GREY GARDENS Makes Japanese Debut, 11/7

The Tony-nominated musical Grey Gardens, will make it's debut across the Pacific in Japan at Tokyo's Theatre Creation from November 7 - December 6.  The production is being directed by Tony-nominated Amon Miyamoto (Pacific Overtures). 

The production, which has been translated into Japanese, will tale the now infamous riches to rags tale of East Hampton socialites Edith Bouvier Beale and little Eddie Beale. Grey Gardens will premiere at Theatre Creation in Tokyo, with a mini tour to follow including stops in Osaka and Nagoya in December. The shows creators, Scott Frankel (composer), Michael Korie (lyricist), Doug Wright (book) are scheduled to attend the Tokyo opening.

Little Edie Beale will be played by Shinovu Ohtake. Mitsuko Kusabue will portray the elder, Big Edie Beale. They will be joined on stage by Kanami Ayano (Young Edie), Takuji Kawakubo (Joe Kennedy), Keigo Yoshino (George Gould Strong), David Yano (Brooks), Akihiko Mitsueda (Major Bouvier), Tomoyo Kurosawa/Kurumi Okubo (Jacqueline Bouvier) and Yuka Oshita/Kanon Fujisaki (Lee Bouvier).

Shigeru Yawata musical directs. Choreography is by Chie Oka, set design is by Takeshi Kata, lighting design is by Ryuichi Nakawgawa, costume design is by Ayako Maeda, and wig design is by Sakie.

Originally directed by Rent director Michael Grief, Grey Gardens first premiered Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons in 2006 and transferred to Broadway that same year where it ran for 307 performances at the Walter Kerr Theatre. Grey Gardens received a Tony nomination for Best Musical and garnered Tony Awards for leads Christine Ebersole and Mary Louise Wilson, as well as for costume designer William Ivey Long.  It has received numerous productions throughout the United States since.