K-musical 'Gwangju', a K-musical that impresses the American audience with K democracy... Broadway showcase successfully completed

15 local actors, 14 orchestra members, local director and music director participated, 18 songs about 1 hour, performed in English

[K trendy NEWS reporter Im Woo-kyung] The production company Live Co., Ltd. and Ma Bangjin announced that they had successfully completed the showcase of the musical 'Gwangju' in the center of Broadway at 8:00 pm on the 20th (local time). Live Co., Ltd. and Ma Bang-jin, the producers of the musical 'Gwangju', said, "The New York showcase of the musical 'Gwangju' was held amid the enthusiastic cheers of local officials and audiences in the United States." 출처 : K trendy NEWS(http://www.k-trendynews.com)

The showcase attracted a lot of attention from the locals with the participation of musical actors and creative staff active on Broadway. 출처 : K trendy NEWS(http://www.k-trendynews.com)

It was held at the '787 Seventh' theater located near Times Square and Rockefeller Center, and about 500 Broadway League officials and local audiences watched it. 15 local musical actors and a 14-member orchestra performed together, and it consisted of number 18 songs and was conducted in English for about an hour. 출처 : K trendy NEWS(http://www.k-trendynews.com)

Andrew Rasmussen, famous for his musical 'Rocky Horror Picture Show' and 'Wild Party', and 'Andy Roninson', the most active composer and performer on Broadway, was selected as the 2019 Broadway composer. )' was the director and music director, respectively. 출처 : K trendy NEWS(http://www.k-trendynews.com)

Director Andrew Rasmussen said, "'Gwangju' is a great work that resonates deeply. It is a story that everyone around the world can relate to, and I think it will be successful enough on Broadway.” He continued, “The solid storyline, music, and dialogue are all good performances. There is no reason not to be successful.” 출처 : K trendy NEWS(http://www.k-trendynews.com)

The performance mainly participated by Asian actors who are active on Broadway, and the actors performed as passionately as the main performance even though it was a showcase. Lerryant KRISDY, an Indonesian native who plays the role of Lee Ki-baek, said, “In my hometown, there was a history of citizens similar to the May 18 Democratization Movement, so I felt more homogeneous and became more immersed in the work. It is an honor to be involved in a meaningful work,” he said. 출처 : K trendy NEWS(http://www.k-trendynews.com)

Kang Dong-woo, who won the '2018 Broadway Rising Star Award' and played the role of Igeon Yoon in the play, said, "There were actors and staff I met for the first time through 'Gwangju', but during the practice period, we all felt the hot energy of being one. . It was a precious and special experience.” Abigail Choi ARADER, a Korean-American who won the Best Actress Award at the 2019 Broadway World Los Angeles Awards for her role in the musical “Comfort Woman,” appeared as Jeonghwa-in. She often heard her story about the 'May 18th Democratization Movement' from her mother, whose hometown is Jeolla-do. Although it is heartbreaking, it is a work that deals with a history that should never be forgotten, so I felt more responsible. It's such a touching piece of work. Broadway audiences will love it, too.” Many local performers also attended the showcase. 출처 : K trendy NEWS(http://www.k-trendynews.com)

After watching the performance, 'Rob Laqui', a Tony Awards-winning producer who produced Hadestown and Strange Loop, said, "The performance is based on historical facts, so the emotion seems to be doubled. It is a heavy work that can be performed sufficiently on Broadway.” The audience who watched the showcase said, "It's like watching Les Miserables", "In a country called the United States, a symbol of democracy, 'Gwangju' seems to be a very good subject. I want to see it through this performance." 출처 : K trendy NEWS(http://www.k-trendynews.com)

The CEO of Gwangju Cultural Foundation 'Hwangpoongnyun', who has planned and supervised this project, said, "The fear, anticipation, and excitement coexisted about whether the story of May could be made into a song and resonate with people around the world, planning since 2019. Thank you for the warm response from the locals at this New York showcase.” He also explained, "The Gwangju Cultural Foundation will continue to work on sympathizing and sharing the story of Gwangju with people around the world." “This showcase is the first step in spreading the spirit of the May 18 Democratization Movement, a symbol of Korean democracy, to the world through ‘musical’,” said Jong-Im Jeong, director of culture and city policy in Gwangju Metropolitan City. We will actively strive for globalization.” 출처 : K trendy NEWS(http://www.k-trendynews.com)