are simple category. In Japan, stages are separeted more closely.
Taisyuu Engeki…it is a easy stage for audience. Generally, Its performers are Tabiyakusya, that is actor who wanders many parts of the country.
commercial drama…the term is used for critisezing lately stage from Kabuki's view. Famous actor is appointed as the lead character, and it makes a point of apperance that the featured actor is how smart and beautiful.

The Kinds of Stage People

When you hear the word "stage people," you will remind cast first. But in fact, many different people are concerned with stage.
cast…it is an actor or actress. They play on the stage.
gaffer … it is engaged in light. They plan and oparate lights.
sound engineer … it takes charge of sound. They plan and oparate sound. Besides, they look for or make sound.
art director … it is the person who thinks about stage settings.
advertisement director … it takes charge of commercial arts : poster, handout, pamphlet.
theatrical costume … it is the person who thinks about, makes and prepares clothes for stages.
executor…it takes charge of place for playing, money, and negotiation with other association.
stage director…it is very important person. He or she decides cast's acting principle and mood of the stage, along the script.
playwright…  it is a writer. stage people work based on its script.
No one can take other's place. So, all stage people need for stages.