Japanese Theater

Late 1500’s-early 1600’s

Kabuki theaterInvented by a Shinto priestess and originally performed only by women.

Women banned from performances and all roles now played by men.

Plots are melodramatic and used dance, music and acting to tell the stories.

Bunraku (Puppet) TheaterThe great plays of Japan were originally written for the puppets of Bunraku.

Each puppet requires multiple puppeteers to operate. Main puppeteers are visible and the assistants are dressed in black to be “invisible”