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The immersive feeling that only Waseda Theater can provide

First of all, please tell us briefly about what kind of activities you do.

Hiramatsu: I work as an actor (stage name: Kawasaki Natsu) and backstage staff member in the Kurumeru Theater Company (an official student club, hereafter referred to as Kurumeru), and I also work as a student staff member in the Drama-kan production department. My main duties at Drama-kan are wide-ranging, from planning and production to implementation and PR, in order to get many people interested in Waseda's theater.

Takahashi: I belong to two drama student clubs, the Drama Study Group (an official student club, hereafter referred to as Gekken) and the Drama Club (official student club, hereafter referred to as Enkura), and I work as an actor (stage name: Saegusa Yu). Recently, I have also been active as a scriptwriter and director, capable of creating plays in a wide range of areas.

Oshima: I'm in charge of lighting for the Stage Design Study Group (an official student club, hereafter referred to as Butabi). Butabi is a group of backstage specialists who take on the set and lighting for various plays, so out of all the theatre student clubs, we have the most interaction with other groups.

Left: A group photo of the cast and staff of "Fake: Crime and Punishment" (Enkura), which was performed in June 2025. Takahashi (far right in the back row) is in charge of a wide range of roles, including assistant director, assistant director, and sound (photo by Doi Minoru)
Right: A photo of the stage for which Oshima was in charge of lighting for "My Wizard" (Togekyo ikitai x Theater Company Shin [Official student club]), which was performed in October 2024. The simple stage with a desk and chairs was transformed into various scenes with lighting and sound (photographed by Nishimura [Theater Company Shin])

What do you find attractive about Waseda's theater programs?

"Waseda's theater surpasses the quality of student theater!" says Takahashi.

Takahashi: I think the presence of theaters such as Waseda Shogekijo Drama-kan Theater is a big factor. At other universities, performances may be held in a corner of a classroom or in an outdoor tent, but at Waseda, in addition to the Drama-kan, there are also performances in places that you don't usually go to, such as the drama practice room on the second basement floor of Waseda University Student Center and Kumaura (※), which I think helps you enter the world of theater. I feel that these on-campus performance spots have a special feeling and a sense of immersion that is just as good as a large theater.

*This studio is located behind the Okuma Memorial Hall. It is used by Butabi, Gekken, and Theater Company Kodama (official student club) for rehearsals, stage productions, and performances.

​​​​Momotaro​ was performed at B203, Waseda University Student Center in Fall. The stage art for the performance was created by Oshima's seniors, who retired from Butabi in the same year. (Photo: Touka Kodama [Theater Company Shin〕)

Oshima: I think we are very blessed to have an environment where we can just drop in and see a play in a theater like that if we want to. In a play, the audience is free to choose their viewpoint, and they can focus on anything during the performance, such as the actors or the set design, and they can also see it in relation to their own past experiences, so the impressions after seeing the play are really different for each person. So, I think it's a very enriching experience to go see a play with friends after class and then discuss your impressions over dinner on the way home.

Hiramatsu says, "I want to use Drama-kan to bring Waseda's theater, which is widely open, to as many students as possible."

Hiramatsu: The number of theater groups at Waseda is growing rapidly, and it's no exaggeration to say that there's always something being performed somewhere on campus. I think it's a good ecosystem for Waseda's theater, with each group influencing the others and allowing them to work together.

There are also casual theater events. Why not give it a try?

For students who are not familiar with theater, it may be difficult to go see a play. Are there any opportunities to experience theater other than performances?

Hiramatsu: Drama-kan holds a welcome event every April. We call it the "Waseda Theater Tour" and guide people to theater-related places such as the basement of the Waseda University Student Center and Kumaura, and hold screenings of past Waseda theater productions. The event is designed to encourage people who are interested in theater to take the first step.

In addition to the welcome events, we also hold workshops in which we invite alumni of the drama student clubs and people active in the theater world to be lecturers. There are a variety of events, such as a lighting technique seminar and an experience of stage production for an outdoor play at Toyama Park. In addition, the Drama Hall club room (Waseda University Student Center E329) runs a "Drama Hall Counseling Room" where we hold events where you can easily participate, such as reading lines from a play, so we would be happy if people other than drama student clubs could come.

Left: Drama-kan Lighting Technology Seminar There are two courses, a basic course and an advanced course, and anyone interested in stage lighting can participate.
Right: September 2024 "Toyama Park Outdoor Theater Festival" Joint Tour We invited a theater troupe actor as a guest and explored together how to stage a play at Toyama Park.

Oshima: Butabi created and unveiled a haunted house stage set at the 2024 summer workshop. It was an event where we created it to look like a haunted house at a theme park and actually surprised the visitors, and it was well received by many people. I was a lecturer at the lighting technology seminar hosted by Drama-kan mentioned earlier, for people who were handling lighting equipment for the first time.

Takahashi: Every year, Enkura holds workshops in addition to performances during the new student welcome period until around mid-June. I recently held a workshop for beginners on writing a script, and the number of participants was almost at capacity. I think everyone enjoyed it quite a bit.

Left: The set of the Butabi haunted house, which was shown in the B203 drama practice room in the Waseda University Student Center. It was created with the cooperation of the art and lighting staff.
Right: Takahashi, who was the instructor at the Enkura-sponsored screenwriting workshop for beginners. Photo: Akiko Yamaguchi (Enkura)

Hiramatsu: In the summer of 2024, we held a large theater project called "Engeki no E" at Drama-kan. Participants were divided into three groups, and they practiced for four days with the same script to create their own plays, and on the final day they performed a presentation with an audience. I think that this discovery that "even with the same script, the plays can become so different depending on the participants" conveyed the appeal of theater to the audience.

Waseda Theater is entertainment that all Waseda students can enjoy!

Finally, please give a message to students who have not yet had any experience with theater.

Takahashi: You may have a dull image of theater, but Waseda theater is more passionate and flashy than you might think, and you can feel the vitality. If you are a Waseda student, I think you will be able to immerse yourself in the stage with that Waseda-like power. I hope you will come and see it to feel the Waseda-ness.

Hiramatsu: There are many flyers of various designs from theater student clubs posted in the Waseda University Student Center. If you are even slightly interested in the visuals of the flyers, I'm sure you will be attracted to the content of the play, so it won't be a loss for you to come and see it. So, I would be very happy if you could pay even a little attention to the flyers.

Left: Flyer for "Buji, Kore wo Meiba to Iu" (Systema Angelica x Kurumeru), performed in June 2025 (click to enlarge)
Right: Flyer for "Fake: Crime and Punishment" (Enkura) performed in June 2025 (Click to enlarge)

Oshima: I want Waseda Theater to be a form of popular entertainment that all Waseda students can enjoy. I think that if you go to a performance by one of the student clubs, you will definitely have an emotionally stirring experience. The admission fee is a free donation system that you can choose for yourself, and it's better value for money than a movie, so please come and see it once!

Interview and text: Kyoko Suemitsu (Graduated from School of Science and Engineering in 1998)
Photo: Chihiro Hashimoto

Performance spots on campus