Dear JET alumni and friends:
It is with great pleasure that we offer you discount tickets for the upcoming programs at the 9th Annual San Francisco International Arts Festival [www.sfiaf.org]. This year, the Festival will feature artists from 10 different countries including:
Japan: Traditional Kyogen Theatre by Mansaku-no Kai, led by Japanese Living National Treasure, Mansaku Nomura, Thursday, May 10 & Friday, May 11, 7:00pm http://www.sfiaf.org/2012Festival/artists/Mansaku-no-Kai.html
The Crazy Cloud Collection Butoh dance performance by Ko Murobushi & inkBoat, Saturday, May 12, 9:00pm http://www.sfiaf.org/2012Festival/artists/inkBoat.html
Your discount code is CTN12. This code will give you $4 per ticket discount for Mansaku-no Kai, and $5 off per ticket discount for all other programs taking place at San Francisco's Marines Memorial Theatre.
What is Kyogen? As a long-time friend of Japanese society and culture, many of you must have attended traditional Kabuki, or even Noh theatre, but what about "Kyogen"? Literally translated as "crazy words", Kyogen was originally a short and comical farce performed between serious Noh plays, but over the course of 600 years, it developed into a sophisticated comedy theater art form of its own. With its mime-like "kata" (forms) and rhythm and language, it gives the feeling of the Medieval Samurai era, and for those of you who know contemporary Japanese language and some "jidaigeki" language, you'll have so much fun with their language patterns ending with "~ gozaru" or "~ja". With stock characters like gullible master and clever servants, many Kyogen pieces are light and funny and very accessible. At the same time, when performed by such masters as Mansaku-sensei, we are reminded that Kyogen is also a very sophisticated theater art that delves into the depth of human psyche. In particular, the "Tsukimi-Zato (The Moon-Viewing Blind-Man)" is a Kyogen masterpiece rarely performed outside of Japan, brought this time to the Bay Area for an audience like you!
Rare Chance to See Kyogen from Japan! For the San Francisco performances, we are importing precious "matsubame" wooden backdrop and "shosadai" wooden floor from Tokyo to recreate the authentic stage for Noh and Kyogen. If you attend "Mansaku-no Kai" in Tokyo, the ticket price starts at 7,000JPY (appx $90!). However, for the local audience, we are keeping the ticket price low (between $20-$50) and for the JET program alumni and friends, offering the $4 discount with the discount code. For non-Japanese speaking audience members, we will provide subtitles as well, so, please bring all your friends and family members who may be less familiar with Japan and Japanese culture.
Besides the two Japanese programs, we also highly recommend Raices Profundas (profound roots) from Cuba, which is the opening program for this year's Festival. As some of you may know, bringing artists from Cuba is nothing like doing so from Japan, and few presenters in the field dare the risk to do so. However, SFIAF is doing it. As we write, we got a report that the first group of the Cuban artists are now at the airport in Havana and getting ready to fly over to SFO via Miami, so it IS HAPPENING! http://www.sfiaf.org/2012Festival/artists/Raices-Profundas.html
This year also, SFIAF has a gallery/lounge/bar space at 540 Sutter Street, just a block across from the Marines' Memorial Theatre, where artists and audience members get together spontaneously for "Kampai"s and conversations!
So, please join us with this year's celebration of arts from around the world!
Matsuri de-gozaru!
To take advantage of this discount offer: Enter in the promotional code box "CTN12" where indicated on the ticket order page online or ask for the code by phone (415-771-6900) or at the box office window. Please note that $2 handling fee will still apply per ticket unless you go to the Marine's Memorial Box Office (609 Sutter Street) and purchase the ticket onsite. The discount code applies only for advance purchases and cannot be used in combination with other discounts. You must enter the promotional code BEFORE you complete the transaction. If you have any questions please call the box office at 415-771-6900.
Best regards, Kyoko Yoshida Executive Director U.S./Japan Cultural Trade Network, Inc. (CTN) Phone: 415.867.7080 kyoko@usjapanctn.net www.usjapanctn.net