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| "A CHORUS LINE" |
We have enjoyed good relationship with talented Japanese
composers, conductors and musicians like Toru Takemitsu, Yoshio Mamiya and Seiji
Ozawa since the foundation of the company. And this has naturally led us to musical
theatre. Much inspired by the Broadway-cast production of WEST SIDE STORY at the
Nissay Theatre in 1964, we started the training of actors and technical staff
with the goal of performing authentic musical productions. Our efforts bore fruit
in 1970s. Following APPLAUSE in 1972, we premiered the Japanese language productions
of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (1973), WEST SIDE STORY (1974) and A CHORUS LINE (1979),
all of which were well reputed. Thus, Broadway and West End musicals (performed
in the Japanese language) became another pillar of the company.
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| "THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA" |
In 1980s, we successfully produced EVITA (1982),
CATS (1983) and THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1988) to create a musical boom in Japan.
The outstanding success of these shows drastically changed every aspect of the
company; the establishment of the training system and method of musical performers,
the introduction of casting audition, the development of computerized ticketing
system and the development of temporary theatres which enabled us to produce an
open-end long run and to accumulate the know-how of theatre construction and stage
mechanism, which substantially helped us build our home theatres in 1990s. Based
on the above innovations, we realized the simultaneous long run of 2 companies
each of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1995) and THE LION KING (1998) in association with
Disney. Thus, we have continuously made outstanding challenges, which have led
the Japanese theatre world.
The successful association with Disney in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and THE LION KING naturally led to AIDA (2003), the 3rd Shiki-Disney theatrical project in Japan. In addition, CRAZY FOR YOU (1993), love comedy musical based on Gershwin brothers' standard music and MAMMA MIA! (2002) with ABBA's hit songs gave Shiki the chance to further enlarge its market.
*number in parentheses: year of Japan premiere |
Musicals
