"Kanagawa Performing Arts Award 2024 Final" to be held

The Kanagawa Performing Arts Award 2024 Final, which brings together not only theater but also performing arts works that involve physicality, will be held at the KAAT Kanagawa Arts Theater Large Studio on Saturday, March 16th and Sunday, March 17th, 2024, and the grand prize will be decided from among the performed works. In addition, the top two groups that won the right to perform in the "22nd Century Flying Frame Selection Tournament" held by high school students in the prefecture in January this year will also participate in the award. This time, we asked the Kanagawa Prefectural Atsugi High School Drama Club and the Hibiki Gakuen High School Yokohama Campus Drama Club about their enthusiasm.

Kanagawa Prefectural Atsugi High School Drama Club (22nd Century Flying Frame/Performance on March 16th)
We spoke to five members of the club: Matsumura Haruka, Sato Kika, Jinguji Ena, Tosa Megumi, and advisor Sugihara Koji.

--What motivated you to apply for the competition?

Matsumura : Last year, I participated in the predecessor competition, the Kanagawa Short Play Awards, and I remember being overwhelmed by the new theatrical expressions that featured physical expression from other groups. I was thinking about participating again this year, when I found out that the name of the competition was changing to the Kanagawa Performing Arts Awards. I heard that the competition would place more emphasis on physical expression, and I felt a strong desire to try again, which is what prompted me to apply.

-You have participated in previous tournaments as well. How do you feel about being selected as one of the top two teams this time?

Matsumura: When we heard the results, I felt that the audience and the judges could see that we had truly enjoyed performing. Soon after we started performing, I felt that the audience was excited and that they were enjoying our play, which allowed us to perform with great energy.

Sato : We took on the challenge right after another tournament in the fall. We didn't get the results we were aiming for in that tournament, but we used that disappointment as motivation to practice hard, saying, "If we're going to do it, we're not going to do it half-heartedly, but with a high level of perfection and full effort," and all the members worked together and practiced hard despite the short preparation time and tight schedule. As a result, we were selected as one of the top two groups, and we were really happy about that.

Jinguji: Tosa- san and I wrote the script together, and we participated in this production. We had little experience with having our own scripts used in productions, so we were a little nervous. When we saw the performances of the other groups at the show, we thought that each of them was so wonderful that it wouldn't have been surprising if anyone had been selected, so when our names were called, we were happy and surprised at the same time.

Tosa and Jinguji-san had written the script, but I was a little worried about whether it would work. During the show, I was in charge of lighting, and could see the audience's reactions from backstage. I felt a sense of accomplishment in the cheers and laughter, and was relieved that they had accepted our play. When the top two groups were announced, I was more surprised than happy. At first, I didn't really feel like we'd been selected, but then I gradually felt something well up inside me.

--I can sense each of your thoughts. Please tell us the content of the work and what its highlights are.

This is a work by Tosa Jinguji entitled "With You Again on a Plate". The setting is inside a refrigerator. The main character is a croquette. The story begins with a croquette being thrown into the refrigerator. Various ingredients are divided into croquette and minced cutlet factions, and they argue about which is better. In the midst of all this, croquette meets minced cutlet and falls in love, making this a romantic comedy.

Matsumura: This is my first time playing a food ingredient. As I was getting more involved in the role, I tried to read the ingredients' feelings by thinking, "I wonder if these feelings are hidden in the background." It was interesting because I was made aware of something new. I think you will enjoy it more if you watch it while imagining how each club member was preparing for their role. Also, we all shared ideas for the script, the sound, the lighting, and the entire stage, so I hope you will enjoy the world view as well.

Sato: It's a novel play in which the characters are food ingredients. Other than the croquettes and minced cutlets, each character also has their own unique personality, so I hope you'll pay attention to all of them.

Jinguji : I would be happy if you could pay attention to each character. When I was creating the story, I thought about what each ingredient was thinking and doing in my head from scratch. There are many unique characters, so I hope you will enjoy watching it.

