[The Magic of Art 01] Artistic Director Nagatsuka Keishi x KAAT Kanagawa Arts Theatre Together with Things, People, and Towns
KAAT Kanagawa Arts Theatre (hereinafter referred to as KAAT) is a creative theater with the theme of "three creations": things, people, and town. The preseason for 2024 will begin in April, and the annual summer event "KAAT Kids Program 2024" will be held in July. This time, we interviewed artistic director Keishi Nagatsuka to explore the appeal of KAAT.
What emerged from continuing to communicate
- Playwright, director, and actor Nagatsuka is now in his fourth year as artistic director of KAAT.
Nagatsuka: I started working at KAAT as an artistic advisor in April 2019, and was appointed artistic director in April 2021, a position I hold to this day.
- You are working on this project from a multifaceted perspective, based on your career thus far. How do you feel looking back on it?
Nagatsuka : It's gone by so quickly. However, when I took over, COVID-19 was spreading, so I imagine it was difficult for the staff as they had to deal with that as well. Even if that wasn't the case, when the artistic director changes, the guidelines and public relations style are completely renewed.
As for me, I have always been aware that "KAAT is a theater in Kanagawa Prefecture" and have continued to work with that in mind. I have introduced a seasonal system to incorporate a sense of the seasons and rhythm into the theater, and I have implemented the KAAT Kanagawa Tour Project.
-What is the KAAT Kanagawa Tour Project?
Nagatsuka: It is an attempt with the goal of going to meet everyone, and using that as an opportunity to let people in the prefecture know about KAAT and get them interested in theater. Starting in 2021, we will take the works created at KAAT out of the theater and tour Kanagawa Prefecture.
In February and March 2024, as the second part of the project, I will be performing a double feature of my new works, "Beauty and the Beast of Mount Hakone" and "The Mermaid of the Miura Peninsula," which I have written incorporating legends and stories from various parts of the prefecture, in Zama, Kawasaki, Odawara, Zushi, and Chigasaki. By fusing famous Western stories with Kanagawa, I have created an entertaining production that will serve as a gateway to the theatrical experience.
- There are a lot of tricks put into place by the theater.
Nagatsuka : Even though the situation is changing every moment, we are trying not to stop moving forward and communicating.
As a result of our continued efforts, we have finally begun to see each other's faces a little more recently, and have begun to feel a sense of connection with the local community. Although it is still just the beginning.
Weaving bonds through the public relations magazine "KAAT PAPER"
- The quarterly magazine "KAAT PAPER" is also a tool that is typical of Mr. Nagatsuka. I like how it embodies KAAT's focus on things, people, and towns.
Nagatsuka: Thank you very much. Initially, I was always there from the planning meetings, but as our goals have become more widely understood, the production is now led by the editorial staff.
- It's a very interesting read, but what are you particular about when planning this project?
Nagatsuka: Every issue, I try to meet two or more people from new genres and local communities. I believe that only by meeting face-to-face can we understand each other, and that certain things can be born from dialogue. I've had conversations with many people up until now, but I'm finally going to hold a collaborative event with Naoki Tsubaki of TSUBAKI Shokudo.
- What about Tsubaki-san, who appeared in the Winter 2023 issue for "Yokohama Vegetables" and "Yokohama 18th Ward Bowl"?
Nagatsuka 's article led to the decision to hold the long-awaited "KAAT Marche" at the KAAT Atrium. Tsubaki's activities, which enliven the city of Yokohama with the theme of local production and consumption, have much in common with KAAT, so I'm looking forward to it too.
Additionally, Takahashi Nobumasa (※), chairman of the Yokohama Chinatown Development Association, who appeared in our inaugural issue (Autumn 2021), still places lanterns at KAAT during the Chinese New Year. I hope to continue thinking of new initiatives with Chinatown. It's important not to be satisfied with just doing it once, but to deepen and continue our relationship, so I hope to continue meeting people and reaching out to them.
*Job titles are as of the time of interview.
[KAAT Marche]
July 6th, 2024 (Sat) 11:00-18:00, July 7th (Sun) 11:00-17:00 (planned)
Details: here
[KAAT PAPER]
Latest issue (Spring 2024): Click here
Watching real productions and performances through the eyes of children
-The KAAT Kids Program 2024 is approaching.
Nagatsuka: This year we have two plays, one invited from overseas for the first time in a while, and another newly written by an up-and-coming Japanese playwright. The first, "Peck" from Scotland, is a non-verbal performance by Andy Manley, a stage artist renowned for creating works for young people. There are no lines, so you can just enjoy it through the facial expressions, gestures, and music, making it perfect for children's first theater experience.
- Mr. Nagatsuka and Mr. Andy Manley, please tell us any stories you have.
Nagatsuka: The first time I saw Andy Manley's play was over 10 years ago, in the internationally popular work "White." The wonderful memory remains vivid to this day. It's been five years since the KAAT performance in 2019.
"Peck" will be co-produced in Kyoto in 2023, and after completion, it has been performed in four locations around Japan, all of which have been well-received. Andy will be coming to KAAT with a few staff members and two trunks (laughs). Please look forward to it.
- Two trunks! It sounds like it will be a rare opportunity to come into contact with true art.
Nagatsuka : Adults, please try enjoying the works and performances through the eyes of your children.
It's a joy to be able to see what your child is interested in and what they feel. It's okay if your child gets bored halfway through, there will always be something left to learn.
[KAAT Kids Program 2024]
Details: here
The main season begins in September
-- The title of the 2024 main season, which begins in September, is "Something." It's a word that can be interpreted in many different ways.
Nagatsuka: Every year I try to set a broad seasonal theme, and this year it's "something."
The internet and social media are filled with anonymous, faceless words. We don't know who said them, but they are certainly there, and before we know it, they have become our own words. What will we see when we look through the lens of a certain someone who is both you and me?
KAAT offers a wide range of performances. I'm sure there will be a performance that will move you, so I hope you'll come and see KAAT, a theater in Kanagawa Prefecture.
- The other day, it was announced that you have been reappointed as artistic director of KAAT. What are your goals for the next six years until March 31, 2031?
Nagatsuka: I had decided to go all out in my first term, but accepting a second term has extended my term by five years. I want to find what the theater needs, what people want to see remain in the future. I want to think about ideas that will make people want to carry the theater into the future so that I can hand them over to the next artistic director.
KAAT is a theater known in the theater world, located in a convenient location and with an excellent staff. However, for those who are unfamiliar with it, it is still a mysterious place. Now that the doors to connect with the city and the prefecture's residents have finally begun to open, I would like to continue to make appealing efforts and keep it open.
The topics and projects are only deepening, including connections with nearby cultural facilities and international exchange. KAAT aims to be a theater open to society, so keep an eye on the future.
Text by Mai Shimura (editor/writer)
KAAT Kanagawa Arts Theatre
Address: 281 Yamashita-cho, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture
Phone number: 045-633-6500
Official website: here
