Yōka Wao
| Yōka Wao | |
|---|---|
| Born |
Takako Ōkawa February 15, 1968 Osaka, Japan |
| Occupation | Actress, singer-songwriter |
| Years active | 1988-present |
| Spouse(s) | Frank Wildhorn (m. 2015) |
| Website | www.yokawao.com |
Yōka Wao (和央 ようか Wao Yōka?, born 15 February 1968) is a Japanese performing artist and a former member of the Takarazuka Revue, where she specialized in playing male characters (Otokoyaku). She joined the revue in 1988 and resigned in 2006.
Her nicknames are Takako (from her real name: Takako Ōkawa (大川 貴子 Ōkawa Takako) and Wao.
She is the only Otokoyaku to be top in her class as well as the last otokoyaku top star to have joined the company during the Shōwa era.
She is born and raised in Osaka (according to Takarazuka Graph 2003 April issue).
Wao first attracted attention when she played the role of Oscar in the New Actor Show of 1989 Snow Production Rose of Versailles. Later on, she took the leading role in the New Actor Show of High and Low. After graduating from the New Actor Show cast, she progressed to playing solid supporting roles in the main troupe productions. One of her notable roles during the Maki Ichiro era is Elmer in the 1997 production of Elizabeth. When Kouju Tatsuki, who played Rudolf in the Grand Theater, changed troupes, Wao took the role for the Tokyo performance.
She got her first Takarazuka Bow Hall show (Grand Shanghai) in 1995 and the second one (Wuthering Heights) in 1997.
With the retirement of Maki Ichiro and her successor Fubuki Takane, Wao became the firm second man for Yū Todoroki in Snow Troupe before she was selected for the new Cosmos Troupe in 1998. She continued to be the second man in Cosmos Troupe until the resignation of Asato Shizuki. She became the top star of Cosmos Troupe in 2000 and when she retired in 2006, she had had the longest run ever as male-role top star of all time.
With a height of 174 cm, she was the tallest star among her peer top stars such as Mire Aika (Flower), Hibiki Takumi (Flower), Tsubasa Makoto (Moon), Jun Shibuki (Moon), Yū Todoroki (Snow), Yū Emao (Snow), Kō Minoru (Star) and Tatsuki Kōju (Star).
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