Childrens Shows Over Summer Vacation
Keeping Children Active
By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter
Here comes summer vacation, and while some hit the road for the best tourist spots, others seek alternatives to take a rest and have fun. Parents are busy selecting appropriate vacation programs to keep their children active and having fun to prevent complaints of boredom. For the summer break, thespians are putting on various shows to entertain both children and their parents.
The Eternity of Pharaoh
The Cultural Foundation of the National Museum of Korea will stage ``The Eternity of Pharaoh'' from July 18 to Aug. 30 at Theater Yong in the museum.
The musical is inspired by Paulo Coelho's ``The Alchemist'' and its philosophical content has been adapted for children through an Egyptian adventure story.
The stage features pyramids, pharaoh, mummies and stone sculptures depicting ancient Egypt.
The show has less dialogue and, instead, focuses on non-verbal performances such as acrobatics, mimes and puppets to help children better understand its content.
The musical offers not only entertainment but also education, along with fantastic music and special effects.
It is a good opportunity for visitors to enjoy both the musical and the ongoing exhibition of ``Egypt, the Great Civilization'' at the museum.
Tickets cost from 20,000 to 50,000 won. For more information, call 1544-5955.
ASSITEJ Korea Summer Festival
The 17th annual ASSITEJ Korea Summer festival (AssiFe), hosted by the International Association of Theatre for Children and Young People Korea, will run from July 25 to Aug. 2 in Jung-dong, central Seoul.
The festival will present 10 prominent shows from seven countries ― Germany, Australia, Korea, Croatia, Japan, Austria and the U.K.
The annual event will feature the German play, ``The Brave Tin Soldier,'' from July 25 to 28 at Midong Elementary School Gymnasium.
Presented by theater troupe Das Puppentheater am Meininger Theater, the play is based on Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale, but is mixed with cutting-edge technology. The play was first staged here in 2002.
The Australian play, ``Suitcase'' deals with a touching story in which a homeless family lives only with a suitcase. The play is a non-verbal performance presented by Sydney-based company Krinkl, which uses puppets to depict environmental and societal issues, delivering both entertainment and education.
The festival will provide various cultural activities for children through book reading sessions, magic classes and workshop programs.
For information, visit www.assitejkorea.org or call (02) 745-5874.
Cloud Bread
The musical ``Cloud Bread'' ― based on a children's picture book of the same name published by Hansol Education ― takes to the stage through July 28 at Changdong Open Theater. The book has sold more than 400,000 copies worldwide.
``Cloud Bread ''(Gureum Ppang) authored by Back Heena is a heartwarming story of family love told by endearing characters. It won the Illustrator of the Year Award at the 2005 Bologna Children's Book Fair.
The show is a jukebox musical featuring well-known children's songs composed by Kim Sung-kyun. The audience will get to see flying characters from the book, which are incarnated in the musical.
Tickets cost from 25,000 won to 30,000 won. For more information, call 1577-7905.
Where Are We? and Flour, Flour
PMC Production renowned for ``Nanta'' presents two experiential shows ― ``Flour, Flour'' and ``Where Are We?'' ― in which children can participate.
At the shows, children can play with white flour paste and sand. The events are a type of object theater using sand and flour.
The shows directed by Lee Young-ran who participated in major object theater works such as ``Lady Macbeth'' were first inspired by her childhood memory in which she used to play with sand and flour.
The PMC Production said that the sand is clean as twenty-five tons of sand has been disinfected to prevent possible infection.
``Flour, Flour'' is on an open run at Lee Young-ran`s Sensitivity Playground in Daehangno, Seoul. Tickets are 19,000 won.
``Where Are We?'' will run through Aug. 30 at MBC Academy in Sindorim Techno-Mart, Guro-dong, Seoul. Tickets are 25,000 won. For more information, call (02) 738-8289.
Kid's Nanta
``Kid's Nanta'' adapted for children's tastes will be on stage through Aug. 31 at Woongjin Thinkbig Arts Hall in Yeoksam-dong, southern Seoul.
The non-verbal performance has drawn more than 900,000 viewers since the PMC Production opened the exclusive theater for ``Kid's Nanta'' on June 1 last year.
Actors give a food-making performance, using kitchen utensils such as frying pans and saucepans, which later turn into musical instruments for the show.
The show creates more fantastic scenes to portray the ocean, marine creatures, waves and stars with the laser beams.
It will also run the class ``Experience Kid's Nanta,'' in which children can play the instruments. The classes are offered through Sept. 6 at 63 Building's Event Hall.
Tickets cost from 30,000 to 50,000 won and for ``Experience Kid's Nanta,'' 22,000 won.
For more information, visit www.kidnanta.co.kr or call (02) 738-8289.
Max und Milli
The Korean adaptation of Volker Ludwig's ``Max und Milli'' will be staged in Hakchon Blue from July 30 to Aug. 28.
Directed by veteran director Kim Min-ki, the work has been popular among children and their parents since it premiered in 2004.
It portrays the process of how children become friends through first meetings in a playground and their emotions and thoughts about their daily lives.
A live band, which will present various genres from rock to blues and ballads, will accompany the two-hour performance. Also, a variety of acoustic instruments such as guitars, contra basses, percussion and kazoos and other creative instruments will inspire children to understand the true meaning of music in their daily lives.
Tickets cost 18,000 won for children and teenagers and 20,000 won for adults. For more information, call (02) 763-8233 or visit www.hakchon.co.kr.
Hello, Mozart
If parents want children to learn something even in the summer break, ``Hello, Mozart'' is good for this purpose. The musical is designed to educate children about classical music through Mozart.
The show delivers basic knowledge about operas and the gifted musician through an adventurous story in which characters meet Mozart who gives a quiz to the audience to induce their participation.
The musical will be on stage through Aug. 30 at Le Meilleur Theater in Daehangno. Tickets cost from 20,000 won to 30,000 won. For more information, call (02) 6000-3373.