60th Session of the International Tropical Timber Council
Pre-EventJazz-Bunraku: The Cat Who Went to Heaven(Performed in English)

Performed by: Sagami Puppet Theater SHIMONAKAZAMusic, Lyrics and Adaptation by: Nancy Harrow
Based on: The Cat Who Went to Heaven by Elizabeth Coatsworth
Winner, the 1931 Newbery Award for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.

Date: Sunday 1 December, 2024

Venue: Conference Center 5F Room #503, Pacifico Yokohama
Doors open: 13:15 Curtain: 13:30
Workshop: 14:40

Jazz-Bunraku: The Cat Who Went to Heaven
Nancy Harrow, a dedicated and talented American jazz vocalist,composer and lyricist adapted the 1931 Newbery Award-winningchildren’ s book ‘The Cat Who Went to Heaven’ by Elizabeth
Coatsworth into a musical puppet show of the same title. The show,
which premiered in New York in 2008, combined contemporary jazzwith elements of the traditional Japanese art of Bunraku.
‘Jazz-Bunraku: The Cat Who Went to Heaven’ is based on Nancy
Harrow’ s musical. Directed by Will Pomerantz from Off-Broadway, it
was first presented in Japan in 2022 by the Shimonakaza company.
This unique performance incorporates jazz music, English songs, and narration in place of the traditional “shamisen”(three-stringed instrument) and “tayu” (chanter) typically seen in Bunraku.
Shimonakaza is a puppet theater company based in Odawara City, Kanagawa, with a history spanning over 300 years. Thecompany continues the tradition of Sagami Ningyo Shibai (Puppet Theater), a form of Ningyo Joruri (Bunraku) manipulatedby three puppeteers, which was introduced into Kanagawa Prefecture in the early 18th century. In 1980, it was designated as
an Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property of Japan.
The company not only preserves classic programs but also actively works to develop new ones. It offers puppetry classes for
adults and provides lessons to local schools to foster successors. One of Shimonakaza’ s defining characteristics is the wide age
range of its members, spanning from teenagers (most of whom are graduates of the schools) to people in their late eighties.

<Synopsis>
A struggling artist sends his housekeeper to buy food, but she returns with a catfrom the village instead. Initially unhappy with the choice, the artist eventually
warms up to the kind, affectionate, and beautiful cat. He decides to keep the cat
and names her Good Fortune.
One day, the artist is visited by a Buddhist priest
from the local temple. He has been chosen tocreate a picture of the Buddha, with all the animals
who visited him on the night of his death. As the artist prepares to paint the picture, he realizes
that the cat is not one of the animals who came to pay homage to the Buddha and should not be
painted in the picture.
Every day, the artist creates a new animal while Good Fortune searches for a cat, but to no avail.
Good Fortune becomes sadder and sadder and eventually stops eating. The artist is so troubled
by the cat’ s sorrow that he makes a momentous decision.

第６０回 ＩＴＴＯ理事会
プレ・イベント

Jazz-Bunraku 涅槃に行った猫（英語で上演）

上演：相模人形芝居 下中座
脚本・作詞・作曲：ナンシー・ハーロウ

原作：エリザベス・コーツワース著「The Cat Who Went to Heaven」
１９３１年ニューベリー賞受賞

２０２４年１２月１日（日）パシフィコ 横浜

開場：１３時１５分

会議センター５０３号室

開演：１３時３０分

ワークショップ：１４時４０分

Jazz-Bunraku 涅槃に行った猫
アメリカの著名なジャズ シンガー・ソングライター、ナンシー・ハーロウ
は最も優れた児童書に贈られる「ニューベリー賞」受賞のエリザベス・コーツワース著、「The Cat Who Went to Heaven」を原 作とした
ミュージカル人形劇を創作。コンテンポラリー・ジャズと日本の文楽の要素を融合させた本作は２００８年ニューヨークで初演、好評を得た。
下中座はナンシー ・ハーロウのミュージカル「The Cat Who Went toHeaven」を元とした「Jazz-Bunraku 涅槃に行った猫」を原作の演出家であるウィル・ポメランツを迎え、２０２２年日本で初演。従来の人形浄瑠璃文楽の「三味線」と「太夫」は「ジャズ音楽」と「英語のナレーション・歌」に置き換えられた。
下中座は神奈川県小田原市を本拠とする３００の歴史を持つ人形座である。18 世紀初頭から神奈川県（相模の国）に受継がれる一体の人形を３人の使い手が操作する３人遣いの人形浄瑠璃「相模人形芝居」を継承、１９８０国の重要無形民俗文化財に指定される。古典演目の継承、新作の制作に積極的に取り組むほか、成人向けの後継者育成事業や地域の小・中・高校での授業や部活動の指導に長年注力。座員の構成は１０代から９０代、と年齢幅が広い事も特徴である。

あらすじ
昔、貧しい絵師がいた。なけなしの金を渡して買い物にやった女中は、食べ物の代わりに猫を連れて帰ってくる。初めは怒っていた絵師だが、その愛らしさに心をほぐし、「福」と名付けて可愛がる。
ある日、絵師は寺の住職から「涅槃図」* を描いて欲しい、と頼まれる。やっと貧しさから抜け出せる、と喜んだのも束の間、「涅槃図」の中に猫はいなかった事に気づく。
絵師のそばで仕事を見守る福。しかし、猫が描き入れられる様子はない。悲しみ、日々痩せ衰えていく福を見て、絵師はある決断をする。
＊涅槃図とは、釈迦入滅の様子を描いたもの。床に伏す釈迦を囲み、弟子のほか、鳥獣までが泣き悲しむが、その中に猫はいなかった、とされる。