History of Company EAST
Hiroshi Jin, a dancer and stage actor, originally established “Hiroshi Jin's Musical Company” in February 1982.
He has done several screen adaptations to musical, including the English novel "Maurice" written by E. M. Forster.
He also adapted to musical the Japanese comic ”Dororo” written by manga artist Osamu Tezuka, best known as the creator of Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion.
The musical "Dororo" was performed through May 6, 1996. Hiroshi Jin wrote the script, directed and choreographed the musical, as well as performing the starring role. His musical adaptations of "Maurice" and "Dororo" were world firsts, and have received wide attention in Japan.
In 1990, Mr. Jin joined with dance director Mr. Kenji Kawarasaki and production manager Mr. Yoshifumi Seo to form Company East. Company East's goal is to foster international artistic and cultural exchange.
Company East first produced and staged the Dance Opera Series including "Nijinsky" and other works that joined drama with visual dance.
From August to September 1996, Company East staged the Greek tragedy “Medea" written by Euripides.
The play was presented in a traditional Japanese "Takigi -no" drama style. The venue was the ruins of an ancient Greek stage considered to be the birthplace of theater. This was the company's first overseas production.
"Medea" by Company East received standing ovations and highly favorable reviews.
The second overseas staging of "Medea" by Company East was in the summer of 1997 in Athens and other Greek cities. The production received the highest award for popularity at the Larnaca Festival.
The company then moved the production to "Kourion ", an ancient circular theater in Cyprus.
"Kourion is a world cultural heritage site and a theater that European actors dream of playing.
This was the first artistic and cultural interchange done by an Asian group at the famous theater and it was very well received.
In the summer of 1999, Company East returned to Greece with the support of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government to take part in the Japan-Greece Friendship Centenary Festival.
The group performed "Medea" for one month on a Greek ancient ruins theater tour.
On February 9, 2000, Mr. Matsumoto, the former ambassador to Greece and the chairman of the commemorative enterprise committee of the Japan-Greece Friendship Centenary awarded Company East with a testimonial.
The award cited the Company's “Medea” for its remarkable contribution to the mutual understanding and friendly goodwill between Japan and foreign countries.
Mr. Yoshifumi Seo, production manager, accepted the award on the Company's behalf.
In 2001, Company East performed "Medea" at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland.
The Scotsman, the largest newspaper in Scotland, awarded Company East's play "Medea" five stars.
In 2002, Company East performed at several international festivals.
They brought "Medea" to the Adelaide Festival in Australia. At the Avignon Festival in France they performed "Medea" and “Kinkakuji, the Golden Pavilion" based on Yukio Mishima' s novel.
They also returned to the Edinburgh Festival with "Kinkakuji, the Golden Pavilion". In 2003, Company East performed "Medea" in Montreal, Canada.
They also performed Shakespeare's "Macbeth" in the original English in Edinburgh. Hiroshi Jin played Lady Macbeth and Sho Tohno played Macbeth.
In 2004, Company East performed "Salome" in Edinburgh. News coverage of the play appeared on the front page of the Edinburgh Scotsman.
At the same time, Company East joined with Mugenkyo Taiko Dojo, a Japanese drum group in England, to perform "Rin Ne Ten Sho/Reincarnation".
This collaboration of dance by Company East and drums by Mugenkyo was well received by the English audience.