000ASIAN THEATERS (JAPAN, CHINA, INDONESIA) unusual dances for passersby who found her daring parodies of Buddhist
d her daring parodies of Buddhist prayers
Theater Arts is one of the standard traditions of the people in Asia.
It mirrors or reflects life. It conveys clarity of story, order, and wonder, which is
rarely found in ordinary life. Asian countries are rich in music. Genres vary from
one country to another. This indicates the actors and actresses ignite
communication through musical theater.
KABUKI
- Kabuki is a form of classical theater performance that may not be understood by
the West but has evolved over 400 years to maintain influence and popularity.
Kabuki is derived from the Japanese verb 'Kabuku' which means out of the
ordinary or bizarre.
- Its history began in early 17th century Kyoto, where a shrine maiden named
Izumo no Okuni would use the city's dry Kamo Riverbed as a stage to perform
unusual dances for passersby who found her daring parodies of Buddhist prayers
both entertaining and mesmerizing.
- Soon other troops began performing in the same style, and Kabuki made history
as Japan's first dramatic performance. By relying on makeup, or Keshou, facial
expressions and focusing on historical events rather than folk tales, Kabuki set
itself apart from the upper-class dance theater form known as Noh.
- At first, the dance was practiced only by females referred to as Onna-kabuki.
They performed not only to showcase their singing and dancing abilities but also to
advertise their bodies to potential clients. A ban by the conservative Tokugawa
shogunate in 1629 led to the emergence of Wakashu-Kabuki with young boys as
actors.
- But when this was also banned for similar reasons, that led to Yaro-Kabuki
performed by men. Kabuki became closely associated with and influenced by
Bunraku, an elaborate form of puppet theater. Due to these influences, the
once spontaneous, one-act dance evolved into a structured, five-act play often
based on the tenets of Confucian philosophy.
PEKING OPERA
- Peking Opera is a classic form of Chinese performance that combines the music
of Chinese instruments, singing, miming, dancing, and history. It arose in the late
18th century and by the 19th century the art form was popular throughout the
country. Today, it is regarded as one of China's cultural treasures.
- There are four main characters or major roles in Peking Opera: Sheng (men),
Dan (women), Jing (painted face), and Chou
654 (ugly/ clown face). Each character has a different age, gender, and social
status.
ASIAN THEATERS (JAPAN, CHINA, INDONESIA)
Theater Arts is one of the standard traditions of the people in Asia.
It mirrors or reflects life. It conveys clarity of story, order, and wonder, which is
rarely found in ordinary life. Asian countries are rich in music. Genres vary from
one country to another. This indicates the actors and actresses ignite
communicating through musical theater.
KABUKI
- Kabuki is a form of classical theater performance that may not be understood by
the West but has evolved over 400 years to maintain influence and popularity.
Kabuki is derived from the Japanese verb 'Kabuku' which means out of the
ordinary or bizarre.
- Its history began in early 17th century Kyoto, where a shrine maiden named
Izumo no Okuni would use the city's dry Kamo Riverbed as a stage to perform
unusual dances for passersby who found her daring parodies of Buddhist prayers
both entertaining and mesmerizing.
- Soon other troops began performing in the same style, and Kabuki made history
as Japan's first dramatic performance. By relying on makeup, or Keshou, facial
expressions and focusing on historical events rather than folk tales, Kabuki set
itself apart from the upper-class dance theater form known as Noh.
- At first, the dance was practiced only by females referred to as Onna-kabuki.
They performed not only to showcase their singing and dancing abilities but also to
advertise their bodies to potential clients. A ban by the conservative Tokugawa
shogunate in 1629 led to the emergence of Wakashu-Kabuki with young boys as
actors.
- But when this was also banned for similar reasons, that led to Yaro-Kabuki
performed by men. Kabuki became closely associated with and influenced by
Bunraku, an elaborate form of puppet theater. Due to these influences, the
once spontaneous, one-act dance evolved into a structured, five-act play often
based on the tenets of Confucian philosophy.
PEKING OPERA
- Peking Opera is a classic form of Chinese performance that combines the music
of Chinese instruments, singing, miming, dancing, and history. It arose in the late
18th century and by the 19th century the art form was popular throughout the
country. Today, it is regarded as one of China's cultural treasures.
- It is also known as Beijing Opera, and is an essential cultural tradition in China.
- There are four main characters or major roles in Peking Opera: Sheng (men),
Dan (women), Jing (painted face), and Chou (ugly/ clown face). Each character
has a different age, gender, and social status.
ASIAN THEATERS (JAPAN, CHINA, INDONESIA)
Theater Arts is one of the standard traditions of the people in Asia.
It mirrors or reflects life. It conveys clarity of story, order, and wonder, which is
rarely found in ordinary life. Asian countries are rich in music. Genres vary from
one country to another. This indicates the actors and actresses ignite
communicating through musical theater.
KABUKI
- Kabuki is a form of classical theater performance that may not be understood by
the West but has evolved over 400 years to maintain influence and popularity.
Kabuki is derived from the Japanese verb 'Kabuku' which means out of the
ordinary or bizarre.
