By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter
Renowned musical composer Andrew Lloyd Webber turned to a reality TV show to find a new star for the leading role in his most recent production, ``The Sound of Music,'' through open auditions. The musical was a big success in 2006, with an unknown actress winning the role of Maria.
Such open auditions are now gaining popularity in the local musical arena, in which a limited number of stars drove strong ticket sales.
The OD Musical Company is holding an open audition for its new production, ``My Fair Lady,'' which will be staged in August.
The audition is the first and largest open audition ever held in Korea. The auditions will be broadcast on a cable channel in March, titled, ``Singing in the SKY,'' sponsored by SKY, the nation's mobile phone manufacturer.
The auditions will be part of a reality program in which 20 contenders will compete for the approval of judges and viewers on a TV show. Viewers can participate in the selection process by voting.
If selected for ``My Fair Lady,'' actresses can expect to perform in other musicals produced by the company and become members of the company troupe.
The company is known for its ``Midas touch'' for having produced hit musicals such as ``Jekyll & Hyde,'' ``Grease,'' and ``Man of La Mancha.''
The company will select 20 contenders for the final round from Seoul, Busan and Gwangju. Judges include veteran actress Jeon Soo-gyeong, company president Shin Chun-soo and musical critic Won Jong-won.
Shin said that the audition project aims at discovering talented actors and ultimately contribute to the musical industry.
``The auditions will give opportunities to amateurs dreaming of becoming musical stars even though they live in provincial areas. Viewers might feel more familiar with the musical genre by watching the audition process on TV,'' Shin said in a press release.
The final audition will be held in the company's rehearsal room in Yeoksam-dong, southern Seoul, March 7-11 after the first round of auditions in Busan, Gwangju and Seoul.
``My Fair Lady'' will go on stage at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts Aug. 21-Sept. 14.
``My Fair Lady'' is a musical based upon George Bernard Shaw's ``Pygmalion,'' with lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The show's 1956 Broadway production was a smash hit, setting a new record for the longest run of any major theater production in history.
The musical was also remade into a popular film version and numerous revivals.
``My Fair Lady'' was made into an Academy Award-winning 1964 film starring Audrey Hepburn.
The musical won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 1956 and Best Actress in a Musical in 1976.