“Xcalibur,” a musical by the Korean musical company EMK, will be made into a Japanese version by the Takarazuka Revue, an all-female theater troupe. The Japanese production will take to the stage from July 23 to Aug. 5 at Tokyo Tatemono Brillia Hall. The Takarazuka Revue is an all-female theater troupe founded in 1913 to attract tourists to Takarazuka, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. Daiichi Inaba will direct “Xcalibur,” featuring actress Toa Serika and Haruno Sakura in the le

The National Theater of Korea will screen three plays in February and March as part of “NTOK Live+,” a program introducing prominent overseas theatrical performances. Three classic plays -- Arthur Miller’s “The Crucible,” Moliere’s “Le Tartuffe ou l'Hypocrite” and Arthur Schnitzler’s “Professor Bernhardi” -- have been reinterpreted by the National Theatre in London, La Comedie Francaise in Paris and the International Theater

Currently in Seoul, eight time zones from where Ludwig van Beethoven was born and died, two musicals inspired by the musician are taking place. With the exception of the source of inspiration, the two productions are like chalk and cheese. “Ludwig: Beethoven the Piano” is a small-scale production in the off-off Broadway style, while “Beethoven: The Secret” is an extravagant production that takes place in a cavernous theater boasting 2,200 seats. The former, produced by Or

The National Dance Company of Korea returns with its surrealistic dance work first performed five years ago. “The RoOm,” which will run from March 2 to 4 at Daloreum Theater in Seoul, first premiered in 2018 in collaboration with choreographer and producer Kim Seol-jin. “The RoOm” centers on a space that is shared by many people and filled with memories left there, according to the NDCK. Kim, a contemporary dancer, pieced together the stories of eight NDCK dancers who he

Three popular female TV actors appear on stage

Shin Chun-soo, chief producer of OD Co., has been dealing with thyroid problems recently, a condition he described as even harder to deal with than his open-heart surgery two years ago. Shin confesses to being less and less stimulated by company. Once an extrovert, he has retreated to literature and musical books in his enduring search for inspiration. But when he talks about musicals and his upcoming projects in and outside Korea, his face lights up. Shin was originally a wannabe movie director

Lee Soon-jae's presence fills stage; So Yoo-jin, Jin Ji-hee performances shine

With production companies and audiences moving past the pandemic, musicals are returning en masse. "West Side Story," the 65-year-old Stephen Sondheim-Leonard Bernstein romp, the Asian premiere of "Moulin Rouge!" and more Sondheim in the dark tale of London's murderous barber, "Sweeney Todd" are among those warming up the cold winter season. There was a time when someone who had watched a musical on Broadway would be excited to see it in South Korea, only to be

Actors on stage do more than just read lines -- they sing songs, appreciate paintings and rekindle inspiration. Two gripping plays currently running in Seoul -- John Marans’ “Old Wicked Songs” and Lee Halls' “The Pitmen Painters” -- bring music and art to the stage, exploring the depth of arts and how they shape our lives. Music school drama in "Old Wicked Songs” Set in the spring of 1986 at a music school in Vienna, the play “Old Wicked Song

A Korean play called “Chronicles of Alibis” will be staged at KVS, Brussels, on Wednesday, the first time a Korean-language play is being performed in Belgium. English subtitles will be provided, according to the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, which organized the performance in conjunction with the Korean Culture and Information Service. “Chronicles of Alibis” is an autobiographical narrative of playwright-director Kim Jae-yeop’s father and o

“Showman: A Dictator’s Fourth Body Double,” a black comedy created by a Korean creative team, took home the award for best musical of the year at the 7th Korea Musical Awards ceremony, Monday evening at LG Arts Center in Seoul. “Showman,” a story revolving around Nebula, a mysterious, eccentric old man who insists that he is a body double, and Sua, a fake photographer who tries to prey on Nebula, was created by writer Han Jung-seok, composer Lee Sun Young, and direc

Actors Kim Sang-joong, Gil Hae-yeon bring gripping tension to life

The Korean production of the musical “The Phantom of the Opera” is returning for the first time in 13 years. The third Korean-language revival after the 2001 and 2009 runs, the latest production is set to premiere in Busan and will feature headlining actor Cho Seung-woo, musical actor Jeon Dong-suk and baritone Julian Kim as the Phantom. Sohn Ji-soo and Song Eun-hye will take the role of Christine. The Busan performances will kick off at Dream Theatre, a venue dedicated to musicals

Musical ticket sales exceeded 400 billion won for the first time

Korea National Contemporary Dance Company will continue to explore the art of dance in 2023 with experimental programs for the next season. “20▲△” (Twenty Triangle Triangle) which premiered in 2021 will return to the stage in February as the first program of the season. Directed by choreographer Song Joo-won, the performance was part of the “Dance and Technology Project” which incorporated VR as well as the audience into a dance. In June, “Cascade Passage” wil