Koji Yamamoto, Yuriyan Retriever, and Broadway Casts 'Take It All Off'?! A New Japan-US Co-produced 'The Full Monty' Set for Summer 2026!
The musical 'The Full Monty' will be staged in the summer of 2026 as a Japan-US co-production. Starring Koji Yamamoto and Yuriyan Retriever, the performance will be entirely in English.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 9, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 9, 2026 at 10:32
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 18, 2026 at 18:56 (224h 24m after Collected)
Born from the 1997 movie and nominated for 9 Tony Awards including Best Musical, the masterpiece comedy musical "The Full Monty". The Broadway musical that has wrapped the world in laughter and tears will be newly reborn in the summer of 2026 as a joint Japan-US production.
Starring as Jerry is Koji Yamamoto, who also appeared in the Japan-US co-production "RENT" (2024) and has established an international reputation. And Yuriyan Retriever, who is currently based in Los Angeles and active globally as a comedian, actor, and film director, will make her musical debut in this work. Furthermore, talented casts active on Broadway will gather to unleash energy that crosses borders.
A story of men's friendship and rebirth, depicted entirely in an English performance.
Laugh, expose it all, and take a bold step forward. Please experience "The Full Monty" at the theater.
The fastest advance ticket sales will start at 10:00 on Saturday, April 25. For details, please check the official website (https://fullmonty2026.jp).
### Comment from Koji Yamamoto (Jerry):
While I feel some anxiety about the big challenge of co-starring with American casts and performing entirely in English, after my experience in the Japan-US co-production "RENT" two years ago, I am approaching this with a more relaxed mindset. The joy of being able to take on this challenge outweighs the anxiety, and I can approach it with a sense of "Nothing to Lose" in a good way because of where I am now. While embodying the courage and positive energy of taking a step forward from rock bottom and exposing oneself depicted in this work "The Full Monty", I want to deliver a stage performance that goes straight to the audience's hearts.
### Comment from Yuriyan Retriever (Georgie):
I am so happy to be able to stand on the musical stage I have always dreamed of!
Thank you so very much. It's my first musical, and what's more, it's entirely in English!
Since I am from NYC (Yoshino-cho, Nara Prefecture), my first language is Japanese. I will do my best to play Georgie so that everyone can enjoy it!! Please look forward to it! Thank you very much!
See you soon!
### Comment from Trey Ellet (Director):
When "The Full Monty" premiered on Broadway in 2000, it was a highly attractive and well-crafted work, but it narrowly lost the Tony Award race to "The Producers". Since then, it has...
Starring as Jerry is Koji Yamamoto, who also appeared in the Japan-US co-production "RENT" (2024) and has established an international reputation. And Yuriyan Retriever, who is currently based in Los Angeles and active globally as a comedian, actor, and film director, will make her musical debut in this work. Furthermore, talented casts active on Broadway will gather to unleash energy that crosses borders.
A story of men's friendship and rebirth, depicted entirely in an English performance.
Laugh, expose it all, and take a bold step forward. Please experience "The Full Monty" at the theater.
The fastest advance ticket sales will start at 10:00 on Saturday, April 25. For details, please check the official website (https://fullmonty2026.jp).
### Comment from Koji Yamamoto (Jerry):
While I feel some anxiety about the big challenge of co-starring with American casts and performing entirely in English, after my experience in the Japan-US co-production "RENT" two years ago, I am approaching this with a more relaxed mindset. The joy of being able to take on this challenge outweighs the anxiety, and I can approach it with a sense of "Nothing to Lose" in a good way because of where I am now. While embodying the courage and positive energy of taking a step forward from rock bottom and exposing oneself depicted in this work "The Full Monty", I want to deliver a stage performance that goes straight to the audience's hearts.
### Comment from Yuriyan Retriever (Georgie):
I am so happy to be able to stand on the musical stage I have always dreamed of!
Thank you so very much. It's my first musical, and what's more, it's entirely in English!
Since I am from NYC (Yoshino-cho, Nara Prefecture), my first language is Japanese. I will do my best to play Georgie so that everyone can enjoy it!! Please look forward to it! Thank you very much!
See you soon!
### Comment from Trey Ellet (Director):
When "The Full Monty" premiered on Broadway in 2000, it was a highly attractive and well-crafted work, but it narrowly lost the Tony Award race to "The Producers". Since then, it has...