“Spirited Away: Live On Stage,” the stage adaptation of Hayao Miyazaki’s Oscar-winning animated feature film, is set to make its North American premiere as part of the 2023 Studio Ghibli Fest.
Film distributor GKIDS teamed up with content provider Fathom Events to bring the pro-shot recording of the critically-acclaimed play, along with beloved Miyazaki animated features, to U.S. cinemas.
Directed by Tony Award-winner John Caird (“Les Misérables”), the adaptation features two unique casts and performances filmed during the show’s successful run at Tokyo’s historic Imperial Theatre last year. Since the performances are only in Japanese, the play’s theatrical run will have English subtitles.
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Set to premiere on April 23, the first screening of “Spirited Away: Live On Stage” features Kanna Hashimoto as the main character, Chihiro. The second screening, scheduled on April 27, features Mone Kamishiraishi as the lead.
During the cinematic event, Studio Ghibli fans will also have the opportunity to catch the studio’s classic films, such as “Howl’s Moving Castle,” “Kiki’s Delivery Service,” “The Wind Rises” and “Ponyo,” on the big screen.
For the first time at Studio Ghibli Fest, each film will be shown in different audio formats and presented either in Japanese with subtitles or dubbed in English.
“My Neighbor Totoro,” which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, will kick off the scheduled theater releases on March 25. “Spirited Away” will be the last to air, running from Oct. 28 until Nov. 1. The full schedule can be found on the event’s landing page.
In a statement, Fathom Events CEO Ray Nutt expressed excitement about the festival, saying, “We’re excited to partner with GKIDS and honor Hayao Miyazaki this year by bringing his collective body of work to the big screen. He has always been a leader, visionary and inspiration to fans and critics alike.”
Tickets for the 2023 Studio Ghibli Fest can be purchased via FathomEvents.com, GhibliFest.com or participating box offices.
