Touching off a sizzling musicals boom here, the Broadway hit "The Phantom of the Opera" thrilled nearly 200,000 Korean theatergoers when it was staged last year. It was a big hit and the show left behind more than impressive figures for the number of tickets sold - a solid, faithful fan base.
And the number of fans of the musical continues to increase, amazed by the passionate performances of a musical performed in a different language and in a style perhaps a little different to which they are accustomed.

Brad Little, the American musical actor who played the Phantom in the blockbuster musical here in Seoul, stole the hearts of many Korean women with his powerful voice and sophisticated performance. Little now plans to meet his enthusiastic fans again with his own musical concert in the Seongnam Arts Center, Gyeonggi Province, on Dec. 6-7.

It is really exciting and actually I am quite nervous. I hope that people can come and enjoy because it is my favorite music. It is not about me as the Phantom, but introducing Broadway music to everybody here. I just want people to get to know me for me to get to know them," said Little in an interview with The Korea Herald. "I really hope that they are happy with what I am bringing to them because it is for them why I am doing it," said Little.

During the concert titled, "Brad Little - The Phantom Unmasked," he will sing famous musical repertoires including "Music of the Night" from "Phantom of the Opera," "This is the Moment" from "Jekyll and Hyde" and "Summer Lovin'" from "Grease." Also, Korean musical actress Kim So-hyun, who played Christine in the Korean version of "Phantom of the Opera," will join the concert for a duet with Little.

Little said that his concert will contain lots of surprises including a song that isn't from a musical and which he had a hard time learning.

"Well, there is a surprise song, not from a musical. The Korean fans will be very familiar with the song," said Little, keeping secret the name of the song.

Little said he always wanted to have concerts in Korea more than any other country in the world.

"It is sort of like a rock and roll singer if you will, and the enthusiasm that the audiences here in Korea have. It charges the show so much," said Little.

"It is amazing. My Korean fan base is larger than my American fan base. These are professional fans. It is wonderful to be a part of that. I am honored and humbled by their support for somebody who is not from their native land," he said.

Little has a decade of experience in playing the Phantom and Raoul, and has gained an international reputation for his vocal powers and acting skills.

The 41-year-old actor has also performed in other musicals such as "Jesus Christ Superstar," "Westside Story," "Beauty and the Beast" and "Jekyll and Hyde." But more than any other characters, the bona fide musical theater actor has played Phantom more than 2,100 times.

"The role I can play in so many different ways that it gives me an opportunity to make it fresh every night. But also audiences make a huge difference in my enthusiasm to continue to do this. If they hated it, I would leave it."

Pointing out the rapid development of the musical industry here, Little said Korean musicals are likely to have their own color and style.

"I think Korean musicals are probably just going to take on a different color, energy, a life of its own that wouldn't be comparable with Western musicals," he said.

Stressing that he was amazed with the musical boom here, Little said that he is hoping to have a new musical piece of Frank Wildhorn, writer of smash-hit musical "Jekyll and Hyde," premiered here and then take it back to Broadway.

"Frank Wildhorn who wrote Jekyll and Hyde is going to write a new musical for me and we are hoping to bring it here and start it here because I think that the audience with their energy, all those things like that in Korea is really ground breaking now as far as musicals go. So we feel it would be fun to see and we would like to invest in doing musicals here and eventually take them back to Broadway," he said.

(christory@heraldm.com)
 

"Brad Little - The Phantom Unmasked" will be staged on Dec. 6-7 at the Seongnam Arts Center in Gyeonggi Province. Ticket prices range from 20,000 won to 100,000 won. For more information, call (02) 6000-6790.
 

By Cho Chung-un

Brad Little, known as one of the best phantoms in the mega-successful musical, ``The Phantom of the Opera,’’ has just taken off his mask.
Stripped of his mask, Little unleashed his tender yet passionate image as a world-renowned musical actor, sparing no efforts to make any role his own.

On Tuesday, he was in Seoul, meeting with Korean fans, ahead of his musical concert scheduled for next month.

