Seinendan, a theatre company led by Oriza Hirata, have launched a crowdfunding campaign to build a new theatre. We hope many people share our vision and support the campaign.

The following is the message from Oriza Hirata


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We are building a new theatre.

This theatre will be our base for theatre creations. We also aim to reach out to the entire world from there.

It will also be the cultural hub for the local community. Admission will be free for youth in high schools or 18 and under. We also plan to start a youth theatre company by the local children.

I believe that it will be a very unique privately owned theatre that directly links the local community and the world theatre scene.

Of course it will not be a quick and easy process.

However, Toyooka City has already introduced a communication education programme that utilises drama education methods in all 38 local primary and middle schools. Many high schools in the wider Tajima region, including Toyooka, are also beginning to adopt this approach. Furthermore, in April 2021 Toyooka City will have the first public college in Japan that will focus on professional training in drama art and dance(upon final governmental approval).

In 2020 Toyooka City will host the first Toyooka Theatre Festival and welcome a number of artists from around the world, as well as from Japan. Ebara will be the hub of the festival, where we will have this new theatre as well as festival cafe and box office of the festival. New theatre will be located at the heart of the festival.

I have been running Komaba Agora Theatre, a small theatre in Tokyo, since 1980s.

My late father renovated our house into a small theatre and soon I took over its management, with a large debt.

Now it is envisaged that the debt, which has been a burden for me for almost 40 years, will be repaid in almost full in the next couple of years. However, the launch of the new theatre will put me heavily in debt, yet again. And I’m now not as young as I was 40 years ago. I would like to minimize the debt amount at the start of the project.

I believe this will be the first and last time that I solicit this size of public fundraising donation. Your support would be very important to us. .

The new theatre will be built in Hidaka-town in Toyooka, Hyogo prefecture. Naomi Uemura, the world-renowned adventurer, was born in Hidaka. He’s one of the people that I most admired in my teenage years. I was trying to follow Mr Uemura’s footsteps as adventurer. This is a massive opportunity for me to start my new project here in Toyooka, his birthplace, and set out on a grand adventure once again.

Oriza Hirata