It's a story about the emotions that unfold in the refrigerator along with Tosa Korokke, but I think it's a work with a very warm atmosphere at its core. I'd be happy if the audience could feel that. I hope we can create a sense of unity that gets the whole venue excited.

- I'm very interested in your unique characters. Lastly, please tell us your enthusiasm for the finals and a message to the audience.

Matsumura: We have participated in various competitions up until now, but this is our first experience performing on such a large stage. All the members of the club are very excited. I think that theater cannot exist without an audience, so I want to perform while being grateful that people are watching. I don't think there are many works in which ingredients are the main characters. After watching our work, I will do my best to act in a way that makes you think of the ingredients when you see them in your daily life.

As I am participating in the Sato Hisho slot, I would like to bring to you the passion and freshness that only high school students can bring! As this will be the opening performance of the Kanagawa Performing Arts Award 2024 Final, I would like to perform with all my might. Please come and see it.

As the opening piece at the Tosa Tournament, I would like to support the club members behind the scenes so that the audience will feel a warm and fuzzy feeling.

Jinguji: I still don't have much experience on stage, so I feel a bit nervous, but the script we wrote is a treasure to me. We will deliver this original work with our own thoughts. I would be happy if the audience could see how much we enjoy performing.

Sugihara-sensei: This work is an original piece by the club members. I think it's easier to empathize with characters of the same generation, but this time the characters are food. While they can personify and express freely, they have to think for themselves from scratch. I think they really worked hard despite the limited time. I've been the advisor for the Atsugi High School Drama Club for many years, and I feel that each generation has its own merits, but now is a turning point for the club. I feel that a new wind is blowing, as we are able to perform on a big stage at this time. When I saw their work, I thought it was more interesting than I had imagined. I can feel the strong feelings of everyone who came together as a team to get to this point. Please come and see it.

Hibiki Gakuen High School Yokohama Drama Club (22nd Century Flying Frame/Performance on March 17th)
We spoke with club members Obata Asahi and Iijima Ami.

--What motivated you to apply for the competition?

Obata: I participated in the Yokohama City High School Drama Presentation Regional Tournament in the fall, and I wanted to make use of what I learned there, such as the practice I had done and the experience of performing in front of an audience. I thought the 22nd Century Flying Frame Tournament would be a good opportunity to participate without any time gap, so I decided to apply.

Iijima: It all started when I participated in the 22nd Century Flying Frame Tournament last year. Last year, I didn't achieve my goal of being selected as one of the top two schools. This year, I was determined to try again.

--I could hear the thoughts of each and every one of you. How do you feel about being able to achieve your dream of being one of the top two teams?

Obata: We all felt that our desire to make a good play had been conveyed, and we were all very happy. We were also happy that being selected meant that we could actually perform the play more often.
　
Iijima: I was so happy I couldn't put it into words. At first I couldn't believe it. I felt like everything I'd done in the club up until that point had been recognized for the first time, and I was really glad that I had worked so hard with the club members up until now.

- I can't wait for the performance on a big stage. Please tell us the content of this production and what its highlights are.

Obata 's "Kotori's House" depicts the process of the protagonist, who was locked in the basement by his biological parents for a certain reason, using his own strength to move forward. In the protagonist's family, there are people who try to treat the hardships they each have as if they don't exist, and people who vent their frustrations to others and hide them. In this environment, I tried to express the protagonist's feelings as he faces his hardships and moves forward, focusing on the perspective.

--I'm curious to see how the main character will progress. Lastly, please tell us your enthusiasm for the finale and a message to the audience.

Obata: We will perform the same piece as in the January selection competition, so we will do our best to perform even better than we did then. We will do our best to make sure that everyone who comes to the event enjoys it to the fullest.

Iijima: At the performance on March 17th, I want to have fun and perform an interesting play without any regrets. I want all of us in the club to work together to create a space where the emotions felt during our play can be lingered in the hearts of everyone even after the performance!

After practicing day after day, they finally reach this big stage. Please come to the venue to see the fresh performances of the high school students who fully immerse themselves in their roles and enjoy themselves to the fullest in front of a large audience.

"Kanagawa Performing Arts Award 2024 Final" to be held

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