Little, who will perform at Songnam Arts Center on Dec. 6-7, said in an interview with The Korea Times that when he first came to Korea to put the musical on stage, many Korean fans wanted him to return with something new.

``So I thought this is the best way to do more than just the phantom songs. I would also do songs from other musicals that I have done. I am very excited to meet with my fans tonight,’’ he said.

Little has played the phantom for more than 10 years. He was first cast in the musical, composed by Andrew Lloyd Weber, in 1994.

He said the upcoming concert is all about Broadway songs from most of the shows he has acted in.

``Actress Kim So-hyun, who played Christine in the musical, is going to perform with me,’’ he said.

He said that he wrote the script for the concert himself. Little and Kim have rehearsed on the phone while he was in the U.S. and she was in Korea.

``We’ve been on the phone practicing what we’re going to be singing. I hope it looks very natural. I hope Korean fans get to know me a little bit from the concert,’’ he said.

Starting in musicals at the age of 6, Little has participated in over 70 musicals, including ``Jekyll and Hyde,’’ ``Beauty and the Beast’’ and ``Jesus Christ Superstar.’’

Little performed in a solo symphonic concert in the U.S., but the concert in Seoul is the first of its kind held outside of the States, he said.

He said that the energy of Korean fans is amazing and he loves it as much as the ginseng tea he enjoys drinking to protect his voice. ``I hope to do more concerts in other countries. Another of my dreams, if this concert is a success, is to come back every year with songs from different musicals,’’ he said.

Asked how he could have played Phantom for more than 10 years, Little said: ``The phantom is so powerful and expressive and can be played in many different ways. I believe the longevity of playing this role happened because of the passion and love I have for the role.

``My phantom is a little dangerous and yet through the danger, you feel the compassion and love that he had. My character has an inner struggle that has tried to win a woman’s love, compared to some other phantoms who are more about monsters than about an inner struggle,’’ he said.

Concerning Korean musicals, he said that Korean performers are really wonderful and will get better. It’s just beginning here.

But he did have a piece of advice. ``It is not a crime to steal in my industry. If you see another actor doing something better and it really moves you, just steal it, because no matter what you do it is not going to be the same,’’ he stressed.

``As long as you make it your own, it’s different. I am not talking about just mimicking. Making it your own is what I do all the time. The only way I have advanced is through the other wonderful performers I have seen,’’ he said.

He said that the most important factor of a musical is telling a story as truthful as it can be told. That, along with research, is required before putting the piece on stage.

``My philosophy is based on what the writer is originally intending. Then you get your own ideas and research,’’ he said.

He said he believes that the musical combines the beauty of plays and operas into one, sometimes healing the hearts and souls of the audience.

The musical concert tickets cost from 40,000 to 100,000 won for the 8 p.m. show, and from 20,000 to 80,000 won for the 4 p.m. show. For more information, call (02) 6000-6790/1.
 
 

chungay@koreatimes.co.kr

GASTON LeRoux could hardly have imagined the extent to which his creation has taken flight. When his Gothic novel, The Phantom of the Opera, first debuted in 1910, Le Roux had only just started writing full time.

Now, a full century on – and thanks to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s loving treatment – Phantom is one of the 20th century’s most acclaimed musicals. It has been performed not just on Broadway and the West End, but in far-flung corners of the world. In fact, the production I recently indulged myself in was a South African one that’s currently running at the Seoul Arts Centre Opera Theater in South Korea!

Now what can one say about the Phantom that hasn’t been said before? Everybody knows the story of the tortured soul who haunts a theatre in Paris, and who takes a beautiful young girl under his wing, only to lose her to a dashing aristocrat. Well, one way of getting a fresh perspective is to chat with the people involved in its production.

The Seoul cast is headed by Brad Little (the Phantom), Marni Raab (Christine) and Jarrod Carland (Raoul), with Ana Marina alternating as Christine. Last month, I spoke to them just hours before a performance.

