National Theater Company of Korea's Reading Performance of 'The Tears of an Unknown Artist and Zaitun Pasta'

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] The National Theater Company will perform the reading showcase "The Tears of an Unknown Artist and Zaitun Pasta (original by Park Sang-young, adapted by Kim Yeon-jae, directed by Lim Ji-min)" at 11 a.m. on June 10-11 at the Baek Seong-hee Jang Min-ho Theater.

This reading showcase is organized to present "The Tears of an Unknown Artist and Zaitun Pasta" in a reading format with the goal of developing a new work and to gather diverse opinions from the audience. The National Theater Company has met audiences with various works centered on novels, including overseas classics such as "The Plague," "The Castle," and "1984," as well as Kim Young-ha's "Empire of Light," to broaden new work development. Through this reading showcase of Park Sang-young's work, the National Theater Company expands the boundaries of "staging novels" by addressing the latest trends in Korean literature and contemporary hot issues.

"The Tears of an Unknown Artist and Zaitun Pasta" is a representative work by Park Sang-young, who won the 2018 Young Writer Award, written in response to the "Captain A Incident," where the military identified and detained sexual minorities.

The play depicts the story of the modern dancer "Wang Sha" and "I," who first met in the Zaitun Unit. The protagonist "I" wants to make a film portraying the reality of gay people but is pushed out of the film industry after harsh criticism. Wang Sha is also not recognized in the modern dance world. Their ordinary lives, without clear success or desperate failure, lightly show the undying vitality of youth within the calmness of everyday life.

Seven actors, including Kwon Kyum-min, Kwon Jung-hoon, Kim Bo-na, Kim Se-hwan, Park So-yeon, Park Yong-woo, and Lee Won-jun, will participate in this reading showcase. After the reading showcase held at 11 a.m. on June 10 and 11 at the Baek Seong-hee Jang Min-ho Theater, a 40-minute "Conversation with the Artists" will be held, where director Lim Ji-min, adapter Kim Yeon-jae, and the actors will engage in discussion with the audience.

Admission to the reading showcase is free, and reservations can be made on a first-come, first-served basis from June 6 on the National Theater Company's website, limited to one ticket per person. The performance will be operated with "one seat apart seating" in accordance with strengthened COVID-19 prevention measures in the metropolitan area.