Program
Theatre Nohgaku English Noh "Blue Moon Over Memphis"
Dates: October 10th (Saturday), 2026 - October 11th (Sunday)
- Performance
- Theater
- Dance
- Music
- Japan, United States, United Kingdom
Updates
The flyer for this performance is now available. You can view it here.
A dream noh play wherein the ghost of Elvis Presley encounters Judy, a die-hard Elvis fan
Honoring and extending the classical art of noh, this English-language noh comes to Autumn Meteorite Tokyo
Theatre Nohgaku was founded in 2000 by Richard Emmert, along with other English-speaking students of noh, and continues to be active worldwide.
Theatre Nohgaku presents the original English-language noh play “Blue Moon Over Memphis.” The production is based on a play written by American playwright Deborah Brevoort, who drew inspiration from noh to create a work centered on Elvis Presley—the man hailed as the “King of Rock and Roll” who had a profound influence on music history. True to the dreamlike nature of noh, which depicts encounters between the living and the dead, the story follows Judy (waki, the supporting actor), a passionate Elvis fan, as she visits his grave on the anniversary of his death. Guided by the light of a blue moon, she encounters the ghost of Elvis (shite, the lead role).
While remaining faithful to the traditions of noh—including the noh stage, hayashi (instrumental performers), jiutai (chorus), mai(dance), and honka-dori (allusive variation)—the production incorporates elements of American culture such as blues, gospel, Elvis Presley’s hit songs, newly created noh masks modeled after American musical icons, and a denim costume. By boldly embracing a different language and motifs—or perhaps precisely because of this—the play conveys the universality and depth of noh in a direct way.
The program will also feature the new English-language kyogen play, “The Rewards of Humble Abstinence.”
Dates
October 10th (Saturday), 2026 - October 11th (Sunday)
Schedule
Sat Oct 10, 6:00pm
Sun Oct 11, 2:00pm◯★
◯=Closed Captions will be available for guests who are deaf or hard of hearing. (Reservation required. Japanese Only)
★=A 30-minute post-performance talk is scheduled after the performance.
▼Post-Performance Talk
A post-performance talk will be held following the 2:00pm performance on Sunday, October 11. The event will feature Richard Emmert, John Oglevee, and Toshiki Okada. All audience members attending the performance on that day are welcome to join the talk.
Date: Sun Oct 11 after the 2:00pm performance
Venue: Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre (Playhouse)
Language: Japanese
Time required: about 30 minutes
Speakers: Richard Emmert, John Oglevee, Toshiki Okada (Artistic Director, Performing Arts Festival: Autumn Meteorite Tokyo)
Venue
東京芸術劇場 プレイハウス
Additional info about Runtime: Doors open 30 mins before the performance starts. Reception begins 60 mins before the performance starts
Runtime: Approx. 125 MIN
■Maibayashi "Takasago" (15 min)
■Kyogen "The Rewards of Humble Abstinence" (20 min)
Intermission (15 min)
■English Noh "Blue Moon Over Memphis" (75 min)
Performance Language: English (Maibayashi performed in Japanese)
Surtitle Language: Japanese and English
Ticket Information
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Sales period
On general sale from: Sat Aug 8, 10:00am -
Where to Book Tickets
【Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre Box Office】
Online
https://www.geigeki.jp/en/ticket/
・Only Japanese credit cards / cash payments accepted
・Tickets can be bought 24/7 (Excluding when the website is down for maintenance)
Phone
0570-010-296
・10:00 to 19:00 excluding days when the theatre is closed
・It is not possible to call the Box Office from international numbers, some IP phones or prepaid mobile phones.
Box Office
Open on the 1st floor of Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre
・Only Japanese credit cards / cash payments accepted
・Opening hours: 10:00 to 19:00 (excluding holidays)
【Ticket PIA】
Only Japanese credit cards / cash payments accepted
・WEB (https://w.pia.jp/t/geigeki/)
・Available at Seven-Eleven stores nationwide
【e+ (e-Plus)】
Only Japanese credit cards / cash payments accepted
・WEB (https://eplus.jp/geigeki/)
・Available at FamilyMart FamiPort
【Lawson Ticket】
Only Japanese credit cards / cash payments accepted
・Web (https://l-tike.com/)
・Available at Lawson and Ministop Loppi
Important Information
* Children below school age will not be admitted.
* The performance is recommended for ages 13 and older.
