Japanese athletes add action to music in return of ‘Matsuri’

By Jerry Fink

Friday, Aug. 21, 2009 | 2 a.m.

Leila Navidi

Keitaro Katayama leaps over Hiroyo Shimada in “Matsuri” at the Imperial Palace.

Slowly, the hyperkinetic show “Matsuri” is putting down roots in Las Vegas.

The Japanese transplant tumbled into town in 2006, with an eight-week run at the Riviera. It was a showcase to introduce the production blending extreme sports and entertainment to audiences in the United States. Producers brought it back for a six-month run at the Riviera in 2007.

At the end of July it began its most ambitious local engagement, a year’s stay at the Imperial Palace. The grand opening is scheduled for tonight.

“We would like to have a permanent residency,” says Megan Belk, president of EBI Enterprises, agents for the Japanese producers.

The 75-minute production started as a Japanese television program, “Kinniku-banzuke,” created by Higuchi. The creators then developed the musical stage production, which now has 142 sold-out performances in Japan each year.

The performers are athletes who tumble, back flip, handstand and present an array of daring athletic feats, musical stunts, extreme sports and comedic routines punctuated by Japanese drum dances.

With an air of confidence, Belk looks at the hard economic times as an opportunity rather than an obstacle. Since the norm today is “four-walling” rooms, Belk says rooms in general are less expensive and better deals can be made.

The show has shrunk since its last engagement.

Earlier productions included a cast of 33 young athletes. Now there are 18, doing almost as much work. Five of them were here for both previous shows.

Belk assures fans the production has not lost an ounce of its vitality.

“It has the same energy, the same skill set as the other shows,” she says. “As a production, it has grown in different levels. It has nicer transitions, beautiful moments that were not included in the others.

“People still leave the show in awe of the stamina of these kids. They do things you wouldn’t see anywhere else.”