The 2nd 'Ikinari Honyomi!' Script Award Ceremony to be held at New Sannai!
The 2nd 'Ikinari Honyomi!' Script Award ceremony will take place on July 13, 2026, at New Sannai. The grand prize includes a 1-million yen reward, and the winning work will receive its premiere performance on the day.
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The popular stage project 'Ikinari Honyomi!' (Read-through on the Spot), produced by theater director Hideto Iwai, will hold the award ceremony for the '2nd Ikinari Honyomi! Script Award' at New Sannai on July 13 (Mon).
Established last year, the 'Ikinari Honyomi! Script Award' aims to discover excellent original scripts for the project and foster encounters with new talent. The grand prize, which currently carries a 1-million yen reward, has become a topic of conversation among playwriting awards for its generous benefit. The ceremony will feature the announcement of results and critiques, followed by the premiere performance of the grand prize-winning work. Cast members tasked with performing the winning script for the first time on this day include Yusuke Itagaki, Kieko Koiizuka, and Tsugumi.
Following last year's absence of a grand prize winner, will a new playwright emerge to claim the 1-million yen rollover prize? How will the brand-new story unfold under Iwai's direction with the unique cast? We invite you to witness the momentous birth of a new playwright.
■ What is 'Ikinari Honyomi!'?
'Ikinari Honyomi!' is a 'live cold-reading' performance born from Hideto Iwai's concept: 'Rehearsals are always more interesting than finished performances!' The script is kept secret until the day of. On stage, actors who open the script for the first time perform various roles under Iwai's guidance. It is a 'brand-new theatrical experience' where the roles of 'actor,' 'script,' and 'direction' intertwine to dynamically create a drama in real-time.
Official website: https://ware.mobi/ikinarihonyomi/
■ About the 'Ikinari Honyomi! Script Award'
This award was established to discover original scripts for the project and to encounter new talent. Results for the second award will be announced in late June 2026 on the following site:
Special site: https://gamma.app/docs/-zjhgjfd0uezohms?mode=doc
■ Comment from Hideto Iwai
Hello, this is Iwai.
This is the second year of the award, and the grand prize, including the 1-million yen rollover prize, will be announced. Once again, amazing cast members will take on a freshly born winning script. I, too, will approach the performance without knowing how I will direct it. The actors, the audience, and I will encounter the work from scratch and build the story on the spot. It will be the epitome of an 'Ikinari Honyomi!' event. We have also prepared the 'You're a Reader Too! Seat.' I have a feeling it will be incredibly interesting. See you at the venue!
Hideto Iwai (Writer/Director)
Formed the theater company Haibai in 2003. Recipient of the 30th Mukoda Kuniko Award and the 57th Kishida Kunio Drama Award. Known for the nationwide project 'Wareware no Moromoro.'
■ Event Overview
The 2nd 'Ikinari Honyomi!' Script Award Ceremony at New Sannai
Date: July 13, 2026 (Mon). Doors open 18:00 / Start 19:00 (2.5 hours, including intermission)
Venue: New Sannai, Fuji-machi Bldg B1, 5-26-9 Yayoi-cho, Nakano-ku, Tokyo.
Host/Director: Hideto Iwai
Cast: Yusuke Itagaki, Kieko Koiizuka, Tsugumi
Planning/Production: WARE Co., Ltd.
Note: New Sannai is a restaurant owned by actor Keiya Yamauchi. Food and drinks can be ordered (cash only).
Established last year, the 'Ikinari Honyomi! Script Award' aims to discover excellent original scripts for the project and foster encounters with new talent. The grand prize, which currently carries a 1-million yen reward, has become a topic of conversation among playwriting awards for its generous benefit. The ceremony will feature the announcement of results and critiques, followed by the premiere performance of the grand prize-winning work. Cast members tasked with performing the winning script for the first time on this day include Yusuke Itagaki, Kieko Koiizuka, and Tsugumi.
Following last year's absence of a grand prize winner, will a new playwright emerge to claim the 1-million yen rollover prize? How will the brand-new story unfold under Iwai's direction with the unique cast? We invite you to witness the momentous birth of a new playwright.
■ What is 'Ikinari Honyomi!'?
'Ikinari Honyomi!' is a 'live cold-reading' performance born from Hideto Iwai's concept: 'Rehearsals are always more interesting than finished performances!' The script is kept secret until the day of. On stage, actors who open the script for the first time perform various roles under Iwai's guidance. It is a 'brand-new theatrical experience' where the roles of 'actor,' 'script,' and 'direction' intertwine to dynamically create a drama in real-time.
Official website: https://ware.mobi/ikinarihonyomi/
■ About the 'Ikinari Honyomi! Script Award'
This award was established to discover original scripts for the project and to encounter new talent. Results for the second award will be announced in late June 2026 on the following site:
Special site: https://gamma.app/docs/-zjhgjfd0uezohms?mode=doc
■ Comment from Hideto Iwai
Hello, this is Iwai.
This is the second year of the award, and the grand prize, including the 1-million yen rollover prize, will be announced. Once again, amazing cast members will take on a freshly born winning script. I, too, will approach the performance without knowing how I will direct it. The actors, the audience, and I will encounter the work from scratch and build the story on the spot. It will be the epitome of an 'Ikinari Honyomi!' event. We have also prepared the 'You're a Reader Too! Seat.' I have a feeling it will be incredibly interesting. See you at the venue!
Hideto Iwai (Writer/Director)
Formed the theater company Haibai in 2003. Recipient of the 30th Mukoda Kuniko Award and the 57th Kishida Kunio Drama Award. Known for the nationwide project 'Wareware no Moromoro.'
■ Event Overview
The 2nd 'Ikinari Honyomi!' Script Award Ceremony at New Sannai
Date: July 13, 2026 (Mon). Doors open 18:00 / Start 19:00 (2.5 hours, including intermission)
Venue: New Sannai, Fuji-machi Bldg B1, 5-26-9 Yayoi-cho, Nakano-ku, Tokyo.
Host/Director: Hideto Iwai
Cast: Yusuke Itagaki, Kieko Koiizuka, Tsugumi
Planning/Production: WARE Co., Ltd.
Note: New Sannai is a restaurant owned by actor Keiya Yamauchi. Food and drinks can be ordered (cash only).
FAQ
What is the 'Ikina Hon Yomi!' Script Award?
It is a playwriting award established to discover excellent original scripts for 'Ikina Hon Yomi!' and to create opportunities for new talent.
When and where will the 2nd 'Ikina Hon Yomi!' Script Award ceremony be held?
It will be held on July 13, 2026 (Monday) at 'New San-nai' in Yayoicho, Nakano City, Tokyo.
How much is the prize money for the Grand Prize?
The prize money is 1,000,000 yen. The carryover from the previous year continues.
What programs will be held on the day of the award ceremony?
The ceremony will include the announcement of the results, reviews, and the first performance of the Grand Prize-winning work.
What is 'Ikina Hon Yomi! '?
It is a live theater experience where actors read a script for the first time on stage, which remains undisclosed until the day of the event, produced by Shuji Iwai.