Murder leads off and finishes up the Kabukiza's June playbill in the usual midori sampler of acts from different plays separated by dance numbers.
Taking title roles are three top tachiyaku (male leads): Danjuro Ichikawa, Koshiro Matsumoto and Nizaemon Kataoka. Shikan Nakamura, 72, leads younger onnagata (female role) actors including his son Fukusuke, Jakuemon Nakamura's son Shibajaku, Tanosuke Sawamura and Hidetaro Kataoka.
Ganjiro Nakamura shows his skill in kabuki dance in the afternoon " Otsu-e Dojoji," a variation of the classic dance "Dojoji," in which he portrays five popular characters chosen from the woodblock prints once produced as souvenirs in the Otsu area.