| The Tonda Traditional Japanese Bunraku Puppet Troupe, designated
by Japan as an Intangible Cultural Treasure, will perform at
Berea College on Oct. 4, at 8 p.m. The performance will follow
a lecture/demonstration presented at 3 p.m. the same day. Both
programs are scheduled in Phelps Stokes auditorium.
Japanese Bunraku, developed in the 16th century, is one of
the most sophisticated forms of puppetry in the world, requiring
three puppeteers to operate each puppet, which are half of
life-size. The Tonda Bunraku Troupe traces its origins to the
early 1800s and today is designated an Intangible Cultural
Resource in Shiga Prefecture, Japan, the troupe's home.
Current members of the Troupe include those with long family
associations with the theatre as well as men and women from
outside puppeteering families. The play they are performing
for Berea College was first staged in 1769 at the Takemoto
Theatre in Osaka.
The Tonda Toupe's appearance in Berea is part of a U.S. Tour
during October, the ensemble's third since 1999. For more information
visit http://www.berea.edu/IC/tonda/.
Sponsored by the College's Convocations program and the International
Center, both events are free and open to the public.
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