In the past few years, Avex has been full throttle in the theater business, including plays and musicals. Which stage show is this year's attention on, you ask? None other than the runway musical Fashion Freak Show created by the world-famous fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier. Avex will host the world tour of this production, a first for a Japanese company. The man who took overall command of the production is Tetsuya Yamaura, General Manager of the Theater Production Group at Avex Entertainment's Live Business Department. He worked as a stage manager at Shiki Theatre Company and also as a theater scriptwriter and director before joining Avex. Yamaura has been involved in stage production for more than ten years, even before their department was established at Avex. Today he talks about the history and outlook of their theater business.
Avex's entry into the
theater business was full of ups and downs
The start of Avex's theater business dates back to 2007 when they invited the performance group BLUE MAN GROUP. It was through the BLUE MAN GROUP that Yamaura first connected with Avex. When asked why he became interested in theater, Yamaura, whose father is a scriptwriter, said that entertainment had always been around him since he was a child.
"Starting theater in college was probably a natural route for me. By the time graduation came around, I wanted to become a director. At that time, I heard that Shiki Theatre Company was recruiting research students for their technical staff, and I thought that if I wanted to become a director, I should know about the technical and structural aspects of stage art, based on the advice of my seniors. So I knocked on the door of Shiki Theatre."
In his fourth year there, he was put in charge of stage direction for the musical Beauty and the Beast. For those who are not familiar with the term stage director, to quote Yamaura, it’s basically like "a behind-the-scenes production supervisor for the stage."
"I was with the Shiki Theatre for about nine years. As a student in the industry, I was always trying to find my way around, but in the last one or two years, I learned a lot by working closely with Keita Asari (the founder and director of the Shiki Theatre Company)."
After Yamaura left them in search of a new stage, he went freelance as a stage director, scriptwriter, and event producer for musicals, plays, and exhibitions at such events as motor shows. At the same time, he also worked for a foreign stage technology company. One day, the stage technology company received a request for production management of BLUE MAN GROUP, which included theater consulting, stage production, and audience management.
"At the time, BLUE MAN GROUP was a major project that required its own theater in Roppongi for the performance. I had the opportunity to talk to Kuroiwa, who was then the executive director of Avex Live Creative (now the Representative Director, CEO of Avex Inc.), and he told me that they were planning to focus on the stage business in the future. So, I raised my hand and that was how I met Avex."
Just like that, Yamaura joined Avex at the age of 35. Initially, he was the only employee involved in stage production, but Yuzuru Yoshiike（https://avex.com/jp/en/contents/challenge-of-theater-producer/)joined later, making it two. As of March 2023, the theater production group in the Live Business Division where Yamaura is currently employed has more than ten members. Avex has been recognized for producing hit works such as the musical Monty Python's SPAMALOT, which was handled by Yoshiike, and has been hosting stage productions for the past few years. The road to get to this point, however, was not exactly smooth sailing.
"When we entered the theater business, we visited several companies in the theater industry to introduce ourselves. However, when we tried to make appointments using Avex's name, the meeting was mistaken for a sponsorship request, which caused some confusion. The theater industry still has an old-fashioned atmosphere to it, for better or for worse. Despite this, I think many people in the industry felt uneasy about Avex's entry into the industry."
The challenge of crossing genres.
Avex’s strength;
full-package entertainment
When it came to expanding into the theater business, Yamaura reveals that Avex aimed to produce a diverse range of stage performances.
"From the beginning of the launch of our theater business, Kuroiwa spoke adamantly about how Avex was a company that creates entertainment, and he wanted to show their ability to take on the challenge of producing various stage pieces. With that goal in mind, we have produced a wide range of stage productions up to this day. Our department has multiple producers, and each one continues to challenge themselves free from the boundaries of genres. I also feel that this is Avex's strength as a comprehensive, full-package entertainment company."
