Photo Flash: TAKARAZUKA!!! at Clubbed Thumb's SUMMERWORKS 2012

TAKARAZUKA!!! is a new play with song and dance about the real-life all-female Japanese theatre troupe of the same name -- being presented as part of the Obie Award-winning Clubbed Thumb theatre company's 17th annual SUMMERWORKS series of new plays by emerging writers, now through June 4. Check out photos of Jennifer Ikeda, Paul Juhn, Brooke Ishibashi, Jennifer Ikeda and Angela Lin below!

TAKARAZUKA!!! is written by Susan Soon He Stanton and is directed by Lear de Bessonet.

Part ghost story, part love story, TAKARAZUKA!!! tracks the career sunset of Yuko, the star of a Japanese theater that stages all-female Western style musical extravaganzas. But when you take away her partner, her fans, and her tux, who will she be?

SUSAN SOON HE STANTON’s plays include AMERICAN PIG PEN, CYGNUS, FURBALL, THE THINGS ARE AGAINST US, WHATEVER HAPPENED TO JOHN BOY KIHANO?, THE UNDERNEATH, THE ART OF PRESERVATION and others. She is a member of The Public Theater’s Emerging Writer’s Group and Ma-Yi Playwrights Lab. Awards include the 2011 Van Lier Fellowship at The Lark, and The Sloan Foundation feature film development grant. MFA: Yale Playwriting. From Honolulu, Susan lives in New York City. This is Susan’s first NYC production.

Lear deBessonet Original works have been produced by Lincoln Center Theatre, the Old Globe Theatre, the Intiman Theatre, Joe’s Pub, and Performance Space 122. She has worked with writers Marcus Gardley, Naomi Iizuka, Todd Almond, Deborah Stein, and Lucy Thurber. She most recently conceived and directed ODYSSEY at The Old Globe, featuring a cast of nearly 200 performers including local choirs, marching bands, and park rangers.

The cast of TAKARAZUKA!!! includes Jennifer Ikeda (TOP GIRLS, Manhattan Theater Club; TITUS ANDRONICUS, The Public), Brooke Ishibashi (THE INEXPLICABLE REDEMPTION OF AGENT G, Ma-Yi Theater Company in association with Vampire Cowboys Theater Company), Paul Juhn, Glenn Kubota and Angela Lin.

SUMMERWORKS runs now through June 30 at HERE Arts Center (145 Ave. of the Americas) in Soho. Tickets are $18 ($15 for students/seniors). For performance information and tickets call 212 352 3101 or visit http://www.here.org.