The creative musical “Marie Curie”, produced by the production company Live, will enter the West End of the UK.
The musical “Marie Curie,” which will premiere in the English version, will officially open at the Charing Cross Theatre in London on June 1 and continue its performance until July 28. This is the first time that a creative musical produced by a Korean production company will participate in a long-term performance in English by British staff and local actors at the West End.
The expansion of “Marie Curie” into the English-American market is a project that has been steadily being prepared. Participating in the Arts Management Support Center’s Musical Roadshow in London program, the group began advancing into the West End by holding a highlight showcase at the ‘Gatsby Mansion’ in the West End in November 2022. In addition, as part of the Korea Arts Council’s mid- to long-term creative support project for the performing arts, a full-length showcase was held at The Palace in the West End in November 2023 to once again develop the work.
“Marie Curie” which opens in the West End, was produced by Live, and producer Kang Byung-won participated as the lead producer of a local production, forming a team of British producers and local actors. Based on the script and music of the Korean language performance, which writer Chun Se-eun and composer Choi Jong-yoon worked on, Korean creatives and British staff develop together and go through the localization process.
Local staff will include Sarah Meadows, a director who worked together at two previous showcase performances in London, Emma Fraser, Tom Ramsay, and Katy Lipson, a general manager. Sarah Meadows, who was in charge of directing, recently received favorable reviews from industry critics for the musical “RIDE.” “Ride” was nominated for six awards, including Best Direction of a Musical, at the Off West End Awards, winning two.
Choreographer Joanna Goodwin is participating as a choreographer in the UK tour of “An Officer and a Gentleman,” and sound designer Andrew Johnson has participated in numerous works including “Legally Blonde x Ghost” and “Spring Awakening.” Jane Deitch participated as the casting director, and Ryu Arum-bi participated in the direct translation of the English script. The cast will be revealed later.
Charing Cross Theater, where the English performance of “Marie Curie” is premiered, is a historic performance hall located near Trafalgar Square in central London. Opened under the Charing Cross station in 1864, it has operated under the names of “Gatty in the Arches,” “Players Theater” and “New Players Theater” and has continued its reputation by changing its pole name to the Charing Cross Theater in January 2011. In September 2023, Michael Kunze and Sylvester Levay’s “Rebecca” was performed in a new production at the Charing Cross Theater and gained great popularity.
Steven Levy, owner of Charing Cross Theatre, said, “When I saw the live performance of ‘Marie Curie’ in Korea, I thought it was a very smart performance and wanted to put it on at our theater. There are great expectations to see what kind of response the story of a scientist called ‘Marie Curie’ will elicit in the British market. “He expressed his anticipation.
Producer Kang Byung-won said, “We have been preparing for overseas expansion since the development stage. The work was verified by audiences in Korea, Japan, and Poland. We want to grow the creative musical “Marie Curie” loved in Korea into a work loved by audiences all over the world beyond Asia.”
Source | The Musical
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