In the 2019 fiscal year, before the pandemic, Avex hosted thirty-two theater productions. This year, it is around twenty. Yamaura happily says, "The industry still has a long way to go, but I feel like we're getting back to where we were." When asked about particularly memorable works that he had been involved with since joining Avex, he thought for a moment before saying NANTA. NANTA is a non-verbal performance originating in Korea. Performers dressed as chefs use kitchen utensils such as knives and cutting boards as instruments, charming the audience with humorous movements. Debuted in Korea in October 1997 it set the record for the highest number of audience members in Korean performance history, and is still being performed today. Avex was planning to bring the show to Japan in mid-March 2011 as part of its invitation project.
"After the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Korean team was concerned about the safety of performers and was hesitant to come to Japan, as the first day of the show was scheduled just a few days after the earthquake. Negotiations continued for three days and three nights. We told them, ‘even in the midst of this crisis, we assure you that the show can be performed safely.’ We urged them to come and present their wonderful entertainment in Japan."
Despite danger of being canceled, it ended up being a great success, and a return performance was held in Japan later that year in June.
Organizing a world tour,
the first for a Japanese company.
A musical depicting the life of
Mr. Gaultier: Fashion Freak Show
Just as they’ve proclaimed from the start of their theater business, the Live Production Theater Group continues to handle a diverse range of stages. This year, that stage, and new challenge, will happen this May. As mentioned above, it is none other than the runway musical Fashion Freak Show that depicts the life of Jean-Paul Gaultier. Starting from its Paris performance in 2018 and the London production last July, it will be performed in two cities, Tokyo and Osaka from May, and then the group will organize a world tour to visit Europe, Asia, Oceania, North America, and other regions.
"This is a work in which fashion and expression complement each other, as it follows the life of Gaultier. Anyone who has even a little interest in either, can enjoy it, without a doubt. I have watched many musicals in my line of work, but this still feels fresh. It is thoroughly enjoyable. The dramatic life in the shoes of Gaultier has been turned into a show that is both gorgeous and rich in powerful messages."
For this production, Gaultier himself handles the script, direction, and over 200 sets of costumes. It includes representative and popular works from Gaultier's valuable collection, as well as new works fresh off the drawing board. The music features arrangements of hit songs from the 1980s that match the world of the stage piece, including David Bowie, and Nile Rodgers' "Le Freak," which Gaultier spent his youth listening to. When the show debuted in Paris in 2018, it quickly garnered rave reviews and the world tour was decided in no time. Initially, Avex planned to perform the same work in Japan as one of the world tour stops in 2021. However, the situation changed drastically due to the pandemic, and the world tour was canceled. Naturally, the performance in Japan was also in jeopardy.
"We had heard that it was a wonderful show, so we absolutely wanted to make it happen. The entire group persistently negotiated with the British production team for the Japan performance. Eventually, Avex proposed to host the entire world tour itself. In the end, we received a positive response, saying, 'If you are willing to go that far, when nobody else can take it on, then let's do it together.' The work expresses the importance of living as oneself without being too serious and is perfectly suited for the diversity-focused times we’re in now."
Furthermore, Yamaura continues, "If this work can become a chance for Avex to be known worldwide."that would be just splendid.
"I believe that Avex's greatest strength is its diversity in handling a wide range of genres such as theater, musical shows, and 2.5D performances, as emphasized by CEO Kuroiwa. I strongly feel that Fashion Freak Show is a work that can make the most of that strength."
"We want to be more proactive in developing theater entertainment that targets not only the domestic market but also the global market, starting with this work. The Japanese market is large, and performing Japanese-oriented contents, including regular theater, musicals, and 2.5D shows, will become the mainstay of our sales. Plus, it has to potential to produce group synergy, such as using Avex artists. On the other hand, we will tour works that are viable overseas on a global scale, such as Fashion Freak Show. Ultimately, we plan to charge ahead with both of these axes, one in each hand."
Producing stage works across various genres is indeed Avex's strength. In 2023, in addition to Fashion Freak Show, there are various works with different personalities and genres waiting in the wings, such as the four-actor conversation play Nijikai no Hitotachi, Johnny's Jr. co-starring in One For All, All For One?, and the music play 'Bun to Fun.' In the Japanese and even global theater scenes, Avex's presence is becoming increasingly significant. And, surely, its future is bright, as can been deducted from Yamaura's gentle yet powerful narration.
Avex Entertainment Inc.
Tetsuya Yamaura