THE JAPAN NEWS


 

Naoto Kaiho has appeared in musicals since childhood and has won acclaim for his performance in blockbuster productions in recent years.
His versatile singing voice and the roles he has performed give the impression that he has made the most of his natural talent. However, he has also encountered struggles throughout his career.

A tightrope has been set up high onstage. Kaiho appears in a costume with angelic wings, proceeding to precariously walk across the tightrope.
This scene was featured in the musical “Michi,” which was staged in Tokyo last month and is based on the Federico Fellini film “La Strada” (The Road).

Kaiho played the role of Il Matto (the Fool), who teases the protagonist Zampano (played by Tsuyoshi Kusanagi). Upon reaching the middle of the rope, Kaiho bows, saying, “Thank you, thank you,” before losing his footing. Though he appears to be on the verge of falling, he flaps his arms and softly descends to the stage. The scene seemed to represent Kaiho himself, as he works hard, yet effortlessly sings the most difficult songs.
Debut at age 7

Kaiho, a Chiba Prefecture native, was born in 1988. In 1996, when he was still 7, he made his theatrical debut as Chip in the musical “Beauty and the Beast” performed by the Shiki Theatre Company.

He grew up in a musically oriented environment where he often sang and danced. Kaiho and his elder sister, who appeared in “Annie” as a child, often staged mock musicals at home. However, he never thought he would have a career in theater.

 

“I was carefree. My parents made me do auditions probably because they wanted me to get my act together, not because they wanted me to be involved [in theater],” he said.

He was rambunctious backstage, often playing in the wardrobe or teasing other children.

In 1999, he was the first actor to perform the role of Young Simba in the Shiki production of “The Lion King.”

“I vaguely remember the lighting and the air-conditioned atmosphere when I made my way to the stage through other cast members dressed up as grass,” he recalled fondly.

In 2008, he became more aware that acting had become his job when he appeared in the musical “Miss Saigon” as a member of the ensemble. Around this time, he began dreaming of one day being cast in a principal role.

Kaiho gives the impression that he is all smiles and an easygoing person. However, he revealed that his hands become numb with nervousness before every audition.

 

“It never stops however hard I try. So I somewhat counterintuitively tell myself, ‘Be nervous!’ and I feel nauseous,” he said. “There were times I thought about quitting, but I’ve carried on because this is the only thing I can do.”

To reach his goal of performing a principal role, he studied anatomy and other subjects to learn about vocalization.

“I thoroughly studied how I could use my vocal cords and lungs by adopting various postures.”

He has kept recordings of his singing since childhood, and makes it a rule to listen to them before each production.

“By doing so, I can look at myself objectively. It makes me realize many things, such as my habits and that I was in a certain condition because I had just appeared in a particular production,” he said.

In the 2015 production of “Les Miserables,” he performed the role of Marius, one of the leading parts, even though he was still largely unknown. The musical is renowned for producing new stars.

“The audition was like a training session, and we rehearsed a scene on the spot. It made me forget about being nervous, and I was able to just have fun,” he said.

This marked the start of a remarkable run. When the Shiki company staged “Aladdin” that year, he was offered the lead role even though he was not a member of the company. In “The Lion King” the following year, he played the protagonist Simba, thereby becoming the first Japanese actor to perform Young Simba as a child and grownup Simba as an adult.

Kaiho encountered another turning point when he performed the challenging role of Quasimodo, the protagonist in “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”

 

“Although he’s a Disney character, the musical version has a solid structure and is closer to the character from [Victor] Hugo’s original novel. He’s always frowning and contorting his body, so it was tough to sing and speak,” Kaiho said.

Alan Menken has called his score for this musical a masterpiece, but it was hard on Kaiho’s throat. One day, a few months into rehearsals, he discovered that his voice had disappeared when he got up in the morning.
“That was the first time I had completely lost my voice. I was frustrated because I couldn’t go to rehearsals for a week,” he said.

Ahead of the first performance, he sought means of effectively projecting his voice without straining his throat, while also seeking ways to reduce his vocal cord fatigue. At the premiere in December 2016, he stood center stage.

“Whether a performer’s in a good or bad condition is not the concern of the audience, and I reexamined how I should project my voice. I felt like I cleared a wall as a singer,” Kaiho said.

Performing in Britain

Kaiho is also the vocalist of rock band Cyanotype. Last year, he reprised the role of Bob Gaudio in “Jersey Boys” following the musical’s Japan premiere.

His accomplished singing has made him a sought-after figure in concerts. This year, he is scheduled to appear in “Disney’s Broadway Hits”; “Musical Meets Symphony: Another Stage,” which will feature songs by Abba; and Miyuki Nakajima’s concert “Uta Enishi.”

More and more people are noticing his talent. From May to July last year, he appeared in “Trioperas” in London’s West End. Director Matthew White and ballet dancer Adam Cooper came to the first night and praised Kaiho’s performance.

Kaiho has great knowledge of overseas musicals. He is a musical CD collector and enjoys listening to them and making comparisons.

“The Shiki company’s production of ‘Cats,’ for example, is meticulous with a neat musical arrangement, whereas the U.S. version is a polished piece of entertainment with sumptuous instrumentation. The British version is very lively, and some of the performers have peculiar voices,“ he said.

Kaiho continually strives to improve his abilities.
“Musicals are theater, so conveying characters’ feelings to the audience is more important than having a good voice. What I aim for is to sing as if I’m talking,” he said.

 

A new role, a new recording

Kaiho will star in the musical “Yves Saint-Laurent” from Feb. 15 to March 3 at Yomiuri Otemachi Hall in Tokyo, and on March 26 at Hyogo Performing Arts Center, sharing the role with Yoshihisa Higashiyama.

“Last summer, I went to Saint-Laurent’s museum in Paris and felt his formidable presence as an artist,” Kaiho said. “I’ve had discussions with Mr. [Koichi] Ogita, the director, and hope to show the sensitive and complicated aspects of a man full of confidence. I know little about fashion, so I’d like to learn more about it through the role.”
Visit www.yume-monsho.com for more information.

Solo album coming soon

Kaiho’s first solo album on a major label will be released on Jan. 30.
The album contains songs from musicals in which he has starred, as well as other Disney musical songs composed by Alan Menken.

The album features duets with Miyu Sakihi, formerly a top female-role star of Takarazuka Revue Company’s Snow Troupe, of “Something to Believe In” from “Newsies” and “A Whole New World” from “Aladdin.”