Little is a bundle of energy, and a true aficionado of the Phantom, having played the role well over 1,000 times! He broke into gleeful laughter when asked what it was like to grow up with the character. “When I grew up there was no Phantom! I was already quite mature when the musical came out in the 1980s!”

Queensland-trained Ana Marina is a relative newcomer to the scene and did indeed grow up imagining herself as Christine! “The Phantom really was my favourite musical as I was growing up, and Christine the obvious role. I think I see her as very young and naive, inspired by this unseen teacher and then confused by his darkness and the choice she has to make between him and Raoul,” she said.

Indeed, the conflict between the tormented phantom and charming Raoul is what drives the story. Little, who has spent two years playing Raoul (in addition to playing the Phantom for more than a decade) and Carland, the Phantom understudy for this show, are well aware of the contrasts between the two characters.

“One has everything and one has nothing but I believe that Raoul is very difficult to pull off well,” said Little. “The phantom’s strength is sort of written into the role, but you need to invest Raoul with strength to create a conflict for Christine.”

Carland, who graduated in musical theatre from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts in 2000, concurred: “It’s very important how you interpret the role. Raoul needs to be a strong character. In theory, Raoul can define the show ? it is his story, his flashback, after all.”

So which of the two is more fun?

“Oh come on!” laughed Little. “The Phantom is by far the most fun to do. When I was Raoul I could go out and have a couple of beers and still be Raoul, but I can’t do that when I’m the phantom. He is so intense. Any actor usually has his face to work with, but Phantom is denied even that, and has to convey his feelings through the emotion of the music.”

I have always wondered whether being in a musical, or any lengthy theatre run for that matter, becomes really tedious after awhile. Surely an initially-exciting undertaking can turn in to a mundane job?

“We have to keep it fresh,” explained Little. “We have fun. There are little things to feed off. Marni gives me something a little different to work with than Ana does. I’ve done Phantom over 2,000 times, but I can’t let it be boring.”

Raab added: “It’s important that the audience must feel the spontaneity between the actors. It’s not supposed to feel like a performance where the actors are just going through the motions.”

“It is a challenge,” Ana Marina said, “but I think even as people, we ourselves feel differently each night. So we’re unlikely to turn in the same performance every time.”

Little revealed that it wasn’t always easy for a performer to be at the top of his game. “I didn’t like the show I did yesterday ... I thought it was a robotic effort. Although perhaps as I look back, it was because my computer wasn’t working all day and I was very frustrated!”

“What’s funny to me,” said Raab, a vivacious New York native, “was that I still felt that energy from him, and I played off that and I thought we had a good show.”

The theatre community is supposed to be superstitious, but these guys didn’t observe any particular rituals when getting ready for their show.

“We don’t have any rituals,” said Raab, “but we do like to touch base, see how everyone else is doing before a show.”

“Yes, after the performance I tend to just give them a double-squeeze of the hand to say thank you for helping me out, but I don’t think of it as a ritual,” Carland added.

Does being on the road for a long time bring the cast close together?

Carland laughed. “You know Brad just doesn’t shut up and he’s always sharing his life with us! But really there is a sense of family. We’re doing something very, very different from the corporate world and support from one another is important.”

“It is different when you’re so far from home,” Little agreed. “This is not like doing an American tour. We have to turn to each other.”

Ana Marina is particularly grateful for the support of her colleagues. “I think especially when you’re new, it is nice to have a good understanding with your team-mates.”

One of the recent developments with the Phantom legend was the making of a movie directed by Joel Schumacher, starring Gerard Butler and Emma Rossum. Little saw no need to be diplomatic about the production.

“I was not a fan of the movie,” he said. “I think when you have the time to work these characters out over and over again, you reach a different level. I suppose considering the lack of time the actors had to work on the role, it’s pretty good. But those same actors, if they had had more time, would have played it differently. Of the various phantoms, Davis Gaines is my favourite. I think I modelled my phantom after him, and there were so many more levels to his performance than I saw in the movie.”

The manner in which Christine turns away from the Phantom has always rubbed me the wrong way. Have either of the Christines ever been tempted to run away with the Phantom?

