Shigeaki Kato appointed producer of Tokyo Dream Park's opening performance

Shigeaki Kato of the popular group "NEWS" attended the "TOKYO DREAM PARK Content Announcement" held at TV Asahi headquarters (Minato Ward, Tokyo) on September 25th. It was announced that he will be the original author, scriptwriter, and creative producer for "AmberS," the opening performance of the theater at "Tokyo Dream Park," a nine-story, one-basement entertainment complex that the station will open in Ariake, Koto Ward, Tokyo on March 27th, 2026.

The play will star the double lead roles of Kazuya Ohashi from " Naniwa Danshi " and Takuto Teranishi from "timelesz (Timeless)". Kato introduced the story by saying, "It is based on the theme of eternal youth and immortality", and explained that the title "Ambass" is "the name of a drug (in the story)". He revealed the current status of the production, saying, "I'm still working on it, but I've finished writing the script. I think it's about halfway through completion. The question is how much better we can improve it from here."

He revealed that he was also the one who cast Ohashi and Teranishi, saying, "I suggested what kind of actors would be good, and after much consideration, I decided to cast them both in the role. I was thinking about who would be suitable at the planning stage, and I wanted two people who are currently achieving remarkable success to appear in the role. They are completely different types, so I think they will give compelling performances."

She revealed that she went out to dinner with Teranishi and "wooed" him, and shared an episode, saying, "I had to woo him, so I looked for a shellfish restaurant that Teranishi likes (laughs). It was a place with a lot of shellfish, like a sushi restaurant (laughs)."

Regarding being in charge of the opening performance, he said, "It's a very big role, so I feel a sense of responsibility. I wondered, 'Am I really the right person for this?'" He also expressed his pressure, saying, "I'm happy that a new theater is being built. I won't be performing (this time), but I hope that other talents will take flight."

The announcement was also attended by the comedy duo Sandwichman, who have been appointed as opening ambassadors for Tokyo Dream Park, and violinist Chisako Takashima.