This photo and essay book was written by Moon Troupe Top Star Sena Jun and published during promotions for the 2008 show ME AND MY GIRL, where Top Musumeyaku Ayano Kanami retired. It’s very charming and occasionally emotional.
Some chapters are very short, or contain only pictures, and thus are combined.
The book also featured dual Japanese and English chapter titles, which were not always the same. Where these differ, both are included, with the translation of the Japanese title following in brackets. (For example, Chapter 8 is That time [The era of Asa and Osako])
Content note: This chapter contains discussion of an onstage injury.
014. Elisabeth (Elisabeth hell)
In Flower Troupe’s Elisabeth1, I played Lucheni.
It was my first time with facial hair, and I looked just like my dad. (Apparently my way of walking in particular resembled him.)
During the dress rehearsal for that production, due to my own carelessness, there was an accident.
A map backdrop came down on my head.
Crack.
It made a reeeeally scary sound.
But a few hours afterwards, we had the opening performance, just as I was.
In my entrance scene, and the talk with the Judge, I messed up…apparently.
To tell the truth I don’t remember any of it.
After the opening performance, everyone else was at a party with Mr. Levay, but I was all alone inside an MRI machine at the hospital.
I really don’t remember, but according to Ootori Rei-chan, who had the next dressing table,
“Aa-chan, you were acting strange for around the last two weeks,” apparently.
My neck wasn’t really injured, but there must have been an emotional shock from the accident…I realized.
So, basically, I don’t have many good memories of Elisabeth.
Of course, thanks to that production, I came to like singing, and learned a lot.
And then several years later, I heard something that made me doubt my own ears…
On the opening day of rehearsals for the Tokyo production of Glow of Sunset in Asuka/Takarazuka Splendor II, where our classmate trio were competing with each other in our performances, I was called into the reception office.
What…did I do. Was I going to get yelled at?
(I still didn’t remember doing anything!?)
Theatre: After this, you’ll be appearing in Moon Troupe’s next production, Elisabeth.
Me: Yes…
Theatre: You’ll be playing Elisabeth.
Me: Yes…?
Theatre: Starting with that production you’ll be a member of Moon Troupe.
Me: (…Elisabeth?)
Theatre: And you will be the next Top Star for that troupe.
Me: (…Elisabeth!?)
I didn’t have the chance to feel the shock of changing troupes, or the happiness of becoming Top Star.
Or, really, though the sounds entered my ears the meaning didn’t enter my heart.
The only thing that entered my heart was the scaaaaary word ‘Elisabeth’.
This was the start of my Elisabeth Hell.
Though it might have already started when I played Lucheni.
The rehearsals for Elisabeth, well, they were the most hellish tableau of my life.
I think I could write a whole book on that time alone.
There was even a TV crew carefully following Director Koike2 that recorded the hell I was going through.
Go ahead and record it!
I exposed everything.
Unfortunately, in the interview where I was talking about Director Koike,
All the parts where I revealed my bottled up resentment towards the director who made me do Elisabeth were tragically cut out.
Good job, TV broadcasters.
But this was the first time in my life that I’d beaten my head against something so much, worried so much, exerted myself so much.
And it was also the first time realizing how happy it made me to live out one person’s life like this.
Even while I was experiencing such pain, frustration, and loneliness,
I ended up thinking that I would like to do Elisabeth again some day…
This might really be the start of my Elisabeth Hell.
Grand amore!
(end)
1 – The 2002 production.
2 – This was most likely the production crew for Passionate Continent: https://www.mbs.jp/jounetsu-old/2005/02_13.shtml
015. Teamwork
This time I’m doing a photo and essay book.
The staff is for the most part the same crew that worked on my Spain photobook1.
A long-awaited reunion…I’m so happy~ ✨
I love this staff’s manly working style (they’re all women),
And how enthusiastic they are about producing something great above all!
It might be a bit cheeky of me to say something like this, but I want to keep doing good work with them and create something great to leave behind as they all grow in their own ways.
Thank you for everythi~ng!!
(end)
1 – Viento espanol, published in 2007.