Kuroiwa: Today, I would like to talk about the theme of "Magnet Culture - The Charm of Entertainment". First, I would like to ask you about the original musical "HEADS UP!", which premiered here at the Kanagawa Arts Theatre in November 2015 and gained popularity. It will be performed here again from the 14th of this month.
LaSalle: We will be performing here at KAAT from December 14th to 17th, and then in Toyama and Nagano in January, Osaka and Nagoya in February, and Akasaka in March. I have mainly worked in comedy, but I had been planning this musical for 10 years. KAAT took up the project, and after much trial and error, I was able to create the musical I had always dreamed of. I was very happy. I couldn't have done it without the cooperation of KAAT and Kanagawa Prefecture.
Kuroiwa: We are currently working on a project called Magnet Culture, or "Magcal" for short, which aims to attract people through culture and the arts. The image is Broadway. When you go to Broadway, there is always something interesting going on, and I wanted Kanagawa to be like that too. I wanted to create something that you can't see unless you come here, and that you can come back to Kanagawa if you want to see it, so I was really happy that LaSalle created an original musical at KAAT as something that was born here.
"HEADS UP!" is a behind-the-scenes story, but it attracted a lot of people with its entertainment value that far exceeded my expectations.
In Kanagawa, we are promoting Magnet Culture (Magcul), which attracts people like a magnet by doing interesting things and meeting interesting people, and I would like to create more content like "HEADS UP!"
LaSalle: When I first heard from the Governor that he was going to turn Yokohama into a Broadway, I was amazed at how grand a plan it was, but at the same time I felt inspired.
Kuroiwa: Will this revival be in the same format as the original?
LaSalle: We'll be performing with almost the same members again this time. I think the reason why all those busy people made time off is because everyone wanted to do it again.
Kuroiwa: We are currently speaking on the stage of KAAT. KAAT has a reputation for being easy for the audience to see, and it has also been very well received by the performers, but what about the production side?
LaSalle: It's fascinating. The stage is wide and deep. There's enough distance between the images from the front and the back, so images can be projected from the rear (※1). For example, you could bring out a real car from the back, or you could extend the stage. You could also have an orchestra pit (※2). And best of all, the proscenium (※3) moves, so it's spacious. There's no other place like it. "HEADS UP!" could only have been created here.
Kuroiwa: "HEADS UP!" was only possible because of the theater called KAAT.
LaSalle: That's true. We were rehearsing right here. The lighting staff has a motorized elevator called Genie, but almost no one uses that on stage. When we rehearse in other rehearsals and want to use it in other theaters, they never use it. If we asked to use it at KAAT, we were allowed to use it, and we were able to take it to other performances, so we couldn't have done it without KAAT.
Kuroiwa: That is Magcal itself. First of all, we want KAAT to be the source of entertainment and spread it throughout Kanagawa. LaSalle is also a member of the "Magcal Table," which provides expert advice on cultural and artistic activities. Based on LaSalle's proposal, we started a project called "Magcal Night" in November. This project will feature stand-up comedy, jazz, street performances, and more, which will be performed continuously every Wednesday.
LaSalle: I am also a member of the Japan Stand-up Comedy Association, so I will do my best to cooperate so that we can continue to create such opportunities.
Kuroiwa: Broadway has great musicals and plays. People gather from all over the world to see them. I would like Kanagawa to become a place like that, so please lend me your support.
Look forward to Kanagawa Prefecture's cultural programs!
~After the interview~
Kanagawa will host the Rugby World Cup 2019 finals in 2019, and sailing and other events will take place at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020. In order to provide enjoyment for visitors from overseas, we would like to create a theatrical space that can connect beyond language barriers and hold cultural and artistic events at any time as part of our cultural program.
We have held musical and short play festivals that make use of the unique characteristics of the region, but we would like to increase the number of such programs using KAAT as a base. We would like to aim to create a new cultural legacy that provides a moving experience of a different dimension.
Yuji Kuroiwa
*1 "Rear": Rear screen. A single curtain that allows lighting to be provided from both the front and back of the screen.
*2 "Okepi": Orchestra pit. A sunken area between the stage where the orchestra plays at operas and other events and the audience.
*3 "Proscenium": Proscenium arch. A theater system in which the stage and audience seats are clearly separated by a proscenium (frame).
(Source: "Handbook of Stage Terms for Theater and Hall Workers" (March 2014) by the National Association of Public Cultural Facilities)
