Yu Todoroki
Encyclopedia
Yu Todoroki is a current member of Takarazuka Revue
, where she plays an otokoyaku. She joined the Revue in 1985, became the top star of Snow Troupe in 1997, transferred to Superior Members in 2002 (upon the resignation of her top star partner Hitomi Tsukikage) and became the youngest member to serve on the company's board of directors in 2003. She is from Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto Prefecture
and her birthday is August 11.
Her nicknames are Tom and Ishi.
She has a sense of "maleness" and this has been the key to her success. Not only did French men reportedly address her as a man, but a pet dog of Tatsuki Kouju (a fellow member of Snow Troupe who became the top star of Star Troupe later on) even mistook her for a man.
Debuting in Moon Troupe in 1985, her career began blossoming when she was transferred to Snow Troupe in 1988. Like her juniors who went on to become top stars, such as Yōka Wao
and Jun Sena
, she was a solid "second man" to Fubuki Takane
, her top star superior. Upon the resignation of Takane, she rose to the top of her career on the Takarazuka stage. Currently as a member of Senka (Superior Members), she sometimes makes special appearances in the Grand Theater performances of other troupes—her most recent appearance is with top star Yūga Yamato
and Cosmos Troupe in 2008. She also stars in smaller-theater productions with other troupes, the most recent of these being Kean (a musical based on the life of Edmund Kean
).
She was the third top star to be partnered with legendary top musumeyaku Mari Hanafusa
, but their time together was short due to the formation of the Cosmos Troupe in 1998, when both Hanafusa
and Todoroki's "second man" Yōka Wao
were transferred to the new troupe.
In October 2006, she performed Oklahoma!
with Moon Troupe (including Hiromu Kiriya) at Nissay Theater.
She enjoys painting and has held exhibitions for her works 4 times.
In early 2007 she had a dinner show called Yu's Purple Shadow, backed by members of Cosmos Troupe, and also held a concert (Lavender Monologue) with Cosmos and Star Troupe in two separate timeslots.
After a year without any performances at the Grand Theater, she joined Cosmos Troupe (Top Stars: Yūga Yamato
and Hana Hizuki) for the musical Dawn Wind, based on the life of Jiro Shirasu, started in February 2008. This was the first time she had appeared in a Cosmos production since the troupe's establishment in 1998 and made her one of the few actresses who has participated the productions of all five troupes within the company.
Takarazuka Revue
The Takarazuka Revue is a Japanese all-female musical theater troupe based in Takarazuka, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. Women play all roles in lavish, Broadway-style productions of Western-style musicals, and sometimes stories adapted from shōjo manga and Japanese folktales. The troupe takes its name...
, where she plays an otokoyaku. She joined the Revue in 1985, became the top star of Snow Troupe in 1997, transferred to Superior Members in 2002 (upon the resignation of her top star partner Hitomi Tsukikage) and became the youngest member to serve on the company's board of directors in 2003. She is from Hitoyoshi, Kumamoto Prefecture
Kumamoto Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyushu Island. The capital is the city of Kumamoto.- History :Historically the area was called Higo Province; and the province was renamed Kumamoto during the Meiji Restoration. The creation of prefectures was part of the abolition of the feudal system...
and her birthday is August 11.
Her nicknames are Tom and Ishi.
Troupe history
Moon Troupe: 1985–1988
Snow Troupe: 1988–2002
Supreme Member: 2002–present
General information
Currently referred to as "Top of the Tops" in the Revue, she is considered to be one of the greatest Takarazuka actresses in this generation and has many fans. When Hitomi Tsukikage, her second top star partner in Snow Troupe, resigned from the company, she considered resigning as well since she had reached the height of her career in the company. However, Yachiyo Kasugano, the most senior member among the performers (a member since 1929), persuaded her to stay and she became the second top star in the company's history to resign from top star status but remain in the company (Yuri Haruna is the first case). In 2003, also upon the invitation of Yachiyo Kasugano, she became a member of the directors of the company, the youngest ever to serve the board of directors in the company's history.She has a sense of "maleness" and this has been the key to her success. Not only did French men reportedly address her as a man, but a pet dog of Tatsuki Kouju (a fellow member of Snow Troupe who became the top star of Star Troupe later on) even mistook her for a man.
Debuting in Moon Troupe in 1985, her career began blossoming when she was transferred to Snow Troupe in 1988. Like her juniors who went on to become top stars, such as Yōka Wao
Yoka Wao
' is a Japanese performing artist and a former member of the Takarazuka Revue, where she specialized in playing male characters . She joined the revue in 1988 and resigned in 2006....
and Jun Sena
Jun Sena
, is a Japanese actress and former top star of the Takarazuka Revue's Moon Troupe, a Japanese theatre organization in which women portray all parts. She was born April 1, 1974 and grew up in Suginami, Tokyo. During her time in the Revue, she was an otokoyaku, an actress who specializes in male roles...
