East West Players' TAKARAZUKA!!! Begins Tonight

East West Players (EWP), the nation's longest-running professional theatre of color in the country and the largest producing organization of Asian American artistic work, continues its 50th Anniversary Season, Golden, with "TAKARAZUKA!!!," by Susan Soon He Stanton, directed by Leslie Ishii and choreographed by Cindera Che. This production is presented with community partners the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center and AARP. The production features Fiona Cheung, Michael Hagiwara, Joseph Lim Kim, Klarissa Mesee, Joy Regullano, Janelle Toyomi-Dote, Grace Yoo.

Yuko is the Top Star of the Takarazuka, an all-female Japanese performance troupe, that has put on lavishly staged spectacles for decades. Facing retirement, Yuko begins to be haunted by the ghost of a former top star. Mysterious events happen at the theater as Yuko's sayonara performance looms and a new star is set to rise to the top in this thrilling and seductive new play.

"This story is entertaining with musical numbers and a plot that is part ghost story, part love story and part Black Swan," says Tim Dang, Producing Artistic Director. "But the play also resonates with duality: being half Japanese and half white, being a woman assigned to play male roles, being a top stage star and returning to ordinary life. There are so many intersections that the play explores."

The design team includes: Set design by Tesshi Nakagawa, costume design by June Suepunpuck, lighting design by Jason Bieber, original composition and sound design by Nathan Wang, titles design by Nick Drashner, props by Yee Eun Nam and Japanese translation by Sachiyo Kanbayashi. Stage Manager is Maya Rodgers.

The characters and story of this production are fictitious and is not affiliated with "The Takarazuka Revue Company" of Japan.

All performances will be staged at the David Henry Hwang Theater at the Union Center of the Arts at 120 Judge John Aiso Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Previews are tonight, November 6th through Saturday November 8th at 8pm and Sunday November 9th at 2pm. All preview seats are $23.

Opening Night for "TAKARAZUKA!!!" is Wednesday, November 12th at 8pm and includes a 7pm pre-performance cocktail reception, and a post-show reception with the cast and creative team. Call theater for availability. "Pay-What-You-Can" Performance is on Wednesday, November 26th at 8pm. A special talkback with the cast and creative team is on Sunday, November 16th immediately following the performance. The production runs until December 7th.

Regular performances run Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm. Tickets may be purchased online at www.eastwestplayers.org or by calling 213.625.7000. Regular tickets range from $28-$38. Student and Senior discounts available. Dates, prices and details are subject to change.

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