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BLUE MOON OVER MEMPHIS. Theatre Nohgaku. By Deborah Brevoort. Scored by Richard Emmert. Directed by John Oglevee. Goddard Auditorium, Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana. 15 March 2017.
A no performance is a rare opportunity in Indiana, and English-language no play Blue Moon Over Memphis (hereafter Blue Moon) did not disappoint. Earlham College was the second stop of the tour that began at Williams College on 11 March and was "dedicated to those lost and still recovering from the March 11, 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami, on its 6th anniversary" (Program 2017).
Theatre Nohgaku (TN) is a Tokyo and North America-based company founded in 2000 by Richard Emmert with thirteen others. Its mission is to "share noh's beauty and power with English-speaking audiences and performers," and to further the expressive possibilities of no techniques "in the context of contemporary English-language theatre" (Program 2017). Members have long-term training in traditional no performance, which forms the backbone of TN's creative process (O'Connor 2016). In recent years TN has done a series of original English-language productions that employ elements of traditional no to treat contemporary themes, including Pagoda (2009, 2011) byJannette Cheong (Richard Emmert, composer), Zahdi Dates and Poppies (2016) by Carrie Preston (David Crandall, composer), and Blue Moon (2016, 2017) (see "Repertory" 2017).
Founding member David Crandall began with an introduction to no and demonstrated the short dance "Tama no dan" (scene of the Jewel) (See Ama 2017). The chorus chanted an English translation composed by Crandall. Both dance and translation were gracefully executed, and the chorus (Kevin Salfen [leader], Gary Mathews, Thomas O'Connor, and Lluis Valls) provided well synchronized support. Next was a medley of no instrumental music, opening on a lyrical and introspective mood and gradually building to an exhilarating finale, executed by Mariko Anno (flute), and drummers James Ferner (kotsuzumi), Takako Kawauchi (otsuzumi), and Richard Emmert (taiko). Such a medley, rare on no programs in Japan, is effective for spotlighting both the range of no instrumentals and the musicians' skill.
The third entry was Blue Moon Over Memphis, product of a sevenyear collaboration between TN-especially Richard Emmert, who composed the music-and award-winning American playwright Deborah Brevoort, best known for her 2003 The Women of Lockerbie (on the Pan Am 103 crash with over 400 productions in...