KATSURA SUNSHINE'S RAKUGO Extends Its Run at New World Stages Through The End Of 2024

The global sensation Katsura Sunshine will continue to bring the 400-year-old Japanese art of Rakugo around the globe as he extends his stay for a fifth year in New York at New World Stages. Sunshine will also continue his West End residency at London's Leicester Square Theatre.

Katsura Sunshine's Rakugo celebrates the 400-year-old Japanese art of comic storytelling and features a lone storyteller dressed in a kimono, using only a fan and a hand towel for props. He entertains the audience with a comic monologue followed by traditional stories that have been handed down from Master to Apprentice for centuries. 

In the last year, Sunshine has taken Rakugo across the United States, captivating audiences in cities like San Francisco, Seattle, Minnesota, and Philadelphia. His talent also found a global stage, making his debut in Brussels, Belgium, and New Delhi, India. Sunshine has also blown up on Instagram, with three Rakugo Reels surpassing one million views and recently surpassing 100,000 followers.

"When we embarked on this journey, I had no inkling that we would still be going strong five years later. New York audiences have been nothing short of phenomenal, not only embracing this unique form of entertainment but making it their own. I'm profoundly grateful and excited to mark the milestone of five years of sharing Rakugo with New York and across the United States." – Rakugo Master Katsura Sunshine.

The Apprenticeship: 

In order to become a professional Rakugo storyteller, one must apprentice to a Rakugo Master, from whom one receives a stage name. The spartan apprenticeship lasts three to four years and has changed very little over the centuries.

Depending on the master, the apprentice may not drink, smoke, or go on dates and is subject to a strict curfew during the apprenticeship period. The apprentice cleans the master's house, does laundry, cooks, prepares, folds kimonos, and does other chores, and learns the art of storytelling by watching the master perform and imitate. 

Throughout one's career, one is only allowed to perform a given story once a master storyteller has granted permission to do that story.

Free tickets for students:

As part of his efforts to expand the reach of Rakugo around the world, Sunshine and his producers and a group of donors subsidize tickets for school-age children and young adults (through college), making it free for those still in school to attend a performance. For more information, visit rakugo.lol/students

Critics from around the world have raved about Katsura Sunshine's Rakugo, calling it: 

"Highly unique and hilarious! Not to be missed!" (Camden New Journal, London); "Hilarious! Singularly Japanese and universally funny!" (The Edinburgh Reporter); "Blinding pace!  Mastery of mime and physical comedy! Sheer enthusiasm and energy! It's infectious!" (UK Anime Network), "Hilarious, universally funny!" (This Is London Magazine), "Sunshine is a must-see! The most I've laughed all year!" (Japan Journal, UK), "Charming! Engaging! Charismatic!" (Broadway Baby), "Japan's answer to stand-up comedy!" (CTV National News), "Fantastic! A sight to behold! Too much fun!" (CBC Radio, Canada), "Brilliantly performed" (Theatre Scene), "There is so much to enjoy in these 75 minutes" (New York Theatre Wire), "If you're looking for an evening of pure, unburdened laughter Katsura Sunshine might be just the man you're looking for." (Theater is Easy). 

Katsura Sunshine was born in Toronto, Ontario, to parents of Slovenian origin. He studied Classics at the University of Toronto, specializing in Ancient Greek Theatre. In September 1995, his version of Aristophanes' "Clouds" opened at the Poor Alex Theatre in Toronto and ran for 15 months before embarking on a central and eastern Canada tour.  

Sunshine went to Japan in 1999 to pursue studies in Japanese traditional theatre.  

On September 1, 2008, he was accepted as an apprentice to the great Rakugo storytelling Master, Katsura Bunshi VI (then named Katsura Sanshi), and received from his Master the Rakugo name Katsura Sunshine.  

Sunshine is the first-ever Western Rakugo storyteller in the history of the "Kamigata" Rakugo tradition, based in Osaka, and only the second ever in the history of Japan.  

He has performed in 23 countries over 5 continents and throughout Japan. 

He had his West End debut at the Leicester Square Theatre and his off-Broadway debut at the SoHo Playhouse for three weeks each in 2017.  

In 2019, Sunshine was part of the successful bid of the city of Osaka for the 2025 World Fair, for which he traveled to Paris to present Japanese culture and was featured in a video played on the final voting day. He received praise from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for this work, particularly for the video presentation.  

Also, in 2019, Sunshine was chosen to be Master of Ceremonies at the opening reception of the G-20 Summit in Osaka.  

Sunshine currently divides his time between New York, the UK, and Tokyo.

Katsura Sunshine's Rakugo has set design by Tony-Award-winning Mikiko Suzuki MacAdams and is presented by Joe Trentacosta and Yoshitaka Tanaka with artistic producer Marie Fukuda in association with Yumi Shinozaki. General Management by LDK Productions/Lisa Dozier. 

Photo credit: Russ Rowland