Actor Cho Returns as Don Quixote
By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter
Do you remember ``The Impossible Dream,'' an all-time hit, sung by various artists such as Spanish tenor Placido Domingo and pop stars Elvis Presley, Andy Williams and Perry Como?
The song, which was also used in the 1996 film ``Up Close & Personal,'' was written by Mitch Leigh in 1965 for ``Man of La Mancha,'' a Broadway musical.
Audiences will be able to hear the fascinating musical score again in its new Korean version two years after its premiere in 2005. This time, the musical has a new line-up starring top musical star Cho Seung-woo.
The musical will run for a month from Aug. 3 at LG Arts Center in southern Seoul.
Since first being staged in 1965 in New York, it has steadily grown into one of Broadway's quintessential musicals.
It is based on the literary classic ``Don Quixote de La Mancha'' by Miguel de Cervantes but draws more directly from Dale Wasserman's 1959 non-musical television play, which combines a semi-fictional episode from the life of Cervantes with scenes from his novel.
The Korean version musical was first put on stage in Seoul in 2005, casting actors Kim Sung-gi and Ryu Jung-han.
Renowned director David Swan who also directed the 2005 version in Seoul returns to direct and choregraph this year's version.
Korean heartthrob Cho and comedian-turned-actor Chung Sung-hwa who performed in ``Confession,'' ``I Love You'' and ``All Shook Up,'' will both take the main role of Don Quixote.
As soon as news spread that Cho was cast for the new version, tickets for the performances by Cho were sold out just a day after ticket sales opened on May 22.
Previously, Cho broke the record for ticket sales for his latest musical, ``Rent'' in less than half an hour last November.
Chung is known for his talent in performing comic characters and his superbness in deep tones and baritone voices.
Swan said that the piece will provide audiences the chance to "imagine the journey with characters" even after the curtain is lowered.
``The musical will also focus on the question of whether to choose despair or create a hopeful world in this harsh environment,'' he said.
The musical will be performed from Aug. 3 to Sept. 2. Tickets cost from 30,000 to 120,000 won. For more information, call 1588-5212.