Stage names:

Nakamura Sôjûrô
Nakamura Shirosaburô

Nickname: Daikichi Sôjûrô

Poetry name: Daikichi

Existence: ???

Career:

1710s: he learns the art of acting with a travelling troupe performing in Ise and in the province of Owari; his name is Nakamura Shirosaburô.

Fall 1720: Shirosaburô settles in Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1720: he becomes tachiyaku and takes the name of Nakamura Sôjûrô, playing the role of Tomoenojô [illustration] in the kaomise drama "Daimyô Nishiki no Kusazuri", which is produced in Ôsaka by the zamoto Takeshima Kôzaemon II.

Fall 1721: Sôjûrô goes to Edo.

11th lunar month of 1721: he takes back the name of Nakamura Shirosaburô and plays at the Ichimuraza the role of Ashiya no Saemon in the kaomise drama "Kichirei Imagawajô"; he had to change his name because the actor Sawamura Sôjûrô I was also casted.

Winter 1723: Sôjûrô goes to Kyôto.

1st lunar month of 1723: Sôjûrô appears on stage for the first time in the Imperial Capital, playing at Daikokuya Takenojô's theater the roles of Sakurada Kôsuke and Ude no Manbê in the new year drama "Keisei Hitomaruzuka" which is produced by Otowa Jirosaburô I.

Fall 1724: Sôjûrô goes to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1724: Sôjûrô becomes katakiyaku and plays at the Ônishi no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Senbon Matsu Hi-no-De no Maizuru".

11th lunar month of 1725: Sôjûrô moves to the Kado no Shibai, becomes jitsuaku and plays in the kaomise drama "Wagô no Futabashira".

11th lunar month of 1728: Sôjûrô becomes tachiyaku and plays at the Kado no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Aioi Chôja Sangai-gura", which is produced by Arashi Sanjûrô II.

1st lunar month of 1729: Sôjûrô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô (superior - superior) [visual].

Fall 1731: Sôjûrô goes to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1731: Sôjûrô plays at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater the role of Manzô in Sawamura Bunji's kaomise drama "Asahi no Ichikura Eigô Seki".

1st lunar month of 1732: Sôjûrô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, is jô-jô-(shiro)hankichi (superior - superior - (white) half excellent) [visual].

Fall 1732: Sôjûrô goes to Ôsaka.

11th lunar month of 1732: Sôjûrô plays at the Naka no Shibai the role of the yakko Dekisuke in the kaomise drama "Shikishima Wakô no Tsuzumi", which is produced by Iwai Hanshirô III.

12th lunar month of 1739: Sôjûrô plays at the Ônishi no Shibai the role of Shôgen in the drama "Kewai Musha Ômi Genji"; his stage partners are Yoshizawa Ayame II (Okichi), Segawa Kikunojô I (the courtesan Tôyama), Sakakiyama Shirotarô I (Nagoya Sanza), Arashi Shichigorô I (Fuwa Banzaemon) and Anegawa Shinshirô I (Matahei).

11th lunar month of 1740: Sôjûrô plays at the Ônishi no Shibai in the kaomise drama "Yaguruma Yakata no Fuji", which is produced by Nakamura Tomijûrô I; his stage partners are Yamamoto Kyôshirô I, Nakamura Shingorô I, Nakayama Shinkurô I, Sanogawa Mangiku, Segawa Kikunojô I, Onoe Kikugorô I and Arashi Shichigorô I.

11th lunar month of 1741: Sôjûrô becomes jitsuaku and achieves a great success at the Naka no Shibai by playing the role of Masuda Hachiheiji in the kaomise drama "Genji Rokujûjô", which is produced by Anegawa Shinshirô I.

1st lunar month of 1742: Sôjûrô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, is jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1742: Sôjûrô plays at the Kado no Shibai the role of Shinoda Daizen in the kaomise drama "Sangoku Denrai no Ishi", which is produced by Iwai Hanshirô III.

1st lunar month of 1743: Sôjûrô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, jitsuaku section, is one stroke below jô-jô-kichi (superior - superior - excellent).

11th lunar month of 1743: Sôjûrô takes part in a kaomise program for the last time, in Ôsaka at the Kado no Shibai, playing the role of Gotobê in the drama "Tanshû Teteuchi Guri" (this title was used for the first time in the 5th lunar month of 1729 at the Naka no Shibai). Sôjûrô's name disappears from theater playbills and hyôbanki in 1744.

Comments:

Nakamura Sôjûrô was a popular Kamigata actor, who could play tachiyaku and jitsuaku roles. He was equally at home in sewamono and jidaimono dramas.

Nakamura Sôjûrô playing the role of Dekisuke in the kaomise drama "Shikishima Wakô no Tsuzumi", which was staged in the 11th lunar month of 1732 at the Naka no Shibai

Prints & Illustrations