Adapatation, Design and Directing of "Love Suicide at Amijima" by Chikamatsu Monzaemon, 1996,

First Act: Confrontation between "Samurai" and Jihei's Rival

Director’s Statement:

After my success in the Smith College Theater Department with the one-act “Striptease,” by Slawomir Mrozek, I proposed an adaptation of this classic by Chikamatsu Monzaemon, the 18th century “Shakespeare” of Japan. Only one student annually could “win” a budget for a full-length production at the Hallie Flanagan Studio Theater. In 1995, I was awarded this privilege, which allowed me to design and direct a full-scale production as my honors thesis in my senior year (1996). The production included 11 wonderful actresses, some of whom have gone on into successful performing arts careers, costumes specifically made for the production, a set of my design which changed for every act, and highly original lighting design by Eriko Fukuoka.

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