Day 97 - New York can be so... Japanese!
Updated: Jan 6, 2019
New York is a fascinating place with fascinating people.
One of the most amazing experiences I had in New York came when I was preparing for my first run in New York last year.
I was wondering how I would explain the Japanese aesthetic to a set designer in New York. Set designers are amazing people, amazing artists. They can study the aesthetic from any culture and get it amazingly right. However, there are subtleties of Japanese design which can easily be lost, and I have found that many designs end up leaning towards a pan-asian taste, Japanese mixed with Chinese and Thai aesthetics (no problem if on purpose - I like fusion food as much as anyone - but if its not on purpose it can be unfortunate.
The answer was simpler than I thought.
I was introduced to Mikiko Suzuki, Japanese by nationality, graduate of Yale University in theater design, Broadway career and two Tony awards as associate designer already to her credit. I will feature her in a future post!
In the end my set-designer, lighting designer, sound designer, stage manager, and production manager were all Japanese, and all working on and off-Broadway. New York is amazing that way. I was concerned that when we run the show for weeks as we plan to starting in April, I would have to send my silk kimonos back to Japan to get properly cleaned. There is no way there are kimono cleaners in New York. My friend Yoko who has live here for years said, “You’re right, there isn’t one Japanese kimono cleaner in New York - there are two…!”
Amazing.
So come April when we start Rakugo off-Broadway the only person on the artistic and production staff who won’t be Japanese will be ME! THE PERFORMER! LOL
In the coming weeks I will do some introductions to my wonderful New York Team Sunshine!
Something to look forward to!
The bit about expecting zero kimono cleaners and finding two feels like a perfect New York story, and it makes me think about how often we assume a city can't possibly hold the niche thing we need. I once spent weeks hunting for a shop that sold traditional Japanese knives, only to discover three within a mile of my apartment. What struck me most was how much easier the April run must feel knowing the whole production team shares the same aesthetic instincts, though https://vironkasino.com is a strange place for that thought to lead, since the idea of finding exactly what you need once you stop underestimating the place really sticks with me.
What an incredible team you've assembled! I spend hours on free 3d tools like the local 3d converter for mesh work, but your Rakugo production sounds way more rewarding. Would love to catch the off-Broadway show in April
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I really enjoyed the way you capture New York’s Japanese moments the juxtaposition of cultures, the quiet echoes in city corners. It made me remember drafts I’ve held where the voice felt there but the framing was off that’s when I turned to a professional ghostwriter, someone who helps me place the beats just right, preserve the tone, and let the story whisper and roar together.