The archive pursues five interrelated aims that invite Hamilton College students—and all visitors—to gain knowledge, spark creativity, build skills, and perform as benshi. Created by Professor Kyoko Omori, the project offers digital artifacts that support learning about benshi both intellectually and through hands-on practice and creative work.
Synchronize Benshi Audio with Silent Films
Pair digitized benshi audio (with occasional musical accompaniment) with silent-film images to recreate the live, multisensory experience.
Create Virtual Reality Environments of Benshi Performance
Reconstruct historic theaters in virtual reality to bring the staging and atmosphere of silent-era exhibition to life.
Curate and Preserve Benshi Ephemera
Safeguard and document the rich array of materials connected to benshi performers.
Reimagine Benshi Performance for the 21st Century
Experience contemporary artists from diverse genres drawing on benshi traditions, collaborating to create revitalized performances through public events and interactive workshops.
Apply Benshi Performance in Education
The archive documents the pedagogical possibilities of benshi in today’s classroom.
