Théatre Lapis premiered on the New York stage in spring 2012 with its production of the musical Ordinary Days. Our aim at Théatre Lapis is to question traditional boundaries including those that exist between musical and straight plays, between western and eastern cultures, and to seek other frontiers.
We have produced a number of shows based on our complex Japanese culture, with the purpose of introducing authentic and aesthetic artforms to Western audiences, to deepen and promote a broader, more insightful perspective about Japan. Our first production was The Red Candle based on a traditional Japanese tale, ‘The Red Candle and a Mermaid’ by Mimei Ogawa, at Brunel Museum in 2016. It was seen and appreciated by Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex. Our second outing, in collaboration with East 15 Acting School, was an intercultural version of Jean Giradoux’s ‘ONDINE’ at Clifftown Theatre, in 2018. ‘Letter from the Sea’, then followed; a devised show for children produced by the Polish Theatre company, Bydgoszcz, celebrating the 100th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Poland. This was transferred to the National Theatre Tokyo in 2020. In 2019, The Other Palace Theatre invited us to present a special performance of ‘Pearl and Dagger’, a musical inspired by an ancient Japanese tale brought to light by a British scholar. During the pandemic we have produced a socially-distanced outdoor concert version of this show and received a four-star review. We also produced an online production ‘KUWENTO’ based on other Japanese folktales and bridging artists in Tokyo, Manila and Paris.