Katsura Sunshine's Rakugo: Stories from Japan | Arts + Literature Laboratory | Madison Contemporary Arts Center

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Katsura Sunshine's Rakugo: Stories from Japan

Join us on Friday, September 11, 2026 at 7:00pm for an evening of Rakugo storytelling with Katsura Sunshine. A show of hilarity and culture in equal doses! ​

Rakugo is traditional Japanese sit-down storytelling comedy — one performer on a cushion, bringing multiple characters to life through voice and timing. Sunshine is one of the only English-speaking masters of the art form and is now in his 7th year on Broadway in NYC, splitting his time between New York and Tokyo stages. This tour features Sunshine and his apprentices performing classic Rakugo stories that play beautifully in intimate rooms and draw both culture and comedy audiences. Tickets are $35:

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Katsura Sunshine completed his grueling traditional apprenticeship in Rakugo comic storytelling under the great Rakugo Master Katsura Bunshi VI in 2011. His performances have delighted audiences throughout the world as well as all over Japan. Sunshine has graced the Broadway stage with a different delightful Japanese story each month since 2019, at the famous New World Stages in Manhattan. Come for an hour of laughter and leave with a piece of Japan in your heart! ​

"A Master Storyteller!"
-The New York Times ​

"The King of Kimono Comedy!"
-Reuters New York ​

"There is only one Sunshine!"
-The New Yorker

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Arts + Literature Laboratory is located at 111 S. Livingston Street #100, Madison, Wisconsin, 53703.

Our galleries are normally open Tuesday through Friday 10am-5pm and Saturday noon to 5pm, and other programs take place throughout the week. Please check the events calendar and education section for details.

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