Mari Hanafusa
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Mari Hanafusa (花總 まり, Hanafusa Mari)(born February 28, 1973) is a former member of the Takarazuka Revue, in which she specialized in female roles (Musumeyaku).[1] She is from Tokyo and joined the revue in 1991 and retired in 2006. She is the first and the only musumeyaku of her class to receive top billing.
Troupe membership history[edit]
- Star Troupe: 1991–1993
- Snow Troupe: 1993–1998
- Cosmos Troupe: 1998–2006
Facts[edit]
Considered the "Mary Pickford of Takarazuka", she gained audiences' attention during her first years in Star Troupe, and three years after her debut, in 1994, became top musumeyaku of Snow troupe. Having performed with five different stars as partners, Maki Ichiro (of the Snow troupe), Fubuki Takane (Snow), Yū Todoroki (Snow), Asato Shizuki (Cosmos) and Yōka Wao (Cosmos)--the latter her partner the longest—over the course of twelve years, Hanafusa enjoyed the longest run as star musumeyaku in the Takarazuka's history.
Also, upon her participation in the 1994 new actor production of Gone with the Wind as Scarlett O'Hara, Hanafusa became the only musumeyaku to have her own billing (top billing usually goes to otokoyaku; so this was an exceptional case).
Along with Hitomi Tsukikage (of Star and Snow troupes) and Rei Dan (Moon and Star), she was one of the few musumeyaku to star in two troupes.
In 1998, she founded Cosmos Troupe with Asato Shizuki, Yōka Wao, Wataru Kozuki and Hikaru Asami with an overseas performance in Hong Kong. She retired in 2006.
In January 2007, she came out of retirement and performed on stage along with Yōka Wao in Wao's concert. Up until 2011, Hanafusa worked as an official representative for Yōka Wao in Wao's company, Wao Enterprise, which they founded together in February 2007. During this period, Hanafusa has regularly appeared in most of Wao's concerts or as co-star in stage plays where Wao has starred. It is unusual for partnering stars who have left Takarazuka to continue to work together so closely. As of October 2011 however, Hanafusa has resigned from Wao Enterprise after participating in Dracula with Wao. Although she had participated as a guest star in a couple of performances with other Japanese artists, there was no official announcements as to what Hanafusa's future career direction will be until June 2012.
In June 2012 it was released that Hanafusa had signed with From First Production, a talent promotion agency. Her talent profile is found here.
Notable performances and roles[edit]
Takarazuka era[2][3][4][edit]
Debut[edit]
- 1991: Rose of Versailles ~Oscar~ - Moon Troupe (Grand Theater)
Troupe rotation[edit]
- 1991: The Great Gatsby / Lovers' Concerto - Snow Troupe (Grand Theater)
- 1991: The Emblem of Venezia / Junction 24 - Flower Troupe (Tokyo Theater)
Star Troupe era[edit]
- 1992: Sunset of the Forbidden City (Tokyo Theater)
- 1992: Legend of the Midnight Sun / One Night Mirage - Mimir
- 1992 (Bow Hall) - 1993 (Nippon Seinenkan): Hello, George! - Elizabeth
- 1993: Houjushou / Parfum de Paris
- New Actor Show: Dancing Lady S / Lover / Parisienne (HY: Shiraki Ayaka)
