By GWEN MURANAKA
RAFU SENIOR EDITOR

LAGUNA BEACH — Kabuki dancers in sumptuous kimono costumes are a vision in this year’s Pageant of the Masters at the Festival of Arts in Laguna Beach, which concludes its season this week.

If you haven’t been to Pageant of the Masters, it’s a Southern California tradition that is a bit of art history, musical theater and Hollywood glamour, all in an outdoor summer setting. Every summer the stage of the Irvine Bowl becomes a living gallery of artwork recreated by a team of dancers, actors, musicians, technicians as well as behind-the-scenes volunteers. There is also an accompanying Festival of Arts, which showcases the work of local artists.

This year’s theme, “à La Mode: The Art of Fashion,” depicts points in history and fashion trends in beautifully rendered paintings from throughout history. Established in 1932, the Festival of Arts’ mission is to promote, produce and sponsor events and activities that encourage the appreciation, study and performance of the arts. The first time the “l(fā)iving pictures” were presented was in 1933, just one year before the first Nisei Week Festival was held in Little Tokyo in 1934.

In an interview with The Rafu ShimpoPageant Director Diane Challis Davy explained that Japan was a natural fit for the show. A Laguna Beach native, Challis Davy first got involved with the pageant as a child as a volunteer cast member. A graduate of California Institute of the Arts, she decides the theme for the show and selects the artwork that will be featured.

“I think no story about global costume and fashion history is complete without including the amazing kimono, the most beautiful, versatile and deceptively simple garments,” she explained.

“I am always inspired by Japanese textile design. the screen printing, embroidery, layer upon layer of silk fabrics. The attention to small details, the celebration of the seasons.”

The painting in this year’s pageant is an 1880 ukiyoe woodblock painting by Yoshu Chikanobu of the Meiji Emperor and Empress viewing a kabuki performance. The painting is striking in its “East meets West” juxtaposition of the Imperial couple in Western clothing watching a performance of traditional kabuki and depicts a moment of major changes in Japanese society.

Other tableaus include a tribute to famed Hollywood costume designer Edith Head, French artist James Tissot’s “Too Early,” and “The Swing,” the Rococo masterpiece by Jean-Honoré Fragonard. Traditionally the grand finale is Leonard Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.”

Challis Davy described the show as a huge operation with many moving parts.

“We would not have a pageant without the support and participation of our wonderful volunteers. We have two separate casts of about 150 each, all ages and ethnicities,” she said.

“Most of them play only one role in the show, and they pose in the living pictures for about 90 seconds. While they wait to go on they have fun backstage, with socializing and playing games. And don’t forget there are scores of other volunteers helping out; in makeup, wardrobe and runners.”

For the Japanese section, Chikanobu depicts the performance of the iconic kabuki play “Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura” or “Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees.” The magic of the pageant is the presentation of actors in elaborate costumes blending seamlessly into the paintings.

Helping realize the vision is choreographer Miyako Tachibana (Fujima Kansuzu), who has worked on three pageants with Challis Davy. Tachibana said that Challis Davy was inspired after they went to see a Japanese film screening at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center.

That “Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura” was selected was a happy coincidence. Her mother, the late Madame Fujiima Kansuma, had taught this dance to her students for years.

“It’s very exciting. It has comedy and drama, action, everything in it. It’s a great dance,” Tachibana said. “I was thinking, wow, she picked this woodblock print with ‘Yoshinoyama Michiyuki’ and I thought we could do this. I learned this dance when I was 12!”

The dancers featured in the pageant are Ayano Suzuki (Fujima KanAyano), Yukiko Mimura, Mitchell Hao and Melanie Yeung.

Behind the scenes assisting with costumes, wigs and make-up are Ann Yoshihara (Fujima Kansumi) and Yachiyo Kato (Fujima Kanichiwaka). Erin Adams and Melanie Yeung work as kurogo (kabuki stage assistants clad in black).

Tachibana praised the pageant and its staff and volunteers, many who have been there for years. While waiting backstage there is time for socializing and she said they are always ready with cups of tea and homemade cookies.

“It’s a really sweet community that tries to keep it that way,” she said.

Challis Davy said she hopes to visit Japan one day.

“I’m a very big fan of Japanese gardens. Some day I would like to see Kyoto. I watch a lot of Japanese television. I have to say our Irvine Bowl Amphitheatre has an essence of the Japanese appreciation of being in nature and appreciating the beauty and transitory quality of our lives,” she said.

Tachibana shared that she often hears her mom,known fondly as Osho-san to her students, instructing her how to bring Japanese culture to a new, global audience.

“Ultimately when you see the audience so motivated to want to see it and appreciate it and maybe kindle an interest in Japanese culture, you can call that a success,” Tachibana said.

“If it inspires people to say ‘Let’s go to Little Tokyo, let’s go to Nisei Week to see ondo,” we’ve been successful.”

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