Ryoko Yonekura in Chico!ago

[eatlasagna]

found this video of her practicing for Chicago.. it's pretty much all in Japanese but you can see her practicing in English

anyone going to see her perform? i'm always intrigued when performers don't perform in their native language...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yj6HI1FNvOE

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Wow! What a wonderful video! I hope she does well in the show. The fact that she's done the role already in Japan is a big plus. Loved seeing the segments with Bianca Marroquin. from RC in Austin, Texas

[phan24]

She is only doing the show for 6 performances on Broadway, from today till Sunday. That seems like a really short time for someone's Broadway debut. I hope she is great though, I'm gonna try to catch one of her 6 performances.

[dramamama611]

I thought she was going to be here for a few weeks? Still a short contract. I'm going to guess that it was an Equity decision. Certainly, you can't prove that there aren't plenty of Americans that can handle the role, and they don't like to give away jobs to foreigners.

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

Per Playbill.com: "Following her Broadway debut, Yonekura will join Wright and the U.S. national touring company of Chicago in Tokyo, Aug. 30-Sept. 16 at the Akasaka Act Theatre." from RC in Austin, Texas

[Patti LuPone FANatic]

If someone happens to see one of her shows this week, please let us know how she did. She has done the role in her country, but Broadway is Broadway. I hope she does well. from RC in Austin, Texas

[phan24]

I saw her opening night tonight. She was good. Her dancing was phenomenal, she definitely held her own and at times was better than Amra-Faye Wright. Her diction was better than I expected, but she still had some moments when you couldn't understand her, but mostly she had the American accent down and really had no trouble getting any word out, except when she rushed the words like once or twice. Also her singing was great. She wasn't AMAZING, but she was good, and a big brava for her first performance in English! She was so charming and nice, it was hard not to like her!

Amra-Faye Wright spoke some lines in Japenese to Ryoko during the show which made the mostly-Japenese audience laugh. Also, Ryoko said that she 'put on her kimono' as one of Roxy's lines. It was a cute and fun way to make her Broadway debut.

Amra-Faye Wright spoke for a few moments at curtain call to congratulate Ryoko and her debut, and Ryoko also spoke and thanked Amra-Faye personally, and also her mom who was in the audience. There were also many press cameras all around the theater. It was a good night at the theater IMO. Tony Yazbeck was fantastic as well. Many fans waited for Ryoko at the stage door, she came out last, and was very thankful, she bowed and seemed very happy to be there.

Ryoko before taking a bow at the stage door.

[CurtainPullDowner]

She's so cute.
Is she single?

[jayinchelsea]

love this! wish I could see her!

[EricMontreal22]

Great report Phan! I didn't realize that Amra-Faye Wright had performed the show two years back in Japan, in Japanese--it's cute to see the sort of exchange http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/01/theater/01wright.html?_r=2