Asian Theatre: History/Theory for Theatre III

Session Design by Morgan Huffman, Stormy Knaak, and Kendall Westmoreland

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Content Standards
Constructing Meaning Standard 4 Objective 4B
o Explain how different cultures might affect character action.
Acting Standard 2 Objective 1B
o Explain the elements of physical movement; e.g., energy, locomotion, balance,
relaxation.
Acting Standard 2 Objective 1D
o Use movement to reveal character emotion.

Enduring Understandings
Students will understand that culture affects appropriate movement and physicality in
ever day life; you must take into consideration a persons cultural values and backgrounds
when interacting with them or their culture.

Key Knowledge
Students will know that the shite is the protagonist character and supernatural character
and the waki contrasts the shite by always portraying a living person in Noh theatre.
Students will know that the kygen are the actors that perform during the interlude and
the hayashi are the instrumentalists that control the tempo during the performance in Noh
theatre.
Students will know that jruri is the combination of chanting and shamisen playing in
Bunraku.
Students will know that Bunraku is made up of three main components: the Ningytsukai
or Ningyzukai (puppeteers), Tay (chanters), and the shamisen musicians.
Students will know that the mie from kabuki theatre captures the highest moment of
tension in one physical gesture to hold the actor and the audience in a breathless trance.

Skills
Students will be able to complete a mie from kabuki theatre (reacting to a beating noise
by freezing in a statue-esque pose, influenced by the character, and crossing one or both
eyes proceeded by a head roll).
Students will be able to announce a mie from the kabuki theatre by the action of a beating
sound (traditionally done with wooden clappers).
Students will be able to bow correctly based on their gender (females bowing with their
back straight, eyes down, and hands clasped in their lap; and males bow with their backs
straight, eyes down, and hands at their side).

ASSESSMENT
Performance Tasks
Students improvise a performance of a short scene in which they take on the
characteristics of the shite and the waki and are graded on the Noh Performance Rubric
(see attached) in order to use movement to reveal character emotion.
Students create a performance in which they react to a beating noise by freezing in a
statue-esque pose, influenced by the character, and crossing one or both eyes proceeded
by a head roll and are marked as having accomplished the mie correctly on a check sheet
(see attached) to show their ability to complete a mie from kabuki theatre.
Students use their hands to clap on their laps and are marked as having accomplished this
correctly on a check sheet (see attached) in order to announce a mie from kabuki theatre.
Students enter the classroom with the female students bowing with their back straight,
eyes down, and hands clasped in their lap; and male students bow with their backs
 straight, eyes down, and hands at their side and are marked as having accomplished the
bow correctly on a check sheet (see attached) to demonstrate their ability to bow correctly
based on their gender.

Other Assessments
Students complete various journal entries at the end of every day of the unit providing
examples that they learned regarding the way Asian culture affects its citizens and how
they behave as well as a comparison of the various journal entries in order to demonstrate
their understanding that culture affects appropriate movement and physicality, therefore
you must take into consideration a persons cultural values and backgrounds when
interacting with them or their culture.
Students watch the mie performances given by their classmates and respond with written
feedback on the Mie Feedback Sheet (see attached) answering how the students used
energy, balance, relaxation, tension, and locomotion as well as the effectiveness of each
aspect in order to explain the elements of physical movement; e.g., energy, locomotion,
balance, relaxation.
Students complete the Culture Research Worksheet (see attached) in which they take a
character from an assigned culture and make a list of actions the character might take
based on research of that assigned culture in order to explain how different cultures might
affect character action.
Students take a quiz answering questions about the shite, waki, kygen, and hayashi from
the Noh theatre; jruri from Bunraku; the three main components of Bunraku, which is the
the Ningytsukai or Ningyzukai, the Tay, and the shamisen musicians; and the mie from
kabuki theatre in order to demonstrate all key knowledges.
MATERIALS NEEDED
Teacher Materials
Noh Rubric (see attached
Checklist (see attached)

