Kaho Shimada

Kaho Shimada (島田歌穂, Shimada Kaho, born September 19, 1963) is a Japanese singer and musical theater actress. Born and raised in Minato, Tokyo, she attended Tokyo Municipal Jonan High School. She is an assistant professor of drama at the Osaka University of Arts located in Osaka Prefecture, Japan.

Her father, Takaho Shimada, was a musician who gave voice training to Isao Sasaki.[1] Her mother is Reiko Tsukubane, a jazz singer.

Shimada debuted as an actress at the age of eleven in Ganbare!! Robocon (1974–1977) as Robin-chan.

She is best known for her role as Éponine in the Tokyo production of Les Misérables, which she portrayed in English on the album Les Misérables – The Complete Symphonic Recording. Shimada did not speak any English at all, and learned her entire role in English phonetically for the recording.[2]

In 2013, she played the role of Catherine in the British musical Tomorrow Morning at Theatre Creation, Yūrakuchō, Chiyoda, Tokyo – the Japanese premiere of the award-winning internationally acclaimed show by Laurence Mark Wythe. Her performance was watched by British Queen Elizabeth II.[3]

She is an adherent and a member of the fine arts department of Soka Gakkai, became in 1974.[3]