Kei Aran
Encyclopedia
, is a Japanese actress and former top star otokoyaku (an actress who plays male roles) of the Japan
ese Takarazuka Revue
's Star Troupe. She joined the revue in 1991 and became the top star in 2007, five years after her fellow classmates Sumire Haruno
(the former top star of Flower Troupe) and Hikaru Asami
(former top star of Snow Troupe) became top stars. She resigned from the company in April 2009 and is currently pursuing an acting career outside of the Revue.
She is original from Konan, Shiga
, Japan
, and her nickname is Touko.
She is of Zainichi Korean
descent and the first from such background to become the top star of the company. However, she is not the first non-Japanese actress to become a Takarazuka top star: Ran Ootori, who is of Chinese descent, was top star of Star Troupe from 1975 until 1979.
Aran graduated at the top of her class from the Takarazuka Music School in 1991. She was the last member of her class to become top star, and also the last to retire from the Revue when she did so in April 2009.
She was one of the promising young stars that were promoted by the company in 1999 along with Haruno and Asami. Before she was promoted to top star status, she was considered as one of top-stars-in-waiting along with former Cosmos Troupe top stars Kei Takashiro and Yūga Yamato
, former top star of Moon Troupe Jun Sena
, and former top star of Snow Troupe Natsuki Mizu
.
The last name of her stage name, Aran is from the protagonist of a Korean legend Legend of Ariran.
Starting her career in Snow Troupe, she developed her singing and acting alongside Takarazuka legends such as Yu Todoroki
, Yoka Wao
and Tatsuki Kouju. With the 1996 production of Elisabeth
, she became the first to perform the lead role of Der Tod in the understudy performance. Later on, she participated in two Bow Hall performances starring Wao (Grand Shanghai and Wuthering Heights
), in which she had prominent roles. In 1998, she had her first Bow Hall lead performance, Icarus.
In 1999, Aran formed The Wonder Three along with Hikaru Asami and Kouki Naruse. The trio had a Bow Hall performance under the same name. Although similar trios of younger actresses could also be found at that time in Flower Troupe (Haruno, Sena and Mizu) and Moon Troupe (Ōzora, Kiriya and Yamato), they were the only trio that was considered official. This trio also held the main roles in the special performance of Arch of Triumph
; this is the first, and to date, only, instance of the Revue having three casts for one show (the main cast led by Todoroki, the new actor cast led by Rea Ranka, and the special cast led by Asami).
In 2000, she was transferred to Star Troupe and became the second man for Ko Minoru, Tatsuki Kouju and Wataru Kozuki
. When Kozuki had the lead in A Song for Kingdoms (a variation of the opera Aida
) as her top star debut in 2003, Aran was cast as Aida, a role which brought much applause. In the same year, she also held the lead roles in performances of Singin' in the Rain
and Ganryuu.
Marking the 90th anniversary for the company in 2004, Aran had special appearances in two Cosmos Troupe productions. The first was Lightning in the Daytime, where she replaced Mizu in the Tokyo performance. This was followed by the role of Count Philippe de Chandon in Phantom
, where she rejoined former Snow Troupe troupemates Wao and Mari Hanafusa
.
In 2006, she had a special appearance in the Snow Troupe production of Rose of Versailles. This was both the first and last performance with classmate and former troupe mate Asami since Aran's troupe transfer.
After Takarazuka:
, Rose of Versailles has played an important part in Aran's Takarazuka career. She is one of the very few that has been in roles of Oscar, Andre and Hans Axel Von Fersen, the three prominent male roles in the production.
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese Takarazuka Revue
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...
's Star Troupe. She joined the revue in 1991 and became the top star in 2007, five years after her fellow classmates Sumire Haruno
Sumire Haruno
is a former member of Takarazuka Revue, specializing in otokoyaku. She joined the revue in 1991, became the top star in 2002 and resigned from the company in 2007...
(the former top star of Flower Troupe) and Hikaru Asami
Hikaru Asami
Hikaru Asami 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 1991 and resigned in 2006...
(former top star of Snow Troupe) became top stars. She resigned from the company in April 2009 and is currently pursuing an acting career outside of the Revue.
She is original from Konan, Shiga
Konan, Shiga
is a city located in the southern part of Shiga, Japan. The city was founded on October 1, 2004 by the merger of the towns of Kōsei and Ishibe, both from Kōka District. The total area is 70.49 km²....
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and her nickname is Touko.
She is of Zainichi Korean
Zainichi Korean
Koreans in Japan are the ethnic Korean residents of Japan. They currently constitute the second largest ethnic minority group in Japan. The majority of Koreans in Japan are Zainichi Koreans, also often known as Zainichi for short, who are the permanent ethnic Korean residents of Japan...
descent and the first from such background to become the top star of the company. However, she is not the first non-Japanese actress to become a Takarazuka top star: Ran Ootori, who is of Chinese descent, was top star of Star Troupe from 1975 until 1979.
