CNN - Women play men in unique heater

Women play men in unique Japanese theater

April 7, 1996
Web posted at: 12:40 a.m. EDT (0540 GMT)

From Correspondent May Lee

TOKYO (CNN) -- At a theater in Tokyo this week, you can see the faces of dreamers who are on their way to living out their ultimate fantasy. They are the latest students to be initiated into the exclusive Takarazuka all-female revue company.

For 80 years, Takarazuka has been training young, talented girls to become starlets of the stage -- but the Rockettes of the East, they are not. For some of the 400-plus cast members, silk stockings and high heels are traded in for tailored trousers and heavy boots.

Unlike some Western cabaret shows and traditional Japanese Kabuki theater, where men take on female roles, the women of Takarazuka transform themselves into dashing and dynamic heroes -- deep voices and all.

The masculine illusion is what most Takarazuka fans, nearly all of whom are female, find so intriguing.

Another said that she finds Takarazuka appealing it fulfills a fantasy. "I sometimes wish I could be a man," she said.

"I never compare my favorite star to a real man. I always look at her as the man of my dreams."

Another fan said she had come to see the show more than 10 times. "I keep my schedule open for their shows. They have priority over everything else."

Saki Asaji and Ayaka Shiraki are two of Takarazuka's top stars. Saki regularly plays the male lead.

"On stage, I just want to try to be as close to my male role as possible, rather than become totally male," she said. "In Takarazuka, we have to act like a man who is beautiful, idealistic and unrealistic in a way."

Ayaka agreed. "The men of Takarazuka are not real. They offer characters that come from the fantasies of women, so they don't really exist in reality. I think Takarazuka is a world where women's dreams come true."

Judging from the overwhelming number of fans who consistently snatch up show tickets, those dreams are in high demand. Every year more than 2 million people pack into Japanese theaters to gaze at and admire their favorite stars. For three hours, all reality is lost, as Takarazuka casts its magical spell on the audience.

The group's latest production, entitled "A Story of a Sword, Love and a Rainbow," is based on the tale of Cyrano de Bergerac. Takarazuka tradition dictates that the production be flamboyantly excessive, from extravagant costumes and sets to lively musical numbers. It's the combination of Las Vegas glitz and Kabuki-style mystery that gives the Takarazuka revue the coveted title of the most unusual show in town.

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Women play men in unique Japanese theater

"I never compare my favorite star to a real man. I always look at her as the man of my dreams."

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