Miryang City Completes Preparations for a Spectacular Takeoff of the Miryang Performing Arts Festival

From July 21 to 29

Theater! Imagination Beyond Imagination

Miryang City in Gyeongnam held a steering committee meeting in the city hall's small conference room to ensure the successful hosting of the Miryang Performing Arts Festival.

The 23rd Miryang Performing Arts Festival, Korea's representative theater festival, will be held at Miryang Arena from July 21 to 29 for nine days under the theme "Theater! Imagination Beyond Imagination."

To mark the 23rd festival, the newly formed steering committee consists of 20 members, including the elected chairperson, national actress Son Sook, and experts and university professors with extensive knowledge and experience in the theater field. The committee will serve as an advisory body for the festival's growth into a world-class performing arts festival.

At the meeting held on the 20th, detailed explanations and Q&A sessions were conducted regarding the detailed program composition and operational plans for this year's Miryang Performing Arts Festival, leading to in-depth discussions among the committee members about the overall progress of the festival.

In particular, the committee members showed keen interest in the opening play "When I See the Rainbow in the Wide Sky, My Heart Dances," starring veteran actor Shin Goo at the Miryang Arena Seongbyeok Theater at 7:30 PM on July 21, as well as the total of 88 performances by 55 teams over the nine days, carefully reviewing each play in detail.

First, they presented various opinions on "Two Heroes," a grand Seongbyeok production about the repatriation of prisoners featuring the patriotic hero Samyeong Daesa from Miryang, as well as "Equus," and the popular national play "Liar," which will be performed in Daehangno, along with romantic musicals and horror plays.

For the recommended works exhibition, they thoroughly reviewed steady sellers in the theater world such as "Sora Star Story" and the awkward love story "Awkward Romance," as well as puppet shows for children like "Hammer and Chunky, The Three Little Pigs" and the environmental music play "Hello Pengu."

They also exchanged various opinions on three contests providing opportunities for young domestic playwrights and experimental stages (University Theater Festival, MZ Directors Festival, Yoon Dae-sung Playwriting Award), and side events including talk concerts with promotional ambassadors actress Son Sook, actor Lee Jae-yong, and musical actress Hong Ji-min.

Finally, to conclude the passionate nine-day festival, they reviewed the musical gala show "A Midsummer Night's Harmony Concert" by the Western Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Miryang-born top domestic conductor Bang Sung-ho, which is being prepared as the closing performance on July 29.

Enthusiastic discussions among attendees continued regarding various ideas for the festival's development, strategies to attract audiences, and plans to revitalize the local economy.

Mayor Park Il-ho said, "The 23rd Miryang Performing Arts Festival is Korea's representative performing arts festival held in Miryang, which has firmly established itself as a hub city for Korean theater through the successful hosting of the 40th Korea Theater Festival and the Korea Youth Theater Festival last year," adding, "We will complete a happy Miryang by fostering civic pride and expanding cultural enjoyment through a successful festival, while simultaneously attracting a large number of external tourists to revitalize the local economy."