Troupe history
-
Snow Troupe: 1991–2000 -
Star Troupe: 2000–2009
Biography
She was one of the promising young stars that were promoted by the company in 1999 along with Haruno and Asami. Before she was promoted to top star status, she was considered as one of top-stars-in-waiting along with former Cosmos Troupe top stars Kei Takashiro and 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...
, former top star of Moon Troupe 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...
, and former top star of Snow Troupe Natsuki Mizu
Natsuki Mizu
Natsuki Mizu is the former top star for Snow Troupe of Takarazuka Revue from 12/24/06 to 09/12/10. She joined the company in 1993 and became the top star in December 2006 upon the resignation of Hikaru Asami...
.
The last name of her stage name, Aran is from the protagonist of a Korean legend Legend of Ariran.
Starting her career in Snow Troupe, she developed her singing and acting alongside Takarazuka legends such as Yu Todoroki
Yu Todoroki
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 and became the youngest member to serve on the company's board of directors in 2003...
, Yoka 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 Tatsuki Kouju. With the 1996 production of Elisabeth
Elisabeth (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...
, she became the first to perform the lead role of Der Tod in the understudy performance. Later on, she participated in two Bow Hall performances starring Wao (Grand Shanghai and Wuthering Heights
Wuthering Heights
Wuthering Heights is a novel by Emily Brontë published in 1847. It was her only novel and written between December 1845 and July 1846. It remained unpublished until July 1847 and was not printed until December after the success of her sister Charlotte Brontë's novel Jane Eyre...
), in which she had prominent roles. In 1998, she had her first Bow Hall lead performance, Icarus.
In 1999, Aran formed The Wonder Three along with Hikaru Asami and Kouki Naruse. The trio had a Bow Hall performance under the same name. Although similar trios of younger actresses could also be found at that time in Flower Troupe (Haruno, Sena and Mizu) and Moon Troupe (Ōzora, Kiriya and Yamato), they were the only trio that was considered official. This trio also held the main roles in the special performance of Arch of Triumph
Arch 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....
; this is the first, and to date, only, instance of the Revue having three casts for one show (the main cast led by Todoroki, the new actor cast led by Rea Ranka, and the special cast led by Asami).
In 2000, she was transferred to Star Troupe and became the second man for Ko Minoru, Tatsuki Kouju and Wataru Kozuki
Wataru Kozuki
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 1989 and resigned in 2006. She is from Iruma, Saitama ....
. When Kozuki had the lead in A Song for Kingdoms (a variation of the opera Aida
Aida
Aida sometimes spelled Aïda, is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Antonio Ghislanzoni, based on a scenario written by French Egyptologist Auguste Mariette...
) as her top star debut in 2003, Aran was cast as Aida, a role which brought much applause. In the same year, she also held the lead roles in performances of Singin' in the Rain
Singin' in the Rain (musical)
Singin' in the Rain is a musical with a book by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, lyrics by Arthur Freed, and music by Nacio Herb Brown.Adapted from the 1952 movie of the same name, the plot closely adheres to the original...
and Ganryuu.
Marking the 90th anniversary for the company in 2004, Aran had special appearances in two Cosmos Troupe productions. The first was Lightning in the Daytime, where she replaced Mizu in the Tokyo performance. This was followed by the role of Count Philippe de Chandon in Phantom
Phantom (musical)
Phantom is a musical with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston and a book by Arthur Kopit. Based on Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel The Phantom of the Opera, the musical was first presented in Houston, Texas in 1991....
, where she rejoined former Snow Troupe troupemates Wao and 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...
.
In 2006, she had a special appearance in the Snow Troupe production of Rose of Versailles. This was both the first and last performance with classmate and former troupe mate Asami since Aran's troupe transfer.
Snow Troupe New Actor era
- 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...
- Der Tod - Natasha of the Rainbow - Sanjou Kaoru
Snow Troupe era
- Grand Shanghai - Wong Jin-Shun (Bow Hall performance, starring Yoka WaoYoka 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....
) - Wuthering HeightsWuthering HeightsWuthering Heights is a novel by Emily Brontë published in 1847. It was her only novel and written between December 1845 and July 1846. It remained unpublished until July 1847 and was not printed until December after the success of her sister Charlotte Brontë's novel Jane Eyre...
- Edgar (Bow Hall performance, starring Yoka Wao) - Frozen Tomorrow - Bonnie and ClydeBonnie and Clyde (film)The film was originally offered to François Truffaut, the best-known director of the New Wave movement, who made contributions to the script. He passed on the project to make Fahrenheit 451. The producers approached Jean-Luc Godard next...
- Jeremy Methvin (Bow Hall performance, starring Tatsuki Kouju and Hitomi Tsukikage) - Icarus - Icarus (first leading performance at Takarazuka Bow Hall)
- 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....
- Hyrne Alvarez (regular cast)/Boris Morosow (special cast) - Gone with the WindGone With The Wind (musical)Gone with the Wind is a musical based on the Margaret Mitchell's novel of the same name and its 1939 film adaptation, with music and lyrics by Margaret Martin, and a book by Martin, adapted by Sir Trevor Nunn....
