Recent major activities

Since its premiere in 2007 at Prunus Hall on the Fuchinobe Campus, "Group Reading Musical Drama: Night on the Galactic Railroad" has run long runs every summer and is now widely loved as a summer tradition in J. F. Oberlin University. With the relocation of College of Performing and Visual Arts to the Tokyo Hinatayama Campus, the newly opened 'Stones Hall' (inside the Obirin Arts and Culture Hall) on the same site was inaugurated in 2022.

There are three main features of this performance. One is the 'citizen participation' style. Students selected through auditions, citizens, and professional artists will come together to perform together. The second is that, as the name suggests, the work unfolds surrounded by live music. For the first ten years after the premiere, jazz pianist Masahiro Sayama and percussionist Yutaka Hatakeyama handled the music; in 2017 and 2018, classical piano Tokiko Kobayakawa took charge; and from 2019, marimba player Mayumi Hama took charge. Within this live atmosphere, group reading, acting, singing, and dancing intersect, creating a uniquely original work. Since 2018, Hatsune Farrell Kanda has been appearing as a dancer. The third point is the high quality. Even though citizens and students participate, the quality rivals that of professionals, and in fiscal year 2020, it received the "Child Welfare Culture Award." Additionally, performances have been performed in Iwate Prefecture, Kenji Miyazawa's hometown, and in Taiwan, even outside Japan. The script and direction were written and directed by the director of our institute, Professor College of Performing and Visual Arts Masao Nouso. This stage production not only revives Miyazawa's spirit and worldview in the modern era, but also portrays the story of those of us living in the present.

"Mito Komon Choral Skit" is an outreach project that has been run annually since 2005, primarily by students. "Mito Komon" is a television drama that was once considered a national historical drama. The simple story of good triumphing over evil, in which Lord Komon, Sukesan, Kakusan, and other familiar characters defeat corrupt officials, is brought to the stage with choral singing, sword fighting, dancing, and gags, and delivered to nursing homes and welfare facilities. As the name "Choral Skit" suggests, the production incorporates scenes where the audience sings along, and the songs are mainly familiar folk songs such as "Furusato" (Hometown), which are popular with the elderly. There are also touching moments when people with dementia who usually show little reaction are seen tapping their fingers to the rhythm.
Elderly people are delighted to see the energetic spirit of the young people who will lead the next generation, and the students, in turn, are energized by seeing their enthusiasm. Unlike their usual theater and dance activities where they express themselves, they gain a tangible sense of satisfaction from directly entertaining the people in front of them. This outreach program is an embodiment of Obirin Gakuen's motto, "Learning to serve people," and it also helps students develop a perspective on how to connect art with society.
While the venues are primarily nursing homes and welfare facilities, this is a popular outreach program that also receives inquiries from children's centers and community centers.

J. F. Oberlin University 's 'Choral Story' begins with the 100th anniversary commemorative 'Choral Story: The Life of a Pebble' at J. F. Oberlin Gakuen in November 2022. Our 'Choral Story' features a unique style that weaves the story together with the singing of citizens, professional soloists, theater, and dance. 'The Life of Pebbles' was held at the Ikikando Chapel on the Machida Campus, depicting the life of Professor Yasuzo Shimizu, the founder of J. F. Oberlin Gakuen, and received great acclaim (available on YouTube). The script, lyrics, and direction were handled by our research institute director Masao Nouso, and the music was composed by Jun Nagao. The second installment by the same duo is 'Silent Voice.' In October 2023, it was co-hosted with the Machida Civic Literature Museum at Providence Hall (inside the J. F. Oberlin Arts and Culture Hall), depicting the life and works of Shusaku Endo, a nationally renowned author connected to Machida City. Citizens participating in the choir were recruited through a public call, and 31 participants, including university students and faculty, performed. Professional soloists and performers were College of Performing and Visual Arts 's proud faculty (= artists), and College of Performing and Visual Arts gave their full support. Shusaku Endo has released many works themed around Christianity, such as 'Silence,' 'Deep River,' and 'The Life of Jesus,' and the founding spirit of our university is also based on Christian values, making this performance highly compatible in that respect.

This program was implemented to promote intergenerational exchange between the senior and junior generations. Here, 'senior' refers to those aged 55 and over, and 'junior' refers to students of this university. Instruction, composition, direction, and hosting are all under the Masao Nouso of the director of our institute. The cast members gathered through a public call first share episodes from their own lives. Through four workshops, from big to small, stories of joy and sorrow, joy, anger, and pleasure are shared, and through participants' sympathy and empathy, the distance between them grows closer. Next, select a few from there and compose them, then stage them into a stage play featuring music and dance by professional artists. The artists are the duet duo Duetto (Kanae Kiuchi, Yukari Oshima) and dancer Naoki Ichinosawa.

 

This was, in a sense, a theatrical expression using a "narrative" approach. Through the workshop and theatrical performance, participants gradually gained new insights into their own episodes, reinterpreting their meaning and emotions. The audience, witnessing the storytellers' (participants') narratives, naturally became attuned to their presence and stories, creating an intimate atmosphere in the venue. Professional artists' music and dance added a theatrical flavor, incorporating elements that made it a successful piece of entertainment. The performance was sold out on the day, and it was a highly successful event.