Seven Female Actors in Their 50s from Seoul Musical Troupe with an Average Stage Career of 30 Years Unite

Seoul Municipal Musical Troupe's Original Musical 'Dasi, Bom'
Next Month 7-9 at Seoul Dream Forest Art Center... Provincial Tour Including Sunchang and Hwacheon

Musical 'Again, Spring' original production team and cast. Photo by Sejong Center for the Performing Arts

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] “When actresses who used to shine on stage in their youth reach their 50s, they often feel their careers are overlooked, being cast only as the neighbor lady or the protagonist’s mother. In this production, all seven actresses each take the stage as distinct characters, singing their own stories.”

Seven actresses in their 50s from the Seoul Municipal Musical Group under Sejong Center for the Performing Arts (Wang Eunsuk, Kwon Myunghyun, Oh Seongrim, Lim Seungyeon, Park Jeonga, Park Seonok, Lee Shinmi) present the dreams and concerns of middle-aged women to the audience through stories and songs reflecting their own lives in the original musical Again, Spring.

At a press conference held on the 28th at the Arts Building of Sejong Center in Jongno-gu, Seoul, actress Park Jeonga, who participated in the production, said this was a stage where middle-aged actresses, who had been limited to certain roles, could fully showcase their talents. Kim Deokhee, director of the Seoul Musical Group and general producer, explained, “It is a reality that there are few roles for actresses in their 50s on musical stages. In an era of longevity and changing life cycles, we believe various attempts are needed in musicals, and as a public organization, we felt the need to take on such a role, which led to the production of this work.”

Again, Spring tells the stories of seven middle-aged women, each with her own background: 'Jinsook,' a news anchor pushed out of the main anchor seat due to menopausal hot flashes; 'Seunghui,' a housewife working part-time at a supermarket; 'Sungae,' a single mom who was a publishing team leader but was honorably retired after divorce; and 'Eunok,' a middle school teacher living with her in-laws after her husband's death. During a rare bus trip, they face a life-threatening accident on a rainy road and, confronted by the Grim Reaper, each reflects on her life.

Creative musical 'Again, Spring' rehearsal scene. Photo by Sejong Center for the Performing Arts

With an average acting career of 30 years, the actresses conducted in-depth interviews with the creative team starting in May to develop the production. They also incorporated their experiences realistically into the work through creative workshops, including interviews with local residents in their 50s in Hwacheon, Gangwon Province.

Notably, this production adopts the 'Devising Theatre' format, attracting attention. Without a script, the seven cast members create the content based on extensive research. The actresses shared their honest experiences and stories with the creative team, which are woven throughout the script.

Park Seonok, who plays the middle school teacher Eunok, said, “In previous works, I played other characters, but this time it was a new experience to play myself. I tried to view myself objectively, and the time spent acting became an opportunity to fully look at myself.”

Director Lee Gippeum said, “This story may seem very personal, but at the same time, it is a universal story for those living in this era. We worked hard to show raw authenticity while ensuring theatricality, and to create moments where the actors could comfortably and sincerely enjoy sharing their stories.”

Again, Spring will be performed from October 7 to 9 at the Performance Hall of Bukseoul Dream Forest Arts Center. Following the Seoul performances, a touring schedule will continue at Sunchang, Jeonbuk in late October and Hwacheon, Gangwon in early November.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.