Garasu no Kamen Synopses

Tankoubon 7

The two candidates for "Kurenai Tennyo".

Ayumi's performances of Tom and Edward in "The prince and the pauper" are excellent. She changes costumes and roles continously and still she interprets perfectly both the very different characters. At every show the theatre is full, the play will be broadcasted in TV, and there will be extra shows in Autumn. Ayumi claims that she aspires to "Kurenai Tennyo".
To tell the truth, even if Tsukikage created her company to prepare the actress who will perform that role, she is keeping an eye on the other actresses around... She is watching Ayumi's performance in TV and she looks too interested in that girl...
Maya performing the baby-sitter is really funny. Yuki Asae tries to ruin her by sabotaging the doll which stands for the baby: during Maya's appearance, the doll's head falls down. Maya doesn't panic! She picks it up, puts it on the doll's body and says with a smile:
Baby-sitting is far from being easy!
The audience burst into laughters. Maya's stage presence is stonger and stronger at any show.
Mrs. Harada understands Maya's talent more and more. Maya is a show-spoiler: when she is on stage, no other actor is noticed. Maya will not work at Eishin Theatre any longer.
Chigusa Tsukikage is still at the hospital. She is very happy to know that Harada doesn't want Maya any longer: this means that Mrs. Harada fears the girl!
Later, Mrs. Harada in person visits Tsukikage at the hospital; Harada confirms what Chigusa Tsukikage already knew.
Mrs. Harada, that girl is a menace for actors. As long as she is young, she will be hated and rejected by all the drama companies. But day by day people will have to recognize her talent. The general public will love her. A day will come when a big audience will support her... I'm sure about it!

In the meantime, Haru Kitajima wonders how her daughter is. She has never received a message from her! What a stupid and ungrateful daughter!
Haru's health is not good. She coughs up blood... If the owners of the Chinese restaurant find that they will fire her...

The "Free People" Drama Club.

It's Autumn and it's time to get back to school. Sakurakoji helps Maya to find a job: she will help the University Drama Club "Free People" with scenography and equipment.
Maya is arranging things at the Fukuin Kindergarten: the "Free People" Drama Club is coming to perform a show for children. But since the actors are late, Maya starts telling the children the story of "Snow White", to keep them quiet. When the actors arrive, the children want Maya to finish the story before the company starts to play. Moreover, at the end of the show, they show more appreciation to Maya than to the actors. Once again, Maya losts her job!

"Wuthering Heights"

Toyo Theatre. The director and his staff are selecting the actors who will take part in the play "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Brontë. They already decided who will perform the heroine Catherine as an adult, but they need a girl for the teenager Catherine. Someone suggests Maya Kitajima, though the director is suspicious: why didn't Mrs. Harada ask her to play other parts? Maya should be examined.
Maya takes part at the audition for the young Catherine. The actor who will interpet the young Heathcliff is Ryo Majima. In the selection committee there are the director, Mr. Sawaki, Eriko Natsu (who will play the adult Catherine) and Hideaki Kagawa (adult Heathcliff). Among the candidates there is the beautiful Yuki Egawa, girlfriend of Ryo (they belong to the same drama company), who seems to be perfect for the role.
Maya has not even read "Wuthering Heights", the book, as she clearly says to the committee. Therefore, in her test she does nothing special. But the president of the Company recognizes her as the one who has been equal to Ayumi at the selections for the National Competition. She couldn't have a good interpretation because she didn't know the character at all... But at Eishin Theatre she showed what she can do.
Ryo recognizes Maya too, but that girl is so shy and clumsy that he is not worried by her.
Unexpectedly, Maya is selected for the part!
Tsukikage advices Maya to understand the environment where Catherine grow up to understand the character of Catherine.
Maya studies the play script, looks at the great interpretations of the talented actors she will work with, but she hasn't got Catherine yet.

While walking around, a child collides into her and falls down. The little boy must be very lonely: he looks rather unsociable; the other children don't want to play with him. Maya takes the crying child home, and she plays with him until the child's mother comes back. While playing, Maya thinks to Heathcliff and Catherine. How did they play? They had no toys...
The little Kazuo's mother is back. She apologizes for the disturb: both the parents work all day long and the little boy is always alone. Maya has to leave, but Kazuo grabs her arm and cries loud because he doesn't want her to go away. Maya is moved. And then she thinks of Catherine. Catherine and Heathciff had no friends, there were only the 2 of them... For Catherine, there was only Heathcliff, for Heathcliff, only Catherine.
I can do it. I can become Catherine!

The following day, at Toyo Theatre, Maya is a different person. Everybody notices that, and they appreciate her interpretation more and more.
Ryo is more and more fascinated by Maya's Catherine. When his girlfriend complains about not being selected, he defends Maya.
Masumi visits Tsukikage at the hospital and he sees through the window Maya dating Sakurakoji in the park. Maya asks Sakurakoji to help her practicing. He will read Heathcliff's lines. But after a while, Sakurakoji wants to stop: Maya's love words are for Heathcliff, and this hurts the boy who is in love with her for real.
He runs away shouting: I am not Heathcliff!
Masumi is observing the scene...

"Wuthering Heights", first show at Toyo Theatre.
Masumi Hayami, Yuu Sakurakoji, Maya's friends of Tsukikage Company, Ryo's girlfriend Yuki are all there.
Maya's interpretation is so lively and passionate that Sakurakoji and Yuki are jealous. Even Ryo is a victim of Maya's charm. It happens that Ryo has his mouth injured during the play. Maya acts as Catherine would have acted: she rips a piece of cloth off her dress and she cleans the blood off Ryo's mouth. Everyone is upset. That scene was not in the play script! Is Maya in love with Ryo? Even Ryo wonders that...

The candidates for Helen Keller of "The Miracle Worker".

Daito Art Production.
A new building of Daito Company is going to be raised in Shibuya, from March to August of the next Summer. The building will contain boutiques, restaurants and even a theatre. The inauguration day will be in October. For the opening ceremony, a play has been chosen:
"The miracle worker" by William Gibson.
This is a true story, based on the relationship between the mute, deaf and blind girl named Helen Keller and the novice teacher, the half-blind Annie Sullivan. Annie struggles to teach Helen how to communicate and thanks to persistence, love and stubbornness she manages to make the girl understand the concept of a 'word'. This is the miracle.

The role of Helen Keller is extremely hard to perform. The candidate who will most likely have that part is Ayumi Himekawa. But Masumi Hayami asks the staff to look carefully for other candidates. He suggests that there might be someone who can worry Ayumi...
A common girl at first sight...

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Attention!

Original story by Suzue Miuchi. Synopses by Francesca.
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