Stage names:
Sawamura Tôjûrô II
Sawamura Kiyoshirô
Real name: Sawamura Gôichi
Guild: Kinokuniya
Line number: NIDAIME (II)
Birthday: 12 October 1943
Connections:
Grandfather: Sawamura Sôjûrô VII
Father: Sawamura Sôjûrô VIII
Brother: Sawamura Sôjûrô IX
Career:
January 1957: he makes his first appearance on stage at the Kabukiza, receiving the name of Sawamura Kiyoshirô and playing the role of Ohisa in the ninth act of the play "Kanadehon Chûshingura".
1958: Kiyoshirô joins the Tôei company, a competitor of Shôchiku for Kabuki shows production.
1964: Kiyoshirô is back at the Shôchiku.
April 1971: revival at the National Theater of Nagawa Shimesuke I's drama "Sumidagawa Gonichi no Omokage"; Kiyoshirô plays the role of Okumi [casting].
March 1975: revival at the National Theater of Kawatake Shinshichi II's drama "Jiraiya Gôketsu Monogatari"; Kiyoshirô plays the role of Tsukikage's daughter Princess Tagoto [casting].
September 1976: Sawamura Kiyoshirô takes the name of Sawamura Tôjûrô II at the Kabukiza, playing the roles of Omitsu and Shinobu in the plays "Nozaki-Mura" and "Shiraishi Banashi".
September 1978: revival at the National Theater of Namiki Gohei I's drama "Suda no Haru Geisha Katagi"; Tôjûrô plays the roles of Kosan and Chôkichi [casting].
August 1980: revival at the National Theater of Namiki Shôzô I's drama "Yadonashi Danshichi Shigure no Karakasa"; Tôjûrô plays the role of the courtesan Otomi [casting].
October 1988: Tôjûrô takes part in a Kabuki tour in Egypt; he plays the roles of Tanzaemon and the Wisteria Maiden in the play "Shunkan" and the dance "Fuji Musume".
May 1993: Tôjûrô produces a special show in Kyôto in the precinct of the Sembônin Temple, playing in open air the main role of the dance "Momo Chidori Musume Dôjôji", a rare dôjôjimono.
1998: black year for Tôjûrô who falls seriously ill.
Comments:
Sawamura Tôjûrô II is an excellent onnagata actor who is still in rehabilitation. We all hope he will be able to make his comeback in 2007.
Sawamura Tôjûrô II in a print made by Lynn Matsuoka
Print courtesy of Lynn Matsuoka Studios (all rights reserved)
Lynn Matsuoka worked in the dressing room and back stage, right in front of the actor, not from Pictures!!!