There’s a section in Kageki called ‘Words and Pictures’ where one sienne from each troupe is chosen quarterly to write about behind-the-scenes episodes from their troupe. (It’s slightly similar to Troupe Report, but longer and with a fixed turnover.)
Shirayuki Sachika was the writer for Moon Troupe in the second quarter of 2015. In this issue she writes about the rehearsals for 1789 (with a surprise cameo from Hokushou Kairi).
Shirayuki Sachika: Moon Tales to Excite your ‘Now’
How are you all today? This is Shirayuki Sachika of Moon Troupe 🌸 Now, on to today’s…whoops!! I went right into the start of Sky Stage News 💦 Speaking of that, the other day I went shopping to buy clothes for the TV shoots…in the first place, me and my co-host, Shimon, had been talking about ‘Wouldn’t it be nice if there was something that worked for both of us’. And thus I came to my day off. Just as I’d sent her a message on LINE saying ‘maybe this one?’, Shimon, who never responds right away, sent me a really excited reply, “Look!! I found The One!! Sachipii (Shirayuki)!!” Apparently I had sent her the message just as she came out of a changing room thinking ‘This is it!!’ ✨ To think I was trying things on too [speed cloud] Now that we had been united via LINE by The One (…piece of clothes) that could join us together, where was the need to try on any of the things right in front of me? I paid my respects and departed 💨 Did I start writing this planning to gush about how I just vibed with the perfect outfit? It seems I’ve gotten a bit carried away 💦
On to the main topic!! There are just under 2 weeks to opening day of 1789: Les Amants de la Bastille, so it’s choreo every day…
Despite their fears upon reading ‘A violent battle dance scene begins’ in the stage direction1, those warriors now moments away from the actual choreography are calmly (!?) preparing. The choreographer is KAORIalive, in her first Takarazuka show. She also does the choreography for the opening of Act 2, and there’s a bit of a funny story there…
🎵 RASSUNGORAI 🎵
It’s body percussion choreo. It’s a bitter struggle for us since we’re having trouble getting accustomed to an out-of-company choreographer. So, in order to ‘Check through it again from the start!!’ she explained “The rhythm of this choreography is RASSUNGORAI. I didn’t do any of it on purpose, but then I was like, oh wait? Doesn’t this sound like that?”
It totally does sound like that!! Everyone burst out laughing and now we finally got it ✨ Since then the rehearsal room has been full of laughter and our passionate chorus, “🎵 RASSUNGORAI, RASSUNGORAI 🎵” – with the dance, of course ✨ It’s strange but it really makes it so easy to remember 🌸 Everyone, keep an eye out for that dance!! But it’s a rather serious scene so even if you spot it be careful you don’t laugh!!
The Mystery of Act 2 and the Specially Selected Nobles!! And summer!?
It was the role distribution announcement for Act 2. The nobles terrified of the revolution were Natsuko-san (Kagetsu), Me, Maai (Suzuka), Not-Olympe, and Not-Solene. (The ‘Not-‘ roles were how we referred to those who weren’t in those roles for the switch that day. Director Koike started using the name and it stuck.). There were 5 noblewomen on stage. Why were we chosen!? We were dying to know, so Suu-san (Touka Yurino) asked the assistant director.
Suu: “How did you choose the cast for this scene?”
Assistant: “Director Koike told me to pick intense people. People who could fill the space, like double the number actually there.”
We all started laughing, but I didn’t miss the last thing the Assistant Director said.
Assistant: “Did you even have to ask?”
…What was that about!?
And then I realized that, apart from the Not-roles, we had all been the quirky court ladies in THE MERRY WIDOW!! The ones determinedly chasing after Micchan-san (Hokushou Kairi)!!
…We were…intense!?
Maai met up with Micchan-san and told her the whole story.
Micchan: “Just hearing those 3 names is terrifying 💦”
I’m sorry, Danilo (Hokushou) 💦 Did we end up traumatizing you!?
Several days later, there was a photoshoot for the Troupe Book of all the troupe members with winter birthdays, and when we got back to the locker room, Micchan happened to be there and the moment she saw my face…
Micchan: “What, Sachika, there’s no way you were born in winter!! Winter babies are supposed to be quiet and gentle. Sachika must be born in August!! You’re a summer baby!! That’s how you feel!!”
But I was born right in midwinter… When I suggested about her conversation with Maai, she said “Sure, that’s fine, but you have to end with ‘You can’t be born in winter! It has to be summer!’ as the punchline.”
Just like Micchan-san ✨ She even gave me a punchline ✨
And…what was I talking about? I started out talking about the intense noble ladies and now I’ve finally ended up here… Somehow it seems I really do seem like [sun] a summer baby!!… 💦
The Angel Class 🪶
In one scene2, there was the line ‘An angel…?’ and Yuuki (Kizuki Yuuma) was given direction to move to imitate angel wings along with it, so she started practicing. But it just wasn’t working…
Toshi-san (Uzuki Hayate) told her “Maybe more this way? …But seriously, what kind of direction was that!! (laughs)” Because this wasn’t like dance choreo or anything like that (laughs). And after she had practiced some more…
Uzuki: “More like this…No but seriously, what kind of direction was that!! (laughs)”
As for the actual direction, it was basically “Try to express something like an angel…”
Our two 10-year veteran otokoyaku ✨ But Toshi-san, you really keep interrupting to make your jokes… (laughs)
My Dude-formation!?
Speaking of angels, we have a real live one in our troupe 🪶 It’s our illegally adorable Chapi (Manaki Reika) 😍 Since she’s playing Marie Antoinette, she had a new rehearsal outfit made to order ✨ A Rococo-styled pink and green crinoline dress ✨
It was so cute 😍 and just amazing!!
Manaki: “I was wagering on the result… 😊💦💖”
For the real Antoinette, gambling was one of her main entertainments. In order to live as her role even in the rehearsal space, Chapi understood the costs [of the project], put her heart into the design, and wagered on herself ✨ How magnificent!!
It wasn’t just the skirt. She even put her hair into an artistic updo like she had for the poster ✨ And then an incident happened.
One day, Chapi came in with her beautiful long hair down. I suddenly found myself starstruck. I couldn’t hold in these emotions so I let them out to Mayu (Yumeha Miyu), who was sitting next to me.
Me: “When somebody who usually has her hair up comes in with it down it really hits you, doesn’t it 😍”
Yumeha: “I was just thinking the same thing~ 💖”
Obviously!?
So the two of us were talking like a couple of old dudes with our hearts stolen by Chapi.
But then suddenly…
Chapi: “Huh!?”
Bam! Our eyes met 💨
The jig was up 😮 I stared too much 😮
Please forgive dude-Shirayuki for being done in by your beauty and cuteness 💦
In my opinion, Chapi-toinette ends up sentenced to the guillotine for the crime of being TOO DARN CUTE!! (laughs)
How was my second installment? I had such a hard time, there were so many things I wanted to write about 💦
I’ll see you on stage in 1789 💖
1 – According to the printed script, this is Act 2 Scene 9, the fight at the Bastille.
2 – This seems to be somewhere in the ‘Je Suis un Dieu’ scene, Act 2 Scene 3.