Nakamura Shinjirô will take the name of Nakamura Kinnosuke II in April 2007 at the Kabukiza, playing the roles of Chôkichi/Yogorô and Torazô/Ushiwakamaru in "Sumôba" and "Kikubatake".

The musician Tanaka Denbê V died the 20th of December 2006.

The actor Ichikawa Seiko died the 17th of December 2006.

The young Kabuki rising star Onoe Kikunosuke is part of the cast of Ichikawa Kon's latest movie "Inugamike no Ichizoku", playing the role of Inugami Sukekiyo. This is an adaptation of Yokomizo Seishi's famous eponymous whodunnit. The movie was released all over Japan the 16th of December 2006. The international title of this movie is "The Inugamis".

Nagayama Takeomi, the head of the powerful Shôchiku Company, dies in Tôkyô the 13th of December 2006.

Kataoka Nizaemon becomes member of the Japan Art Academy the 15th of December 2006.

The star Matsumoto Kôshirô performed the 23rd of November 2006 for the 900th times the prestigious role of Musashibô Benkei in the dance-drama "Kanjinchô". He was on tour with his guild and the venue was the Kôrakukan, a famous old wooden theater in Akita.

The Kabuki star Bandô Mitsugorô is part of the cast of Yamada Shôji's latest movie "Bushi no Ichibun", playing the role of the villain Shimada Tôya. The movie will be released all over Japan tomorrow, the 1st of December 2006.

the 4th edition of Shinema Kabuki ("Cinema Kabuki"), a Kabuki play which was staged at the Kabukiza becomes a movie, will be released the 13th of January 2007. The play is "Kyôganoko Musume Ninin Dôjôji", which was staged in February 2006 and starred Bandô Tamasaburô and Onoe Kikunosuke.

Nakamura Genzaemon II died the 20th of October 2006.

Nakamura Kanzaburô will celebrate his shûmei at the Minamiza in Kyôto in December 2006, playing the roles of Tadanobu and the shirabyôshi Hanako in the drama "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura" and the dance "Musume Dôjôji".

Seventh anniversary for our little website!

The National Theatre will stage the 1st of October 2006 an unusual program dedicated to the monk warrior Benkei. The first item will be the famous Nô drama "Ataka" and the second one will be "Kanjinchô", the Kabuki adaptation of this Nô drama, most likely the most famous dance-drama in the current Kabuki repertoire. The role of Benkei will be performed by Kondô Kennosuke of the Hôshô school in "Ataka" and by Nakamura Kichiemon in "Kanjinchô".

Nakamura Kantarô will not take part in the Kabuki Tour in the eastern provinces in September 2006. He will be replaced by Nakamura Shinobu for the role of Nureginu in "Jusshukô" and by his brother Nakamura Shichinosuke for the role of Kokingo in "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura".

Sakata Tôjûrô will celebrate his shûmei in Nagoya at the Misonoza from the 1st to the 25th of October 2006, playing the roles of Sasaki Moritsuna and the keisei Yayoi (in reality the spirit of a shishi) in the drama "Ômi Genji Senjin Yakata" and the dance "Makura Jishi".

The talented onnagata Nakamura Kaishun will perform for the first time in his career the prestigious role of Kuzu-no-Ha (and the fox Kuzu-no-Ha) in the eponymous drama, which will be staged at the Kabukiza in October 2006.

Mayama Seika's Shinkabuki masterpiece "Genroku Chûshingura" will be staged in its integrity at the National Theatre over 3 months in 3 different productions with 3 different stars in the leading role of Ôishi Kuranosuke: Nakamura Kichiemon in October 2006, Sakata Tôjûrô in November 2006 and Matsumoto Kôshirô in December 2006. This event is staged to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the National Theatre.

A new dance is staged at the Kabukiza in August 2006. Titled "Tanokyû", it is based on a folk story and choreographed by Bandô Mitsugorô, the zagashira of the August troupe.

The Kabukiza will commemorate in September 2006 the 120th anniversary of the birth of the great actor Nakamura Kichiemon I, whose's haimyô was Shûzan. This special program will be called "Shûzan Matsuri" (the festival of Shûzan), starring Nakamura Kichiemon I's descendants Nakamura Kichiemon II and Matsumoto Kôshirô.

Nakamura Kantarô will not take part in the Kabuki Tour in the eastern provinces in July 2006. He will be replaced by Nakamura Shinobu for the role of Nureginu in "Jusshukô" and by his brother Nakamura Shichinosuke for the role of Kokingo in "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura".

