33rd Young Theatre Festival Kicks Off in Seoul
The 33rd Young Theatre Festival, chaired by Professor Kim Jeong-geun from Daekyung University, is set to run until July 7, spanning five weeks at major venues in Seoul, including the Daehakro Theatre Quad, Lee Hae-rang Arts Theatre, and Samilro Warehouse Theatre. A total of 57 plays will be showcased, primarily featuring students from 45 universities with theatre, acting, and performing arts programs across the nation.
The lineup of performances is diverse, featuring classics such as Anton Chekhov's 'The Seagull', Arthur Miller's 'The Crucible' (recently performed in Korean as 'Trial' at the Seoul Arts Center), Akira Kurosawa's film adaptation of Ryunosuke Akutagawa's 'Rashomon' (나생문), and Thornton Wilder's 'Our Town'. Additionally, original works will be presented, including 'Yakiniku Dragon' by Korean-Japanese playwright Jeong Ui-sin, '20th Century Boys and Girls Songbook', and 'Still Life' by Yoo Mi-ri. Notably, 'Manbal' by last year's Korea Playwright Award winner Cho Kwang-hwa and a performance of 'Electra' by students from Nihon University in Japan are also part of the festival.
The Korean Association of University Theatre Departments, led by Professor Kim Hyun-hee from Sungkyunkwan University's Department of Acting Arts, will host various events such as academic seminars, special lectures, and workshops for professionals in the field. The festival is expected to attract over 2,500 participants and more than 20,000 audience members.
The opening ceremony, held on June 1 at Sungkyunkwan University's New Millennium Hall, saw the attendance of around 1,000 students and professors from theatre-related departments nationwide. Notable attendees included Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, Song Hyung-jong, head of the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture, Lee Chang-ki, cultural advisor to the Seoul Mayor, Son Jeong-woo, chairman of the Korean Theatre Association, Kim Geon-pyo, director of the Korean Theatre Critics Association, and Lee Hoon-gyeong from the Korea Arts Council. This year, actress Shin Ye-eun, a graduate of Sungkyunkwan University's Department of Acting Arts, has been appointed as the festival's ambassador.
The 33rd Young Theatre Festival is organized by the Korean Association of University Theatre Departments and supported by major theatre organizations including the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture, Seongbuk Cultural Foundation, Korean Theatre Association, Seoul Theatre Association, Korean Playwrights Association, and Korean Directors Association.
For schedule and performance details, visit the official website at youngtheatrefestival.com.
