Katsura Sunshine: Live Rakugo Performance

Please enter through Trumbull College entrance at 241 Elm St. 

Open to the public. Seating is limited, first come first serve.

This spring, we are delighted to welcome 桂三輝 (Katsura Sunshine), a Canadian rakugo performer. The event will begin with a brief lecture on rakugo, followed by stories that explore his experience in rakugo, the differences between Japanese and English languages and cultures in English and Japanese, and Q&A session. Don’t miss this opportunity to immerse yourself in the delightful world of rakugo! This event is open to the public and space is limited.

Born in Toronto, Canada, Sunshine began his career in show business as a playwright, composer and producer.  His adaptation of Aristophanes’ Clouds ran for 15 months in Toronto and later toured Canada.

In 2009 he was accepted as an apprentice of the great Rakugo master Katsura Sanshi (now Katsura Bunshi VI), and thus became the first ever western storyteller in the Osaka tradition, and the second ever in Japanese history.

Sunshine has performed around the world.  His show at New World Stages in New York is in its 5th year, and in London’s West End at the Leicester Square Theatre is in its 3rd year.

Sunshine was invited to be the Master of Ceremonies for the opening reception of the G20 Summit in Osaka in 2019.  In 2023 he joined the ranks of such stars as Lady Gaga, Tom Cruise and Robert DeNiro as a guest on the legendary Japanese interview show “Tetsuko’s Room”.

Sunshine is based in Tokyo and travels monthly to New York and London.

About Rakugo:

As a traditional Japanese verbal art form with a history spanning over 400 years, rakugo is a unique comic storytelling act performed by one person. The rakugo performer (comic storyteller) remains seated on a raised stage, using only a fan (sensu) and a small cloth (tenugui) as props. Without standing up, the artist weaves comical stories, involving dialogue between multiple characters, with a punch line in each story. The rakugo performer’s skill lies in conveying the story through voice modulation and subtle movements, captivating audiences of all ages.