Uijeongbu festival brings music theater to kids


When the Seoul Metropolitan Opera`s "La Traviata" opened at Uijeongbu Arts Center on Friday and Saturday, it marked the official beginning of the Uijeongbu Music Theatre Festival 2008.

It was also a telltale indicator of what the entire festival was geared towards: family - and more specifically, children.

When the lights were dimmed and the orchestra was set to begin, the chatter of schoolchildren made the hall feel like a Korean schoolyard, rather than a 19th century Venetian theater. Though the rumbling that would continue on intermittently through to the end of the performance is bad news for passionate theater aficionados, it`s a rare opportunity for young people and unseasoned theatergoers who live in the area.

Taking this into account, the festival showcases a broad spectrum of musical theater to bring a variety of performances to this northeastern satellite town of Seoul, known more for its U.S. military presence than the arts. The festival, now in its seventh year, will continue until May 25 and is an opportunity for parents and children alike to experience both domestic and foreign productions in their backyard.

Six Korean and six foreign productions will take place on the two stages at the Uijeongbu Arts Center, including two versions of Georg Buechner`s "Woyzeck" with two distinct feels. The domestic version, performed by the Sadari Movement Lab, draws from the same background of rhythmic acrobatics that Korean productions seem to excel at, as exhibited in "Nanta" and "Jump." Instead of cutlery, martial arts equipment, or ladders - as their name would suggest - the Sadari Movement Lab uses chairs as their means of expression. The group carries, throws, stacks and even contorts around them, all the while moving in rhythm to music. The result is an active and energetic performance.

Icelandic group Vesturport`s version of "Woyzeck," however, approaches the same story with a very different style. Utilizing a giant fishbowl in the middle of the stage and set to music from popular artists such as Nick Cave and Warren Ellis, Vesturport`s take on "Woyzeck" - scheduled to be the closing performance of the festival - is on a completely different spectrum from the opening "La Traviata" and is a clear indicator of the diversity of performances the festival.

In between the opening 19th century opera and closing 21st century splashfest are works that seem to cross all genres and forms. Whether it`s grown men playing with wooden ducks in "The Ugly Duckling" or the unconventional combination of pansori, the Korean lyrical opera style, with German playwright Bertolt Brecht`s "Der gute Mensch von Sezuan" in "Sachunga," the festival features a breadth and variety of work uncommon in most area festivals.

Though there is a diverse body of work on stage, the focus of the festival - especially on weekends - tends to be the children. Though family musical "Cinderulla," set to hit the main stage of the Arts Center this weekend, is on the program, the bulk of the family experience is off the stage and around the city at various venues in Uijeongbu. At the Arts Center, with programs and fringe performances give children the opportunity to experience the arts in a comfortable atmosphere while the Dongchoon Art Circus will set up shop in front of city hall.

While such a diverse selection of events and performances is difficult to find even in the heart of Seoul, the Uijeongbu Music Theater Festival makes it possible for the entire family to enjoy musical theater.

The Uijeongbu Music Theater Festival 2008 runs until May 25th at various sites in Uijeongbu, focused around the Uijeongbu Arts Center. Tickets range from free to 70,000 won. For showtimes and ticketing, visit umtf.or.kr or call (031)828-5892.

By Kim Kyu-heong

[KOREA HERALD]2008-05-13 11:01 /By Kim Kyu-heong/kyukim@heraldm.com