Durarara!! Stage Play

Durarara!! Stage (「デュラララ!!」舞台) is a stage play adaptation based on Ryohgo Narita's light novel series of the same name. It is written by Noboru Takagi, who previously worked as the main screenwriter for both the Durarara!! and Baccano! anime adaptations, and is directed by Nobuhiro Moura.

The stage play has been referred to as 『舞台「デュラララ‼」～円首方足の章～』by official channels. It adapts the first story arc of the series, covering the events of the first light novel.

Synopsis
Mikado Ryuugamine, a boy who yearns for the extraordinary life of the city, has been invited by his childhood friend Masaomi Kida to leave his hometown and enter the Raira Academy in Ikebukuro. However, the streets of Ikebukuro are far more unusual than Mikado had imagined. There's Shizuo Heiwajima, who snaps signs and throws vending machines; there's the informant Izaya Orihara; there's the Dollars; there's the Yellow Scarves gang; and, last but not least, there's the Headless Rider, who rides a jet-black motorcycle. Mikado, too, finds himself drawn into the heart of the extraordinary.......

August 2021 Production
On May 28, 2021, the official ''Durarara!! Stage website announced that Durarara!! Stage'' would be scheduled to open in August 2021 and run throughout the month at three different venues: Tokyo's Nippon Seinen-kan Hall from August 1–7; the Inazawa Civic Center in Aichi from August 13–15; and, finally, Cool Japan Park Osaka from August 20–22. In response to the announcement, Ryohgo Narita commented the following: "We don't know what the world will be like in August, and the final decision will be left up to the staff and Aniplex, but we hope for a better tomorrow and the return of a lively Ikebukuro, and we sincerely wish for the success of the stage play...!" Due to the state of emergency extension on July 30 in Tokyo prefecture, the audiences at the Tokyo performances were limited to half capacity. With the simultaneous announcement of a new emergency declaration in Osaka, refunds were offered beginning August 8 for unused tickets for both the Tokyo and Osaka performances held by any spectators who had lost interest in attending.

Most actors of the main 2020 cast reclaimed their roles for the 2021 run save for those of Izaya Orihara, Mika Harima, and Simon Brezhnev, who were recast. The ensemble cast remained unchanged with the exception of 2020 cast member Naofumi Takeuchi, whose place was taken by Wataru Murakami.

April–May 2020 Production (Cancelled)

 * Original Run Schedule

The play was originally intended to run from April to May 2020 in Tokyo, Aichi, and Osaka, in honor of the tenth anniversary of the anime's first season (original run: January – June 2010). The initial thirteen performances, slated to run at Tokyo's Nippon Seinen-kan Hall from April 10 through April 18, were cancelled on March 28 citing concerns of the spread of the new coronavirus, COVID-19. The stage play's Aichi and Osaka performances were intended to continue, with four performances at Aichi's Tokoname community center from April 24 through April 26, and nine more performances at Cool Japan Park Osaka from May 1 through May 6, but after reevaluating the spread of the virus, Trifle Entertainment decided to cancel all performances on April 5.


 * History

The stage play adaptation was first announced on September 27, 2019 on Twitter, Dengeki Online, and other news sites. Within hours of the news' publication, the #デュラララ!! twitter hashtag began trending in Japan and reached second rank at its peak.

The official ''Durarara!! Stage'' Twitter account announced on October 16, 2019, that it would begin sharing cast and character visuals on Saturday, October 19, on which Shouhei Hashimoto was revealed to be playing the part of Mikado Ryuugamine. Cast details continued to be revealed roughly every three days until November 9, when the rest of the cast was announced. The play ran in Tokyo from

A video 'PV' announcing the main performers in the style of the anime's Treacherous Sunset opening was released on December 6, 2019 the following month. Although the production's official YouTube video is currently geolocked, they have since directly shared the video on Twitter where it is available for anyone to watch.

Aniplex+ and Trifle Entertainment are credited for the stage play's planning, production, and subsequent cancellation and are additionally listed as 'organizers' alongside Kadokawa and Dwango (IIV).

Merchandise gallery
Due to the planned 2020 run's cancellation in response to the spread of COVID-19, merchandise that would have been sold on-site was available at later dates online and in-person instead. The goods were listed on ANIPLEX+ from April 10 to May 6, 2020, and available at Ikebukuro Animate in August 2020.

Trivia

 * A limited collaboration event between Durarara!! and the mobile game『非人類学園 Extraordinary Ones』(Non-Human School: Extraordinary Ones) was also announced on September 27, 2019, likely intended to coincide with the stage play announcement.
 * In adapting the series' first story arc, the stage play follows the anime more closely than the light novel, including introducing Izaya through his interactions with an unnamed Rio Kamichika and showing Kaztano's kidnapping and rescue. The play takes place in 2010, as in the anime, but in keeping with the times, the life-sized anime cutout Walker and Erika are carrying during their introduction is Mai Sakurajima of the Dengeki Bunko series Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai.