Noh Theatre Performance Set for SUNY New Paltz

NEW PALTZ — The first-ever performance of Noh Theater in the Hudson Valley will take place on October 16 at the State University of New York at New Paltz in conjunction with the annual New York Conference on Asian Studies. Nearly 200 scholars and artists will convene for at the College for the event which begins October 15 and runs through Saturday, October 17.

In what is certain to be a major highlight of the conference, two professional actors from the Noh Theater of Japan will demonstrate the artistry of the oldest continuously performed theater in the world. First developed in the late 14th and 15th centuries, Noh is known as the theatre of aristocrats. It is a blend of poetry, music, and dance, merging text and exposition in a highly stylized, ritualistic expression.

The performance will be introduced by Samuel I. Leiter, Tow Professor of Theater at the Brooklyn College and CUNY Graduate Center and editor of the Asian Theatre Journal. The play, “Hagorama,” perhaps the most popular of all Noh plays, in which a celestial maiden must dance to win back her mantle from a fisherman who has found it, will be performed. Hatta Tatsuya of the Umewaka branch of the Kanze School will be the featured performer.

“The Artistry of Noh,” will be held in Parker Theatre at 8 p.m. Tickets are $5.00 and will be available at the door.

There will also be a five-hour workshop for teachers on “Japanese Theatre in the K-12 Curriculum” which will be held on Thursday, October 15 from 4:00 – 9:00 p.m. in Elting Gymnasium. Under the guidance of professional Noh performer Hatta Tatsuya, participants will be trained in the fundamental movements, sounds, and narratives of the 600 year-old living theatrical form. Over dinner, practitioners of arts derived from the Noh will demonstrate instruments and movement, inviting participation from the audience.

The New York Conference on Asian Studies is the oldest of the eight regional conferences of the Association for Asian Studies, the largest organization of its kind in the world.

For information about conference registration and costs, contact the Office of Conference Services at (845)257-3033.

Additional information about the conference can be found on their web site at http://www.newpaltz.edu/asianstudies/nycas98.html or by contacting either Marleigh Grayer Ryan at (845)257-3494 or Ronald G. Knapp at (845)257-2996/2995.