Tokyo International Players Announce 2012-13 Youth Programs, Auditions, Upcoming Shows and More

Tokyo International Players have announced information about upcoming 2012-13 productions, youth opportunities, auditions, how to apply to produce a show on TIP's Second Stage, and more. See full details below.

Coming up from the TIP Youth program:

ACT I PROGRAM - "Honk! JR." Book and lyrics by Anthony Drewe, music by George Stiles. Based on Hans Christian Andersen's "The Ugly Duckling". Directed by Linden Wint. Choral direction by Megan Ofstedal.

A musical version of "The Ugly Duckling". Ugly is tormented by everyone in The Farmyard, falls into the hands of the Cat and finds himself lost in a blizzard. Will he ever find his way home safely? Will he ever make any friends?

ACT II PROGRAM - "Guys and Dolls JR." Book by Abe Burrows & Jo Swerling, music and lyrics by Frank Loesser. Based on "The Idyll of Sarah Brown" and characters by Damon Runyon. Directed by Dale Geyer. Choral direction by Megan Ofstedal.

A rollicking musical comedy full of hilarious and lovable New York characters. Follow along as missionary Sarah Brown navigates her conflicting feelings for slick gambler Sky Masterson, while showgirl Miss Adelaide tries to pin down her fiancée, Nathan Detroit, after 14 years of engagement!

TIP Youth is a program from Tokyo International Players designed for teaching students all about theatre and performing. This six-month program is just for students, to give them a firm grounding in all things involved in acting on stage, being part of a production and belonging to a theatre community. TIP Youth aims to provide students with a solid foundation of knowledge and practical techniques in theatre and performing in a professional-level show, so that they may carry and use this experience in many aspects of their student and adult lives, whether they perform professionally or not. The students, aged eight to seventeen, have been attending workshops and rehearsals since January, learning through practice what it is to be part of a professional theatrical production. Come and see the results of their hard work and dedication to the craft.

Intake for the 2013 program opens November 1st, 2012. Information will be posted in October.

"Honk JR." (ACT I) plays Thursday, May 31st @ 7pm and Saturday, June 2nd@ 1pm AND 4pm. "Guys and Dolls JR." (ACT II) plays Friday, June 1st @ 7pm and Sunday, June 3rd @ 1pm AND 4pm. Both shows take place at the Bonbon Theater in Nakano. For map and directions, click here.

All tickets are 2,000 JPY. For "Honk, JR." reservations, go online here. For "Guys and Dolls, JR." reservations, follow this link.

On the Second Stage, TIP will present "Intimate Apparel" by Lynn Nottage, directed by Sonja Inge.

"Intimate Apparel" is the story of Esther Mills, the daughter of slaves, who is a highly-skilled lingerie seamstress in New York City in 1905. She saves all of her money in a quilt in the hopes of one day opening a beauty parlor where black women will be treated like royality. However, she is also very lonely and and after celebrating a milestone birthday, is desperate to be married. Through a mutual friend, she strikes up a long distance relationship with a Caribbean laborer.

Originally a co-production and co-commission between Center Stage, Baltimore, Maryland, and South Coast Repertory, Costa Mesa, California. It was also performed off-Broadway starring Viola Davis.

This production will feature Trenetta Jones, Ann Jenkins, Ra'Chelni M. Weir II, Lucy King, Nami Miyasaki and Matt Rac.

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