Takarazuka Revue Fan Podcast

Hi all! A short episode continuing the history of the Takarazuka Revue, this time focusing on the 1950s. Please enjoy, and don’t forget to join the conversation on the blog, Facebook, or Twitter! Thanks!

Sources for this podcast episode:

• 「夢を描いて　華やかに」(Painting Dreams Gloriously: Takarazuka Revue’s 80th Anniversary)  ISBN 4-924333-11-5
• 「すみれ花歳月を重ねて」(Gathering Up the Years of the Violets: Takarazuka Revue’s 90th Anniversary)　ISBN 4-484-04601-6
• 「虹の橋　渡りつづけて　舞台編」(Continuing Over the Rainbow Bridge  Stage Volume: Takarazuka Revue’s 100th Anniversary) ISBN 978-4484146003
• 「虹の橋　渡りつづけて　人物編」(Continuing Over the Rainbow Bridge People Volume: Takarazuka Revue’s 100th Anniversary) ISBN 978-4484146010

Songs used in this episode (from 「宝塚歌劇～戦後編～」Takarazuka Revue ~After the War~ album):

• “What Is Your Name?” (What Is Your Name?) 1954 – Kasugano Yachiyo, Aratama Michiyo
• “Farewell Song” (The Himeyuri Monument) 1953 – Akashi Teruko, Aratama Michiyo
• “Today Is a Happy Sunday” (Swing High, Swing Low) 1951 – Koshiji Fuyuki, Minami Yuuko, Utashima Utame, Akashi Teruko

Video link:

This is from an 80th anniversary video released by Takarazuka in 1994. The short 3 minute clip features Kasugano Yachiyo appearances from 1950s shows, including “Yu the Beautiful” (1951) and an ad for “A Vast Land of Roses” (1953) The link is on a Chinese vid site.

Images of the 1950s

The Grand Theater in the 1950s had two balconies! (From The Story of Takarazuka, published mid-1950s, personal collection.)

They had a really insane schedule of performances and appearances for the 1956 second Hawaiian tour  (From the Hawaiian Tour Album, personal collection).

The early 1950s marked the beginning of color GRAPH covers. Takarazuka Graph covers of the 1950s regularly featured musumeyaku stars (personal collection).

Urashima Utame (Jan. 1952)

Yachigusa Kaoru (Aug. 1952)

Tsukushi Mari (Nov. 1953)

They published small pamphlet programs in English for the 1950s Grand Theater  performances. Here are the covers of several, as well as some bio blurbs of the stars that were inside them. Funny reading. (personal collection)