The 41st Seoul Theater Festival Opens on May 2 with 'Distanced Seating System' Introduced

Performances Reduced to Half Audience Capacity with 8 Shows

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] The 41st Seoul Theater Festival will open on May 2nd with the introduction of a 'distanced seating system.' This year, the Seoul Theater Festival will present eight productions at major theaters near Daehangno until May 31st.

The official selected performances will operate under the 'distanced seating system.' Seats in front, behind, and on both sides of each audience member will be left empty to maximize safety distance between viewers, reducing available seats by half. Additionally, to ensure the safety of participating theater artists and audiences within the venues, measures such as mandatory mask-wearing, theater facility disinfection, installation of thermal cameras and temperature checks, provision of hand sanitizers, and health questionnaires for entry will be thoroughly implemented to prevent infections inside the theaters.

Amid the impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), many festivals have been scaled down, postponed, or canceled. The Seoul Theater Festival has also significantly changed its program composition. Special citizen participation programs originally planned, such as the 'promotion booth' where visitors could experience theater stages and costumes, the 'reading theater' involving actors and citizens, and the 100-member audience evaluation panel, have been completely canceled. The fringe free performances outside the theater, 'Seoul Creative Space Theater Festival (Chang-gong Festival),' will be held without an audience. Highlight videos of 25 fringe productions will be released as edited videos on the Seoul Theater Association's YouTube channel.

Executive Director Ji Chun-sung stated, "The decision to cancel the special programs held annually was a difficult one made with the utmost priority on blocking community transmission of COVID-19. Although the seating capacity has been drastically reduced due to the distanced seating system, we hope that the eight high-quality official selected works will bring new challenges and hope to citizens struggling during these difficult times since last winter and to the theater community that has lost its vitality."

This year’s official selected works at the Seoul Theater Festival express the abundant desires of the current era through various forms and perspectives. Based on solid scripts recognized for their artistic and literary value both domestically and internationally, four translated plays and four original works will be performed.

Nam Myung-ryeol, Artistic Director of the Seoul Theater Festival, said, "The eight works, which embody a harmony of artistry and popularity, embrace the times and generations, and freely expand discourse, will offer audiences moving experiences and provide empathy and comfort during these challenging times."

The Seoul Theater Festival is Korea’s representative theater festival, which began in 1977. Last year, out of a total of 99 performances, 48 shows were sold out.