Stage names:

Nakamura Shirogorô I
Nakamura Shirojûrô
Nakamura Shirogorô I
Umegaki Yasuzaemon

Line number: SHODAI (I)

Existence: 1651 ~ 5th day of the 1st lunar month of 1712 ^[1]

Connection:

Master: Nakamura Shichisaburô I

Adopted son: Nakamura Shirogorô II

Disciples: Nakamura Shingorô I, Nakamura Mitsusaburô, Nakamura Imazô

Career:

Before 1697: lack of data about his first years in the Kabuki world in Kamigata; his first stage name was most likely Umegaki Yasuzaemon.

1697: he became both a tachiyaku and a disciple of the Edo star Nakamura Shichisaburô I, who gave him the name of Nakamura Shirogorô I.

Fall 1699: Shirogorô went to Kyôto.

1st lunar month of 1702: premiere in Kyôto at Miyako Mandayû's theater of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Keisei Mibu Dainenbutsu", which was produced by Kokon Shinzaemon; Shirogorô played the role of Miyake Hikoroku [more details].

7th lunar month of 1702: premiere in Kyôto at Miyako Mandayû's theater of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's drama "Mibu Aki no Nenbutsu", a follow-up of "Keisei Mibu Dainenbutsu", which was produced by Kokon Shinzaemon; Shirogorô played the role of Miyake Hikoroku [more details].

3rd lunar month of 1707: Shirogorô's rank in the Ôsaka hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

Fall 1707: Shirogorô went to Kyôto.

11th lunar month of 1707: Shirogorô played in Kyôto at Miyako Mandayû's theater the role of Ise no Saburô in the kaomise drama "Sanmen Daikoku Zeni".

1st lunar month of 1708: Shirogorô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-(shiro)kichi (superior - superior - (white) excellent) [visual].

11th lunar month of 1709: Nakamura Shirogorô I took the name of Nakamura Shirojûrô in Kyôto at Hayagumo Chôdayû's theater, performing in the kaomise drama "Kokonotsu Kogura Hitotsubu Manbai".

1st lunar month of 1711: Nakamura Shirojûrô took back the name of Nakamura Shirogorô I in Kyôto at Miyako Mandayû's theater, where he performed in the new year ni-no-kawari drama "Keisei Kuhonji Jôdo".

3rd lunar month of 1711: Shirogorô's rank in the Kyôto hyôbanki, tachiyaku section, was jô-jô-(hanshiro)kichi (superior - superior - (half-white) excellent) [visual]. He played in Kyôto at Miyako Mandayû's theater the role of Tôkurô in the drama "Makkô Kômyô Koyasugai".

5th day of the 1st lunar month of 1712 ^[1]: Shirogorô died.

Comments:

Nakamura Shirogorô I was an important Kyôto tachiyaku actor, who founded a branch of the Nakamura clan in Kamigata, from which rose to stardom the star Nakamura Tomijûrô I.

[1] The 5th day of the 1st lunar month of the 2nd year of the Shôtoku era was the 11th of February 1712 in the western calendar.

Kaneko Kichizaemon (left) and Nakamura Shirogorô I (right) in an illustration from a Kyôto hyôbanki which was published in 1702

Prints & Illustrations

The Nakamura Shirogorô line of actors