Reon Yuzuki

Reon Yuzuki (柚希 礼音 Yuzuki Reon, born June 11, 1979 in Osaka) is a Japanese actress and former Top Star otokoyaku (an actress who plays male roles) of the Japanese Takarazuka Revue's Star Troupe.^[1] She joined the revue in 1999 and became the top star in 2009. She resigned from the revue in May 2015.

Biography

Yuzuki began learning ballet at the age of nine. She later was considered to be too tall for ballet, so she became interested in Takarazuka Revue with the advice of her father and her dance teacher. After training in singing, acting and dancing for two years, including tap and Japanese classical dance, she graduated from the Takarazuka Music School and made her debut in 1999 in Takarazuka Revue Moon Troupe's production Nova Bossa Nova.^[2]

Later in 1999, she joined the Star Troupe. In 2000, she was the youngest performer selected for the Berlin tour.^[3] In 2001, she was given the role of André in the New Actor Show of The Rose of Versailles. In 2003, she got her first Takarazuka Bow Hall lead performance Oi, Harukaze-san!. Afterwards, she took the leading role in the New Actor Performances for five consecutive times from 2003 to 2006.

She later progressed to supporting roles in the main troupe's productions. One of her notable roles was Chauvelin in the production of The Scarlet Pimpernel in Japan for the first time in 2008.^[4] The Matsuo Arts Foundation presented her with the 30th Rookie Art Award for her performance as Chauvelin.^[5] In 2009, after the retirement of former Top Star Kei Aran, she became the top star of Star Troupe.

In 2010, Sylvester Levay wrote the theme song "Candle In Your Mind" for her first original production, The Treasure Sword of Habsburg. Later in the year, Yuzuki received the Rookie Award for Theater from Agency for Cultural Affairs at the 65th ACA Arts Festival in 2010.^[6]

In 2012, she played Danny Ocean in the Star Troupe's production of Ocean's 11 and was awarded the Kikuta Katsuo Performance prize for her performance.^[7]

She led Takarazuka's first Taiwan tour performance in 2013. In 2014, she led the opening production of Takarazuka Revue's 100th anniversary production of Napoleon playing the lead role Napoleon. Later in the year, she held her first Budokan concert REON in Budokan in Nippon Budokan. She is the second otokoyaku in Takarazuka's history to hold a concert in Nippon Budokan.^[8]

She resigned from the Revue on May 10, 2015. Her last Tokyo Takarazuka Theatre performance and farewell show was live streamed at 45 cinemas in Japan and also Taiwan and attracted around 26,000 viewers. After her last performance, around 12,000 fans gathered outside the Tokyo Takarazuka Theatre to bid her farewell, which is the largest number seen in Takarazuka history.^[9]

In late May 2015, it was announced that she will join the cast of the musical production Prince of Broadway in Japan from October to December 2015 which celebrates the career of the 21-time Tony-winning director and producer Hal Prince.^[10]

Troupe history

• Star Troupe: 1999 - 2015

Notable roles and performances in Takarazuka

New Actor era in Star Troupe

• The Rose of Versailles 2001: Oscar and André (2001), André Grandier
• A Song for Kingdom (Aida:Takarazuka version) (2003), Radames (lead role)
• A Love Story in 1914 (2004), Aristide Bruant (lead role)
• Ch'ang-an, Full of Swirling Flowers (2004), Hsüan-tsung (Emperor Xuanzong of Tang) (lead role)
• Shigure Hill Road in Nagasaki (2005), Isaji (lead role)
• The Rose of Versailles: Fersen and Marie Antoinette (2006), Hans Axel Von Fersen (lead role)

Regular Cast era in Star Troupe

• A Song for Kingdom (Aida :Takarazuka version) (2003), Mereruka
• Hello,the Spring Wind (2003), Seita (first lead role at Takarazuka Bow Hall)
• Still the Ship Sails on (2005), Johny Case (lead role)
• The Dragon Star (2005), Li Muei
• The Rose of Versailles: Fersen and Marie Antoinette (2006), André Grandier / Bernard Châtelet / Alain de Soissons
• Young Bloods!! -Twinkle Twinkle Star- (2006) (lead role)^[11]
• Hallelujah Go! Go! (2007), Dennis Garcia (lead role)
• Sakura / Secret Hunter (2007), Sergio
• Kean (2007), Prince of Wales
• El Halcon / Revue Orchis (2007-2008), Luminous Red Benedict
• The Red and the Black 2008), Fouqe/Prince Korasoff
• The Scarlet Pimpernel (2008), Chauvelin
• Viento de Buenos Aires (2008), Nicolas (lead role)^[12][13]
• My Dear New Orleans / A Bientô (2008), Leonard Duan

