A new play inspired by a classic play by Chikamatsu written in 1721 for the Japanese Bunraku puppet theater. The original play was based on a real crime of that time: a young man from privilege strays so far from life he was meant to live that in a moment of despair, he kills a neighbor for money. This desperate act erupts at the end of a long personal descent riddled with debt, rage, and jealousy.

Taking the theme of Chikamatsu's story, Miyagawa's play jumps time forward to 2001, and places the event in Brooklyn, New York. It is about two ordinary American families of relative privilege and a monumental tragedy that destroys their lives. Departing from Chikamatsu's style, Miyagawa's play deeply examines the relationships between the characters for the motives of their actions. The question of responsibility is asked of each character, yet as in Chikamatsu's play, the answer remains. The cast is multicultural, representing the timeless, borderless quest for the answer to human violence. (*The text is published in "Plays and playwrights 2002")

The play and its staging is strikingly effective.And there's a stunning, startling coup de theatre at the climax." -nytheatre.com, September 7, 2001 (Martin Denton)

"Woman Killer is the kind of play thought-provoking, original play that cannot easily dismissed… it does strike a note close to our hearts and our homes." - The Brooklyn Papers, September 17, 2001 (Paulanne Simmons)
Press Clippings
NYTheatre.com Review
"nytheatre voices" Interview with Chiori Miyagawa and Sonoko Kawahara
download the live interview from www.catradiocafe.com

September 6-30, 2001
Thursday-Sunday at 7pm @ HERE
Music: Daniel Sonenberg
Lyricist: Mark Campbell
Sets: David Korins
Costumes: Theresa Squire
Lights: Ben Stanton
Sound: Crispin Freeman
Assistant Director: Maryam Mehrjui
Associate Producer: Hillary Spector
With: Kei Arita, Michael Braun, Ronald Cohen, Kristin Dispaltro,Corinne Edgerly, Crispin Freeman, Paul H.Juhn, Shawn Randall, and Hope Salas