Student Materials
Mie Feedback Sheet (see attached)
Journals/paper
Pen/pencil
Quiz (see attached)
Culture Research Worksheet (see attached)
Bunraku puppet

LEARNING PLAN
Day 1
Framing / Hook
1. Name tags
a. Students receive nametags with the traditional title they would have in Asian
culture (i.e. students are san lastname, teachers are sensei lastname) and refer to
each other in this way.
2. Setting the Scene
a. As students enter the classroom, they take off their shoes at the door as part of
Japanese tradition. They sit on the floor in front of the classroom with their legs
crossed underneath them in the traditional Japanese way.
i. NOTE: Teacher may show a demonstration of the traditional way of sitting.
3. Journal Entry
a. Students write a brief journal entry where they reflect on some cultural and social
norms found in American culture (e.g. sitting in the farthest available seat from the
next passenger when sitting on a bus).
4. Discuss Culture
a. Students learn through discussion of Asian culture about some social norms, such as
taking their shoes off at the door, sitting on the floor, the proper bowing technique,
and keeping eyes focused lower than eye level, and why they consider these as a
form of respect.
b. Students discuss American culture and the norms in society that we live by (e.g.
making eye contact, handshakes, etc.)
Process
5. Mini lecture
a. Students watch a short clip on Noh theatre and discuss the visual elements of
masks and costume, and the characters of Noh theatre.
i. NOTE: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lu5Vn1vQ5i4
b. Students receive brief background on Noh theatre and how it is still traditionally
done 650 years later.
c. Students learn that the four main characters of Noh theatre are: The Shite, The
Waki, Kygen, and Hyashi.
d. Students learn that the Shite is the main character in Noh theatre, and is a
supernatural character.
e. Students learn that the Waki is a contrasting character to the Shite, portraying a
living person.
f. Students learn that the Kygen are a group of actors that perform short scenes
during intervals.
g. Students learn that Hyashi are the instrumentalists who control the tempo of the
dance.
6. Teaching elements of movement
a. Students learn through discussion the definitions of the following terms:
 i. Energy: natural enthusiasm or effort.
ii. Balance: the ability to move or to remain in a position without losing bodily
control.
iii. Locomotion: the act or power of movement.
iv. Relaxation: the lengthening that characterizes inactive muscles.
v. Tension: the condition or degree of muscle stiffness.
vi. Gesture: a movement of part of the body, especially a hand or the head, to
express an idea or meaning.
7. Noh Short scenes
a. Students split into small groups of two.
b. Students pick who is one and who is two.
c. Student one is the shite character and student two is the waki character.
d. Students have 5 minutes to improvise a short scene between the Shite and Waki
character.
e. Students give verbal feedback to their peers.
f. Students revise and present their scenes with the given feedback.
g. Students present their scenes to the class and are graded based on the Noh Rubric
(see attached).
Reflection
8. Noh Discussion
a. Students sit in a circle.
b. Students discuss the following questions:
i. What is Noh Theatre?
ii. Why is Noh theatre important to Asian theatre?
iii. What are the similarities and differences between Asian and American
Theatre?
iv. How might Asian culture affect Asian Theatre, and specifically Noh Theatre?

