Preserving Tradition Through Performance: Maryville College Studying Noh in Japan
The group of students, after our final performance, including Sensei Sato, his wife, Shino, our translator, Dr. Philip Flavin, our Noh professor, Kevin Grigsby, Maryville College’s technical director, and Andy Vaught, Maryville College’s theatre professor. My study abroad experience in Japan has been defined by one overarching theme: the remarkable relationship between tradition and continuity. Through academic coursework, cultural excursions, and direct instruction from practicing artists, I have begun to understand how Japan preserves centuries-old artistic practices while allowing them to remain meaningful in the modern world. Our program centers on the study of Noh, one of Japan's oldest surviving theatrical traditions. Classroom discussions introduced us to the historical development of Noh, its literary foundations, and the works of influential playwrights whose contributions continue to shape performances today. As we analyzed classical plays and explored the structure of ...
