Ko Tanaka, the first Off-Broadway Japanese composer known for his fusion of jazz with American musical theater and Japanese musical traditions, is composing a ballet rendition of the internationally-acclaimed Off- Broadway musical Poupelle of Chimney Town.
Ko Tanaka, the first Off-Broadway Japanese composer known for his fusion of jazz with American musical theater and Japanese musical traditions, is composing a ballet rendition of the internationally-acclaimed Off-Broadway musical Poupelle of Chimney Town.
Tanaka, composer of the musical Poupelle of Chimney Town, which premiered Off-Broadway at New York's Pershing Square Signature Theater in 2024, is at work on a ballet version of the internationally-acclaimed musical in collaboration with Leap Co. Ltd.—one of Japan’s most esteemed theatrical companies recognized for its record of successful theatrical productions. The ballet debuted this past September at two iconic Tokyo venues, Shinjuku Cultural Center and Meguro Persimmon Hall.
Soon audiences worldwide will have an opportunity to enjoy the evocative score that Tanaka specifically crafted for Poupelle of Chimney Town Ballet. Featuring a lush score performed by a 51-piece orchestra, the complete soundtrack will also be made accessible globally through digital streaming platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music.
From its first stirring notes in the opening number, “Halloween in Chimney Town," Tanaka establishes a haunting yet mesmerizing soundscape rich with swinging jazz rhythms intricately layered with Broadway-style storytelling prowess. His fusion of American and Japanese musical elements has consistently yielded critically acclaimed works, reinforcing Tanaka’s status as an influential voice in contemporary theater. This new rendition of “Poupelle" further emphasizes his exceptional ability to harmoniously combine seemingly disparate genres, adding vivid emotional layers to the ballet’s narrative.
Tanaka's next major Off-Broadway project, Samurai of Blue Eyes, scheduled to debut at New York’s respected Dixon Place Theater in October 2025, will tell the story of a Japanese-American soldier during World War II. The score for this compelling drama promises a vibrant homage to the Great American Songbook, uniquely accented with traditional Japanese instrumentation.
Beyond the stage productions in America, Tanaka continues to exert significant cultural influence in Japan.
As composer and musical director of the Ukiyo Hotel Project, an acclaimed theater company known for their groundbreaking productions that earned an “All About Music" award in 2023. Tanaka has been instrumental in the company's success since 2022 when their musical drama Yokohama Short Stories premiered at the historic Cliffside Theater in Yokohama, Japan. The musical feature Tanaka's original soundtrack, which fused jazz, big-band orchestrations, and dynamic swing music in an extraordinary reflection of post-World War II Japan.
Tanaka’s creativity is widely praised for his nearly decade-long partnership with Taigen Teikoku, an avant-garde powerhouse in Japanese theater renowned for boundary-pushing performances. Tanaka’s music for the company is characterized by his fearless embrace of unusual scales, quarter-tone intervals, innovative electronic processing, and uncommon rhythmic structures. Such creativity was notably evident in Taigen Teikoku’s productions like the 2016 musical Monster, which captivated audiences at the celebrated Kusogeki Theater Festival, and the 2019 production Desire Caught by the Tail, which premiered at the prestigious Aichi Triennale festival.
Another example of Tanaka's unique fusion of American and Japanese musical traditions, is his musical Utau Shinigami, which he composed for The Hitori Theater, one of Japan's most-recognized theater companies. For “Utau Shinigami," Tanaka composed a soundtrack that combines modern American theater with Rakugo, a traditional form of Japanese theater and storytelling that dates back 400 years. This production was highly successful and earned Tanaka an award from the “All About Music Awards" in 2020.
Tanaka has also had an impact on the gaming world in Japan through his work with Toyomaru Industry, which, for over 60 years, has been one of the country's leading manufacturers of pachinko machines. In Japan, pachinko is immensely popular, with over 8,500 pachinko parlors throughout the country. While working with Toyomaru Industries, Tanaka was responsible for the music and sound design of some of the company's most popular pachinko machines, including the Toyomaru Industry's flagship line of pachinko machines called “Sexy Fall." The music he composed The success of these machines had a signifihandled sound design and composed vibrant soundtracks that incorporated jazz, rock, and pop that kept players coming back for more, leading to signifcant financial gains for Toyomaru Industry.
