kabuki theatre
travel brochure
So, what is Kabuki theatre? Kabuki is a Japanese form of theatre performance that specializes in song and dance. At the time of its creation, it was shocking, off-balance, and inappropriate, mainly because of elements of Western culture and cross-dressing while women were performing it. The form took shape during the Golden Age of Kabuki, becoming formal and codified with only male performers. Today, Kabuki incorporates song and dance, recurring characters and character types, acrobatics, and elaborate costumes, scenery, and more. With such a rich, impactful form, many theatregoers flock to Japan to see it, but many don’t know where to begin. Let’s change that.
the challenge
Create a detailed, well-researched travel brochure to advise a theatregoer unfamiliar with Japanese Kabuki performance on the form.
The medium
A brochure that includes the definition of Kabuki performance, origins of Kabuki, and theaters in Japan that specialize in Kabuki performances and their historical significance.
Hands-On Experience
Much of the research came from a course called Theatre Histories II, a course about diving into non-Western forms, but this year was a bit different. To further understand Kabuki performance, my class got an exclusive tour of the “Savoring the Moon” exhibit from the Madison Art Collection at the Lisanby Museum, housed at James Madison University. The exhibit included paintings, sculptures, and woodblock prints of posters from the Golden Age of Kabuki. The posters were mass-produced and served to promote the performance at the time, including some of the well-known characters on the poster. These posters were a big inspiration for the overall design of the brochure.
My solution
A fun, professional brochure that showcases the different theaters and accommodations for English-speaking theatregoers who want to see a Kabuki play.
The Final Creative
