The LION
JAPAN
[TOKYO] Club eX, PRINCE HOTEL SHINAGAWA
December 19 - 23, 2024
INTRODUCTION
The Lion is a touching solo-musical depicting the true story of one man’s life. It has toured over 500 shows across the United States, and received the New York Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance and an Off-West End Award for Best New Musical.
This time, for its first ever production in Japan, it will be performed by a dual Japanese and English cast.
The lead role in the English language version of the show (with Japanese subtitles) will be played by Max Alexander-Taylor, who was selected for the role of Ben in the first revival production and gained critical acclaim for his advanced guitar skills and sensitive depiction of the role.
The Japanese language version will be performed by Songha, a talented actor who has played a wide range of roles in various stage productions in recent years and has captivated audiences with his high-level acting and rich vocal talent. In this show, he will be taking on the challenge of an all-guitar solo musical for the first time.
Hailed by West End critics as “an astonishing and captivating experience”, we invite you to experience this for yourself at the theater: a richly condensed 75 minute performance filled with warm and beautiful songs, heart wrenching monologues, and virtuoso guitar playing.
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Book, Music, and Lyrics
Benjamin Scheuer
Biography
Benjamin is the recipient of the Kleban Prize for Lyrics, and the Cole Porter Award for songwriting.
For “The Lion”, Scheuer won a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Solo Performance in New York, and an Off-West End Award for Best New Musical in London.
Scheuer’s new solo show, “A Mountain For Elodie”, premiered at the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe Festival, directed by Olivier Award-winner Polly Findlay.
With playwright Melis Aker, Scheuer has adapted “Hundred Feet Tall” into a musical, in development with Old Vic in London. The Old Vic also commissioned and produced Scheuer’s short solo piece, “Water From Dust”.
CAST
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[English Language Version]
Ben (double cast)
Max Alexander-Taylor
Biography
Training: The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
Max has played Ben in “The Lion” at Southwark Playhouse in London and the subsequent US tour.
Theatre includes: Cable Street (Southwark Playhouse); Stages (VAULTS); The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Iris Theatre); The Bow Maker (National Theatre of Scotland).
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[Japanese Language Version]
Ben (double cast)
Songha
Biography
From Tokyo. Songha began performing in theatre during his college years, and has primarily worked on stage through groups such as the Kita-ku Tsuka Kohei Theater Company. He has been awarded the Newcomer’s Prize in Theater at the 2008 ACA National Arts Festival, the Outstanding Actor Award at the 18th Yomiuri Theatre Awards in 1999, and the 57th Kinokuniya Theatre Award for Individual Achievement in 2010.
His recent major stage performances include Season Hana of “SEVEN SOULS IN THE SKULL CASTLE”, “Elisabeth”, “Requiem on the Great Meridian”, “Guards at the Taj”, “The Illusionist”, “Thrill Me”, “COLOR”, “The Architect and the Emperor of Assyria”, Kinoshita Kabuki’s “Sakurahime Azuma Bunsho”, “Rabbit Hole”, “Strider: The Story of a Horse”, “The Cherry Orchard”, “The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle”, “Terayama Cabaret”, and the NHK historical drama “The 13 Lords of the Shogun”. He also featured in the stage adaptation of “Future Boy Conan” in May and June of 2024, and “Pillow Man” in October 2024. In March and April of 2025, he will perform in the musical “The Illusionist”.
CREATIVES
＜Original Production Creatives＞
Book, Music, and Lyrics: Benjamin Scheuer
Co-Directors: Alex Stenhouse and Sean Daniels
Set & Costume Designer: Simon Kenny
Lighting Designer: Emma Chapman
UK Associate Lighting Designer: Stuart Glover
Sound Designer: Andrew Johnson
UK Producer: Danielle Tarento
＜Japanese Production Creatives＞
Script & Lyric Translator: Tsukuri Miyano and Songha
Associate Set Designer: Mirei Iwamoto
Associate Lighting Designer: Aiko Komatsuzaki
Associate Sound Designer: Masakazu Kurashige
Guitar Supervisor (Japan): yas nakajima
Instrument Support: Hiromitsu Hosozawa (Taylor Guitars Japan)
Support: Blue Jupiter Co., Ltd.
Stage Manager: Eriko Tanaka
Special thanks to Goodspeed Opera House, Weston Playhouse, the Johnny Mercer Foundation, and Geffen Playhouse.
Originally Produced in the United States by the Manhattan Theatre Club on June 10, 2014
Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director Barry Grove, Executive Producer
SCHEDULE
[TOKYO] Club eX, PRINCE HOTEL SHINAGAWA
December 19 - 23, 2024
| December 2024 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 （Thu） |
20 （Fri） |
21 （Sat） |
22 （Sun） |
23 （Mon） |
|
| 12:00 PM | ― | ― | Songha ◆ | Songha ◆ | Songha ◆ |
| 3:30 PM | ― | Max ● | Max ● | ― | Songha ★ |
| 5:00 PM | ― | ― | ― | Songha ◆ | ― |
| 7:00 PM | Max ● | Songha ◆ | Songha ◆ | ― | ― |
●＝ Commentary ( Max & Songha )
◆＝Commentary ( Songha )
★＝Special Curtain Call
* All audience members are welcome to participate. Please note that the content of the event may be subject to change.
TICKETS
[TOKYO] Club eX, PRINCE HOTEL SHINAGAWA
- ◆Public Ticket Sales
- November 2nd, 2024, at 10:00 AM (JST)
* Tickets for the 1st floor bench seats and 2nd floor balcony reserved seats and private rooms will be available from the start of Public Ticket Sales. - ◆Ticket Prices
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1st Floor Reserved Seat: 12,500 yen (All seats reserved, tax included price) 1st Floor Bench Seat: 5,000 yen (All seats reserved, tax included price)
* Parts of the performance may be difficult to see from this seating2nd Floor Balcony Reserved Seat: 12,500 yen (All seats reserved, tax included price) 2nd Floor Private Room (Up to 4 people): 25,000 yen (All seats reserved, tax included price)
* On the day of the performance, please exchange your voucher for a seat ticket at Club eX’s same-day ticket sales counter 45 minutes prior to the performance.
* Four seat tickets will be handed out upon the exchange. One person per seat ticket may enter. - ◆Requests to Visitors
- -Please refrain from bringing children under preschool age to the venue.
-Please note that the performers and schedule may be subject to change due to unavoidable circumstances.
-Aside from the case of cancellation of the show, no refunds or transfers to other performances will be made.
-If you require wheelchair assistance, please inform us at our contact number at least one day prior to the performance after purchasing your ticket.
-There will be no live streaming, Blu-ray, DVD, CD, etc for this performance.
-Please check the performance website for the latest information. - ◆Ticket Agency
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Ticket Pia LAWSON Ticket e+ (eplus) RakutenTicket TicketMe Umeda Arts Theater Ticket NET-KAIIN Umeda Arts Theater Ticket Online Umeda Arts Theater ticket counter * 10:00 AM-6:00 PM
* This is only if there are still seats available.
* Address : 19-1 Chayamachi,Kita-ku,Osaka 530-0013
» Location (How to reach)
ACCESS
PRINCE HOTEL SHINAGAWA
10-30 Takanawa 4-chome, Minato-ku Tokyo, 108-8611 Japan
Tel: +81-(0)3-3440-1111