“Well that’s certainly a tempting thought,” laughed Christine, “but the first thing that would happen is I’d be fired. I might do it as a joke during rehearsals though. But it’s a tough call for Christine. The phantom is a bad boy, a passionate guy who offers a life of instability. Raoul is rich, reliable and handsome and in the end, most women would go for him. I suppose I would, too, if the rest of my life depended on it.”

How would they rate The Phantom, compared to other Lloyd Webber productions?

Little, who has been in both Cats and Jesus Christ Superstar commented: “I must say that Jesus Christ Superstar is my favourite. I’d put Phantom second to Superstar.

“I love the music in Superstar. In terms of music, I’d say Superstar, then Evita, then Phantom. But in terms of the whole show, I think Phantom has got to be the best. Certainly Superstar is very difficult to pull off on stage.”

When asked to name their favourite scene, the actors unanimously plumped for the last one. “It’s the last scene by far,” said Little. “It’s really got everything. And I’m not just saying that to make sure the audience doesn’t walk out!”

Marina added: “I love that in the finale, for the first time, Christine is able to challenge the phantom.” Raab said: “Aside from the last scene, Christine singing Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again is very challenging, a real turning point in her emotions. So that also sticks out.”

The quartet have performed to thousands of viewers collectively and one wonders how difficult it was for them to win the Seoul audience over.

Raab said: “Well I’ve done opera outlook, which is a children’s trust and I have to say that small children are the most honest audience. You know if you’ve done a great job and their response is simply magical. And if they don’t like it, they’ll be there yakking to each other, ignoring you.”

Carland said: “ I think Shanghai was the hardest audience, but I think that’s because it’s newer to them as opposed to somewhere like Seoul or Kuala Lumpur. When the Korean press followed us to China and gave us a standing ovation, the Chinese viewers asked them to sit down because they couldn’t see! I would venture to say that 10 years from now it will be very different.”

“It’s a really great feeling to know that we’re part of a beginning. Helping bring this kind of art to a part of the world where it hasn’t been too before,” concluded Raab.
 
 

The summer musicals landscape is heating up, with both blockbusters and small-scale productions pulling in audiences with quality performances and a wide repertoire.
Of course, the talk of the town - at least in Seoul - is "The Phantom of the Opera," a blockbuster musical at Seoul Arts Center's Opera House that began its high-profile run on June 10.

On that premiere night, the Opera House was packed, a bulk of who were ardent "Phantom" fans who prefer the musical's grandiose scale and mesmerizing scores by Andrew Lloyd Weber.

"Phantom," first performed in London in 1986, has been shown in the West End for 19 years and on Broadway for 17 years, drawing upwards of 100 million people from 110 cities in 20 different countries.

The Korean performance is part of the musical's worldwide tour, which began in April in Cape Town, South Africa, and then toured in Shanghai, China, from December 2004 to March 2005. Lead actors include Brad Little (playing the Phantom), Marni Raab, Anna Marina (playing Kristin) and Jarrod Carland (playing Raul).

The production is one of the most popular performances during the summer season, despite steep ticket prices. Tickets for June have almost been sold out and the remaining tickets are also running out fast, organizers said.

Indeed, the performance was awash in dazzling visual effects, and refined actors showed off their talent in a way that inspired the audience which had high expectations. The chandelier attached to the roof of the Opera House had a creative role, and other decorative and lavish settings were evocative enough to spice up the already famous plot.

Particularly impressive was Brad Little's Phantom, who captured the audience's imagination throughout the performance with his charismatic and overwhelming charm.

Though smaller in scale than "Phantom," another musical also has a respectable record: "Grease." Staged at the Grand Theater at the Chungmu Art Hall near Dongdaemun Stadium, the musical is appealing to those who want a familiar plot, affordable ticket prices and at the same time quality performances.

"Grease," referring to the hair grease that young American men liked to apply, depicts the love and dreams of American youth in the 1950s. It revolves around a naive, wholesome young woman and Rydell High School's cool guy. The relationship ends after a summer of romance. Unbeknown to both of them, they are about to meet again on the first day of their senior year at Rydell High.

