"Kanagawa Performing Arts Award 2024 Finals" to be held

The Kanagawa Performing Arts Award 2024 Final, which brings together stage arts works that involve physicality, not limited to theater, will be held on March 16th (Sat) and 17th (Sun), 2024, at the KAAT Kanagawa Arts Theatre Grand Studio, where the grand prize winner will be decided from among the performances. In addition, the top two groups that won the right to perform at the "22nd Century Soaring Selection Competition" held in January for high school students in Kanagawa Prefecture will also participate in the award. This time, we spoke to the Kanagawa Prefectural Atsugi High School Drama Club and the Hibiki Gakuen High School Yokohama Campus Drama Club about their aspirations.

Kanagawa Prefectural Atsugi High School Drama Club (22nd Century Soaring Selection / Performance on March 16th)
We interviewed five members: Haruka Matsumura, Ayami Sato, Ena Jinguji, and Keiko Tosa, as well as their advisor, Mr. Koji Sugihara.

—Could you tell us what motivated you to apply for the competition?

Matsumura: Last year, I participated in the predecessor of this competition, the "Kanagawa Short Play Award," and I remember being overwhelmed by the new theatrical expressions of other groups that fully embraced physical expression. I was thinking of participating again this year when I learned that the name of the competition would change to the "Kanagawa Performing Arts Award." Hearing that it would become a competition that places more emphasis on physical expression, I strongly felt that I wanted to take on the challenge again, and that's what prompted me to apply.

Members of the Kanagawa Prefectural Atsugi High School Drama Club (Image provided by: Kanagawa Prefectural Atsugi High School Drama Club)

—So you've participated in previous tournaments as well. What are your thoughts on being selected as one of the top two teams this time?

Matsumura: When I heard the results, I felt that the audience and judges had sensed how much we truly enjoyed performing. Soon after the performance began, I could feel the excitement in the venue, and knowing that they were enjoying our play allowed me to perform with great energy.

This was Aki Sato's challenge right after another competition. Although she didn't achieve her goal in that competition, she used that frustration as motivation, thinking, "If we're going to do it, we won't do it half-heartedly, but with a high level of perfection and full effort." Despite the short preparation period and tough schedule, all the club members cooperated and practiced hard. As a result, we were selected as one of the top two teams, and we were truly happy.

Jinguji: I participated in this production with a script that Tosa-san and I wrote together. I'm still relatively new to having my own scripts used on stage, so I was a little anxious. When I watched the other groups' performances during the actual show, I thought that everyone was so wonderful that it wouldn't have been surprising if anyone had been chosen. So when our name was called, I was both happy and surprised.

The script was written by Tosa Watashi and Jinguji-san, and I was a little worried about whether it would be okay. During the performance, I was in charge of lighting, and I could see the audience's reactions clearly from backstage. I felt a sense of accomplishment from the cheers and laughter, and I was relieved that they had accepted our play. When the top two groups were announced, I was more surprised than happy. At first, I couldn't quite grasp that we had been selected, but it gradually welled up inside me later.

Award ceremony for the 22nd Century Soaring Selection Tournament (Image provided by Kanagawa Prefectural Atsugi High School Drama Club)

—I can feel the emotions of each character. Could you tell us about the content and highlights of the work?

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

This is my first time playing a Matsumura ingredient. As I delved deeper into the role, I tried to immerse myself in the ingredient and decipher its feelings, wondering things like, "What kind of feelings are hidden in the background?" It was interesting because I learned a lot. I think you'll enjoy it even more if you watch while imagining how each of the club members approached their roles. Also, this is a work that we all contributed ideas to, from the script to the sound and lighting, so I hope you'll enjoy the world it creates as well.

Sato's play is innovative in that the characters are made from food ingredients. Besides the croquette and minced meat cutlet characters, each character has a distinct and shining personality, so I hope you'll pay attention to all of them.

Jinguji: I would also be happy if people pay attention to each of the characters. When I was creating the story, I thought from scratch in my mind about what kind of thoughts and feelings each ingredient had that motivated their actions. There are many unique characters, so I hope you enjoy watching it.

The story unfolds within a refrigerator, filled with a range of emotions, but I believe it has a very warm atmosphere at its core. I would be happy if the audience could feel that aspect. I hope we can create a sense of unity that will energize the entire venue.

