Theatre Seminar: “Before the Curtain Rises” Vol. 04

The theatre seminar series “Before the Curtain Rises: Exploring the Theatre from Behind the Scenes of Creation” Vol. 04 will be held on Thursday, September 24, 2026, at P.O. Minamiaoyama Hall (Minato Ward, Tokyo), hosted by Miho Nakai and Kazuhisa Tobe.

We are pleased to announce thatstage designer Rumi Matsui and stage lightingdesigner Jiro Katsushiba will bethe guestsfor Vol. 04 .

In this installment, we will explore the question “What is a theatre?” from the perspectives of “set design” and “lighting,” the elements that shape the theatrical space.

Set designer Rumi Matsui and lighting designer Jiro Katsushiba have worked on numerous stage productions—including plays, musicals, and operas—over many years, remaining at the forefront of Japan’s performing arts scene.

In this seminar, we will examine how the scale, structure, and facilities of a theatre—as well as its relationship with the audience—influence the creative process, while also exploring how set design and lighting interact to create a unified stage space.

By unraveling the nature of the theatre as revealed through space and light, we will consider the potential and future of the theatre as a “place” where performers and audiences meet.

These perspectives should offer fresh insights not only to theatre professionals and stage producers but also to theatre enthusiasts and those involved in theatre architecture and urban development.

We invite you to join us for 90 minutes as we collectively envision “The Future of the Theatre.”