, she was a solid "second man" to Fubuki Takane
Fubuki Takane
Yukihime Asada , better known by her stage name , is a Japanese actress and a former member of the Takarazuka Revue, where she specialized in playing male characters . She joined the revue in 1983 and resigned in 1997....
, her top star superior. Upon the resignation of Takane, she rose to the top of her career on the Takarazuka stage. Currently as a member of Senka (Superior Members), she sometimes makes special appearances in the Grand Theater performances of other troupes—her most recent appearance is with top star Yūga Yamato
Yuga Yamato
is a former top star for Cosmos Troupe of Takarazuka Revue. She joined the company in 1995 and became the top star in February 2007 upon the resignation of Kei Takashiro, which made her the first otokoyaku to be top in her class...
and Cosmos Troupe in 2008. She also stars in smaller-theater productions with other troupes, the most recent of these being Kean (a musical based on the life of Edmund Kean
Edmund Kean
Edmund Kean was an English actor, regarded in his time as the greatest ever.-Early life:Kean was born in London. His father was probably Edmund Kean, an architect’s clerk, and his mother was an actress, Anne Carey, daughter of the 18th century composer and playwright Henry Carey...
).
She was the third top star to be partnered with legendary top musumeyaku Mari Hanafusa
Mari Hanafusa
is a former member of the Takarazuka Revue, in which she specialized in female roles . She is from Tokyo and joined the revue in 1991 and retired in 2006...
, but their time together was short due to the formation of the Cosmos Troupe in 1998, when both Hanafusa
Mari Hanafusa
is a former member of the Takarazuka Revue, in which she specialized in female roles . She is from Tokyo and joined the revue in 1991 and retired in 2006...
and Todoroki's "second man" Yōka Wao
Yoka Wao
' is a Japanese performing artist and a former member of the Takarazuka Revue, where she specialized in playing male characters . She joined the revue in 1988 and resigned in 2006....
were transferred to the new troupe.
In October 2006, she performed Oklahoma!
Oklahoma!
Oklahoma! is the first musical written by composer Richard Rodgers and librettist Oscar Hammerstein II. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs' 1931 play, Green Grow the Lilacs. Set in Oklahoma Territory outside the town of Claremore in 1906, it tells the story of cowboy Curly McLain and his romance...
with Moon Troupe (including Hiromu Kiriya) at Nissay Theater.
She enjoys painting and has held exhibitions for her works 4 times.
In early 2007 she had a dinner show called Yu's Purple Shadow, backed by members of Cosmos Troupe, and also held a concert (Lavender Monologue) with Cosmos and Star Troupe in two separate timeslots.
After a year without any performances at the Grand Theater, she joined Cosmos Troupe (Top Stars: Yūga Yamato
Yuga Yamato
is a former top star for Cosmos Troupe of Takarazuka Revue. She joined the company in 1995 and became the top star in February 2007 upon the resignation of Kei Takashiro, which made her the first otokoyaku to be top in her class...
and Hana Hizuki) for the musical Dawn Wind, based on the life of Jiro Shirasu, started in February 2008. This was the first time she had appeared in a Cosmos production since the troupe's establishment in 1998 and made her one of the few actresses who has participated the productions of all five troupes within the company.
Snow new actor era
- The Great GatsbyThe Great GatsbyThe Great Gatsby is a novel by the American author F. Scott Fitzgerald. First published in1925, it is set on Long Island's North Shore and in New York City from spring to autumn of 1922....
- Jay Gatsby - Rose of Versailles - Andre
- Lovers Myths (First leading performance at Takarazuka Bow Hall)
Snow era
- Gone with the WindGone with the WindThe slaves depicted in Gone with the Wind are primarily loyal house servants, such as Mammy, Pork and Uncle Peter, and these slaves stay on with their masters even after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 sets them free...
- Rhett ButlerRhett ButlerRhett Butler is a fictional character and one of the main protagonists of Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.-Role:In the beginning of the novel, we first meet Rhett at the Twelve Oaks Plantation barbecue, the home of John Wilkes and his son Ashley and daughters Honey and India Wilkes...
(Takarazuka Cast); Rhett Butler and Ashley WilkesAshley WilkesGeorge Ashley Wilkes is a fictional character in the Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel Gone with the Wind and the later film of the same name. The character also appears in the 1991 book Scarlett, a sequel to Gone with the Wind written by Alexandra Ripley, and in Rhett Butler's People by Donald...
(Tokyo Cast) - Violets Glowing Red - Prince Naka no ŌeEmperor Tenji, also known as Emperor Tenchi, was the 38th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Tenji's reign spanned the years from 661 through 671.-Traditional narrative:...
