ITARU CHIGASAKI (Spring Troupe)
Lead actor in the Spring Troupe’s 5th play, Knights of Round IV THE STAGE
Secondary lead actor in the Spring Troupe’s 2nd play, Boy Alice in Wonderland
Lead actor in the mixed troupe play The Two-faced Teacher
“I feel overwhelmed when I see the audience’s reactions.”
Given that you did not have any prior experience when you started working at Mankai Company, when did you become interested in acting?
I honestly didn’t watch stage plays very much before I started being an actor. I wasn’t familiar with the differences between TV dramas, movies, and plays. But whenever I stand on stage, I notice how the audience’s reactions change as each scene unfolds. I feel overwhelmed when I see their reactions. As someone who used to only enjoy other people’s works, being one of the actors on stage and giving the audience a play to enjoy felt overwhelmingly new. Though of course, it also made me feel a little pressured. Being an actor intensified my appreciation for the producers and creators I admire.
What was the biggest change in your life ever since you became an actor?
I noticed how my stamina improved. I’ve always had the stamina to stay up all night, but I think you need to develop a different kind of stamina when you’re a stage actor. I realized I shouldn’t judge musclebrains who bug me to start working out. Oh, by the way, I did mention I stay up all night but it’s not because of work. So don’t worry!
What do you do during your days off?
It’s top secret. Just kidding. Sorry, I just wanted to try saying it in an interview. I usually make the most out of them. I use that time to recharge myself before we start performing on stage again. Getting scolded by [Izumida] Azami for having eyebags…is something that never happened to me. I swear.
What play do you find the most memorable?
The most memorable for me was our fifth play, Knights of Round IV THE STAGE. It was my first time being a lead actor. And just like what I said at the start of the play’s premiere night, it’s a stage adaptation of a franchise that I have a special attachment to so I was very enthusiastic about it. Working with Hoshii-san from End Links (creator of Knights of Round IV) was the most memorable experience ever. I never thought I’d have an opportunity like that. Also, coaching the troupe on how to give justice to their respective characters was a challenging experience. I realized how difficult it was to express how I imagine a character and giving concrete advice so that they can portray that character as accurately as possible. Because of this, I felt even more admiration for our director and [Kashima] Yuzo-san for always being there to coach us. Working in a trading company requires the ability to accurately express your thoughts into words. This made me think I’ve had this skill even before I became an actor. I realized, though, how there’s still a lot of room for improvement.
On play titles: Title translations from A3! Wiki (yaycupcake) were used for easy reference in case you want to look them up.
Special thanks to Terumi!
mikanzuki translations 