Theatre Nohgaku English Noh "Blue Moon Over Memphis"

A dream noh play wherein the ghost of Elvis Presley encounters Judy, a die-hard Elvis fan
Honoring and extending the classical art of noh, this English-language noh comes to Autumn Meteorite Tokyo

Theatre Nohgaku was founded in 2000 by Richard Emmert, along with other English-speaking students of noh, and continues to be active worldwide.
Theatre Nohgaku presents the original English-language noh play “Blue Moon Over Memphis.” The production is based on a play written by American playwright Deborah Brevoort, who drew inspiration from noh to create a work centered on Elvis Presley—the man hailed as the “King of Rock and Roll” who had a profound influence on music history. True to the dreamlike nature of noh, which depicts encounters between the living and the dead, the story follows Judy (waki, the supporting actor), a passionate Elvis fan, as she visits his grave on the anniversary of his death. Guided by the light of a blue moon, she encounters the ghost of Elvis (shite, the lead role).

While remaining faithful to the traditions of noh—including the noh stage, hayashi (instrumental performers), jiutai (chorus), mai (dance), and honka-dori (allusive variation)—the production incorporates elements of American culture such as blues, gospel, Elvis Presley’s hit songs, newly created noh masks modeled after American musical icons, and a denim costume. By boldly embracing a different language and motifs—or perhaps precisely because of this—the play conveys the universality and depth of noh in a direct way.
The program will also feature the new English-language kyogen play, “The Rewards of Humble Abstinence.”

: Theatre Nohgaku

Theatre Nohgaku is an international performance ensemble with members based in the US, Japan, the UK and Sweden. Founded in 2000 by Richard Emmert and a group of English-speaking performers trained in the demanding techniques of noh, its members share a passion for noh and a conviction that it has profound power for audiences today.
TN creates new noh and noh-influenced work, generally in English, and performs both original and traditional works in Japanese and English in collaboration with Japanese master performers. A major goal of the company is to educate audiences and the general public about the arts of noh. To that end, it conducts annual noh workshops geared to non-Japanese in the US, Japan and the UK.
TN’s contemporary work reaches across boundaries of culture and language to tell stories that reflect our shared humanity. Internationally, TN has toured in the US and UK, as well as Ireland, France, Japan and China. Most recently it has been invited to Japan twice for performances on traditional Japanese noh stages.

[All seats reserved / Tax included]

S Reserve	JPY 6,000
A Reserve	JPY 4,500
U29 (S Reserve)	JPY 3,500
U29 (A Reserve)	JPY 2,500
U18 (S / A Reserve)	JPY 1,000
Discount for Persons with Disabilities	10％ discount from adult prices

*Children below school age will not be admitted.
*The performance is recommended for ages 13 and older.
*Audience members arriving after the performance has started may only be admitted during transitions between Maibayashi, Kyogen, and English Noh performances, and may not be able to take their assigned seats.
* Tickets with age-based discounts are available in advance only through the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre Box Office (limited quantities available; valid ID required on the day of the performance).
* We cannot provide a refund for the difference if you are eligible for an age discount but you purchase a general admission ticket. In addition, if you purchase a discounted ticket that you are not eligible for, then you will be asked to pay the difference at the reception counter on the day of the performance.
* Visitors with a Disability Certificate or Mirairo ID can get tickets at a discounted price. Please check with the box office or the official website and check “Hello and Welcome (Attendee Support)” （https://autumnmeteorite.jp/en/2026/hello_and_welcome）.
* Please contact the Box Office (0570-010-296) before purchasing a ticket if you are a wheelchair user as there is limited space within our venue.
* A hearing loop (magnetic loop) is available for some audience seats in this performance.
* Performance information and other details may be subject to change due to unavoidable circumstances.
* The reserving, buying or reselling of tickets for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited.
* We do not accept cancellations or changes once tickets have been purchased. This excludes where a performance is cancelled.
* Please be sure to check for the latest information on the official website before attending.

: English Noh “Blue Moon Over Memphis”
Playwright: Deborah Brevoort
Composer / Music Director: Richard Emmert
Co-Directors: Akira Matsui, John Oglevee

Cast:
Shite (Elvis Presley): John Oglevee
Waki (Judy): Laura Sampson / Mika Oskarson-Kindstrand
Ai Kyogen (Oscar): Lluis Valls
Flute: Richard Emmert
Kotsuzmi: Kayu Omura
Otsuzumi: Takako Kawauchi
Taiko: Hitoshi Sakurai
Chorus Leader: David Crandall
Chorus:
Kevin Salfen
David Surtasky
Matthew Dubroff
Ashley Thorpe
Gary Mathews
Robert Morris
Maggie Sur-Han Chang
Koken:
Kinue Oshima
Jubilith Moore

World Premiere: 23rd May, 2015 (Venue: ALLAN WEST)

Kyogen “The Rewards of Humble Abstinence”
Playwright: Thomas O’Connor
Co-Director: Thomas O’Connor, Lluis Valls
Cast:
Shite (Priest): Jubilith Moore
Ado (Dog): Lluis Valls

Maibayashi “Takasago”
Shite: Akira Matsui / Kinue Oshima
Chorus Leader: Keisuke Shiotsu

: Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre Box Office
0570-010-296 (10:00 to 19:00 excluding days when it is closed)

Information: Autumn Meteorite 2026 Tokyo Full schedule page

Theatre Nohgaku English Noh "Blue Moon Over Memphis"

Overview