Chi Hyun-woo, who plays "Director Chi" in KBS TV2's sitcom "A Spinster's Diary," stars as the lead actor.

Showcasing light-hearted and humming rock 'n' roll rhythms, the musical's overall performance is comparable to other big-budget productions, and yet the ticket price is much as it was selected as the piece to mark the formal opening of the Chungmu Art Hall, an arts center operated by Chung-gu Administration.

In recent months, local administrations have opened up such art centers in a bid to offer new cultural experiences to residents. Chungmu Art Hall and Naru Arts Center in Gwangjin-gu are among those centers that provide new art and cultural venues.

"Grease" was first premiered on Broadway in the United States in 1972. Since 1980, the musical has been staged 3,388 times.

In Korea, it has a strong fan base. In the previous showing from May 2003 to March 2004, the musical set a new record, garnering more than 70 percent seat occupancy rate.

Another small-scale production that is going strong in terms of box office score is "The Thing About Men," which is part of a musicals series by Seensee Musical Company.

The musical revolves around a sitcom-like plot and comic developments about a "successful man" named Tom who seems to have everything. The advertising executive has a beautiful wife, a high-paying job and is having an affair in the office without feeling a bit guilty.

Yet things begin to fall apart when he finds out the least unexpected: his wife Lucy is having an affair. Deeply disappointed and frustrated, Tom leaves his wife and becomes the roommate of a down-on-his-luck artist, Sebastian - the man his wife is having an affair with.

Tom's attempts to manage his two identities and drive a wedge between his wife and her lover open the doors to plenty of comic and farcical possibilities. The musical drives home its message effectively with wit and humor: Relationships take constant work and trust to hold together, youth and irresponsibility can't continue on forever.

At the end of the show, actors tell the audience in an emphatic chorus that no one can have everything they want whenever they want it (So, please give up your outsized desire and greed, and be grateful for what you've got).

"Phantom" will run through Sept. 1 at the Opera House of Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul. Tickets range from 40,000 won to 150,000 won. For further information, call (02) 501-7888 or visit www.musicalphantom.co.kr.

"Grease" will run through Aug. 7 at the Grand Theater of the Chungmu Art Hall. Tickets are priced 40,000 won to 60,000 won. For further information, call (02) 1544-1555.

"The Thing About Men" runs at Seensee Musical Theater in Seoul. Tickets are 30,000 won and 40,000 won. For further information, call (02) 745-1987.

(insight@heraldm.com)

"The greatest show on Earth.”

The musical “Phantom of the Opera,” launched on June 10 in Korea at the Opera Theater of the Seoul Arts Center, is a stage that bears witness to its loving audience of 100 million over the period of nearly 20 years.
 

The genius Phantom, who lives hidden in the grottoes with a disfigured masked face, Christine, rising from an obscure chorus girl to become the prima donna under his guidance, and Christine’s fiancée Raoul. The audience immersed themselves into this love story, taken from the scenes of a 19th century Opera House in Paris.
 

Hundreds of fantastic costumes, a massive one-ton chandelier vertically suspended over the seats, special effects that weaves a boat between candles as if gliding, and a spectacular masked ball….
 

There is not a moment to spare in the 130 minutes of action. One thing that lacked, however, was the distance and speed in the anticipated “chandelier drop” scene from the first act, due to the structure of the stage.
 

The gem of this musical is its songs. The first piece, which is also Christine’s solo, “Think of Me,” and the theme song “The Phantom of the Opera,” as well as “Music of the Night,” “All I Ask of You,” and “Point of No Return,” amongst others, must be sung with special care by the cast, as they could determine the success of the musical.
 

Marni Raab, who plays Christine, was noted for her innocent beauty, but came a tad unfamiliar to the audience due to her trembling opera technique compared to the “original Christine” Sarah Brightman’s liquid and pure melodies.
 