- 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... - Hanafubuki Koifubuki - Ishikawa GoemonIshikawa Goemonwas a semi-legendary Japanese outlaw hero who stole gold and valuables and gave them to the poor. Goemon is notable for being boiled alive along with his son in public after a failed assassination attempt on the civil war-era warlord Toyotomi Hideyoshi. A large iron kettle-shaped bathtub is now...
(second leading performance at Takarazuka Bow Hall)
Star Troupe era
- Rose of Versailles: Oscar and Andre - Hans Axel Von Fersen
- Gone with the WindGone With The Wind (musical)Gone with the Wind is a musical based on the Margaret Mitchell's novel of the same name and its 1939 film adaptation, with music and lyrics by Margaret Martin, and a book by Martin, adapted by Sir Trevor Nunn....
- 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... - The Prague Spring - Jan Palach
- A Song for Kingdoms - Aida
- Singin' in the RainSingin' in the Rain (musical)Singin' in the Rain is a musical with a book by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, lyrics by Arthur Freed, and music by Nacio Herb Brown.Adapted from the 1952 movie of the same name, the plot closely adheres to the original...
- Don Lockwood - Ganryuu - Sasaki Kojiro
- Lightning in the Daytime - Edmond de Lambrouse (Special appearance, replacing Natsuki MizuNatsuki MizuNatsuki Mizu is the former top star for Snow Troupe of Takarazuka Revue from 12/24/06 to 09/12/10. She joined the company in 1993 and became the top star in December 2006 upon the resignation of Hikaru Asami...
in the Tokyo run) - PhantomPhantom (musical)Phantom is a musical with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston and a book by Arthur Kopit. Based on Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel The Phantom of the Opera, the musical was first presented in Houston, Texas in 1991....
- Count Philippe de Chandon (Special appearance for Cosmos Troupe) - Ch'ang-an, Full of Swirling Flowers - An Lu-shan
- Shigure Hill Road in Nagasaki - Rasha
- The Dragon Star - Ryuusei (Last leading performance before being top star)
- Rose of Versailles: Fersen and Marie Antoinette - Andre (Takarazuka run)/Oscar François de JarjayesOscar François de Jarjayesis one of the main characters in the manga/anime series The Rose of Versailles, created by Riyoko Ikeda.-Character history:Born the last of five daughters to the Commander of the Royal Guards, General François Augustin Regnier de Jarjayes she is raised by her father as if she were a boy in order...
(Tokyo run) - Rose of Versailles: Oscar - Andre (Special appearance for Snow Troupe, shared with Wataru KozukiWataru Kozukiis a Japanese performing artist and a former member of the Takarazuka Revue, where she specialized in playing male characters . She joined the revue in 1989 and resigned in 2006. She is from Iruma, Saitama ....
, Sumire HarunoSumire Harunois a former member of Takarazuka Revue, specializing in otokoyaku. She joined the revue in 1991, became the top star in 2002 and resigned from the company in 2007...
, Natsuki MizuNatsuki MizuNatsuki Mizu is the former top star for Snow Troupe of Takarazuka Revue from 12/24/06 to 09/12/10. She joined the company in 1993 and became the top star in December 2006 upon the resignation of Hikaru Asami...
, Jun SenaJun 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...
and Kei Takashiro) - Too Short a Time to Fall in Love - Anthony Randolph
Star Troupe Top Star era
- Hays Code - Raymond Woodrow (Top Star debut)
- Sakura / Secret Hunter - Dagobert (Top Star debut at Grand Theater)
- El Halcon - Tyrian Persimmon
- Red and BlackThe Red and the BlackLe Rouge et le Noir , 1830, by Stendhal, is a historical psychological novel in two volumes, chronicling a provincial young man’s attempts to socially rise beyond his plebeian upbringing with a combination of talent and hard work, deception and hypocrisy — yet who ultimately allows his passions to...
- Julien Sorel - The Scarlet PimpernelThe Scarlet Pimpernel (musical)The Scarlet Pimpernel is a musical with music by Frank Wildhorn and lyrics and book by Nan Knighton, based on the novel of the same name by Baroness Orczy. The show is set in England and France during the Reign of Terror of the French Revolution...
- Percy Blakeney - Side Story: The Rose of the Versailles - Bernard / NeoDandyism III - Bernard Châtelet
- My Dear New Orleans / A Bientôt - Joy Bee (last musical with Takarazuka)
Personal concerts
As a member of Takarazuka:- The Wonder Three
- Rough Time
- Late Show
- Sense
After Takarazuka:
- Uno
- Aran Kei Live 2010
A note on Rose of Versailles
Like MizuNatsuki Mizu
Natsuki Mizu is the former top star for Snow Troupe of Takarazuka Revue from 12/24/06 to 09/12/10. She joined the company in 1993 and became the top star in December 2006 upon the resignation of Hikaru Asami...
, Rose of Versailles has played an important part in Aran's Takarazuka career. She is one of the very few that has been in roles of Oscar, Andre and Hans Axel Von Fersen, the three prominent male roles in the production.