Masachika Ichimura stars in new musical ‘Secret Stage’

The new musical ‘Secret Stage’, written and directed by Eri Watanabe and starring Masachika Ichimura, has commenced its run. This production marks the first collaboration between the two artists, who have expressed a desire to work together for over 50 years since meeting at the Stage Arts Academy.

The story follows a group of actors facing a crisis when the lead Kabuki actor falls ill just days before a premiere. A small group of remaining performers, including veteran Yamada Masao (Ichimura), musical star Eiichiro Moriyama (Akinori Nakagawa), actress Yuriko (Yuka Kageyama), and manager Naoko Iwasaki (Eri Watanabe), must perform over 20 different roles to ensure the show goes on. The narrative intertwines the chaotic backstage reality with a 19th-century British play titled ‘Maze’.

The production features live music with piano, bandoneon, and violin. Following the Tokyo performances at the Tokyo Bunka Kaikan, the tour is scheduled to visit Osaka, Kagawa, Shizuoka, Miyagi, and Niigata.