- Its history began in early 17th century Kyoto, where a shrine maiden named
Izumo no Okuni would use the city's dry Kamo Riverbed as a stage to perform
both entertaining and mesmerizing.
- Soon other troops began performing in the same style, and Kabuki made history
as Japan's first dramatic performance. By relying on makeup, or Keshou, facial
expressions and focusing on historical events rather than folk tales, Kabuki set
itself apart from the upper-class dance theater form known as Noh.
- At first, the dance was practiced only by females referred to as Onna-kabuki.
They performed not only to showcase their singing and dancing abilities but also to
advertise their bodies to potential clients. A ban by the conservative Tokugawa
shogunate in 1629 led to the emergence of Wakashu-Kabuki with young boys as
actors.
- But when this was also banned for similar reasons, that led to Yaro-Kabuki
performed by men. Kabuki became closely associated with and influenced by
Bunraku, an elaborate form of puppet theater. Due to these influences, the
once spontaneous, one-act dance evolved into a structured, five-act play often
based on the tenets of Confucian philosophy.
PEKING OPERA
- Peking Opera is a classic form of Chinese performance that combines the music
of Chinese instruments, singing, miming, dancing, and history. It arose in the late
18th century and by the 19th century the art form was popular throughout the
country. Today, it is regarded as one of China's cultural treasures.
- There are four main characters or major roles in Peking Opera: Sheng (men),
Dan (women), Jing (painted face), and Chou
654 (ugly/ clown face). Each character has a different age, gender, and social
status.
ASIAN THEATERS (JAPAN, CHINA, INDONESIA)
Theater Arts is one of the standard traditions of the people in Asia.
It mirrors or reflects life. It conveys clarity of story, order, and wonder, which is
rarely found in ordinary life. Asian countries are rich in music. Genres vary from
one country to another. This indicates the actors and actresses ignite
communicating through musical theater.
KABUKI
- Kabuki is a form of classical theater performance that may not be understood by
the West but has evolved over 400 years to maintain influence and popularity.
Kabuki is derived from the Japanese verb 'Kabuku' which means out of the
ordinary or bizarre.
- Its history began in early 17th century Kyoto, where a shrine maiden named
Izumo no Okuni would use the city's dry Kamo Riverbed as a stage to perform
unusual dances for passersby who found her daring parodies of Buddhist prayers
both entertaining and mesmerizing.
- Soon other troops began performing in the same style, and Kabuki made history
as Japan's first dramatic performance. By relying on makeup, or Keshou, facial
expressions and focusing on historical events rather than folk tales, Kabuki set
itself apart from the upper-class dance theater form known as Noh.
- At first, the dance was practiced only by females referred to as Onna-kabuki.
They performed not only to showcase their singing and dancing abilities but also to
advertise their bodies to potential clients. A ban by the conservative Tokugawa
shogunate in 1629 led to the emergence of Wakashu-Kabuki with young boys as
actors.
- But when this was also banned for similar reasons, that led to Yaro-Kabuki
performed by men. Kabuki became closely associated with and influenced by
Bunraku, an elaborate form of puppet theater. Due to these influences, the
once spontaneous, one-act dance evolved into a structured, five-act play often
based on the tenets of Confucian philosophy.
PEKING OPERA
- Peking Opera is a classic form of Chinese performance that combines the music
of Chinese instruments, singing, miming, dancing, and history. It arose in the late
18th century and by the 19th century the art form was popular throughout the
country. Today, it is regarded as one of China's cultural treasures.
- It is also known as Beijing Opera, and is an essential cultural tradition in China.
- There are four main characters or major roles in Peking Opera: Sheng (men),
Dan (women), Jing (painted face), and Chou
654 (ugly/ clown face). Each character has a different age, gender, and social
status.
- The masks in the Peking Opera represent the different characteristics of the
personas:
*Red mask is traditionally a positive color in Chinese culture, which signifies
prosperity, intelligence, and bravery.
*Purple masks suggest justice and sophistication.
*The black mask is considered neutral.
*In contrast, the green and yellow masks represent bad characteristics. The green
mask implies violence, and the yellow mask is cruelty.
*The white mask stands for evil.
WAYANG KULIT
- Wayang Kulit in Central Java is one of the oldest continuous traditions of
storytelling in the world which includes the use of puppet materials and
background musical accompaniment to make it interesting to the audience.
- Performances of shadow puppet theaters are accompanied by a gamelan
orchestra in Java.
- It was given recognition as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of
Humanity on Nov. 7, 2003, by UNESCO and required Indonesians to preserve
their heritage.
- The stories are usually drawn from the Hindu epics: Ramayana, Mahabharata,
and Serat Manak (Amir Hamza)
- Wayang Kulit performance consists of shadows cast on a cotton screen and an oil
lamp. A halogen electric light is often used as a light source.
The Performance
- The audience is the most important person in a Wayang Kulit performance.
- The dalang is the puppeteer prepares all the materials used like the cloth and
light for the shadow.
- The puppet on the right side signifies the good character and on the left-hand
side the bad.
- The open space between them about two meters wide represents the stage.