9. Journal entry
a. Students write a journal entry discussing how cultural and social norms affect Noh
theatre based on what they learned from Asian culture.
Day 2
Framing / Hook
1. Kabuki Make-up
a. As students enter the classroom, they have the opportunity to look at many
different pictures of types of Kabuki make-up styles displayed around the room.
2. Discuss Make-up
a. Students learn that Kabuki make-up is essential to this style of Japanese Theatre,
that the actor applies the make-up themselves in order to become more connected
with their character, and that different types of make-up show different types of
characters.
Process
3. Kabuki Introduction / History lecture
a. Students learn the following: Noh theatre originated in the 14 th century, Kabuki
emerged in 1603 as an adapted Kyogen, Kabuki was originally performed by all
female actors until 1629 when Emperor Tokugawa banned women from the stage to
protect public morals, from 1629-1653 Kabuki was performed by young men, in
1653 Kabuki started being performed exclusively by mature men, and in 1735
Kabuki was surpassed in popularity by Bunraku theatre which involved puppets.
b. Students learn that Kabuki involves elaborately designed costumes, eye-catching
make-up, outlandish wigs, and exaggerated actions performed by the actors.
c. Students learn the highly-stylized movements serve to convey meaning to the
audience; this is especially important since an old-fashioned form of Japanese is
typically used, which is difficult even for Japanese people to fully understand.
4. Learning the Mie
 a. Students learn through lecture and a demonstration that the Mie is an important
element of Kabuki Theatre that involves reacting to a beating noise by freezing in a
statue-esque pose, influenced by the character, and crossing one or both eyes
proceeded by a head roll.
b. Students take five minutes to plan their own individual Mie.
c. Students perform their Mie for the class.
i. To introduce each Mie, all the observing students must beat their hands
against their laps to imitate the wooden clappers used in traditional Kabuki
Theatre.
d. Students give feedback to each performer.
e. Students are given two minutes to improve their Mie presentation.
f. Students perform their revised Mie for the class.
i. Observing students introduce each Mie the same way as in step d.i.
ii. Observing students complete a Mie Feedback Sheet for each student as
she/he performs.
5. Homework Assignment
a. Students draw out of a hat a character with a specific name, gender, and culture
(from the Character/Culture Sheet).
b. Students, referencing the character and culture from the homework handout,
research at home five specific behaviors and actions they might assign to their
character based on the culture the character is from.
Reflection
6. Kabuki Discussion
a. Students discuss the important elements of Kabuki Theatre.
b. Students discuss how Kabuki Theatre is heavily influenced by culture and tradition.
7. Journal Entry
a. Students complete a journal entry with the following prompt:
i. How has Asian culture influenced Kabuki Theatre today? Why is it still being
performed today with the same elements as it was performed in 1653 (e.g. all
male actors, traditional costuming, formal audience attendance, etc.)?
8. Send Off
a. Students remember through discussion that Kabuki gave way to the rise of Bunraku,
a style of theatre that involves elaborate puppets.
Day 3
Framing / Hook
1. Puppeteering 2 min
a. As students enter the classroom, they have the opportunity to look at, touch, and
even try to manipulate a Bunraku styled puppet that is propped up on a table at the
front of the classroom.
2. Discuss the puppet 3 min
a. Students discuss the characteristics of the puppet and manipulation of the puppet
and how this puppet is different or similar to puppets they have seen or used
before.
b. Students discuss what was challenging about manipulating this puppet and how this
might be more challenging if the puppet was life size, as traditional Bunraku
puppets are.
c. Students are presented with a photograph of a traditional life-size Bunraku puppet
and pass the photograph around the classroom until all students have had a chance
to see the puppet.

Process
3. Mini lecture 10 min
a. Students are reminded of the four main characters of Noh theatre (shite, waki,
kygen, and hayashi) and are told that, similar to the Nohs four main components,
Bunraku has three main components in a presentation.
 b. Students are told (and encouraged to take notes on) the three main components of
Bunraku theatre.
i. The Ningytsukai or Ningyzukai are the puppeteers, the Tay are the
chanters, and the shamisen musicians.
c. Students are told (and encouraged to take notes on) jruri, the combination of
chanting and shamisen playing.
d. Students watch a short clip of Bunraku theatre.
i. NOTE: watch a portion of the following clip, https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=1qcBSAwQVpw
4. Bunraku presentation 10 min (4 min plan, rest time watch)
a. After seeing a proper manipulation of a traditional Bunraku puppet manipulation,
students plan a thirty-second presentation in which they cooperate to manipulate
the Bunraku puppet provided by the facilitator(s).
b. Students present their thirty-second presentation to the rest of the class. The
presentation is recorded on video.
c. Students watch their own Bunraku presentation on video.
5. Journal entry 2 min
a. Students write in their journal what aspects of Asian culture has been presented to
them for this portion of the unit and how these elements of Asian culture affect its
citizens actions and everyday lives.
6. Culture Research Presentation 5 min
a. Students present to the rest of the class their findings from the Culture Research
homework assignment given to them on Day 2.
7. Quiz 5 min
a. Students take a quiz on various elements of Asian culture that has been presented
to them over the unit.

