The Show
ABOUT THE SHOW
Coming to Los Angeles in 2027 - TOHO’s highly acclaimed stage adaptation of the Oscar-winning film masterpiece SPIRITED AWAY.
Direct from Japan, performed in Japanese (with English surtitles) by a cast of 50 and an orchestra of 11, this breathtakingly beautiful production directed by John Caird (Les Miserables), will play a strictly limited engagement at the Ahmanson Theatre from early September through October 2027.
Sign up for priority booking and be the first to access tickets.
Director Hayao Miyazaki's timeless masterpiece SPIRITED AWAY became an explosive blockbuster after its 2001 release and won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film in 2003. A masterpiece of storytelling and stunning visuals SPIRITED AWAY tells the enchanting tale of Chihiro who while traveling to a new home with her family, stumbles into a world of fantastic spirits ruled over by the sorceress Yubaba. When her parents are turned into pigs and she is put to work in a magical bathhouse, Chihiro must use her wits to survive in this strange new place, find a way to free her parents, and return to the normal world.
Short Gallery
Following a sell-out tour of Japan in 2022, the original Japanese cast performed this spectacular production for a limited season in London's West End at the historic London Coliseum in 2024, where it played to sold-out audiences of over 300,000 people across 17 weeks. Opening to both critical and popular acclaim, it won Best New Play at the 2025 WhatsOnStage Awards and was nominated for four Olivier Awards including Best Set Design (Jon Bausor, Toby Olié, Daisy Beattie, Satoshi Kuriyama), Best Costume Design (Sachiko Nakahara), Best Sound Design (Koichi Yamamoto), and Best New Entertainment or Comedy Play.
Following these milestone achievements, the production further expanded its global footprint across Asia, capturing international acclaim with an overwhelming 42-performance run at the Shanghai Culture Square in China in July and August 2025. This was immediately followed by a triumphant three-month, 94-performance long-run at the Seoul Arts Center Opera House in South Korea starting in January 2026. With every single performance entirely sold out across both international runs, this Japanese-born masterpiece has firmly established its powerful presence on the global stage, paving the way for its highly anticipated 2026–2028 world tour.
SPIRITED AWAY has been re-imagined for the stage by Toho Theatrical Department and Olivier and Tony Award-winning director John Caird (Les Misérables). The production is presented in the original Japanese, with English captions. Miyazaki’s masterpiece is brought beautifully to life with a live orchestra playing the magnificent film score by Joe Hisaishi arranged by Brad Haak (Mary Poppins), dazzling set design by Jon Bausor (Bat Out of Hell), wildly imaginative puppets designed by Toby Olié (Pinocchio: National Theatre), choreography by Shigehiro Ide (NODA MAP Series), and lavish costumes by Sachiko Nakahara.