- 1993: Mayerling / Paparagi (Grand Theater) - Millie Stübel
- New Actor Show: Marie Vetsera (HY: Shiraki Ayaka) - First New Actor Show Lead Musumeyaku
Snow Troupe era[edit]
- 1993: Seal of the Bourbons / La Cote d'Azur - Mariel
- 1994: A Battlefield for the Two of Us (Bow Hall / Nippon Seinenkan) - Lyla - First Small Theater Lead Musumeyaku
- 1994: Gone with the wind - Carreen O'Hara
- New Actor Show: Scarlett O'Hara (HY: Ichiro Maki) - First New Actor Show Lead
Snow Troupe Top Musumeyaku era[edit]
- 1994: A Battlefield for the Two of Us (Aichi Annuity Hall) - Lyla - Top Musumeyaku Pre-debut
- 1994-5: An Actor’s Revenge / Sagittarius - Namiji - Top Musumeyaku Debut
- 1995: JFK / 1001 Baroque Nights - Jacqueline Kennedy
- 1995: Love Blooms Out on the Murasakino / Ma Belle Etoile - Nukata no Ookimi
- 1996: Elisabeth - Elisabeth
- 1996: Love Blooms Out on the Murasakino / Ma Belle Etoile (National Tour) - Nukata no Ookimi
- 1996: Natasha of the Rainbow / La Jeunesse! - Natasha
- 1996 (Bow Hall) - 1997 (Nippon Seinenkan / Aichi): On a Clear Day You Can See Forever - Daisy Gamble
- 1997: Natasha of the Rainbow / La Jeunesse! (Chunichi)- Natasha
- 1997: Romanesque Mask / Golden Days - Marquise de Merteuil
- 1997: Ghost at Midnight / Les Cherubim - Marie
Cosmos Troupe Top Musumeyaku era[edit]
- 1998: Mugen Houjushou / This is TAKARAZUKA! (Hong Kong tour) - Cosmos Troupe Top Musumeyaku Pre-debut
- 1998: Excalibur / Citrus Breeze - Rosaline Cosmos Troupe Top Musumeyaku Debut
- 1998: Bow Voyage! Bow Hall
- 1998-99: Elisabeth - Elisabeth
- 1999: Excalibur / Citrus Breeze (National Tour) - Rosaline
- 1999: Passion: Jose and Carmen / The Revue '99 - Carmen
- 2000: Black Rose of the Desert / Glorious!! - Marianna
- 2000: Mayerling / Glorious!! (National Tour) - Marie Vetsera
- 2000: Nostalgia Across the Sea / Millennium Challenger! - Princess Yu, Catherine the Great
- 2001: Nostalgia Across the Sea / Millennium Challenger! (National Tour) - Princess Yu, Catherine the Great
- 2001: Rose of Versailles: Fersen and Marie Antoinette - Marie Antoinette
- 2001-02: Castel Mirage / Dancing Spirit! - Eva-Marie
- 2002: Castel Mirage / Dancing Spirit! (National Tour) - Eva-Marie
- 2002: Legend of the Phoenix -Calaf & Turandot- / The Showstopper - Turandot
- 2002-03: Miracle of the Holy Star (Drama City / Akasaka ACT) - Lydia
- 2003: Pierre the Mercenary / The Star Dust Party - Joan of Arc
- 2003: Legend of the Phoenix -Calaf & Turandot- / The Showstopper (Hakataza) - Turandot
- 2003-04: Lightning in the Daytime / Temptation! - Vivianne de Pauvert
- 2004: Boxman (Nippon Seinenkan / Drama City), Dolly Page
- 2004: Phantom - Christine Daaé
- 2004: Gone with the wind - Scarlett O'Hara
- 2005: Hotel Stella Maris / The Legend of the Revue - Stacy Lancaster
- 2005: Hotel Stella Maris / The Legend of the Revue (National Tour), Stacy Lancaster
- 2005: A Kiss to the Flames / Neo Voyage - Leonora
- 2006: Never Say Goodbye - Katherine McGregor/Peggy McGregor (her last musical with Takarazuka)
Performance after Takarazuka[5][edit]
- 2010: Dietrich - Edith Piaf
- 2011: Dracula, the Musical - Mina Murray - Heroine
- 2011: LOVE LETTERS 2011 21st Anniversary - Melissa
