Shuji Terayama’s Duke Bluebeard’s Castle

Contemporary Theater | North American Premiere

Wednesday, January 15 at 7:30 pm—Followed by an opening night reception
Thursday, January 16 at 7:30 pm—Followed by an artist Q&A
Friday, January 17 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, January 18 at 7:30 pm

Bluebeard is given a Harajuku makeover in Duke Bluebeard’s Castle, a wild burlesque-like subversion of the French gothic horror legend. Shuji Terayama, father of Japan’s angura (underground) theater movement in the 1960s and ’70s, was repeatedly drawn to the story of Bluebeard’s wives and the locked castle door, culminating in this mind-bending game of cat-and-mouse that questions the very nature of theater itself. Saturated with dark magic tricks, fiddlers and accordion players, aerial dance and more, Project NYX, led by Kanna Mizushima, brings a cross-dressing cast of nearly 30 members to Japan Society for a production directed by illustrious Korean-Japanese experimental theater director Kim Sujin. Find out who escapes the castle in this macabre, magic-infused Lolita fashion spectacle.

Performed in Japanese with English supertitles.

Presented in partnership with Under the Radar
Mark Russell, Founding Director 
Meropi Peponides & Kaneza Schaal, Co-Directors 
ArKtype, Festival Producer
More information at utrfest.org

Your ticket for January 16, 17 and 18 performances also includes complimentary, same-day admission for one person to Bunraku Backstage, on view at Japan Society Gallery through January 19, 2025. To view the exhibition please show your ticket/receipt to the Welcome Desk for free admission before the performance. Please note that your ticket for January 15 performance will not include this access as the Gallery is closed on Wednesdays. 

Recommended Program

Pastoral: To Die in the Country
January 24, 2025, 7 pm

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Image: Duke Bluebeard’s Castle © Yoji Ishizawa.

2024-25 Performing Arts Season Support

The season is made possible, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

Additional, major support is generously provided by Doug and Teresa Peterson, Howard Gilman Foundation, and Jun Makihara and Megumi Oka. Endowment support is provided by the Lila Wallace-Reader’s Digest Endowment Fund, John and Miyoko Davey Foundation, and a leadership gift from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

Program support is also generously provided by The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation; Hisamitsu America, Inc.; Akiko Mikumo; Hiroko Onoyama; Richard and Momona Royce; Dr. and Mrs. Carl F. Taeusch II; Dr. Jeanette C. Takamura; Nancy and Joe Walker; Estate of Alan M. Suhonen; and Performing Arts Circle members.

All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. is the official airline of the Japan Society Performing Arts Program. Yamaha is the official piano provider of Japan Society.

Japan Society programs are made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.