Exciting news for fans of Snow Man, SixTONES, and Shonen Ninja! Shota Watanabe from Snow Man and Shintaro Morimoto from SixTONES will be starring in the highly anticipated stage production “DREAM BOYS,” set to run from October 9 to 29 at Tokyo’s Imperial Theatre.
This announcement marks their return to the roles they brilliantly performed in the previous production in September 2023, with Koichi Domoto continuing to direct. Notably, this will be the final staging of “DREAM BOYS” at the current Imperial Theatre before its temporary closure in February 2025 for renovations.
Since its premiere in January 2004, “DREAM BOYS” has been a beloved production with over 500 shows performed. It showcases the talents of vibrant and skilled performers in their twenties. Singing, dance, acrobatics, acting… “DREAM BOYS” is one of the masterpieces of a musical that will give the audience a bit of everything.
Over its 20-year history, the lead role has been played by numerous renowned artists, including KAT-TUN’s Kazuya Kamenashi (2004-2012), Kis-My-Ft2’s Yuta Tamamori (2013-2018), then King & Prince’s Yuta Kishi (2019-January 2021), and timelesz’ Fuma Kikuchi (2021-2022), with each bringing their unique flair to the stage.
For many of the talents involved in this production, both this year and previous years, “DREAM BOYS” has been the start of their acting career. It’s one of the many plays that the agency has produced over the years, and many young talents have had the chance to act in, grow from, and gain experience from it.
For some of these talents, like Fuma and Juri Tanaka (SixTONES), “DREAM BOYS” was their childhood, where they stood behind and watched the backs of their seniors perform the lead roles. Years later, with more experience in both career and acting, they return to the world of “DREAM BOYS” as the lead actors themselves.
One main theme of “DREAM BOYS,” in particular, is highlighting the importance of friendship and bonds between people, as well as the dreams they hold dear. These sentiments overlap with the cast members in real life as well, making “DREAM BOYS” feel even more genuine as they perform with their whole hearts and souls.
Long-time fans have witnessed the growth of their favorite talents from the first time they stepped onto the stage of “DREAM BOYS” as a minor role to the moment they came back as the lead role. Just like how the talents treasure their memories and experiences as part of the musical’s cast over the years, fans also treasure their favorite’s journey of growth.
It’s truly a magical moment to witness and realize just how far the boys have come.
Passing on the torch from senior to junior in this sense is something that can only be seen and experienced with a long history like “DREAM BOYS” and its cast. Performing in this legendary musical is not just a work for the participating members, it’s being part of history and leaving a legacy behind.
In 2019, Koichi Domoto took on the role of director, infusing new life into the production. For this final run at the historic Imperial Theatre, Shota and Shintaro, both deeply connected to the show through their previous performance, will reprise their roles. Joining them will be seasoned performers Jun Shibuki and Ran Otori, along with a remarkable ensemble of 20 members from STARTO Jr. group Shonen Ninja. Kairu Tamura, Ren Kubo, Shosei Oda, Yujin Suzuki, Yojiro Taki, Hoshiki Kawasaki, Tsubasa Yamai, Yusei Nagase, and Michiharu Inaba will all be making their debut in this production.
This year’s performance marks the 20th anniversary of “DREAM BOYS” and is expected to surpass 750 shows, making it a milestone event before the Imperial Theatre temporarily closes for reconstruction.
Shota expressed his excitement and honor, saying, “Performing ‘DREAM BOYS’ at the Imperial Theatre for the last time in 2024 will be a significant memory in our careers. It’s a stage that not just anyone can stand on, so we want to cherish every moment and enjoy the October performances together.” Shintaro added, “After last year’s performance, I felt like we truly made ‘DREAM BOYS’ our own, and this year, I hope we can bring out even more of our unique color.“
In a playful exchange, Shintaro suggested they should ask director Koichi for a special favor. Shota recalled, “When we first took on the main roles, we noticed we didn’t have our own curtains1. Last year, we borrowed the theatre’s curtains. Many performers receive curtains as gifts from mentors or significant people in their lives. So, we’d love it if Koichi-kun could create a luxurious curtain for us, fitting for the final performances at the Imperial Theatre.“
Shintaro chimed in, “Also, we haven’t had a chance to have dinner with Koichi–kun. We’d seriously love to go out for a meal together.” Shota humorously added, “Both requests might be a bit expensive, but we’d appreciate your consideration, Koichi-kun!“
With such a star-studded cast and heartfelt preparations, this final run of “DREAM BOYS” at the Imperial Theatre promises to be a poignant and unforgettable experience for both the performers and the audience. Don’t miss out on this historic event!
Official website: https://tohostage.com/dreamboys/
- Noren (暖簾) are traditional Japanese fabric dividers hung between rooms, on walls, in doorways, or in windows. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noren ↩︎