Pen names:

Murase Genzaburô
Chikamatsu Genzaburô

Poetry name: Goshô

Existence: ???

Career:

Before 1712: born in Kamigata; his first pen name was Chikamatsu Genzaburô.

Fall 1712: he settled in Edo.

3rd lunar month of 1713: he took the name of Murase Genzaburô and worked at the Moritaza on the drama "Isshin Oyako Zakura".

11th lunar month of 1716: Genzaburô worked at the Moritaza on the kaomise drama "Yomeiri Miyako no Tsunagi Uma".

11th lunar month of 1717: Genzaburô worked at the Moritaza on the kaomise drama "Hônô Taiheiki", which starred Ichikawa Danjûrô II, Ôtani Hiroemon I, Ogawa Zengorô I, Asao Jûjirô I, Hayakawa Dengorô and Ichikawa Monnosuke I.

1st lunar month of 1718: Ichikawa Danjûrô II played at the Moritaza the leading role in the "Uirô Uri" scene ^[1] (Kabuki Jûhachiban), which was performed in the second part (nibanme) of the new year sogamono drama "Wakamidori Ikioi Soga". The performance was a successful long run (from the 1st lunar month to the 7th lunar month of 1718).

11th lunar month of 1719: no record.

11th lunar month of 1720: no record.

11th lunar month of 1721: Genzaburô worked at the Moritaza on the kaomise drama "Semimaru Yôrô no Taki".

1st lunar month of 1722: Genzaburô moved to the Nakamuraza where he worked on the new year sogamono "Ôkamado Akinai Soga".

11th lunar month of 1722: Genzaburô worked at the Nakamuraza on the kaomise drama "Hônen Taiheiki".

1st lunar month of 1723: Genzaburô worked in the same theater on the new year sogamono "Soga Koyomi Biraki"; the roles of Soga Gorô Tokimune, Soga Jûrô Sukenari and Kudô Saemon Suketsune were played by Ichikawa Danjûrô II, Mimasuya Sukejûrô I and Ogawa Zengorô I.

11th lunar month of 1723: Genzaburô became tatesakusha at the Nakamuraza, where he worked on the kaomise drama "Sono Enpô Onna Migyôsho", which celebrated the arrival at the Nakamuraza of the Kamigata actors Yamashita Kinsaku I and Sanogawa Senzô.

3rd lunar month of 1724: Genzaburô worked in the same theater on the drama "Irifune Sumidagawa".

11th lunar month of 1724: Genzaburô worked at the Nakamuraza on the kaomise drama "Taiheiki Okuni Kabuki", which starred Ichikawa Danjûrô II, Sawamura Sôjûrô I, Matsumoto Kôshirô I, Yamashita Kinsaku I, Nakamura Denpachi and Ichikawa Monnosuke I.

11th lunar month of 1725: Genzaburô worked at the Nakamuraza on the kaomise drama "Oguri Chôseiden" (literally 'Oguri in the Palace of Long Life').

11th lunar month of 1726: Genzaburô worked at the Nakamuraza on the kaomise drama "Kaomise Jûnidan".

1st lunar month of 1727: Genzaburô worked in the same theater on the new year sogamono drama "Yuzuriha Gongen Soga"; the roles of Soga Gorô Tokimune and Soga Jûrô Sukenari were played by Ichikawa Danjûrô II and Sawamura Sôjûrô I.

3rd lunar month of 1727: Genzaburô worked in the same theater on a bombastic oshimodoshi scene ^[2] which was staged within the play "Kokusen'ya".

11th lunar month of 1728: Genzaburô worked, along with Murayama Jûheiji I, at the Nakamuraza on the kaomise drama "Hoshi Kabuto Goban Tadanobu".

1st lunar month of 1729: premiere at the Nakamuraza of the short and bombastic "Ya-no-Ne" scene ^[3], which was created by Genzaburô and which was staged within the new year drama "Suehiro Ehô Soga"; Ichikawa Danjûrô II and Sawamura Sôjûrô I played the leading roles of the brothers Soga Gorô Tokimune and Soga Jûrô Sukenari. The performance was a huge success and was extended up to the 5th lunar month.

11th lunar month of 1729: Genzaburô worked at the Nakamuraza on the kaomise drama "Ume Goyomi Konrei Nagoya".

11th lunar month of 1730: Genzaburô worked at the Nakamuraza on the kaomise drama "Irifune Hiru-ga-Kojima".

11th lunar month of 1731: Genzaburô worked at the Nakamuraza on the kaomise drama "Wagô Ichiji Taiheiki".

9th lunar month of 1732: Genzaburô worked at the Nakamuraza on the drama "Ôichô Sakae Kagekiyo" ^[4] [casting]. No record afterwards.

Comments:

Murase Genzaburô was a Kamigata sakusha, who was active in Edo from the beginning of the 1710s to the end of the 1730s, at the Moritaza from 1712 to 1721 and at the Nakamuraza from 1722 to 1732. He worked on more than 30 dramas, many written for the Edo star Ichikawa Danjûrô II. He will stay in Kabuki history as the playwright who created 4 of the 18 dramas belonging to the Kabuki Jûhachiban.

[1] It was considered as the first performance of "Uirô Uri", one drama belonging to the Kabuki Jûhachiban.

[2] It was considered as the first performance of "Oshimodoshi", one drama belonging to the Kabuki Jûhachiban.

[3] It was considered as the first performance of "Ya-no-Ne", one drama belonging to the Kabuki Jûhachiban.

[4] It was considered as the first performance of "Kagekiyo", one drama belonging to the Kabuki Jûhachiban.