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ekusudei[ Dream of Takarazuka table of contents ]
29 ~*~ Transferring Once Again
The news that I was to be transferred once again was waiting for me when I returned from the great success of the South-East Asian Tour
It seems, moreover, that the troupe transfer was set while I was away on the foreign tour. The notice said that this time I was to go to Flower Troupe.
A second troupe transfer, which went easily as I had already become a veteran at transfers. But when I think about it, this wasn't the same as the first when I was an underling; instead I was going to Flower Troupe as the nibante.
(The phrases "nibante" and "top" for certain people don't exist in the Takarazuka Revue. They are labels made up for the press and fans to be able to easily understand the positions of the members. I don't really care for these labels, but as they make things easier to understand, I'll use them.)
The nibante (that is, the one who is next in line to perform the lead roles after the top star) is important--no, not important exactly, but their photo appears on the performance posters (these posters, on the whole, tend to feature three people: the top star, the top musumeyaku star, and the nibante), they have a role which is mentioned in the summary of the performance, and they tend to have entire scenes to themselves in the revue show, and to appear in at least half of the revue show.
[Translator's note: There is a joke/pun here which is so dated she apologizes for it and I haven't been able to find an explanation of it. ヒエ~~~~~山延暦寺! (It's a pun on Enryakuji Temple on Mt Hiei.)]
When I set forth full of hopes at my debut, who could have imagined that I would become nibante one day? The top and nibante are beings who live above the clouds. I couldn't possible be joining those members above the clouds.... (Truthfully, I don't believe I've become something higher than the clouds.)
In any case, I felt that I couldn't possibly be worthy, but that was the moment when I let the noisy woman fade away. I accepted the notice of transfer gratefully.
This was the spring, exactly ten years since I had first stepped out in my debut.
My very first Grand Theater show in my Flower Troupe life was "Calm Autumn Colors" and "Mayflower," a two-part performance.
The script book I received on the first day of rehearsals had dozens more lines than any I had performed in Star Troupe, and there were mountains of solo song lyrics. This alone made me feel that I was nibante, but there were also the costumes which were all new (underclassmen wear costumes which have been recycled), I always had a mic (because we have so few wireless mics, underclassmen and those with few lines don't have one), and the spotlight nearly always followed me as I went from place to place. Through these, again, I felt the immense reality of being nibante.
How to explain the feeling of my place in the line-up during the finale? The top star Takashio Tomoe stood in the very center, and I stood, unbelievably, there beside her. Before that moment, I had stood out on the extremes, and this was so different!
When I described this feeling, this indescribable feeling, the line-up of the finale, that was when I clearly understood my place in the troupe. That standing as close to the center as possible, playing a role of such importance, that my place was near the top star. In other words, my place beside the top star meant that I would probably become the next top star!
29 ~*~ Transferring Once Again
The news that I was to be transferred once again was waiting for me when I returned from the great success of the South-East Asian Tour
It seems, moreover, that the troupe transfer was set while I was away on the foreign tour. The notice said that this time I was to go to Flower Troupe.
A second troupe transfer, which went easily as I had already become a veteran at transfers. But when I think about it, this wasn't the same as the first when I was an underling; instead I was going to Flower Troupe as the nibante.
(The phrases "nibante" and "top" for certain people don't exist in the Takarazuka Revue. They are labels made up for the press and fans to be able to easily understand the positions of the members. I don't really care for these labels, but as they make things easier to understand, I'll use them.)
The nibante (that is, the one who is next in line to perform the lead roles after the top star) is important--no, not important exactly, but their photo appears on the performance posters (these posters, on the whole, tend to feature three people: the top star, the top musumeyaku star, and the nibante), they have a role which is mentioned in the summary of the performance, and they tend to have entire scenes to themselves in the revue show, and to appear in at least half of the revue show.
[Translator's note: There is a joke/pun here which is so dated she apologizes for it and I haven't been able to find an explanation of it. ヒエ~~~~~山延暦寺! (It's a pun on Enryakuji Temple on Mt Hiei.)]
When I set forth full of hopes at my debut, who could have imagined that I would become nibante one day? The top and nibante are beings who live above the clouds. I couldn't possible be joining those members above the clouds.... (Truthfully, I don't believe I've become something higher than the clouds.)
In any case, I felt that I couldn't possibly be worthy, but that was the moment when I let the noisy woman fade away. I accepted the notice of transfer gratefully.
This was the spring, exactly ten years since I had first stepped out in my debut.
My very first Grand Theater show in my Flower Troupe life was "Calm Autumn Colors" and "Mayflower," a two-part performance.
The script book I received on the first day of rehearsals had dozens more lines than any I had performed in Star Troupe, and there were mountains of solo song lyrics. This alone made me feel that I was nibante, but there were also the costumes which were all new (underclassmen wear costumes which have been recycled), I always had a mic (because we have so few wireless mics, underclassmen and those with few lines don't have one), and the spotlight nearly always followed me as I went from place to place. Through these, again, I felt the immense reality of being nibante.
How to explain the feeling of my place in the line-up during the finale? The top star Takashio Tomoe stood in the very center, and I stood, unbelievably, there beside her. Before that moment, I had stood out on the extremes, and this was so different!
When I described this feeling, this indescribable feeling, the line-up of the finale, that was when I clearly understood my place in the troupe. That standing as close to the center as possible, playing a role of such importance, that my place was near the top star. In other words, my place beside the top star meant that I would probably become the next top star!
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Date: 2015-04-03 11:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-05-09 05:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-06-25 10:45 pm (UTC)like 'I don't want you to laugh at me so I would laugh at myself first'
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Date: 2015-07-08 05:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2015-07-08 10:39 pm (UTC)