Tengai Amano

Tengai Amano

Born 1960 in Ichinomiya city, Aichi Prefecture. Amano is the leader, playwight and director of the theater company Shonen-oja-kan. After a period with the theater company Benijujisha, he started the company Gekidan Shonen-oja in 1982 (name changed to Shonen-oja-kan in 1985). With Amano as the writer and director of most of the works this Nagoya-based company performs nationwide in Japan. In 1992, he drew attention from various directions with his adaptation of Tatsuhiko Shibusawa’s Takaoka Shinnou Kokaiki for outdoor theater. In 1994, Amano directed his first short film Twilights which won the Grand Prize at two international film festivals (Germany’s 41st International Short Film Festival Oberhausen and Australia’s 44th Melbourne International Film Festival Short Film Division). Since 1998, Amano has directed for the KUDAN Project and simultaeously began giving overseas performances. In 2000, his play OSHIMAI – Kudan no Ken was nominated as a finalist for the 44th Kishida Drama Awards. In 2005, Amano drew attention with his production Hyakunin Shibai – Mayonaka no Yaji-san, Kita-san with more than 160 actors participating. Amano’s diverse artistic activities also include writing and directing for companies including Ryuzanji Company, ITO Project, Amagasaya and others. In May 2019, Amano will write and direct a new work titled “1001” at the New National Theatre, Tokyo.

Shonen-oja-kan
http://www.oujakan.jp/