The Dalang
- He is characterized by his being creative, humorous, and flexible.
- He manipulates the puppets, sings, and taps out signals to the orchestra.
- He also speaks the parts of all the characters.
- The use of voice interchangeably is the main ability of a dalang to give more life
to a different character.
- The masks in the Peking Opera represent the different characteristics of the
personas:
*Red mask is traditionally a positive color in Chinese culture, which signifies
prosperity, intelligence, and bravery.
*Purple masks suggest justice and sophistication.
*The black mask is considered neutral.
*In contrast, the green and yellow masks represent bad characteristics. The green
mask implies violence, and the yellow mask is cruelty.
*The white mask stands for evil.
WAYANG KULIT
- Wayang Kulit in Central Java is one of the oldest continuous traditions of
storytelling in the world which includes the use of puppet materials and
background musical accompaniment to make it interesting to the audience.
- Performances of shadow puppet theaters are accompanied by a gamelan
orchestra in Java.
- It was given recognition as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of
Humanity on Nov. 7, 2003, by UNESCO and required Indonesians to preserve
their heritage.
- The stories are usually drawn from the Hindu epics: Ramayana, Mahabharata,
and Serat Manak (Amir Hamza)
- Wayang Kulit performance consists of shadows cast on a cotton screen and an oil
lamp. A halogen electric light is often used as a light source.
The Performance
- The audience is the most important person in a Wayang Kulit performance.
- The dalang is the puppeteer prepares all the materials used like the cloth and
light for the shadow.
- The puppet on the right side signifies the good character and on the left-hand
side the bad.
- The open space between them about two meters wide represents the stage.
The Dalang
- He is characterized by his being creative, humorous, and flexible.
- He manipulates the puppets, sings, and taps out signals to the orchestra.
- He also speaks the parts of all the characters.
- The use of voice interchangeably is the main ability of a dalang to give more life
to a different character.
*In contrast, the green and yellow masks represent bad characteristics. The green
mask implies violence, and the yellow mask is cruelty.
*The white mask stands for evil.
WAYANG KULIT
- Wayang Kulit in Central Java is one of the oldest continuous traditions of
storytelling in the world which includes the use of puppet materials and
background musical accompaniment to make it interesting to the audience.
- Performances of shadow puppet theaters are accompanied by a gamelan
orchestra in Java.
- It was given recognition as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of
Humanity on Nov. 7, 2003, by UNESCO and required Indonesians to preserve
their heritage.
- The stories are usually drawn from the Hindu epics: Ramayana, Mahabharata,
and Serat Manak (Amir Hamza)
- Wayang Kulit performance consists of shadows cast on a cotton screen and an oil
lamp. A halogen electric light is often used as a light source.
The Performance
- The audience is the most important person in a Wayang Kulit performance.
- The dalang is the puppeteer prepares all the materials used like the cloth and
light for the shadow.
- The puppet on the right side signifies the good character and on the left-hand
side the bad.
- The open space between them about two meters wide represents the stage.
The Dalang
- He is characterized by his being creative, humorous, and flexible.
- He manipulates the puppets, sings, and taps out signals to the orchestra.
- He also speaks the parts of all the characters.
- The use of voice interchangeably is the main ability of a dalang to give more life
to a different character.

- The masks in the Peking Opera represent the different characteristics of the
personas:
*Red mask is traditionally a positive color in Chinese culture, which signifies
prosperity, intelligence, and bravery.
*Purple masks suggest justice and sophistication.
*The black mask is considered neutral.
*In contrast, the green and yellow masks represent bad characteristics. The green
mask implies violence, and the yellow mask is cruelty.
*The white mask stands for evil.
WAYANG KULIT
- Wayang Kulit in Central Java is one of the oldest continuous traditions of
storytelling in the world which includes the use of puppet materials and
background musical accompaniment to make it interesting to the audience.
- Performances of shadow puppet theaters are accompanied by a gamelan
orchestra in Java.
- It was given recognition as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of
Humanity on Nov. 7, 2003, by UNESCO and required Indonesians to preserve
their heritage.
- The stories are usually drawn from the Hindu epics: Ramayana, Mahabharata,
and Serat Manak (Amir Hamza)
- Wayang Kulit performance consists of shadows cast on a cotton screen and an oil
lamp. A halogen electric light is often used as a light source.
The Performance
- The audience is the most important person in a Wayang Kulit performance.
- The dalang is the puppeteer prepares all the materials used like the cloth and
light for the shadow.
- The puppet on the right side signifies the good character and on the left-hand
side the bad.
- The open space between them about two meters wide represents the stage.
The Dalang
- He is characterized by his being creative, humorous, and flexible.
- He manipulates the puppets, sings, and taps out signals to the orchestra.
- He also speaks the parts of all the characters.
- The use of voice interchangeably is the main ability of a dalang to give more life
to a different character.

- The masks in the Peking Opera represent the different characteristics of the
personas:
*Red mask is traditionally a positive color in Chinese culture, which signifies
prosperity, intelligence, and bravery.
*Purple masks suggest justice and sophistication.
*The black mask is considered neutral.