Instructor Kenji Suzuki using his sword. Everytime he beat his sword to the mat the kids have to change to a different acting pose position. --- Kenji Suzuki hit a mat with a sword to call for a different acting position -- The rigorous physical exercises designed by internationally renowned Japanese theater director Tadashi Suzuki are being taught in Milwaukee this month by Kayoko Shiraishi and Kenji Suzuki, two leading members of Waseda Sho-Gekijo, the elder Suzuki's theater company. The two Suzukis are not related. Shiraishi is regarded by many as Japan's greatest living actress. Kenji Suzuki is an actor and director. The two have come to Milwaukee to work with the students of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Professional Theater Training Program, professional actors from the Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Theater X, Clavis Theater and Theater Tesseract, and students from ages 6 to 13 in Marjorie Walker's Theater School Ltd. The Suzuki method has been described as learning theater through the feet rather than the head, as the director emphasizes a physical consciousness and the entire body's ability to communicate. That ability has permitted the Waseda Sho-Gekijo to take its Japanese language productions around the world and be understood in any country. Suzuki's exercises include a lot of knee bending to develop the lower body, very precise military-style marching, back-limbering movements and foot stomping, combined with unified walkig in rows. --- (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee - Theater)
Photo measures 8.75 x 7.5 inches. Photo is dated 02-15-1985.
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