- JFK - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.Martin Luther King, Jr.Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
- ElisabethElisabeth (musical)Elisabeth is a Viennese, German-language musical commissioned by the Vereinigte Bühnen Wien , with book/lyrics by Michael Kunze and music by Sylvester Levay. It portrays the life and death of the Empress consort of Austria, Elisabeth of Bavaria, wife of Emperor Franz Joseph I...
- Luigi Lucheni - Natasha of the Rainbow - Takeshi Kurisaki
- Kamen no Romanesque (an adaptation of Les Liaisons DangereusesLes Liaisons DangereusesLes Liaisons dangereuses is a French epistolary novel by Choderlos de Laclos.Les Liaisons dangereuses may also refer to:* Les liaisons dangereuses , a 1959 film adapted by Claude Brulé and directed by Roger Vadim...
) - Chevelier de Danceney
Snow top star era
- Ghost at Midnight (Top Star Debut) - Charles
- Praise of Spring Cherry - Jana Ryuuzan
- The Man Called Bacchus - Julian
- Arch of TriumphArch of Triumph (novel)Arch of Triumph is a 1945 novel by Erich Maria Remarque. In it, he writes about stateless refugees' life in Paris before World War II. It was the second book of his, after All Quiet on the Western Front, to appear on bestseller lists worldwide....
- Ravic - In Search of El Dorado - Yataro IwasakiYataro IwasakiIwasaki Yatarō was a Japanese financier and shipping industrialist, and the founder of Mitsubishi.-Early life:...
- Flaming Love - Fu Chai, King of Wu (final performance as the top star of Snow Troupe)
With Flower Troupe
- Gone with the WindGone with the WindThe slaves depicted in Gone with the Wind are primarily loyal house servants, such as Mammy, Pork and Uncle Peter, and these slaves stay on with their masters even after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 sets them free...
(Nissay Theater) - Rhett ButlerRhett ButlerRhett Butler is a fictional character and one of the main protagonists of Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.-Role:In the beginning of the novel, we first meet Rhett at the Twelve Oaks Plantation barbecue, the home of John Wilkes and his son Ashley and daughters Honey and India Wilkes... - A Flute Named Wind - Matsudaira Tadateru Kazusanosuke (first Grand Theater performance as a Senka member)
- Endless Flight (Grand Theater, appearing only in the Japanese dance portion)
With Snow Troupe
- Gone with the WindGone with the WindThe slaves depicted in Gone with the Wind are primarily loyal house servants, such as Mammy, Pork and Uncle Peter, and these slaves stay on with their masters even after the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 sets them free...
(Nissay Theater) - Rhett ButlerRhett ButlerRhett Butler is a fictional character and one of the main protagonists of Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.-Role:In the beginning of the novel, we first meet Rhett at the Twelve Oaks Plantation barbecue, the home of John Wilkes and his son Ashley and daughters Honey and India Wilkes... - In Quest of the Blue Bird (Grand Theater) - Jake MacNaughton
- Hanakuyou - Commemoration of the Buddha's Birthday (Nissay Theater) - Emperor Go-MizunooEmperor Go-Mizunoowas the 108th Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Go-Mizunoo's reign spanned the years from 1611 through 1629.This 17th century sovereign was named after the 9th century Emperor Seiwa and , translates literally as "later;" and thus, he could be called the "Later...
With Star Troupe
- Shigure Hill Road in Nagasaki (Grand Theater) - Isaji
- KeanKean (musical)Kean is a musical with a book by Peter Stone and music and lyrics by Robert Wright and George Forrest.Using material by Jean-Paul Sartre and Alexandre Dumas, père as its source, it centers on the adventures of Edmund Kean, considered the greatest Shakespearean actor of the 18th century, focusing...
(Nissay Theater) - Edmund KeanEdmund KeanEdmund Kean was an English actor, regarded in his time as the greatest ever.-Early life:Kean was born in London. His father was probably Edmund Kean, an architect’s clerk, and his mother was an actress, Anne Carey, daughter of the 18th century composer and playwright Henry Carey...
With Moon Troupe
- Rome at Dawn (Grand Theater) - Julius CaesarJulius CaesarGaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
- Oklahoma!Oklahoma!Oklahoma! is the first musical written by composer Richard Rodgers and librettist Oscar Hammerstein II. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs' 1931 play, Green Grow the Lilacs. Set in Oklahoma Territory outside the town of Claremore in 1906, it tells the story of cowboy Curly McLain and his romance...
(Nissay Theater) - Curly McLain
Personal concerts
- L'hortensia de Jun
- Les Jours d'Amour
- Noche de Yu
- The Way Yu are
- Yu Quiero Guitarras
- Alpha - 20ans FACE OF YU (Twentieth Anniversary Concert)
- Lavender Monologue
- Yu, il Mondo!