Interview: Jon Reimer on I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE by Tokyo International Players

Jon Reimer is the director of Tokyo International Players (TIP)’s production of I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change. He is the Drama Teacher at Seisen International School, a job which he adores. Jon has a doctorate from the Joint Ph.D. program in Theatre and Drama, and an M.F.A. in Directing. His academic research interests include traditional and modern Japanese performance, western acting techniques focused around active listening, and cross-cultural theatre. He is specifically interested in inter- and intra-culturalized Japanese theatre and their relevance amongst international perspectives. This is Jon’s second time living in Japan and he is happy to be back.

Could you tell me a little bit more about yourself and your backgrounds? 

I'm originally from Pennsylvania in the United States, born and raised there, went to undergrad there for theater. I have a B.A. in Theatre Arts, Directing and Design with a minor in Religion, Asian Studies from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania.I later went on and received a doctorate from the Joint Ph.D. program in Theatre and Drama at the University of California, San Diego and UC Irvine, and an M.F.A. in Directing from UC San Diego. 

Then I moved to Japan in 2006. I lived here for seven years. 2009 is when I first started working with Tokyo International Players and I have since been working with Tokyo International Players on and off for 14 years. I performed in a bunch of shows and directed a bunch of shows: Pippin, Once Upon a Mattress, Into the Woods, etc. I also did an original English-language Kabuki at the time, which was an adaptation of A Christmas Carol. It was very, very cool. Very popular. After that, I left and went back to San Diego to pursue my Masters and my PhD in theater once again.

Then, I returned to Japan after COVID at the end of 2022 and I started working as a drama teacher in international schools. Now, I'm a full-time Sensei (Teacher) at Seisen International School and I'm once again directing with Tokyo International Players.

Could you tell me more about Tokyo International Players?

Tokyo International Players is one of the oldest english-language theater companies in Asia. It has been around since the 19th century. Basically, since its inception, it has changed a lot over the years, of course, but in the last several decades, it has a tendency to do combinations of plays and musicals. We've done a combination of English and Japanese or other languages. But primarily, it's an English-language theater company.

It's volunteer-based, and no one is paid. In Tokyo International Players, it is all people who volunteered out of their love for the theater. We were trying to oppose COVID to bring back the full season of shows like we used to have and how it used to be. We would do a play in the fall, Shakespeare in the winter, and then a musical in the spring. Now after COVID, we are slowly coming back. This (“I LOVE YOU YOU’RE PERFECT NOW CHANGE”) is the first musical since COVID.

How did you know about Tokyo International Players?

When I was living in the United States, I had heard about it from friends who were from Japan. When they knew I was moving here, they said, “Oh, you should look into Tokyo International Players” and I was like “Yeah, sure” and I didn’t think anything. I was living in Nagano, originally, so I wasn’t in Tokyo. But then I met people who work with Tokyo International Players and they said “You should come and direct shows and be in the shows”. That was how. I heard about it, kind of forgot about it, then I actually met people and they said “You should” and I dived right in. I then and now, still help out with anything they need, like costumes and backstage. I was on the board and I'm on the board again, advertising, whatever they need. I try to help out because I just love theater and I love helping make theater.

What do you think is the best part of being part of Tokyo International Players for you? 

It really is amazing to find so many people who are similar to yourself. And I don't mean in terms of life or nationality or whatever, but it is those people who are really committed and dedicated to making theater for putting on theater, for the benefit of the community, and for the love it. Yes, it's in English, but again, many of us are able to speak Japanese or work in multilingual settings. It's just nice to come together with like-minded theater people who are just dedicated to the arts.

Do you have any messages for those who haven't seen any Tokyo International Players’ production yet but interested? 

Yes, just come to the show. Come be a part of it. I think it's so special. Especially for people who are English speakers, foreigners in Japan, who may be new or still trying to find a community in the arts that really love theater. Tokyo International Players offers up a theater that they can understand and have fun with, and also shows that they know and are familiar with. It’s just a great way to be able to go out and have a good time. So I just encourage them to come out and see the show. You’ll enjoy yourself.

Let’s talk about up coming production, “I LOVE YOU YOU’RE PERFECT NOW CHANGE”. Which part do you like about this show? 

I like all of it. I love the humor. It's a very funny show. Even though the show is made in the 90s, I see so much of the witty things that the writers found about love and relationships and how people feel in those situations are still very relevant, and very funny. So for example, I love the kind of awkward but humorous moments. The dates aren't always fun and I really just love that. That seems to still be as relevant as when it was written. There are very funny takes in the show around love and relationships. That’s my favorite part. It's just very fun. 

How about the key highlights? 

I would say, I love our big group numbers. We've doubled the size of the cast. Normally it is a four-person show, we casted eight people. I think highlights for me are really momentous amazing times when all people are on the same stage at the same time and singing. It's amazing. Their big beautiful voices, singing these numbers, giving it an even more or lash sound because it would double the voices than normally we have. So the opening of the show, the closing of the show, before the intermission when everybody's on stage. These are really really key highlights.

But also, there’s famous numbers frankly. Like, “Always a Bridesmaid” and we have this amazing performer, Victoria Humpert who gets the humor of the song. We have Marriage Tango which is an amazing number of a married couple. Normally, it is portrayed by a husband and wife, but in our production, it is two gay men who are married with kids and trying to find time to be romantic. That’s a highlight. We also have a car ride with a family who are squabbling amongst each other. 

How about the hardest part during the rehearsal process and how did you manage it? 

Hardest part of any rehearsal with Tokyo International Players is scheduling. Everyone's a volunteer as I have mentioned. So everyone’s giving their time after work, after school, wherever they are coming from. And so we get all of everyone's conflicts to try to make the schedule work for everyone. But then after that, there’s still something that comes up at work, or “I'm running late.” So having to try to still make it all ready in time while managing people’s schedule and their time is a challenge. But again, this isn't my first time directing for Tokyo International Players. If anything, I feel as a director, I really learned the value of time management. So that has been the most challenging as always, but I’ve had a lot of practice to figure it out, keep going and get it done by the time the show needs to go up. 

Do you have any message to those who are interested in this show? 

Oh yes, absolutely. Please go to our website and book your tickets. It's a small intimate little theater in Shimokitazawa, called "Geki" Shogekijo Theater and there is around 90 seats. So with the small house, the tickets will go quickly. You get your seats and be ready to laugh and cry, and have all the emotional rollercoasters. People really dive into what love, relationships, dating and marriage is like over a lifetime. 

Do you have anything else you'd like to share? 

I really hope that everyone who comes have a wonderful time at the show and can see themselves in a moment, a character, or a song lyric. Again, the thing I really love is it just seems to still be relevant. We’ve tried to modernize it a little bit like cell phones and social media apps. So I hope that people will come in and have a moment where they'll go “That was so me!” or “I totally get that” or even as the characters get older and start to talk about death and dying and love in old age – there are also scenes with parents and the grandparents – and have that moment of that connection, “Oh yeah, I see myself in that moment”, that means a lot. 

To post a comment, you must register and login.