Nō performances are one-time events. Preparation for the performance relies on the conventions inscribed in the tradition: there is no director and only a single, abridged, non-dress rehearsal. Each type of performer (shite, waki, kyōgen, instrumentalists, chorus, and stage assistants) specializes in a specific role, although each performer must be proficient in the other specializations in order to understand every aspect of the performance. On the day of the single staging of a play, parts that were prepared separately come together, merging into the performance. Text, music, chant, movement, costume, masks, properties, and the stage architecture are separate yet interdependent entities that only achieve their full potential when connected with each other. This section explores each of these elements.
Contributor: Monica Bethe, Diego Pellecchia