Stage names:

Bandô Mitsugorô X
Bandô Yasosuke V

Real name: Morita Hisashi

Guild: Yamatoya

Line number: JÛDAIME (X)

Birthday: 23 January 1956

Connections:

Great-grandfather: Bandô Shûchô II

Grandfathers: Bandô Shûchô III, Bandô Mitsugorô VIII

Father: Bandô Mitsugorô IX

Son: Bandô Minosuke II

Career:

September 1962: he makes his first appearance on stage, receiving the name of Bandô Yasosuke V during a special name-taking ceremony for 3 generations of actors belonging to the Yamatoya guild (Yamatoya Sandai Shûmei); Bandô Minosuke VI takes the name of Bandô Mitsugorô VIII and Bandô Yasosuke IV becomes Bandô Minosuke VII.

Summer 1985: tour in the USA; Yasosuke plays the roles of Kamo no Saburô, the countryman, Akugorô and the medium Sakaki in "Shibaraku", "Tachi Nusubito", "Sakurahime Azuma Bunshô" and "Tsuchi Gumo", which celebrate the shûmei in the USA of Ichikawa Danjûrô XII [more details].

1985: Yasosuke plays a role in Paul Schrader's movie "Mishima: a life in four chapters".

1986: tour in South America.

April 1987: Yasosuke plays the role of Umeômaru at the Shinkabukiza (Ôsaka) in the "Kurumabiki" scene of the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami".

September 1987: Yasosuke plays for the first time the prestigious role of Rampei in the play "Rampei Monogurui", which is staged at the Kabukiza.

June 1989: the drama "Kaidan Botan Dôrô" using Ônishi Nobuyuki's script is staged for the first time with a full Kabuki casting, at the Shimbashi Embujô; Yasosuke plays the role of Miyanobe Genjirô [casting].

October 1989: tour in Europe.

1990: tour in South-East Asia.

January 1992: Yasosuke plays the role of Kataoka Naojirô in the play "Yuki no Yûbe Iriya no Azemichi", which is performed at the Asakusa Kôkaidô. His stage partner in the role of the courtesan Michitose is Nakamura Tokizô V.

August 1992: Yasosuke plays at the Kabukiza the role of Tadanobu in the classic "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".

January 1993: Yasosuke plays at the Asakusa Kôkaidô the great role of Benkei in the dance "Kanjinchô".

August 1993: Yasosuke plays at the Kabukiza the role of Higuchi no Jirô Kanemitsu in the play "Hirakana Seisuiki".

June 1995: Yasosuke plays the role of the wicked priest Kôchiyama in the play "Kumo ni Magou Ueno no Hatsuhana", which is performed at the National Theater.

August 1995: Yasosuke plays for the first time the role of the warrior Kumagai Naozane in the scene "Kumagai Jin'ya" of the play "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki", which is performed at the Kabukiza.

March 1997: Yasosuke plays at the National Theater the role of the wicked hair-dresser Shinza in the play "Kamiyui Shinza".

August 1998: Yasosuke plays at the Kabukiza the role of Nikki Danjô in the play "Meiboku Sendai Hagi".

April 1999: his father Bandô Mitsugorô IX dies; Yasosuke plays the role of Seishin in the play "Kosode Soga Azami no Ironui", commonly called "Izayoi Seishin", which is performed at the National Theater; his stage partner in the role of the courtesan Izayoi is Nakamura Shibajaku VII.

May 1999: Yasosuke plays at the Kabukiza the role of Matsuômaru in the play "Kurumabiki".

April 2000: Yasosuke plays the role of Sukeroku in the play "Kurotegumi Sukeroku", which is performed at the Misonoza (Nagoya).

January 2001: Bandô Yasosuke V takes the name of Bandô Mitsugorô X at the Kabukiza, playing the roles of Kisen ("Rokkasen"), the dumpling-maker ("Dango Uri"), Soga Gorô ("Kotobuki Soga no Taimen") and Yogorô ("Gosho no Gorozô") [more details].

February 2001: Mitsugorô celebrates his second month of shûmei at the Kabukiza by playing the roles of Sakon ("Yakko Dôjôji"), Tatsugorô ("Megumi no Kenka") and Kakubei ("Echigo Jishi").

April 2001: Mitsugorô celebrates his shûmei at the Shôchikuza in Ôsaka by playing the role of Matsuômaru in the "Terakoya" scene of the classic "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami" and all the main roles of the series of dances gathered under the title "Rokkasen Sugata no Irodori" (Sôjô Henjô, Ariwara Narihira, Bun'ya, Kisen and Ôtomo no Kuronushi).

August 2001: Mitsugorô plays for the first time the role of Yoemon in the dance "Iro Moyô Chotto Karimame", which is performed at the Kabukiza. His stage partner in the role of Kasane is Nakamura Fukusuke IX.

October 2001: Mitsugorô celebrates his shûmei at the Misonoza in Nagoya by playing the roles of Kumagai Naozane and Tadanobu in the play "Ichi-no-Tani Futaba Gunki" ("Kumagai Jin'ya") and the dance "Yoshinoyama".

December 2001: Mitsugorô celebrates his shûmei at the Minamiza in Kyôto by playing the roles of Ôtomo no Kuronushi and Sukeroku in the 2 great dramas "Tsumoru Koi Yuki no Seki no To" and "Sukeroku Sakura no Futae Obi".

February 2002: Mitsugorô celebrates his shûmei at the Hakataza in Fukuoka by playing the roles of Tatsugorô and Tadanobu in the play "Megumi no Kenka" and the dance "Yoshinoyama".

July 2002: Mitsugorô celebrates his shûmei on tour in the Eastern Provinces by playing the roles of Kisen and Tadanobu in the dance "Rokkasen Sugata no Irodori" and the michiyuki "Yoshinoyama".

September 2002: Mitsugorô celebrates his shûmei on tour in the Western Provinces by playing the roles of Kisen and Tadanobu in the dance "Rokkasen Sugata no Irodori" and the michiyuki "Yoshinoyama".

July 2003: Mitsugorô celebrates his shûmei on tour in the Central Provinces, playing the role of the painter Matahei in the drama "Domo Mata".

Comments:

Bandô Mitsugorô X is one of the best contemporary tachiyaku and an amazing dancer.

Official website: http://www.kabuki.ne.jp/mitsugoro/