Star Troupe Top Star era

• The Legend Ver.II (2009), Damdeok (Top Star debut)
• Saikai(Meeting again) / The Soul of Shiva! (2009), Gerard (The National Tour)
• The Treasure Sword of Habsburg-Candle in Your Mind- / Bolero (2010), Eliyahu Rothschild / Eduard von Autheville
• Passion: Jose and Carmen / Bolero (2010), Jose (The National Tour)
• Roméo et Juliette, de la Haine à l'Amour (2010), Romeo^[14]
• Takarazuka Hana no Odori Emaki / An officer and a gentleman (2010), Zachary "Zack" Mayo^[15][16]
• Too Short a Time to Fall in Love / Le Poison - Love Potion Ⅱ (2011), Fred Walbask (Chunichi Theatre)^[17]
• Nova Bossa Nova - Sol / A Second Fortuitous Meeting -My Only Shinin' Star- Based on The Game of Love and Chance - Le Jeu de l'amour et du hasard by Marivaux (2011), Dorante Vespert^[18]
• Ocean's 11 (2011-2012), Danny Ocean
• REON!! (2012)
• Dança serenata / Celebrity (2012), Isaque
• In the Amber-hued Rain / Celebrity (2012), Claude de Bernard (The National Tour)
• Takarazuka Japonisme / A Second Fortuitous Meeting 2nd / Etoile de Takarazuka (2012-2013), Dorante Vespert
• The Rose of Versailles: Fersen (2013), Andre (Special performance in Snow Troupe)
• Roméo et Juliette, de la Haine à l'Amour (2013), Romeo
• REON!!II (2013)
• Napoléon, the Man Who Never Sleeps (2014), Napoleon
• The Sun King: Le Roi Soleil (2014), Louis XIV
• The Lost Glory / Passionate Takarazuka! (2014), Ivano Ricci
• REON in Budokan (2014)
• Like a Black Panther / Dear Diamond!! (2015), Antonio de Odalys (Last performance with Takarazuka)

Overseas performances

As a member of Takarazuka Revue:

• Takarazuka at Friedrichstadt Palast in Berlin, Germany (2000)^[19]
• Die Lian(Butterfly Love) / Southern Cross Revue in China (2002)^[20][21]
• Takarazuka in Korea 2005: Soul of Shiva !! (2005)^[22]
• Takarazuka Japonisme: Modulations / The Bandit Chu Liuxiang Side Story: The Flower Thief / Etoile de Takarazuka in Taiwan (2013)

Film

• Takarazuka Revue Cinema The Legend Ver. II

Post Takarazuka Era

Stage

• Prince of Broadway (Oct 23 - Nov 22 2015 Tokyu Theatre Orb; Nov 28 - Dec 10 2015 Umeda Arts Theatre)^[23]
• Biohazard: Voice of Gaia (Sep 30 - Oct 12 2016 Akasaka ACT Theater; Nov 11 - Nov 16 2016 Umeda Arts Theatre Main Hall) ^[24]

Concert

• REON JACK (Mar 11 - 17 2016 Umeda Arts Theatre Main Hall; Mar 26 - Apr 11 2016 Tokyo International Forum Hall C) ^[25]

Books

• 「夢をかなえるために、私がやってきた５つのこと」(The Five Things I Have Done To Make My Dreams Come True) (KADOKAWA 2015)

Discography

• Until I Sleep in the Night Sky (CD - Released on June 18, 2011) ^[26]
• R+ (CD/DVD - Released on February 24, 2016)

References

1. The official Takarazuka Revue website
2. 『宝塚おとめ』2014年版、阪急コミュニケーションズ
3. "Official Berlin Tour Website".
4. "安蘭、遠野、柚希の健闘が成功の最大要因　星組「スカーレット・ピンパーネル」".
5. "第30回松尾芸能賞各賞受賞者一覧".
6. "65th ACA Arts Festival Award Winners" (PDF).
7. "Kikuta Katsuo Performance prize".
8. "宝塚・柚希礼音、武道館でリサイタル！url=http://www.daily.co.jp/newsflash/gossip/2014/05/29/0007004712.shtml".
9. "ついに千秋楽！宝塚星組トップスター・柚希礼音サヨナラ公演の退団挨拶".
10. "Tony Nominee Ramin Karimloo Will Headline The Prince of Broadway in Japan".
11. Young Bloods!!
12. "積み重ねが花開く　宝塚星組・柚希礼音". 6 November 2008.
13. "柚希 圧倒的な存在感　宝塚星組「ブエノスアイレスの風」". 18 November 2008.
14. "現代社会のリアルな恋　宝塚「ロミオとジュリエット」". 19 August 2010.
15. "ザックと共に進化　宝塚星組・柚希礼音". 12 October 2010.
16. "「愛と青春の旅だち」宝塚ミュージカル化". 18 December 2010.
17. 柚希礼音が好演！星組公演「愛するには短すぎる」と「ル・ポァゾン　愛の媚薬Ⅱ」開幕
18. 熱く燃えたぎるショー「ノバ・ボサ・ノバ」
19. Takarazuka in Berlin
20. "Japan's all-female Takarazuka troupe set to perform in China.". 10 September 2002.
21. "Japanese to play dance drama". 5 September 2002.
22. "Takarazuka in Korea". 13 November 2005.
23. Prince of Broadway Official Website
24. Biohazard Official Website
25. REON JACK Official Website
26. "柚希礼音『夜空に眠るまで』".

External Links

• Reon Yuzuki Official Site(Japanese)
• Reon Yuzuki Official Profile(Japanese)
• Official Takarazuka Revue Website (Japanese)