Bandô Kokichi, the grandson of late Bandô Kichiya II, will make his first official stage appearance at the Kabukiza in August 2006.

Nakamura Kanzaburô will celebrate his shûmei in the Eastern provinces in July 2006 and in the western provinces in September 2006, playing the roles of Ukyô and Gonta in "Migawari Zazen" and "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura". Many performances will be staged in small wooden traditional theaters, the kind of venues deeply loved by the star: the Azumaza (Gifu prefecture), the Kôrakukan (Akita prefecture), the Uchikoza (Ehime prefecture), the Kanamaruza (Kagawa prefecture), the Meijiza (Gifu prefecture) or the Kaho Gekijô (Fukuoka Prefecture). As part of this tour, the performances in Nagoya from the 24th to the 27th of September, will be called Heisei Nakamuraza.

Sakata Tôjûrô will celebrate his shûmei in Ôsaka at the Shôchikuza from the 2nd to the 26th of July 2006, playing the roles of Danshichi Kurobê and the shirabyôshi Hanako in the drama "Natsu Matsuri" and the dance "Musume Dôjôji".

Ichikawa Danjûrô, Ichikawa Ebizô and Ichikawa Kamejirô will be on tour in Paris in March 2007. They will play at the famous Opera Garnier in the dance-dramas "Kanjinchô" and "Momijigari" from the 23rd to the 30th of March 2007. There will be a kôjô, which will talk about the kabuki Jûhachiban and the Shin Kabuki Jûhachiban.

There will be a Kabuki tour in Western Europe at the end of this month and the beginning of June 2006, in London at the Sadler's Wells (31 May~11 June) and in Amsterdam at the Stadsschouwburg (15~18 June) [more details].

Nakamura Kanzaburô will celebrate his shûmei in Fukuoka at the Hakataza in June 2006, playing the roles of the spirit of the Lion, Chôbê and Benten Kozô in the dramas "Renjishi", "Bunshichi Mottoi" and "Benten Musume".

Bandô Tamasaburô is the award-winner of the 62nd Japan Art Academy Awards (Nihon Geijutsuin Shô).

Nakamura Umemaru becomes Nakamura Baigyoku's heyago and celebrates this month his shûmei at the Kabukiza.

Nakamura Baigyoku's disciple Nakamura Umezô and Nakamura Kaishun's disciple Nakamura Shunka celebrate this month their success at the nadai exam at the Kabukiza.

The Zenshinza troupe will celebrate its 75th anniversary in May 2006 at the National Theatre, producing Tsuruya Nanboku IV's "Nazo no Obi Chotto Tokubê" and Kawatake Mokuami's "Sakanaya Sôgorô". Arashi Keishi, Nakamura Baijaku and Kawarasaki Kunitarô plays the roles of Ôshima Danshichi, Azumaya Tokubê and Okaji/Otatsu in the former drama. Nakamura Umenosuke and Segawa Kikunojô plays the roles of Sôgorô and Ohama in the latter drama.

Kataoka Ainosuke and Onoe Kikujûrô are prize-winners of the 27th Matsuo Artistic Awards (Matsuo Geinô Shô).

Ichiyama Nasorô (1921~2006), the master of the Ichiyama school of Traditional dance, died the 17th of February.

Ichikawa Danjûrô, who was sent to hospital in August 2005 because of a leukemia, leaves the hostipal the 22nd of February.

The Kabukiza will commemorate in March 2006 the 12th anniversary (13th memorial service) of the death of Kataoka Nizaemon XIII with his three sons performing some of his atariyaku: Kataoka Nizaemon and Kataoka Gatô will play the roles of Kan Shôjô and Yojirô in "Dômyôji" and "Horikawa".

The Kabukiza will commemorate in April 2006 the 5th anniversary (6th memorial service) of the death of Nakamura Utaemon VI. This event will also celebrate the shûmei of Nakamura Matsue VI and the first stage appearance of his son, who will receive the name of Nakamura Tamatarô V.

The playwright Tobe Ginsaku (1920~2006) died the 7th of January.

Sakata Tôjûrô will celebrate his shûmei in Fukuoka at the Hakataza from the 2nd to the 26th of February 2006, playing the role of Masaoka in the drama "Meiboku Sendai Hagi" and the 5 roles of the hengemono "Ôtsue Dôjôji".