Check out this amazing coverage from Izu Newspaper, mentioning how hometown girl Haruna Tsuchiya has made it all the way to Denver, CO and worked with Spark Theater.
Ms. Tsuchiya performing passionately in a scene that drives to the heart of the story – Spark Theater, Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
Translated text: Izu Newspaper Wednesday, October 24th, 2012
“Performed the heroine in a play in the U.S.”
Actress, Ms. Haruna Tsuchiya of Shimoda, 29, who is pursuing her career in Colorado, U.S.A., performed the heroine in a play “Rebecca” at Spark Theater in Denver, CO, and received rave reviews. The show closed recently, and we learned about the performances of “Rebecca”.
Actress, Ms. Haruna Tsuchiya of Shimoda
The play is based on a mystery novel by Daphne Du Maurier. “I”, a companion to a wealthy woman, met a millionaire from England, Maxim and became his second wife. As she is haunted by the life in the estate, where his late wife, Rebecca’s invisible existence is still vividly imprinted everywhere, the dark secret of Rebecca’s death is slowly revealed —–.
Ms. Tsuchiya was cast in this play through the unified audition held in June. The rehearsals began in August, and the show opened on September 8th. The Vice Consul of the Consulate-General of Japan at Denver attended the performance as well.
Tremendous amount of concentration and stamina, even more than what she had experienced in the past, were required, because of this character’s turbulent life, and the extreme proximity to the audience, on top of being onstage for almost the entire show for two hours. By trial and error, she kept experimenting with new things in every performance during the run of the show and experienced several moments that stayed with her as major turning points. She says it was filled with constant fresh discoveries.
Fresh and Dynamic Performance – Rave Reviews
Mystery “Rebecca” “Enjoyed the deepening of the performance”
The critic and colleagues raved Ms. Tsuchiya: “Haruna Tsuchiya as I provided that naiveness that was needed to explore this murder mystery. Her performance was just lovely. [The show was] well done and wonderfully executed!” “Haruna was always in the moment, so that each time we performed together was fresh, truthful, and dynamic.”
“I had never had such lingering feelings before on the closing night. There were several moments over the run of the show when my impulse was so strong that it surpassed my rational mind and broke the rules. In those moments, my body just moved automatically without thinking. It was only possible because I had such deep trust for my scene partners. We enjoyed those surprises and deepening of the performances with each other,” she recalls.
The connection from this show led her to teach workshops for high school students at a statewide theatre conference in early December. Also, she will be working on a radio drama project with the colleagues of “Rebecca”.
Ms. Tsuchiya graduated from Shimoda Higashi Junior High School and prefectural Nirayama High school. While in high school, she belonged to the drama club. After her graduation in 2002, she came to the U.S. and majored in musical theatre at the Theatre Department at State University of New York at Fredonia. She started her professional performing career in the States upon graduation. Her acting credits include: Fumiko Ishioka in Hana’s Suitcase, and Laura in The Glass Menagerie. She is also a translator and interpreter for film and theatre related projects. In May, she finished her Master’s program at Naropa University in Colorado.
50 years ago today a show opened on Broadway that left an unforgettable impression on the theater world. A little-known Edward Albee, who’s one-act play The Zoo Story had created a bit of a buzz, opened his first play on the Broadway stage. Now George, Martha, Nick and Honey take their official place as classics, though still as fresh, biting, and modern as the day it came out. 
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