Shoko Ito, Berlin, September 2023
Playwright, actress, and director of theater and movie
She has been performing theater play over 30 years in 80 countries.
(Note: all theater works are written, directed and performed by Shoko ito, unless otherwise stated.) 1986 Founded the Theater company ITO- GUMI.
Childhood Started making Manga•Story‘s
1969-76 Study of the calligraphy “Shogenkai” 6 Dan.
In 1982 he studied under the Japanese painter “Matazo Kayama”.
Debuted as an actor in “Golden Triangle” in 1983.
Established ITO-GUMI in 1986. In the same year he graduated from the Faculty of Japanese Painting and Fine Arts, Tama Art University.
1991-92 World’s first mapping drama performance 1 year in a row, Paris George Pompidou Center outdoor performance achieved.
In 1997, studied contemporary dance, “Teshigawara Saburo”.
2001 Invited by the Embassy of Japan in the UK “Japan 2001” Edinburgh Theater Festival, THE STAGE, solo play “Woman Nobunaga” praised.
2001-04 Exchange with Pina Bausch.
2012 “A Geisha Samurai” Avignon Theater Festival France performance.
2013 “Onna Nobunaga” performed at the Kinokuniya Theater in Tokyo.
The short movie “MOMENTUM” (directed by Boris Seewald), in which Shoko plays as the leading actress, won more than 10 prizes at film festivals in the world.
“Momentum” https://vimeo.com/67025679
2014 “Master Shoko and Margarita” (collaboration with Kei Takei, a choreographer) in Shinjyuku-Bunka-center, Tokyo. Japan
2015 “Master Shoko and Margarita” in Japan Foundation Delhi, India.
“Master Shoko and Margarita” in the Edinburgh Festival, UK.
2016 “Samurai Grandma” at Japanese Embassy and Theater Village in Katmandu, Nepal, and at Japanese Foundation in New Delhi.
“Samurai Grandma” at Malyan Theater in Yerevan, Armenia.
“Samurai Grandma” invited by the Theatrical Lori-festival in Armenia for the 25th Anniversary of The independace from USSR. Win “Arus Voskanyan”Prize.
2017 “Samurai Grandma” for ‘Japanese Festival in Ahmedabad, invited by Japanese Consulate in Mumbai, India, and for ’BUNKASA‘I invited by the Japanese Consulate.
“Samurai Grandma” performance and workshop in Maldives, invited by Japanese Embassy and Maldives National University for Japan-Maldives 60th Anniversary Diplomatic Relations. “Samurai Grandma” performance and workshop in Sri Lanka, invited by Japanese Embassy and the University of Kelaniya.
2018 “Samurai Grandma” performance and workshop at Dublin City University.
“Master Shoko and Margarita” performance at NTV•Kunja Theater in Nepal, organized by Theater Village and Japanese Embassy.
“Dog and Cat” performed at Culture Institute Club der Polnischen Versager in Berlin Germany.
“Master and Margareta” invited by the Theatrical Lorifest in Armenia. Won the ”Fairy Tales” Prize.
“Dog and Cat” and “Barekendan” China Tour 40th anniversary of peace and friendship treaty – performed at Beijing Foreign Studies University, Shanghai Theater Academy and Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts.
“Master and Margareta” invited by Orsa Mission Church, 150th anniverary of Sweden/ Japan establised relations.
2019 “Dog and Cat” and “Barekendan” performance and workshop June 100th anniversary performance of Finland-Japan diplomatic relations and workshop-at Polvo Art school.
“Dog and Cat” and “Barekendan” Japan-Poland 100th diplomatic relations. Three castles performances organized by the Polish Japan Foundation “Yamato”.
“Dog and Cat” and “Barekendan” Japan-Poland 100th diplomatic, Warsaw Matsuri Festival Organised by the Embassy of Japan in Warsaw Poland.
“Dog and Cat” and “Barekendan” Performance in Spikeri Consert Hall, Riga, Latvia and Rezekne Gorz Theater . Organised by The Embassy of Japan.
“Dog and Cat” and “Barekendan” invited by the Theatrical Lorifest in Armenia for the 150th Ananniversary Hovhannes Tumanyan “ Dog and Cat” and “Barekendan”.
“TANABATA-Festival” performance in Royal Unversity of Phnom Penh for Japan-Mekong 10th anniversary in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
National University of Laos / Japan Center of Laos, Japan-Mekong 10th Anniversary Performance, Vientiane Laos.
Anniversary 10th Japan-Mekong “Dog and Cat” and “Barekendan” Konkhan University,
Theater/ Workshop, Konkhan Thailand.
2020 “Tokyo Love Song” organize by “Chiune Sugihara Museum for 80th anniversary” Performed in Kaunas Lithuania.
2021 “Samurai Sister” Theater Kai, organised by theatre Kai and Kei Takei, Tokyo Japan.
“Yoko,la fille de la pluie” ~The Daughter of the Rain” Theater play . Showed the Movie “Sora ni Kaku~ Draw in the Sky” (Script, Directed and performed by Shoko Ito) . Culture Institute Club Die Polinishen Versage, Berlin Germany .
2021 THEATER KAI PERFORMANCE – TOKYO, JAPAN
Berlin, Germany Screening of films directed by and starring Shoko Ito ~ Institut der club Polnischen Versager
Peach moon festival performance – Japan
2022 Germany Japan-Germany 160th Anniversary Performance ~ Institut der club Polnischen Versager
Peach moon festival performance – Japan
2023
Films written, directed by and starring Shoko Ito: 11country 14 International Film Festival Selected Screening around world, Awarded at 4 International Film Festivals