—Your unique characters are very intriguing. Finally, please share your aspirations for the finals and a message for the audience.

Matsumura: I've participated in various competitions before, but this is my first time performing on such a big stage. All the members of the club are very excited. I believe that theater cannot exist without an audience, so I want to perform with gratitude for the opportunity to be seen. I don't think there are many plays where food ingredients are the main characters. We will do our best to deliver a performance that will make people think of those ingredients when they see them in their daily lives after watching our play.

As I'm participating through the Sato Hisho category, I want to share the passion and freshness that only a high school student can offer! As this will be the opening act of the "Kanagawa Performing Arts Award 2024 Final," I will give it my all. Please come and see it!

As the opening piece of the Tosa competition, I want to support the club members behind the scenes so that we can create a heartwarming experience for the audience.

Jinguji: I'm still relatively inexperienced on stage, and I feel a bit anxious, but the script we wrote is a treasure to me. We'll put our individual feelings into this original work and deliver it to you. I hope that the audience will be able to feel how much we're enjoying performing from the bottom of our hearts.

Mr. Sugihara , this production is an original work by the club members. I think it's easier to empathize when playing characters of the same generation, but the characters this time are food ingredients. While they can be personified and expressed freely, they also had to come up with the characters from scratch. I think they really did their best, especially with limited time. Having been the advisor for the Atsugi High School Drama Club for many years, I've seen that each generation has its own strengths, but I feel that now is a turning point for the drama club. The fact that they are able to perform on such a large stage at this time makes me feel like a new wind is blowing. When I saw their work, I thought it was even more interesting than I had imagined. I can feel the strong feelings of everyone who "worked together as a team to get this far." Please come and see it.

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

—Could you tell us what motivated you to apply for the competition?

Aki Obata participated in the Yokohama City High School Drama Festival regional competition, and she wanted to make use of what she had learned from that competition, including the practice she had done and the experience of performing in front of an audience. She thought the 22nd Century Soaring Category competition was a good opportunity to participate without any delay, so she decided to apply.

Iijima: It all started when I participated in last year's 22nd Century Soaring Selection Tournament. Last year, I didn't achieve my goal of being selected as one of the top two schools. This year, I went into it with the determination to try again and succeed.

Members of the drama club at Hibiki Gakuen High School Yokohama Campus (Image provided by: Hibiki Gakuen High School Yokohama Campus Drama Club)

—I could really feel the passion of each and every one of you. How do you feel about achieving your long-held goal of becoming one of the top two groups?

Obata: I felt like our desire to create a good play had been conveyed, and everyone in the drama club was overjoyed. We were also happy that being selected meant that we would actually get to perform the play more often.
　
Iijima: I was so overjoyed that I couldn't believe it at first. It felt like all the hard work we'd put in the club was finally being recognized, and I was so glad that all the effort I'd put in with the other club members up until now had been worth it.

—We can't wait to see you perform on a big stage. Could you tell us about the content and highlights of this production?

In Obata 's work "Kotori no Ouchi" (The Little Bird's House), the story depicts the process by which the protagonist, who is locked in a basement by her biological parents for a certain reason, uses her own strengths to move forward. Among the protagonist's family, there are those who try to ignore the hardships they each face, and those who vent their frustrations on others to mask their feelings. In this context, I tried to express the protagonist's feelings as she confronts her hardships and moves forward, paying close attention to the perspective.

22nd Century Soaring Slot Selection Tournament (Image provided by: Drama Club of Hibiki Gakuen High School Yokohama Campus)

—I'm curious to see how the protagonist's story will unfold. Finally, please share your aspirations for the final and a message for the audience.

Obata: This is the same routine as the selection competition in January, so I'll do my best to make it even better than that time. I'll also do my best to ensure that everyone who comes to see me can truly enjoy it.

Iijima: For the March 17th performance, I want to have fun and perform an interesting play without any regrets. We want to create an experience where the audience can take home the feelings they experienced from our play, leaving a lasting impression on them even after the show ends.

After days of hard work and practice, they've finally reached their big day. Please come and see the fresh and vibrant performances of these high school students as they fully immerse themselves in their roles and enjoy themselves to the fullest in front of a large audience.