Musical "Frozen" to Make Korean Premiere at Charlotte Theater This August

Broadway Premiere in 2018, Over 11 Million Viewers Worldwide
Seven-Month Run at Charlotte Theater
Next Year, the Show Moves to Busan Dream Theater

The production company S&CO announced on March 30 that the Broadway musical "Frozen" will open at the Charlotte Theater on August 13.

The musical "Frozen" is based on the animated film of the same name, which was released in 2013 to mark the 90th anniversary of Walt Disney’s founding. The film grossed over $1.285 billion (about 1.9439 trillion won) worldwide. The musical "Frozen" received an enthusiastic response, setting the highest advance ticket sales in Broadway history, and premiered at the St. James Theatre on March 22, 2018. Since then, it has been performed in North America, the UK’s West End, Japan, Australia, Germany, Singapore, the Netherlands, and more, with over 11 million people having seen it worldwide to date. It has been recognized for its artistry, including a nomination for Best Musical at the Tony Awards, and winning honors at the Olivier Awards, Drama Desk Awards, and Outer Critics Circle Awards.

The Korean production is presented by Lotte Cultureworks and Clip Service, and produced by S&CO and Disney Theatrical Group. As a commemorative production for the 20th anniversary of the Charlotte Theater, it will be performed until March 1 next year before moving to the Dream Theater in Busan to continue its run.

The musical "Frozen," produced by Disney Theatrical Group, brought together a world-renowned creative team led by Andrew Flatt and Ann Quart, who have collectively won a total of 18 Tony Awards.

Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, who composed the original animation’s music, also participated in the musical adaptation, reworking eight existing songs for the stage and adding twelve new songs. The iconic number "Let It Go" will also be reborn with even more powerful energy tailored for the stage.

Academy Award winner Jennifer Lee, who co-directed and co-wrote the animated film, wrote the musical’s script. Direction was handled by Michael Grandage, a three-time Tony and Olivier Award winner, with choreography by Tony Award winner Rob Ashford. In addition, Tony Award winner Michael Curry, well-known for "The Lion King" musical, oversaw puppet design.

The mystical auroras, the frozen kingdom of Arendelle, and Elsa’s ice palace are brought to life as spectacles through stage and costume designs inspired by Scandinavian nature and mythology, elaborate choreography, sensory direction, and special effects.

Set and costume designer Christopher Oram created the musical’s world based on the nature, mythology, and culture of Scandinavia, including Norway and Denmark. Fabrics from 17 countries were used for the stage and costumes, with a total of 298 costumes produced. Elsa’s ice dress was made with over 10,000 beads and stones. Also, Elsa wears pants according to the evolution of her character in the story.

The snowman "Olaf" and the reindeer "Sven" are brought to life through sophisticated puppetry. Michael Curry designed "Sven" to be the size of a real reindeer so that the actor’s body would not be visible, and "Olaf" was created to partially reveal the actor’s body, allowing for simultaneous expression of emotion and movement.

The costumes for "Kristoff" and Olaf were inspired by the traditional attire of the Sami, the indigenous people of Scandinavia. The king and queen’s large buckles were created based on jewelry used by Vikings around 900 AD.

The Korean production features Adrian Sarple, associate director for Frozen productions worldwide, and Sebastian De Domenico, associate music supervisor, among others. The Korean creative team includes director Sim Seol-in of "Beetlejuice" and "Kinky Boots," music director Kim Moon-jung of "Les Misérables" and "Mamma Mia!," and choreographer Baek Doosan of "Aladdin" and "Cats." The translation is by writer Hwang Seok-hee, with Do-Kwon Seol, CEO of Clip Service, and Dongwon Shin, CEO of S&CO, serving as producers.

Dongwon Shin, CEO of S&CO, said, "I believe you will experience a world expanded upon the original story we all remember, loved by audiences worldwide," and added, "With the expertise and capabilities that S&CO has accumulated, we will deliver the magic of extraordinary stage art by maintaining the originality of the work while providing a level of completion optimized for the Korean market."

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