- 2011: MODEA Winter Live 2011 - Guest vocals
- 2012: Elisabeth Special Gala Concert
- 2013: No Words, No Time
- 2013: Eien Monogatari - Yoshioka Yoshiko - Heroine
- 2013: Broadway Musical Live
- 2013: The Count of Monte Cristo - Mercédès - Heroine
- 2014: Lady Bess - Elizabeth I - Lead role
- 2014, 2017: Mozart! - Nannerl
- 2015, 2016, 2019, 2023: Elisabeth - Elisabeth - Lead role
- 2016: 1789 - Marie Antoinette
- 2018: Romale - Carmen - Lead role
- 2018: The Secret Garden - Lily Craven - Heroine
- 2018, 2021: Marie Antoinette - Marie Antoinette - Lead role
- 2020, 2023: The Odd Couple - Florence Unger - Double Lead with Daichi Mao
- 2021: Closed today - Teruko - Lead role
- 2022: The Little Prince - The Rose
- 2022: Galaxy Express 999 THE MUSICAL - Maetel
- 2023: SUNNY - Nami
- 2023: Beethoven Secret - Antonie "Toni" Brentano
- 2024: The Tiny Wife - Stacey - Lead role
Concert[edit]
- 2012, 1016: Elisabeth Special Gala Concert
- 2016: 25th Anniversary Hanafusa Mari First Concert 〜Especially For You〜
- 2020: Premium Symphonic Concert ~ Hanafusa Mari
- 2020: Premium Symphonic Concert ~ Hanafusa Mari ~ Xmas version
Television drama[edit]
- 2017: Naotora: The Lady Warlord - Sana
- 2017: Seirei no Moribito - Yuuka
- 2021: Meiji Kaika: Shinjuro Tanteicho - Kanou Atsuko - Guest
Elisabeth trivia[edit]
Hanafusa was the first star to perform as Elisabeth of Bavaria in the musical Elisabeth and the only one to do so twice: first in a 1996 Snow production and then in a 1998 Cosmos production. Thus she was an Elisabeth who was haunted by two deaths (Maki Ichiro and Asato Shizuki), married to two Franz Josephs (Fubuki Takane and Yōka Wao), assassinated by two Luigi Luchenis (Yū Todoroki and Wataru Kozuki). She crowned four Prince Rudolfs (Tatsuki Kōju, Yōka Wao, Hikaru Asami and Sakiho Juri) because Kōju and Asami changed troupes before the Tokyo performance and were substituted by Wao and Juri.
Most of the actresses playing Franz Josephs, Rudolfs and Luigis became stars later on, except Juri, who was moved to Senka.
- Fubuki Takane (Franz Joseph [Snow])--> Snow Troupe
- Yū Todoroki (Luigi Lucheni [Snow])--> Snow Troupe
- Tatsuki Kōju (Rudolf [Snow])--> Star Troupe
- Yōka Wao (Rudolf [Snow] and Franz Joseph [Cosmos])--> Cosmos Troupe
- Wataru Kozuki (Luigi Lucheni [Cosmos])--> Star Troupe
- Hikaru Asami (Rudolf [Cosmos])--> Snow Troupe
References[edit]
- ^ Sands, Ryan; (editor), Ryan Sands. Electric Ant #2: Exquisite Corpses. Electric Ant Zine. pp. 15–. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
{{cite book}}:|last2=has generic name (help) - ^ Yume o egaite hanayaka ni: Takarazuka Kageki 80-nenshi: 80-shūnen Takarazuka Kageki (Teiho dai 2-han ed.). Hyōgo-ken Takarazuka-shi: Takarazuka Kagekidan. 1994. ISBN 4-924333-11-5.
- ^ すみれ花歳月を重ねて―宝塚歌劇90年史―. Hyōgo-ken Takarazuka-shi: 宝塚歌劇団. 2004. ISBN 4-484-04601-6.
- ^ Hundred years' history of Takarazuka revue: 虹の橋渡りつづけて. 東京: 阪急コミュニケーションズ. 2014. ISBN 978-4-484-14600-3.
- ^ "BLOOMING GROUP OFFICIAL WEBSITE". BLOOMING GROUP OFFICIAL WEBSITE (in Japanese).
External links[edit]
| International | |
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| National | |
