Stage names:
Nakamura Shôchô
Nakamura Shichisaburô II
Nakamura Seikichi
Guild: Nakamuraya
Poetry name: Shôchô
Existence: 1703 ~ 2 September 1774
Connection:
Great-grandfather: Nakamura Kanzaburô I
Grandfather: Nakamura Kanzaburô II
Father: Nakamura Seizaburô I
Adoptive father: Nakamura Shichisaburô I
Son-in-law: Nakamura Shichiji
Grandsons: Nakamura Shichisaburô III (Nakamura Kanzaburô IX), Nakamura Shichisaburô IV
Disciples: Nakamura Sukegorô I, Narumi Goroshirô II
Career:
3 February 1708: his adoptive father Nakamura Shichisaburô I dies.
November 1710: Nakamura Seikichi takes the name of Nakamura Shichisaburô II at the Nakamuraza.
January 1711: Shichisaburô makes his first stage performance, as a koyaku actor, playing in the new year drama "Senrei Suehiro Soga", which is staged at the Nakamuraza.
Spring 1719: Shichisaburô becomes tachiyaku.
February 1724: Shichisaburô plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Tomoenojô in the drama "Keisei Asama-ga-Dake", which commemorates the 16th anniversary (17th memorial service) of late Nakamura Shichisaburô I.
January 1731: Shichisaburô plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Umezu Kamon in the new year drama "Keisei Fukubiki Nagoya" [casting].
May 1747: the play "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami" is produced at the Nakamuraza for the first time; Shichisaburô plays the role of Kan Shôjô [casting].
January 1748: Shichisaburô plays at the Nakamuraza the role of Soga Jûrô Sukenari in the new year drama "Kazari Ebi Yoroi Soga"; the role of Soga Gorô Tokimune is played by Onoe Kikugorô I.
May 1748: the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura" is performed for the first time in Edo, at the Nakamuraza; Shichisaburô plays the role of Yasuke [casting].
June 1749: the play "Kanadehon Chûshingura" is produced at the Nakamuraza for the first time; Shichisaburô plays the role of Hayano Kampei [casting].
July 1751: first Kabuki adaptation of the puppet theater drama "Koi Nyôbô Somewake Tazuna", which is staged in Edo at the Nakamuraza; Shichisaburô plays the role of Date no Yosaku [casting].
July 1767: Shichisaburô plays at the Nakamuraza the role of the fox Genkurô in the drama "Yoshitsune Sembon Zakura".
April 1768: Shichisaburô plays in the same theater the role of Ôboshi Yuranosuke in the drama "Kanadehon Chûshingura"; his stage partners are Ichikawa Danjûrô IV (Teraoka Heiemon) and Segawa Kikunojô II (Okaru).
November 1770: great shûmei at the Nakamuraza; Matsumoto Kôshirô III, Ichikawa Danjûrô IV, Nakamura Shichisaburô II, Ichikawa Benzô I and Nakamura Shichinosuke I respectively take the names of Ichikawa Danjûrô V, Matsumoto Kôshirô II, Nakamura Shôchô, Ichikawa Monnosuke II and Nakamura Shichisaburô III during the kaomise program "Nue no Mori Ichiyô no Mato", which also celebrates the arrival of Ichikawa Danzô III and Yamashita Kinsaku II at the Nakamuraza.
February 1773: the Nakamuraza celebrates its 150th anniversary; Shôchô performs with Nakamura Kanzaburô VII and Nakamura Denkurô II in the auspicious dances "Kadomatsu" and "Shimbochi Daiko".
November 1773: premiere at the Nakamuraza of the play "Gohiiki Kanjinchô", performed as a kaomise drama. Shôchô plays the role of Kawagoe Tarô [casting]. This 46-days long performance, which is also the shûmei of Nakamura Rikô I, is a tremendous success.
July 1774: Shôchô appears on stage for the last time, at the Nakamuraza, playing the roles of Kan Shôjô and En'ya Hangan in the dramas "Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami" and "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
2 September 1774: Shôchô dies in Edo.
Comments:
Nakamura Shôchô was an outstanding tachiyaku actor, who spent all his career in Edo. He was the worthy heir of his legendary grandfather Nakamura Shichisaburô I. His fields of excellence were wagoto, yatsushigoto and budôgoto. His most notable roles were Soga Jûrô Sukenari, which he performed in 26 new year sogamono, and Kan Shôjô ("Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami"), which he performed four times.
Nakamura Shôchô playing the role of Sasaki no Saburô in the new year drama "Haru ha Soga Akebono Zôshi", which was staged in January 1772 at the Nakamuraza
Print made by Torii Kiyohiro in 1753
The Nakamura Shichisaburô line of actors