The stage production of "Hoshi Ressha de Ikiru" will open at the Minamiza Theater on Saturday, July 27, 2024, directed by Tamasaburo Bando. The report on the press conference at the Kyoto Railway Museum on Monday, May 22, features Tamasaburo Bando, Takuya Kageyama (IMP.), Goshi Matsuda, Ryunosuke Matsumura, and Kazutaka Ishii in their first starring roles on the stage!

Tamasaburo Bando: This is my second new play at the Minamiza, following last year. It is a story about a young man who takes the next step in his life while riding a train, and Mr. Hitoshi Mayama wrote the original story. We haven't started rehearsing yet, but we have read the book and rehearsed a couple of times together. We are going to work hard to prepare for the first day of the show in July.

Takuya Kageyama: I will be playing the role of Taro, and I think he is a bit like me. （Taro is not a counselor for the young men on the star train in search of their dreams, but he can give advice calmly, but when it comes to himself, he gets stuck, or rather, he is a bit confused. What do I want to do? So in this respect, I would like to play the role with a clear image of Taro, while putting "Takuya Kageyama" into the role as well.

Kazutaka Ishii: I play the role of a conductor. The star train is a legendary train that is said to be a place where dreams can be found, and these three young people come on board with their problems. The role of the adults is to guide them, to guide them, to help them figure out what kind of life they should lead and what kind of dream they should have. The role also has a mysterious side to it, as if I can see into their lives and their futures, making it a somewhat special role. I am working very hard on the script, consulting with Tamasaburo. I also want to bring out the funny side of the character (laughs). I myself love to be funny, but I want to bring out the funny, comedy-leaf side of me.

Satoshi Matsuda: The character I am playing, Jiro, is a man who is overwhelmed by the kind of obstacles that one might encounter during adolescence or when just starting out in society, such as the feeling that no one is looking at you and wondering what the hell my existence is. I was devastated by these barriers that everyone has passed through. But I really like the role of Jiro. What I really like about Jiro is that his heart has been crushed and his mind is devastated, but he somehow manages to hold on to the light. I sympathize with him so much, and I want to live my adolescence all over again, and I want to give it my all.

Matsumura Ryunosuke: The character I play, Goro, is someone who longs to be a Kabuki actor but has failed to become one. I am looking forward to playing such a role in front of Tamasaburo. Goro is very strong and does not ask for any self-sacrifice or reward for helping others. He is that kind, but he is also clumsy and hard to hate. I think he is a bit like me... He is clumsy, but he loves to help people, and I think he is very cool, just like me (laughs).