There were not so many actors of female roles in the Kichiemon troupe, so he was actively selected to act major roles especially since the later stages of the war, replacing his real brother Tokizo NAKAMURA III, who had played opposite to Kichiemon for a long time, and Kichiemon trained Utaemon by leading him on the stage.
吉右衛門劇団では同世代の女形が少なく、長らく吉右衛門の相手役をつとめてきた実弟の中村時蔵(3代目)に代わり、特に戦争末期ごろから積極的に大役に抜擢され、舞台上で吉右衛門がリードするかたちで歌右衛門を育てていった。