With recent developments in theater, ballet, musical history, and the ever-evolving world of digital entertainment, composer Ko Tanaka has prominently positioned himself at a cultural crossroads. Indeed, his expanding influence across varied artistic domains puts a powerful spotlight on his remarkable capacity for deeply moving the hearts of audiences worldwide.
Tanaka, composer of the musical Poupelle of Chimney Town, which premiered Off-Broadway at New York's Pershing Square Signature Theater in 2024, is at work on a ballet version of the internationally-acclaimed musical in collaboration with Leap Co. Ltd.—one of Japan’s most esteemed theatrical companies recognized for its record of successful theatrical productions. The ballet debuted this past September at two iconic Tokyo venues, Shinjuku Cultural Center and Meguro Persimmon Hall.
Soon audiences worldwide will have an opportunity to enjoy the evocative score that Tanaka specifically crafted for Poupelle of Chimney Town Ballet. Featuring a lush score performed by a 51-piece orchestra, the complete soundtrack will also be made accessible globally through digital streaming platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music.
From its first stirring notes in the opening number, “Halloween in Chimney Town," Tanaka establishes a haunting yet mesmerizing soundscape rich with swinging jazz rhythms intricately layered with Broadway-style storytelling prowess. His fusion of American and Japanese musical elements has consistently yielded critically acclaimed works, reinforcing Tanaka’s status as an influential voice in contemporary theater. This new rendition of “Poupelle" further emphasizes his exceptional ability to harmoniously combine seemingly disparate genres, adding vivid emotional layers to the ballet’s narrative.
Tanaka's next major Off-Broadway project, Samurai of Blue Eyes, scheduled to debut at New York’s respected Dixon Place Theater in October 2025, will tell the story of a Japanese-American soldier during World War II. The score for this compelling drama promises a vibrant homage to the Great American Songbook, uniquely accented with traditional Japanese instrumentation.
Beyond the stage productions in America, Tanaka continues to exert significant cultural influence in Japan.
As composer and musical director of the Ukiyo Hotel Project, an acclaimed theater company known for their groundbreaking productions that earned an “All About Music" award in 2023. Tanaka has been instrumental in the company's success since 2022 when their musical drama Yokohama Short Stories premiered at the historic Cliffside Theater in Yokohama, Japan. The musical feature Tanaka's original soundtrack, which fused jazz, big-band orchestrations, and dynamic swing music in an extraordinary reflection of post-World War II Japan.
Tanaka’s creativity is widely praised for his nearly decade-long partnership with Taigen Teikoku, an avant-garde powerhouse in Japanese theater renowned for boundary-pushing performances. Tanaka’s music for the company is characterized by his fearless embrace of unusual scales, quarter-tone intervals, innovative electronic processing, and uncommon rhythmic structures. Such creativity was notably evident in Taigen Teikoku’s productions like the 2016 musical Monster, which captivated audiences at the celebrated Kusogeki Theater Festival, and the 2019 production Desire Caught by the Tail, which premiered at the prestigious Aichi Triennale festival.
Another example of Tanaka's unique fusion of American and Japanese musical traditions, is his musical Utau Shinigami, which he composed for The Hitori Theater, one of Japan's most-recognized theater companies. For “Utau Shinigami," Tanaka composed a soundtrack that combines modern American theater with Rakugo, a traditional form of Japanese theater and storytelling that dates back 400 years. This production was highly successful and earned Tanaka an award from the “All About Music Awards" in 2020.
Tanaka has also had an impact on the gaming world in Japan through his work with Toyomaru Industry, which, for over 60 years, has been one of the country's leading manufacturers of pachinko machines. In Japan, pachinko is immensely popular, with over 8,500 pachinko parlors throughout the country. While working with Toyomaru Industries, Tanaka was responsible for the music and sound design of some of the company's most popular pachinko machines, including the Toyomaru Industry's flagship line of pachinko machines called “Sexy Fall." The music he composed The success of these machines had a signifihandled sound design and composed vibrant soundtracks that incorporated jazz, rock, and pop that kept players coming back for more, leading to signifcant financial gains for Toyomaru Industry.
With recent developments in theater, ballet, musical history, and the ever-evolving world of digital entertainment, composer Ko Tanaka has prominently positioned himself at a cultural crossroads. Indeed, his expanding influence across varied artistic domains puts a powerful spotlight on his remarkable capacity for deeply moving the hearts of audiences worldwide.
