Prince of Broadway in Japan! — Page 5

I can't imagine this ever turning a penny on Broadway. Prince is a downright genius, but to 80% of the people he's a nobody.

Yea, curtain went up at 6:30 (5:30 AM eastern time), Intermission should be in about 20 minuets.

Sory for multiple posts this stuff just keeps coming in.

Video from The invited dress rehearsal is starting to roll in. Since this is from a Japanese News outlet (Ran Ra Entertainment) catering to their Japanese audience its Yuzuki Reon centric (not that I mind personally, She's one of the reasons I'm interested in this show) but we do get to see a little more of the Damn Yankees and Follies set pieces.

That's unnecessarily harsh, CukorLover. This was an invited dress rehearsal. I think it's going to make an amazing Carnival Cruise Line show.

Updated On: 10/23/15 at 05:50 PM

http://theatre-orb.com/english/lineup/20151023.html

EricMontreal22 said: "Yuzuki Reon was one of the top stars in Takarazuka history--I've seen some of her stuff there and she does really shine. It's unfortunate that she makes Ken Watanabe's English diction sound like Rex Harrison, but... I am sure she's a huge draw in Japan--I wouldn't suspect if this moves to NYC she'd come with it, but who knows.

If I were stuck on a cruise (how I despise them) and this was playing I'd be front row center for every single performance! Certainly beats that much advertised new Schwartz revue Princess is doing. (But...I do kinda get the comparison.)

"

She ,So far has been the Best of the best out of the Revue. 32,000 people watched her final show with the Revue live streamed to theaters across Japan, which is unheard of. And she is a HUGE draw in Japan.

You have to keep in mind that, as of March this year she could not speak a word of English. She now has little problem communicating in English with the cast and crew (at least according to Bryhona Marie). Yes, she does have an accent, but so would you if you'd just learned to speak a new language in a couple of months.

She would like to come with the show to New York if it makes it. That's her ultimate goal, to do international work. (Actually, she wanted to come to the US and perform after High school, but her Parents nixed that idea and talked her into auditioning for the Takarazuka Revue instead. The deal was if she passed the exam (it's really hard to pass) she'd do that if, she did not she was off to America. She passed with flying colors.)

Updated On: 10/23/15 at 08:05 PM

In the publicity run up for this there was talk of not setting out to replicate, Prince said he had no interest in repeating things and joked that he probably couldn't remember his choices. With those expectations these clips and stills are very disappointing. But I'll still buy a ticket.

Any reviews yet? I was expecting to see something in one of the English language papers like The Japan Times by now...

EricMontreal22 said: "Any reviews yet? I was expecting to see something in one of the English language papers like The Japan Times by now...

"

I don't think we will. At least not like the ones you'd see for a show in NY. There have been a bunch of articles online about the show that have been positive, but I have not bothered to post them or the additional video footage with them as they are in Japanese and it seems like no one here really cares and have already written it off.

From what I've seen it looks Amazing, and the Japanese fans are going nuts over it, They've already started sending gifts to the cast (some of which are quite expensive), which is a pretty standard custom in Japanese culture when you like a show/performer/performance. If the audiences were not enjoying the show they would not be getting all the gifts. Some of the cast went out last night and were stopped for quite a few photos and autographs because so many people are starting to recognize them. There has been a lot of buzz about the show in japan which is unusual for most productions, Home grown or otherwise.

Updated On: 10/29/15 at 05:51 PM

It seems like you and me are the only ones interested at the moment. If you're on Tumblr you can find stuff posted under the Prince of Broadway, Takarazuka, and Yuzuki Reon tags (It's mostly in Japanese but sometimes translations are made available by the fans, if you're lucky, the rest of the time Google translate is a must). Most of the Cast have Instagram accounts and post often with behind the scenes stuff, Also, if you follow the shows Japanese twitter they'll post links to new stuff (there is a link on the Japanese site) as it becomes available. Searching on Google is more productive when you search for the show's title in Furigana (which I'd post here so you could copy and paste, but the forums don't let you, This is probably the last place on the internet that does not allow symbols or other non English alphabets)

I just stopped linking here because so few people seemed seriously interested (as apposed to the Zuka community on Tumblr), and whenever I do post something good It's posted up on the main page half an hour later as breaking news, (even though It would be days old) as none of the staff seem to have the gumption to follow the shows social media themselves.

Updated On: 10/29/15 at 10:55 PM

EricMontreal22 said: "
I wish there was an article/review that went into more details as to how the whole piece comes together--how much of a narration arc is there, etc?"

I have not seen anything like that yet. I do have an online acquaintance who is living in Japan right now and is going to see the show next week. She promised to give us the low down and a little review after she sees it. If she does not mind (she usually does not) I'll post a link to whatever she has to say if and when she does. That's the best way to find out what you want to know, accounts from audience members. Anything in the Japanese media is going to be focused on reiterating what's already been said about the show. The closest they get to a review is saying the show was amazing or beautiful or whatever.

"Are you new here?"

No, I've just been absent since 2004 when I lost interest in Broadway shows in general. (I can't remember what my profile name was) I just became more and more uninterested and shrunk away from theater in general (sad, because I had intended to study set/costume design in grad school and because I was essentially fed up with what I was seeing I did a 360 and nixed grad school and focused on being a painter/illustrator) Around 2009 I got sucked into West End then German and then Japanese theater, and that's currently where my biggest interests lie.

EricMontreal22 said: "Well, nice to have you back--and please do post her thoughts (you are planning on seeing it too at some point, aren't you?)"

I will.

Am I planing on seeing it? Well, no, but not because I don't want to. I don't really have the $$'s to fly to Japan and see it. Maybe, if It makes it to NY, but that would be expensive as well (a 12 hour bus trip plus a ticket and a hotel room). But if I had the cash I'd be there already.