The peak of the concert was the ensemble in act 2 scene 9 between Christine and Raoul (Jarrod Carland), and the Phantom. The standing ovation and five encores, however, were directed, no doubt, at Brad Little as the Phantom. With a history playing the Phantom over 1,800 times at Broadway, he is the bona fide Phantom. Standing at a towering 190 centimeters, his rich melody, baritone, and tenor ranging freely from low to high-pitched tones awed the audience.
 

Listening to pieces like “Music of the Night,” his acting shines through the mask, and feels as if his poignant expressions are actually visible. The final kiss between the Phantom and Christine transfixed the audience, as the slight trembling of the Phantom’s fingers was enough to express the pain of love. The difference between the Korean cast of the “Phantom of the Opera” in 2001, and its fault, lay in its lack of this sort of delicate acting.
 

Although the other actors lose the spotlight in the shadow of the captivating Phantom, the Phantom alone is reason enough to recommend this performance.
 

The musical runs until September 1. 02-580-1300
 
 

June 10, 2005 - Very few musicals have achieved such phenomenal success and popularity as Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera" since it made its debut in London's West End in 1986. In Korea, the show has been staged in both Korean and English, with enormous success. And this summer, fans of the musical will be thrilled to know that their favorite phantom is returning for a three-month run at the Seoul Arts Center.
Directed by Harold Prince, the musical will have cast members from both Broadway and the West End, including, in the title role, Brad Little, who has been playing both the Phantom and Raoul on Broadway. The Really Useful Group, Mr. Lloyd Webber's production company, will oversee the show here jointly with the Seoul Arts Center.
The musical is based on the novel by Gaston Leroux, which tells of a mysterious figure, living in the basement of the Paris Opera House, whose musical talent and eccentricities are a wonder to those who know him.
The Phantom, who wears a mask to hide his partially deformed face, trains and falls in love with the young ingenue singer Christine. However, Christine is in love with Raoul, a young aristocrat and childhood acquaintance, much to the wrath of the Phantom, who tries to separate them.
"The Phantom of the Opera" is renowned for its magnificent and elaborate stage design, particularly a scene from the opera "Hannibal," the masquerade ball, and the collapse of the opera house's chandelier. The musical has a number of songs that have been immortalized over the years, such as "Think of Me," "All I Ask of You" and "Music of the Night," among many others.
The show made its debut on Broadway in 1988, and has been performed in 110 cities in 20 countries. For the performance in Seoul, stage sets and designs have been brought from Britain and Australia. Thirty-seven foreign actors and actresses, 10 creative staff members and 16 technicians will also be here for the run.
Prior to coming to Seoul, the musical was performed for two months in South Africa and in Shanghai, to nearly sold-out houses.
VIP and other high-end tickets have nearly sold out for this month; ticket sales for August have begun. Already, online community sites dedicated to Phantom fans (those who have already bought tickets and those who are willing to see the show several times) have already sprung up.
 
 

"The Phantom of the Opera" will be at Seoul Arts Center's Opera Hall from tonight until Sept. 1. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. on weekdays and 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. on weekends. Ticket prices range from 40,000 won ($40) to 150,000 won. For more information call (02) 514-7888 or visit www.musicalphantom.co.kr.

A scene from the musical “The Phantom of the Opera”
Andrew Lloyd Weber’s ``The Phantom of the Opera,’’ the show that sparked the current musical boom here three years ago, will return to Seoul Arts Center’s Opera House from June 10 to Sept. 1.
Performed by a Korean cast at the LG Arts Center in southern Seoul, from the end of 2001 for seven months, the show sold a monumental 300,000 tickets with a total revenue of more than 19 billion won ($17 million). The unexpected success of the show then awoke the long-dormant musical industry, and such popular blockbuster musicals as ``Cats,’’ ``Beauty and the Beast,’’ ``Les Miserables’’ and ``Mamma Mia!’’ have followed here since.

The musical will be twice as large as its 2001 performance, as the Opera House can accommodate an audience of up to 2,300 (LG Art Center, on the other hand has only 1,100 seats). But the biggest improvement is not the size of the venue alone.