* Audience members arriving after the performance has started may only be admitted during transitions between Maibayashi, Kyogen, and English Noh performances, and may not be able to take their assigned seats.
* Tickets with age-based discounts are available in advance only through the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre Box Office (limited quantities available; valid ID required on the day of the performance).
* We cannot provide a refund for the difference if you are eligible for an age discount but you purchase a general admission ticket. In addition, if you purchase a discounted ticket that you are not eligible for, then you will be asked to pay the difference at the reception counter on the day of the performance.
* Visitors with a Disability Certificate or Mirairo ID can get tickets at a discounted price. Please check with the box office or the official website and check “Hello and Welcome (Attendee Support)” .
* Please contact the Box Office (0570-010-296) before purchasing a ticket if you are a wheelchair user as there is limited space within our venue.
* A hearing loop (magnetic loop) is available for some audience seats in this performance.
* Performance information and other details may be subject to change due to unavoidable circumstances.
* The reserving, buying or reselling of tickets for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited.
* We do not accept cancellations or changes once tickets have been purchased. This excludes where a performance is cancelled.
* Please be sure to check for the latest information on the official website before attending.
[All seats reserved / Tax included]
S Reserve: JPY 6,000
A Reserve: JPY 4,500
U29 (S Reserve): JPY 3,500
U29 (A Reserve): JPY 2,500
U18 (S / A Reserve): JPY 1,000
Discount for Persons with Disabilities: 10％ discount from adult prices
→Book tickets (For credit cards issued outside Japan)
Accessibility
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For guests who are deaf or hard of hearing
English subtitles will be displayed above the stage.
Closed Captions will be available for guests who are deaf or hard of hearing. (Reservation required. Japanese Only)
For Visitors with Physical Disabilities
Visitors who use wheelchairs are welcome to attend.
For Those Who May Have Concerns About Attending Performances
Guide dogs, service dogs, and hearing dogs are welcome to accompany visitors.
Childcare service
For Visitors with Children
※We provide paid childcare that includes an art experience program for children from age 4 through elementary school age. Capacity is limited.
※Childcare is scheduled to be available during performance times.
- Wheelchair Seating
- Children Service
- Operation of Hearing Loop
- Japanese Surtitles
- Closed Captions in Japanese
Profile
Company: Theatre Nohgaku
Theatre Nohgaku is an international performance ensemble with members based in the US, Japan, the UK and Sweden. Founded in 2000 by Richard Emmert and a group of English-speaking performers trained in the demanding techniques of noh, its members share a passion for noh and a conviction that it has profound power for audiences today.
TN creates new noh and noh-influenced work, generally in English, and performs both original and traditional works in Japanese and English in collaboration with Japanese master performers. A major goal of the company is to educate audiences and the general public about the arts of noh. To that end, it conducts annual noh workshops geared to non-Japanese in the US, Japan and the UK.
TN’s contemporary work reaches across boundaries of culture and language to tell stories that reflect our shared humanity. Internationally, TN has toured in the US and UK, as well as Ireland, France, Japan and China. Most recently it has been invited to Japan twice for performances on traditional Japanese noh stages.
English Noh "Blue Moon Over Memphis"
Playwright: Deborah Brevoort
Composer / Music Director: Richard Emmert
Co-Directors: Akira Matsui, John Oglevee
Cast:
Shite (Elvis Presley): John Oglevee
Waki (Judy): Laura Sampson / Mika Oskarson-Kindstrand
Ai Kyogen (Oscar): Lluis Valls
Flute: Richard Emmert
Kotsuzmi: Kayu Omura
Otsuzumi: Takako Kawauchi
Taiko: Hitoshi Sakurai
Chorus Leader: David Crandall
Chorus:
Kevin Salfen
David Surtasky
Matthew Dubroff
Ashley Thorpe
Gary Mathews
Robert Morris
Maggie Sur-Han Chang
Koken:
Kinue Oshima
Jubilith Moore
World Premiere: 23rd May, 2015 (Venue: ALLAN WEST)
Kyogen "The Rewards of Humble Abstinence"
Playwright: Thomas O’Connor
Co-Director: Thomas O’Connor, Lluis Valls
Cast:
Shite (Priest): Jubilith Moore
Ado (Dog): Lluis Valls
Maibayashi "Takasago"
Shite: Akira Matsui / Kinue Oshima
Chorus Leader: Keisuke Shiotsu
Inquiries
Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre Box Office +81 -570-010-296 (10:00 to 19:00 excluding days when it is closed)