Sendai Communication Arts College and Sendai College of Medical Health staged performances of the musical Hospital of Miracles on October 9 and 10 at the Rururu Hall in the Sendai City Taihaku Ward Cultural Center. During the two days, 1,081 people came to see the musical, which both raises awareness for bone marrow transplants and supports recovery efforts for the Great East Japan Earthquake.

 

The Jikei Group of Colleges first began raising awareness for bone marrow transplants with the musical Gateway to Tomorrow in 1994, staged then by the Osaka School of Music. The musical has been performed each year at Jikei Group schools across Japan ever since. Hospital of Miracles is an original production from Nagoya School of Music, which was first performed in 2010. This year marks the musical’s first performance in the Sendai area.

 

Hospital of Miracles begins with a young girl who has been bullied crying out, “Won’t someone be by my side?” The musical weaves together different stories about life, such as relationships people have with their family and friends, and the conflicts surrounding people’s work and dreams, told through people battling illness such as leukemia.

 

The young woman has lost the will to live and finds herself at the hospital. She meets some patients who are young and battling a serious illness, and others who are grappling with worries or problems about life. She eventually begins to consider the preciousness of life and the meaning of living. She discovers that there is something she can do: become a DJ in the hospital and cheer up the other patients.

 

The musical forms part of the Jikei Group of Colleges’ larger commitment to contribute to society through professional education. At the same time, it is an integral part of the Jikei Group’s cooperative education with industry program. The students themselves are responsible for nearly every aspect of the production, from the performance—including the cast, band, chorus, gospel singers, and announcers—to the behind-the-scenes jobs—such as planning, management, sound, lighting, video, and set building. A total of 249 students began preparing and rehearsing in their classes beginning in April and even gave up their summer holidays to make opening night possible. The production also received the support of 36 companies, and the performances were attended by students and teachers from 11 high schools.

 

The students worked hard to convey the joy of living. And in the end, the audience was moved by the commitment of the students and gave them a standing ovation. The sight of the students and faculty members who moved to tears left a deep impression. Finally student representatives on stage made an appeal for greater understanding and cooperation for bone marrow transplants which was received by an even bigger round of applause.

 

Following the performance, the student cast members joined the other students in the lobby to appeal for donations. Following the two performances, they collected 459,523 yen in donations, which was given to the Japan Marrow Donor Program and the Natsume Masako Himawari Foundation.

 

Just like the young woman in the Hospital of Miracles, the students experienced the joy of contributing to society through work and were able to reaffirm what they ‘can’ do. They will undoubtedly get down to the business of studying in their classes tomorrow.

 

The students and faculty members of Sendai Communication Arts College and Sendai College of Medical Health would like to thank everyone who helped to make the performances a success, including the people who came to see the musical, the companies that provided support, and everyone who donated to this worthy cause.

 

The Hospital of Miracles was performed next in Fukuoka on November 28 and 29, and in Nagoya on December 5 and 6.