``The musical is almost 20 years old now, but it is still one of the best musicals in terms of the scale and level of delicacy required for stage direction,’’said Kim Suk-kook, the show’s Korean production supervisor. Over 200 workers need to construct the stage, the parts of which are imported from England, Australia and China.

As a result, such spectacular scenes, as in where a chandelier made of 300,000 glass beads crashes to the ground and, in another, where the Phantom rows a boat on the stage as if it were a lake, will be presented as realistically as one can imagine from any theatrical work.

The musical is the signature work of world-renowned composer Andrew Lloyd Webber. It is regarded as the premier musical in terms of music, plot and stage design.

Since its debut in London in 1986, it has been shown in the West End for 19 years and on Broadway for 17 years, during which more than 100 million people from 110 cities in 20 different countries have seen it. Behind only ``Cats’’ in terms of total number of performances on Broadway, the musical is expected to challenge the record next year.

The performances are part of the musical’s worldwide tour, which began in April in Cape Town, South Africa, and then toured in Shanghai, China, from December of 2004 to March 2005 before coming to Korea. It has captured significant attention for its high-profile lead actors such as Brad Little (playing the Phantom), Marni Raab, Anna Marina (playing Kristin) and Jarrod Carland (playing Raul).

Little, who has played the role over 1,800 times, is said to be one of the best phantoms ever. Korean actress Roh Ji-hyun who was among the show’s past LG Art Center performances will play Meg Giry, a friend of Kristin’s.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera," the blockbuster that touched off a sizzling musicals boom here, will wow Korean audiences again at Seoul Arts Center's Opera House from June 10 to Sept. 1.
As expected, the renowned show is creating another boom: tickets for June have almost been sold out and the remaining tickets are showing reservation rates of more than 60 percent.

What's unexpected, though, is the way producers and organizers promote this 9.8-billion-won project. Unlike other big-budget musicals that rely heavily on TV ads to promote their shows, "Phantom" does not have any media partner.

"We are not relying on TV ads to promote ticket sales, and instead are focusing on target marketing to get more viewers who can afford to watch premium musicals performances," said Seol Do-yun, producer and CEO of Seol & Company, in an interview with The Korea Herald.
 

Seol Do-yun, chief organizer of the Seoul performance of "The Phantom of the Opera," predicts a shift in marketing tactics in Korea`s booming musicals industry. [Yang Sung-jin/The Korea Herald]

About 10 percent of total preproduction costs are usually earmarked for marketing through conventional media like television and print ads, but Seol said his company has halved this to 5 percent and used the funds to stage new marketing tactics dubbed "corporate culture marketing."

"Surveys show that 'Phantom' viewers are likely to be those who favor premium products, so we have formed joint marketing partnerships with upscale department stores, mobile phone service providers and banks to lure their top customers," Seol said.

Banks, for instance, purchase tickets on their own budget and offer them to their top customers for free in a way to retain their core groups. Production houses can secure not only ticket sales but also the most influential viewers who are expected to promote the show to their friends and family members by word of mouth.

The corporate cultural marketing comes at a time when traditional media in Korea and elsewhere are losing their luster as the dominant marketing tools in the face of the emergence of new communications channels, notably the ubiquitous Internet.

Even landline broadcasting stations are now hard-pressed to justify their pricey fees for using airwaves since a growing number of youth - the primary group who frequent musicals stages - do not depend as much on TV ads as they used to.

Specialized cable channels, video-console games, Internet and multimedia-oriented mobile phones are snatching up time and attention from 20-somethings, sending alarms to not only marketers but also broadcasting stations whose ads are mostly for general viewers.

"Many musicals production houses are still eager to forge partnerships with a major broadcasting station, but 'Phantom' will mark a new trend where TV ads are not that effective in attracting core customers," Seol said.

Target marketing, in fact, is understandable in that VIP seat tickets for "Phantom" for the weekend are priced at 150,000 won. If a four-member family watches the show, the total cost will is 600,000 won, a burdensome amount for average-income Koreans.

