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> Thanks for the answers on the entrance exam stuff.

I'm glad I could help — I hope someone else can fill in the other blanks for you! :)

About dressers, actually it's a point of pride in the Revue that the actresses do their own make-up and costumes. They're always talking about how as underclassmen they helped the upperclassmen, or how their classmates in the troupe helped them with their quick-changes. There's been a new, recent article in Graph magazine this year, where an actress goes through every costume change she has in her current show, when she does it, who helps her, etc. But, again, every once in a while there is a mention of having help from staff, and you can see them in some of the backstage photos in the Kageki magazine spreads.

I also heard, as hearsay once, somewhere, that prior to the big jump in popularity of the Revue, the club staff of the stars were allowed backstage to help with costumes and such. But that doesn't happen nowadays, that I know of.

Thanks for the answers on the entrance exam stuff.

As for dressers... Heh, as a former wardrobe person m'self I shudder to think of actors dressing themselves. Not because they're not capable, but because they have so much else to do. You'd need people to help them into stuff, just to avoid excess damage. And there's far too many quick changes to assume less than three or four people who don't have to worry about anything _but_ getting the 'sienne changed and back onstage. I'd imagine that like the stage hands and such, it's not a position that gets talked about much. Hrm... I wonder if Takarazuka programs list crew like Broadway programs do. Might have to check out that angle.

Hm... From what I've pieced together from interviews, documentaries, and the TMS web site:

The exam used to consist of two rounds, but they changed the format recently (this year? last year?), and now there are three.

For this past year, according to the TMS web site:

Round one is held in Tokyo (Showa Tosei Music Academy) and Takarazuka (at the school). It was held on March 20-21st in Tokyo, March 23-24th in Takarazuka. Those who passed round one took round two in Takarazuka (at the school) on March 26-27th. Those who passed round two then took round three on March 29th (at the school). The results were announced on March 31st.

I'm not exactly clear on the first two rounds. They get some kind of letter/certificate, but I don't know if they're given it on the day of the exam, or if it's mailed to them. For the final results, they're posted outside the school. It's a media event.


Not sure about dressers. For the main part, the actresses dress themselves, or have other troupe members help them. I do believe there are a couple of people who are not actresses, because they're mentioned by the stars from time to time, but I don't think there's many, so I'd assume they work at the theater regardless of the troupe? But that's a complete guess.