Stage names:

Nakamura Shibajûrô
Iwai Senchô
Ichikawa Yaozô
Iwai Kiyotarô III

Guild: Edoya

Poetry name: Senchô, Shiraku

Existence: 1799 ~ 24th day of the 8th lunar month of 1847 ^[1]

Connection:

Father: Iwai Kiyotarô II (Ichikawa Yaozô IV)

Master: Nakamura Utaemon III

Career:

11th lunar month of 1804: he made his debut on stage (hatsubutai), at the Nakamuraza where he received the name of Iwai Kiyotarô III and performed as a koyaku in the kaomise drama "Kiku Zumô Mikurai Sadame", which celebrated the shûmei of Iwai Hanshirô V, Ichikawa Yaozô IV and Nakayama Bunshichi III.

1815: Kiyotarô went to Kamigata.

1817: he performed under the name of Ichikawa Yaozô (his father's name!) while touring in Ise.

11th lunar month of 1819: he took the name of Iwai Senchô.

1819: he became a disciple of the Kamigata star Nakamura Utaemon III.

11th lunar month of 1819: he took the name of Nakamura Shibajûrô at the Kado no Shibai, playing the role of Kanaya Zensuke in the drama "Yorokobiariya Hokutô no Isaoshi".

1831: Shibajûrô went back to Edo.

8th lunar month of 1837: Shibajûrô played at the Nakamuraza the roles of Ono no Kudayû and Ichimonjiya Saibê in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura".

25th day of the 7th lunar month of 1838 ^[2]: his master Nakamura Tamasuke died.

2nd lunar month of 1843: Shibajûrô played at the Nakamuraza the roles of Ôe Onitsura and Danjô's evil sister Yashio in the drama "Date Kurabe Okuni Kabuki".

8th lunar month of 1843: Shibajûrô played at the Kawarasakiza the roles of Sawai Matagorô and Usami Goemon in the drama "Igagoe Dôchû Sugoroku".

11th lunar month of 1843: Shibajûrô performed at the Kawarasakiza, in the drama "Osana Gunpô Jûroku Musashi", which celebrated the shûmei of Arashi Koroku V; his main stage partners were Bandô Hikosaburô IV, Seki Sanjûrô III, Nakamura Utaemon IV, Onoe Eizaburô III and Segawa Kikusaburô III.

3rd day of the 7th lunar month of 1844 ^[3]: his father Ichikawa Yaozô IV died.

11th lunar month of 1844: Shibajûrô performed at the Ichimuraza in the drama "Azuma no Hana Sôma no Dairi", which celebrated the shûmei of Ichikawa Dannosuke V.

8th lunar month of 1845: Shibajûrô played at the Ichimuraza the roles of the warrior priest Benkei and Yoshitsune's retainer Kataoka Hachirô in the drama "Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura".

24th day of the 8th lunar month of 1847 ^[1]: Shibajûrô died in Edo.

Comments:

Nakamura Shibajûrô was a 19th century actor, born and trained in Edo, who spent 16 years in Kamigata where he became a disciple of the Kamigata star Nakamura Utaemon III. This big-sized actor was outstanding in sewamono supporting roles, especially oyajigata (in his latter years) or katakiyaku roles.

[1] The 24th day of the 8th lunar month of the 4th year of the Kôka era was the 3rd of October 1847 in the western calendar.

[2] The 25th day of the 7th lunar month of the 9th year of the Tenpô era was the 13th of September 1838 in the western calendar.

[3] The 3rd day of the 7th lunar month of the 1st year of the Kôka era was the 16th of August 1844 in the western calendar.

Nakamura Shibajûrô playing the role of Gembeihori no Gembei in the drama "Nyôbo Zakari Naka-mo Yoshibei", which was staged in the 9th lunar month of 1838 at the Nakamuraza (print made by Utagawa Kunisada I)

The Iwai Kiyotarô line of actors

The Ichikawa Yaozô line of actors