Changes

The Ichikawa family secured its control over the play in [[1832]]. As the play is extremely popular, other families have developed their own versions, such as ''Sukeroku Kuruwa no Momoyogusa'' performed by the [[Onoe Kikugoro|Onoe Kikugorô]] line of actors. However, only the Ichikawa family uses the title ''Sukeroku Yukari Edo Zakura'', and various stylistic elements only appear in this version of the play.<ref name=blumner/>

The Ichikawa family secured its control over the play in [[1832]]. As the play is extremely popular, other families have developed their own versions, such as ''Sukeroku Kuruwa no Momoyogusa'' performed by the [[Onoe Kikugoro|Onoe Kikugorô]] line of actors. However, only the Ichikawa family uses the title ''Sukeroku Yukari Edo Zakura'', and various stylistic elements only appear in this version of the play.<ref name=blumner/>

''Sukeroku'' is quite unique, as well, in its use of the ''[[katobushi|katôbushi]]'' style of musical accompaniment. While it is quite typical in kabuki for a combination of different styles of [[shamisen]] and chanting, such as ''[[kiyomoto]]'' and ''[[nagauta]]'', to be used within a single play (often switching between styles numerous times within a single scene), ''Sukeroku'' is the only play in the current repertoire to make use of ''katôbushi'' music. Due in large part to the unique traditions of the ''katôbushi'' style, which employs amateur performers alongside professionals, ''Sukeroku'' is the only play in which amateur performers appear on stage having been granted professional status just for the duration of the performance; it is also one of the only plays in which female musicians perform onstage, and the only play in which an actor onstage formally requests the musicians to play.<ref name=iezzi>Iezzi, Julie. "Sounding Out Kabuki: Music Behind the Scenes." in ''101 Years of Kabuki in Hawai'i''. pp45-48.</ref>

''Sukeroku'' is quite unique, as well, in its use of the ''[[katobushi|katôbushi]]'' style of musical accompaniment. While it is quite typical in kabuki for a combination of different styles of [[shamisen]] and chanting, such as ''[[kiyomoto]]'' and ''[[nagauta]]'', to be used within a single play (often switching between styles numerous times within a single scene), ''Sukeroku'' is the only play in the current repertoire to make use of ''katôbushi'' music (which it employs alongside ''kiyomoto'' and ''nagauta''). Due in large part to the unique traditions of the ''katôbushi'' style, which employs amateur performers alongside professionals, ''Sukeroku'' is the only play in which amateur performers appear on stage having been granted professional status just for the duration of the performance; it is also one of the only plays in which female musicians perform onstage, and the only play in which an actor onstage formally requests the musicians to play. During the Edo period, ''katôbushi'' was especially popular in the Yoshiwara, even after its popularity in the theatre world waned. As part of the close ties between the theatres and the pleasure districts, ''katôbushi'' musicians from the Yoshiwara (i.e. not performers professionally associated with the kabuki theatres) were often invited to perform onstage in productions of ''Sukeroku''. This was an opportunity for fans and patrons of the theatre to show off their musical skills and take part in a performance, and also served, as the play ''Sukeroku'' did as a whole, as an advertisement for the pleasure districts.<ref name=iezzi>Iezzi, Julie. "Sounding Out Kabuki: Music Behind the Scenes." in ''101 Years of Kabuki in Hawai'i''. pp45-48.</ref>

==References==

==References==