"Kabuki groupies"

When I walk from my house to Jujo station or vice versa in the later afternoon, there is often a funny spectacle to be observed. In the narrow shopping street leading down to the station there is a theater. As an amateur I would have said it is a kabuki theater. I have seen heavily made up actors smoking outside often. All with heavy white make up, red lipstick and darkly painted eyes. Wearing traditional Japanese clothes and some of the male only actors disguised as women.
At certain times it is really hard to pass the narrow alley. Crowds of usually middle-aged women gather there with cameras and autograph booklets. They wait for their stars, the sometimes a bit transvestite looking actors (sorry for the culturally insensitive transgression). You can just feel the excitement and they crowd around the actors who come from the show like pigeons around bread crumbs, all with their cameras held above theirr head to shoot pictures. The actors patiently have pictures taken with all of them, sign the booklets and chat with their fans. It seems that they are the local superstar attraction.
My housemate Rinko told me that it is not actually kabuki which is kind of a posh theater and very ritualised. This is more a local theater playing historical drama, obviously every day almost. She suggested we go there some time. I am not sure how much I will be able to understand, but it should still be fun to watch! And maybe I will be queing afterwards as well (?).