World Tour Musical Teams to Hit Stage

By Chung Ah-young

Staff Reporter

Major world blockbuster musicals from Broadway and the West End _ ``The King and I'' and ``Cats'' _ are exciting musical buffs here.

The world tour casts of the two musical masterpieces will perform in Seoul and other major cities in Korea.

The tours to Korea are boosting the musical festive mood around the country.

The King and I

The Broadway cast of ``The King and I,'' a film-based musical, will perform at the National Theater of Korea in Seoul. It will begin its run on Friday until May 29.

It is the first time a Broadway cast will perform in Seoul, although the Korean language production was first staged in 2003.

The musical by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II is based on Margaret Landon's book about Anna Leonowens and the King of Siam.

The plot is based on a partially autobigraphical story written by Leonowens, who became a school teacher to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the early 1860s.

Since the musical premiered on Broadway in 1951, it has won major prizes at the Tony Awards and the Olivier Awards, the British equivalent of Broadway's awards.

The Seoul's creative team consists of director Bobby Garcia, stage designer Kenneth Foy and costume desinger Tim Yip.

Actor Paul Nakauchi who played the king in the Broadway, West End and U.S. National Tours productions, will also play the king in the musical.

Actress Brianna Borger, who appeared in ``The Phantom of the Opera'' and ``Beauty and The Beast,'' will perform the role of Anna.

About 30 dancers will join the troupe, along with 14 children cast members.

The orchestra will perform songs such as ``Shall We Dance,'' ``Getting to Know You'' and ``Whistle a Happy Tune.''

The show will go to Goyang Aramnuri Arts Complex from June 2-9 and Seongnam Arts Center in Gyeonggi Province from June 15-24.

Tickest cost from 40,000 to 120,000 won. For more information, call (02) 541-2614.