East-West Center

Arts & Performances

Noh and kyogen, collectively known as nohgaku, share a nearly 700-year-long history. The refined poetry and music of noh portrays teh psychological journey of the main character, often a ghost in need of release from earthly ties or fulfillment of karmic destiny. Usually included on the saem program is kyogen, with its exaggerated portrayals of everday human foibles.

The costumes, masks, scrolls, photos, accessories, and "pop-culture" noh and kyogen items featured in the current exhibition are on loan from the UHM Department of Theatre and Dance, and from noh masters training UHM students for the Kennedy Theatre classical noh production of Sumida River, March 6 - 15, 2009. Through these works of art and artistic oddities, the exhibit will acquaint the viewer with both the shared and specific elements of the "artistic team" of noh and kyogen, as well as provide a view of their respective paths into the 21th century.

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