'Marie Curie' Fourth Season Opens on July 25
'The Great Gatsby' to Premiere in Korea at GS Art Center
Tony Award Contender 'Maybe Happy Ending' Scheduled for October
Three Korean musicals that have elevated the status of Korean musical theater on Broadway in New York, the home of musicals, and London’s West End in the United Kingdom, will be staged in Korea one after another. 'Marie Curie,' 'The Great Gatsby,' and 'Maybe Happy Ending' have all announced plans for domestic performances in the second half of this year.
On May 28, the production company Live announced that the fourth season of the original musical 'Marie Curie' will open on July 25 at the BBCH Hall of the Gwanglim Art Center in Seoul. The show will run for nearly three months until October 19. 'Marie Curie' is an original musical that highlights the life of Marie Curie, who overcame her disadvantages as a woman and immigrant to achieve the unprecedented feat of winning the Nobel Prize twice (the 1903 Nobel Prize in Physics and the 1910 Nobel Prize in Chemistry).
'Marie Curie' successfully completed the first-ever long-term run by a Korean musical in the history of Korean musical theater in London’s West End last year. It was performed at London’s Charing Cross Theatre for about two months, from June 1 to July 28, 2024. At the UK's 'The Offies' awards, it was nominated in two categories: Best New Musical and Best Leading Performance in a Musical, earning recognition for its artistic value.
This work was selected as the New Work of the Year by the Arts Council Korea’s Creative Support Program in 2018 and held a showcase performance. The premiere and the first revival were staged at Chungmu Art Center Black Theater and Hongdae Art Center Grand Theater in 2020. At the 5th Korea Musical Awards in 2021, it won five awards: Grand Prize, Producer Award, Book Award, Composition Award, and Directing Award. The third season ran at Hongdae Art Center Grand Theater from November 2023 to February 2024.
In the fourth season opening in July, Kim Sohyang, Park Hyena, and Kim Ryeowon will take on the lead role of Marie Curie.
'The Great Gatsby,' the first Korean musical to win a Tony Award, will open at GS Art Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul on August 1 and run until November 9. It is adapted from the novel of the same name by F. Scott Fitzgerald, one of the most prominent American novelists of the 20th century. The musical depicts the dreams, love, and desires of diverse characters, reflecting the wild American society of the 1920s.
'The Great Gatsby' was produced by Odi Company CEO Shin Chunsoo, who became the first Korean and the first Asian to serve as the sole lead producer, working with the American creative team and cast. At the 77th Tony Awards, held at Lincoln Center in New York in June 2024, the musical won the award for Best Costume Design, making it the first Korean musical to win a Tony Award.
'The Great Gatsby' began preview performances at Broadway Theatre on March 29, 2024, and officially opened on April 25, about a month later. It has been enjoying a strong local response, continuing its long-term run for over a year. According to the Broadway performance website Playbill, as of May 18, cumulative sales (ticket revenue) reached $72,346,638 (approximately 99.4 billion KRW), with an average occupancy rate of 92.77%. 'The Great Gatsby' also officially opened at the London West End Coliseum Theatre on April 25, 2024, continuing its box office success.
'The Great Gatsby' will be the first musical staged at GS Art Center. GS Art Center is a new venue opened by GS Group to mark its 20th anniversary, with its opening on April 24, 2024. The LG Art Center, which was located on the 5th floor of GS Tower in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, relocated to Magok, Gangseo-gu, Seoul in March 2021, and after renovations, reopened as GS Art Center.
'Maybe Happy Ending,' which is likely to become the second Korean musical to win a Tony Award, is also scheduled to open its sixth season at the end of this year. While 'The Great Gatsby' is based on an American novel, 'Maybe Happy Ending' is an entirely original musical, which would give its potential Tony win special significance.
'Maybe Happy Ending' was nominated in an impressive 10 categories at the 78th Tony Awards announced on May 1. It received the most nominations among musicals, including Best Musical, Best Direction, Best Book, Best Leading Actor, Best Score (Music and Lyrics), Best Orchestrations, Best Scenic Design, Best Costume Design, Best Lighting Design, and Best Sound Design. Locally, it is considered a strong contender for major awards such as Best Musical, Best Direction, Best Book, and Best Leading Actor.
The musical has already won four awards at the 75th Outer Critics Circle Awards: Outstanding New Broadway Musical, Outstanding Director, Outstanding Score, and Outstanding Book. It also won Best Musical from the New York Drama Critics' Circle, raising expectations even further.
'Maybe Happy Ending' began preview performances at the Belasco Theatre on Broadway on October 16, 2024, and officially opened on November 12, about a month later. To date, it has recorded cumulative sales of $23,798,641 (approximately 32.7 billion KRW) and an average occupancy rate of 93.31%.
This work premiered in December 2016 in Daehakro through the creative support program of the Wooran Foundation for the Arts. It has enjoyed steady popularity, successfully completing its fifth season last year.
NHN Link, which holds the domestic rights to 'Maybe Happy Ending,' is preparing for the sixth season, aiming to open in October this year.
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