This is happening through Students Live and Passport to Broadway, two really cool organizations that (short story) take their curriculum overseas to places like Italy, S. Korea, Brazil, etc. etc. and teach the foreign students (who don't speak English, or speak it as a second language) a show that has been specifically created for that group - in 2-3 weeks. It's hard-core intensive and sounds pretty sweet.
Well, 6wks ago, a Japanese television company called Amy (who runs Students Live), and brought up the possibility of bringing some of these girls over and doing that sort of program here in NYC and being filmed while they're doing it. After negotiations, a mere 6 weeks to create a completely new musical (a process normally devoted 3months - and it had to be all new choreo and songs because of B'way Rights and legal stuff, blada blada bla), a hurricane, and a blizzard, and we come to today - the first meeting with the American performers. I was brought in on this project on Halloween night. I saw something on FB about a performance opportunity at about 6.30m, and there was an informational meeting that same night at 7pm. Thankfully, I live near their headquarters, and I popped on over and it was all very hurried and before I quite knew it, I was in a show. Because it was so rushed, I didn't quite know what I had just gotten myself into, but I was willing to go with it. At the meeting today, we finally learned what was actually going to happen, and it sounds very interesting, and I'm sure it will turn out to be a fantastic learning experience.
To keep everyone (meaning the Americans and the AKB48ers) on a level playing field, we didn't start learning any music or know specifics for a lot of stuff, but got a general gist of how things will go. We start rehearsal on Monday and perform the show Wednesday night. We will audition for parts Monday and from then 'til Wednesday night, we'll be rehearsing - learning 7 different songs, choreo, dialogue, etc. etc. etc. Also, the Japanese studio will be here filming the AKB48ers and possibly us - asking for interviews, filming the audition, we'll be in background footage, and I'm sure they'll film the final product, which is going to be performed for a specially selected, invite only, members of the Broadway community. I'm pretty excited to see who all will be there.
Also, did I mention these Japanese girls don't know what they're getting into? They know they're coming to NYC, and I believe they received MP3s for the song we're auditioning with, but they have no idea that we're going to be there, that they're going to be putting on a show in 2 1/2days, and I'm not sure they know it's all going to be filmed! They don't speak any English, so there will be translators there, as well. All in all, it's going to be a fantastically fascinating time, and I'm very glad I fell into this little opportunity. Let's see where it shall lead!
Here's a video from AKB48's youtube page. I don't exactly know what's going on, but it looks awesome: