MHI Group Employees Serve as Volunteers at Shiki Theatre Company's "Theater of the Heart" Performances in 2019

The "Theater of the Heart" was launched in 2008 as a project to convey the thrill and excitement of the theater to children all around Japan. Through the years the Shiki Theatre Company has continuously presented an array of musical theater performances aimed at instilling in young people an appreciation of the preciousness of life and the importance of friendship and helping others.

In FY2019, i.e. the 12-month period ended in March 2020, the troupe presented a total of 422 performances in 166 cities across Japan. Some 535,000 students attended. (Unfortunately some performances were canceled because of Typhoon Hagibis and the novel coronavirus.) Among the year’s offerings, "The Story of a Seagull and the Cat Who Taught Her to Fly" is a heartwarming tale of friendship between a cat and a seagull. Based on a story by Luis Sepulveda originally written in Spanish, the Shiki Theatre Company transformed the work into a musical production with the hope that children - the adults of tomorrow - would take its lessons to heart in their future. It has been highly acclaimed by audiences everywhere.

In the seven years since MHI Group began supporting the troupe’s performances, approximately 400 employees have participated as volunteers. Although these activities have now come to a close with the end of FY2019, going forward MHI Group will continue to actively support the development of the children of the next generation through a variety of other activities. These include experiment-based science classes to nurture students’ interest in science, technology and monozukuri - the traditional Japanese concept of craftsmanship - and sports classes to foster enhanced physical strength and sportsmanship.

"Theater of the Heart" related news:

• MHI Group Employees Serve as Volunteers at Shiki Theatre Company's "Theater of the Heart" Performances in February