This large-scale musical adaptation of Akihiro Nishino’s best-selling picture book Poupelle of Chimney Town reimagined its smoky, steampunk world into an immersive three-dimensional stage experience. With a total production budget of 450 million yen (approx. 3 million USD), the show achieved remarkable success, with all tickets sold out before opening night.
Set in a Halloween-themed town shrouded in thick smoke, the story follows Lubicchi, a young chimney sweep who believes in the stars beyond the clouds, and Poupelle, a gentle creature born from garbage. Together, they embark on a journey that challenges the town’s disbelief and celebrates courage and friendship.
To bring this fantastical world to life, the production surrounded every seat in the theatre with over 100,000 embedded lights, transforming the audience into part of a living starry sky. The stage featured multi-level chimney structures, bridges extending across the orchestra pit, and layered projection surfaces that enveloped the space in moving light and shadow. Every design choice was made to dissolve the boundary between actor and audience, allowing everyone to stand beneath the same illuminated sky, a poetic visualization of the story’s core message.