The artistic agency Production LAL announced on Saturday that the voice actor and theater actress Romy Park has been diagnosed with COVID-19. The staff of the Taken away as if by magic the play later announced that it was canceling the noon and 5:00 p.m. performances that day due to at least one diagnosis of COVID-19 among those involved in the production. The play’s staff later announced that they were also canceling Sunday’s performance.
Park played Yubaba and Zeniba in alternate performances of the play with Husband Natsuki (who was the voice of Yubaba and Zeniba in Hayao Miyazakithe original movie of). The play is now at the Misono-za Theater in Nagoya for a performance from June 22 to July 4. ThemHochi ports The newspaper reported that theatergoers were already taking their seats in the theater when staff announced the sudden cancellations.
After this weekend’s canceled performances, the next scheduled performances of the play would take place on Tuesday. (Staff had not previously scheduled any performances on Monday.) Staff will announce the status of future performances after 4:00 p.m. Monday. The play previously canceled performances in Fukuoka from May 17-25 after co-directing Kanna Hashimoto‘s COVID-19 diagnosis.
Park took to Twitter on Saturday to apologize to fans who were eager to see the play. She noted that she had been thorough and aware of countermeasures against the infection, but still tested positive. She added that despite her disappointment and sadness, she will focus on her recovery.
Park’s many voice roles include Fullmetal Alchemistthis is Edward Elric, narutois Temari, Turn a Gundamis Loran Cehack, and Digimon Adventure 02it’s Ken. More recently, she voiced Hanji in The attack of the TitansRagyo Kiryuin in kill her kill herand Seimei in Garo: Crimson Moon. She won Best Leading Actress for her portrayal of Nanan Osaki in girl at the very first Seiyu Awards in 2007.
Hashimoto actresses (Gintama, Kaguya-sama: Love is warKingdomleft poster) and Mone Kamishiraishi (your name.live action Chihayafururight poster) both play the role of Spirited Away in alternate performances.
The play took place at TOHO‘s Imperial Theater from February to March, then Osaka in April, Fukuoka in May and Sapporo in June before its current run in Nagoya.
John Caird, Tony and Olivier Award-winning director and Honorary Associate Director of the Royal Shakespeare Company (Les Miserables, Nicholas Nickleby, Daddy Long Legs) wrote and directed the production.
Taken away as if by magic was previously the highest-grossing Japanese film in the world until Demon Slayer – Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train broke the record. Taken away as if by magic remains the only non-English language title to win Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards, which it won in 2003.
Sources: Production LAL, Misono-za, Hochi Sports, Romy Parktwitter of Account Going through Hachima Kiko
