Jyoen

Wednesday, November 30 through Friday, December 2 at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, December 3 at 1:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

The Frank Shiner Theatre at the Sheen Center – 18 Bleecker Street (at Elizabeth Street)

Admission: $38

Drawing on the Japanese traditional theater forms of Kabuki and Noh, Jyoen is an operetta set in Edo Period Japan. It tells the story of Kaede, a young Shinto shrine maiden, offered in marriage to a retired samurai in appreciation for his service. The tale charts the unraveling of the once great warrior Tsuruoka Yasunobu, Kaede’s ill-fated attempt to attain agency over her life, and a servant’s misguided effort to seek revenge for his father’s death.

Through innovative storytelling, writers/directors Lee Douglass and Toshinori Hamada have created a world that uses traditional forms and timeless themes to illuminate universal human issues that resonate with the modern world.

Jyoen is performed to an original score for shamisen, koto, shakuhachi, and voice by composer Kento Iwasaki and uses traditional Japanese and lyrical modern dance to weave a tale of honor, love, vengeance, and truth. The text is in classical Japanese with English subtitles.

Cast

Yuriko Miyake*
Toshinori Hamada
Emi Kikuchi
Akira Watanabe
Ma Ru

Musicians

Sumie Kaneko, shamisen, koto, and vocals
Adam Robinson, shakuhachi and ryuteki
Kento Iwasaki, composer

*Appearing as a courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association

For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit the Sheen Center’s website.