[Ticket giveaway] The hottest musical of the summer "Baito Show -BEST Edition-"

Magcal Performing Arts Academy opened in 2014 with the aim of nurturing performing arts professionals. Under the direction of the school's principal, playwright and director Kensuke Yokouchi, the school offers practical lessons from leading instructors in vocal, dance, acting and other fields.

A musical performance, which can be seen as a presentation of the results of this endeavor, will be performed at the Kanagawa Prefectural Youth Center Momijizaka Hall on Saturday, August 18th and Sunday, August 19th.
The title is "Baito Show -BEST Edition-".

In the summer of 2016, the theater in theater format was used to set up temporary seats on the revolving stage of the hall, and the audience was rotated, making the entire theater a 360-degree acting space for the performance of the much talked about "Baito Show YOKOHAMA - Seishun Hen". In 2017, the polished version "Baito Show - International Hen! -" was performed.
This summer, the show will return to the Youth Center Hall as an even more powerful "Baito Show - BEST Edition."
Young actors who have been trained and developed at the Youth Center will run through the 360-degree rotating stage with great enthusiasm. Don't miss this performance filled with singing, dancing and acting!

《Pick Up Interview》

Mayo Hyodo
When I watched the academy's spring recital, I was moved by the sight of people my age working hard and helping each other improve, and I decided I wanted to give it a try, so I auditioned.

It's only May this year, so I'm still struggling just to learn the dance. It's a lot of pressure to dance with seniors who have been dancing for years, but for the audience, it doesn't matter if you're a senior or a newbie. I'm going to do my best with a strong feeling of "I won't lose!"

Shiori Yokota
He has been a member of the Academy since its inception.
At first, I was so busy trying to keep up that I can't even watch the videos from back then (laughs). At the time, I was just interested in musicals, but seeing people performing on stage up close made me think seriously, "I want to be successful in this world too."

Since the title is the same, some people may think "It's the same again," but I think it will be completely different if you actually watch it. There are some changes in the content, and we have received many new songs. I think it will be a performance that will be enjoyed by both those who have come before and those who are coming for the first time this year.
We will make this a "Baito Show" that will have people saying "This year was the best!"

Production Notes

We visited the practice room just before the performance and spoke with the school's principal, Mr. Yokouchi.

What kind of stage is "Baito Show"?

This is a life-sized musical that was originally performed by our theater company (Tobira-za), remade for young students. It was inspired by the Broadway musical "Rent." Jonathan Larson, who created this stage, died suddenly just before the Broadway opening, but the words of his sister, who attended the Tony Awards ceremony in his place and gave a speech, still remain in my heart even after more than 20 years.

"To all the aspiring artists out there washing dishes in New York, don't despair. Have hope. That's what happened to my brother, too."

I thought this could be said about Japanese cities too. If you have a dream, you have to work hard for it. But the more real your dream is, the more money you need to make it come true, and there are a mountain of concrete problems to overcome in life. "Baito Show" is a musical that compiles these struggles and challenges into a story.

It's been four years now, how do you feel about the students at the academy?

At first, they were so bad that I didn't know what to do (laughs). There were some people with some experience, but basically it was just a gathering of people who wanted to do it, and it was far from the adult acting we were looking for. So I remember telling them in the first year, "Do it with your heart."

As we continued on for the second and third years, the level of the members improved dramatically. Some of them entered music colleges to study singing seriously, and some even got jobs as professional dancers. It was no longer the "all-out" approach that it had been in the past.

So this time, we've set a higher bar. Some of the new members are inexperienced, so we can't deny that there will be some imperfections. But the more advanced members are trying to perform at a high level, so we want to live up to that.
We've included new episodes and new songs, so we hope you'll enjoy the new "Baito Show."

Please tell us your thoughts about the Academy.

The Kanagawa Prefectural Youth Center, which is our base, is a place that can be called a "holy place" for those who have been involved in high school theater in Kanagawa Prefecture. Our goal is to revitalize this place again and send out new information.
This year, we are facing a new phase, with companies that support cultural activities becoming sponsors. I feel that we are pioneering a new type of public hall, so I would like to expand this movement even further.

Magcal Performing Arts Academy Performance 2018
" Baito Show -BEST Edition- "

[Date and time] Saturday, August 18th 13:00/18:00 Sunday, August 19th 12:00/17:00
[Venue] Kanagawa Prefectural Youth Center Momijizaka Hall
[Price] Advance tickets: ¥2,000; same-day tickets: ¥2,500
Advance tickets for university students and younger: 800 yen Same-day tickets for university students and younger: 1,000 yen