An Unforgettable Stage Greeting to the Cheers of 800 People

Stage rehearsals began for a production with an audience of 800.

Although I didn't land a major role, I had decided this would be my final stage performance, so I committed myself to giving it my all.

1. Dance Lessons

This production was highly entertaining and featured dance scenes throughout.

The person who appeared as our dance instructor was none other than Lucky Ikeda.

I remembered him from TV wearing a watering can on his head, but the Lucky Ikeda who showed up at the rehearsal studio didn't have one on.

I had no prior dance experience, but since the choreography was more about moving comically to the beat than being technically demanding, I worked hard to help liven up the scenes.

2. Giving It My All

My screen time in the production was brief, but I gave my all even for those few seconds.

I tried to communicate as much as possible with my fellow cast members and attended gatherings after rehearsals whenever my budget allowed.

The stage set was handmade, and we would gather on days without rehearsals to help build it.

It was fun to work hard alongside cast members of my own generation, regardless of whether they were professionals or amateurs; it felt like preparing for a school festival.

3. An Unexpected Promotion

One week before the opening, the director announced the members who would give the greeting after the show.

There were three performances in total.

The first person chosen was a cast member who wasn't even the lead.

It seemed the director had considered giving roles to those who weren't leads.

The second person chosen was also an unexpected cast member.

And then,I was chosen as the third person.

My mind went blank for a moment due to this unexpected promotion, and I was struck by how much more excited my fellow cast members were than I was.

4. Moving In

A week before the show, rehearsals began on the actual stage.

I was so excited just to be standing on the stage I had dreamed of.

The center of the stage had a rotating mechanism.

When we assembled the set we had built ourselves, it was massive and impressive.

Everything held such deep meaning for me as we reached the opening day.

5. The Performance

For someone like me who was used to stages with about 100 people, a full house of 800 was overwhelming.

The show began, and I performed with all my might for all three performances.

Then, after the final performance and the curtain call, came the stage greeting.

In front of 800 audience members, I, an unknown actor who was neither the lead nor anything special, stepped forward and began the greeting.

"Thank you all so much for coming today!!"

My voice echoed through the hall.

The ending theme that played after the greeting was Yuzu's "Yume no Chizu" (Map of Dreams).

The sound of applause and cheers reached me from the audience like a wave.

It was the best experience, filled with an unprecedented sense of excitement, exhilaration, and accomplishment.

Summary

Whenever I hear Yuzu's "Yume no Chizu," which was used as the ending theme, the scene comes back to me, and I still feel like I might cry.

I am truly grateful to the director who gave me this precious opportunity.

To all the theater troupe members.

And to the audience who came to see us.

Having finished my final stage performance, I decided to pursue a path as an actor, focusing primarily on film.

I will tell you the rest next time.

Thank you for reading this far!

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