Reflection
8. Culture Discussion 5 min
a. Students sit in a circle.
b. Students discuss the following questions:
i. In what way does our culture affect our everyday lives and specific actions
that we do?
ii. What are some examples of cultural variances we have found from our unit
on Asian Theatre as well as our research into different cultures? Similarities?
iii. How does culture affect a persons movement or physicality? Social norms?
iv. Why is it important to understand and respect cultural differences?
9. Final journal entry 3 min
a. Students reread the journal entries they have made over the unit.
b. Students write a final journal entry comparing and reflecting on the entries over the
unit, the research they did during their homework assignment, and the discussion
they had on culture, answering the final question: Why do you think it is important
to understand cultural differences?
c. Students turn in their journal entries over the unit to be graded.
 Noh Rubric

STUDENT NAME:

POOR GOOD EXCELLENT

(0 points) (2 points) (3 points)
Space Does not use space Uses space throughout the Almost always uses space
throughout the room to room during most of the throughout the room in an
further the scene. scene, often furthering the effective way to further the
action. scene.
Movem Does not appropriately Often moves around the Almost always moves around
ent move around the space to space to the tempo of the the space to the tempo of
the tempo of the beat. beat. the beat.

Energy Shows little to no Shows enthusiasm or effort Almost always shows

enthusiasm or effort to various times to further the enthusiasm and effort,
further the energy of the energy of the scene. effectively furthering the
scene. energy of the scene.

Gesture Does not use appropriate Often uses gestures that Almost always uses gestures
gestures for Noh theatre. are appropriate to Noh that are appropriate to Noh
theatre to further the scene. theatre to help further the
scene.

TOTAL POINTS: ________

ADJUSTMENTS: ________

Reason: _____________________________________________
FINAL POINTS: ________ (Rubric Points +/- Adjustments)

LETTER GRADE: ________ (Based on the matrix below)

Poin Final Grade

ts

11+ A Excellent

8-10 B Good

5-7 C Acceptable

2-4 D Unsatisfactor
y

0-1 F Poor
Name: ________________________________ Performers Name: _________________________________

Mie Feedback Sheet

Write at least one sentence for each element of movement. The sentence(s) should include a
definition of each term and an example of how the performer used each element. Justify by
describing how each element was/wasnt effective, and how the student could
improve/implement each element.
Energy:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

Balance:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

Relaxation:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

Tension:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

Locomotion:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
 Checklists

Entering a room with a bow:

Student name: Complete: Incomplete:

Announcing a Mie:

Student name: Complete: Incomplete:

 Performing a Mie:

Student name: Complete: Incomplete:

 Asian Theatre Quiz
Name:________________________ Date:______________________

Name the three main components of Bunraku Theatre:

1)

2)

3)

Define the following terms and include whether each term comes from Noh,
Kabuki, or Bunraku Theatre:

1. Jruri:______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
_

2. Hayashi:___________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
__

3. Shite:______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
_

4. Waki:______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
_

5. Mie:_______________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
_

6. Kygen:___________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
__
 Culture Research Worksheet

Name: Jacqueline Gender: Female Nationality: French

Name: Marco Gender: Male Nationality: Italian

Name: Alexei Gender: Male Nationality: Russian

Name: Maha Gender: Female Nationality: Lebanese

Name: Min-Jun Gender: Female Nationality: South Korean

Name: Henrique Gender: Male Nationality: Brazilian