"The VIP and R seats account for half of the seats of Seoul Arts Center, and most important are the sales of such tickets," Seol said.

Seol's confident move for a new marketing strategy hinges largely on three positive factors. First, "Phantom" has a solid fan base in Korea, not least because of its spectacular music, intricate plot and refined stage design. Little wonder the show sold a whopping 300,000 tickets and earned $17 million in revenue at the LG Arts Center, using the Korean cast.

Second, Seoul Arts Center is located near the posh Gangnam residential area, where promoters find it easier to market upscale events and products. Third, the show does not have strong rivals in coming months except for Seensee Musical Company's "Aida."

Seol said the trickiest technical problems like attaching a massive chandelier of 300,000 glass beads to the roof have been resolved, and other preparations are going smoothly. More than 200 workers will construct the stage from England, Australia and China.

"Phantom," first performed in London in 1986, has been shown in the West End for 19 years and on Broadway for 17 years, and has played before upward of 100 million people from 110 cities in 20 different countries.

The Korean performance is part of the musical's worldwide tour, which began in April in Cape Town, South Africa, and then toured in Shanghai from December of 2004 to March 2005. Lead actors include Brad Little (playing the Phantom), Marni Raab, Anna Marina (Kristin) and Jarrod Carland (Raul).

Tickets for "Phantom" are priced at 40,000-140,000 won for Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and 50,000-150,000 won for Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. For further information, call (02) 580-1300 or 501-7888.

(insight@heraldm.com)

It’s 8 p.m. on March 14, and there is no performance on stage. However, the Jayu Theater at the Seoul Arts Center is unusually brightly lighted. Audiences gradually gather at the Jayu Theater, holding red roses adorned with black ribbon, as if the roses were a symbol of a secret society.

200 audiences have completely filled the Jayu Theater to capacity, patiently staring an empty stage adorned with one piano, in order to await the “appearance of the phantom.”
 

Phantom, it attracted the Korean “holic”-
 

On March 14, the Jayu Theater held a “special event” only for the audiences of the musical, “The Phantom of the Opera.” This event was a “fan meeting” with the three main actors of “The Phantom of the Opera”, who will perform at the Opera Theater of the Seoul Arts Center over the next three months, starting on June 10.
 

Audiences who made early bookings to see “The Phantom of the Opera” and members of the Internet community, “Phan-phile”, were invited to the free event by drawing lots for invitations.
 

At the fan meeting, Brad Little, the “Phantom”, appeared to adoring fans. Little, who used to act on Broadway, is considered a top actor for his acting and singing skills as well as for his looks. When he started singing the “Music of the Night” to a piano accompaniment, the audience eagerly captured the performance on digital cameras and phone cameras.
 

Although musical fans in Korea are mostly women in their 20s, middle-aged couples joined the meeting on this day.
 

After Little’s singing, the audience responded with cheers of “Bravo” and appreciative whistles. When the Phantom greeted the audiences by clearly saying “Thank you” in Korean, the applause got even louder.
 

Ms. Oh Mi-sook, who was sitting in the first row, showed her excitement, saying, “I felt so good and happy that I could hear the Phantom’s singing, just in front of my eyes.”
 

A new fan culture created by the IT advanced country-
 

One male audience asked Little whether he was upset that he had to wear a mask over his very handsome face throughout the performance. The Phantom jokingly replied by saying that “they pay me a lot of money,” which made the audiences burst out laughing.
 

Thanks to the cozy atmosphere of the Jayu Theater, the actors and audiences had a chance to speak closely with each other.
 

Little frankly told the audiences about his experience of “being alone” in his early years due to dyslexia, a fact that has allowed him to appreciate the pain of his character, who is alone because of his scarred face.
 

As the one-hour and twenty minute fan meeting was nearing its end, three “holic” members - enthusiastic fans that go beyond the mere “maniac” level - of the fan club came up to the stage and presented the actors with bunches of flowers. After the meeting, the actors came into the audience area to pose for pictures with fans.
 

An organizer of the fan meeting, Seol Do-yoon (president of the Seol &Company) said that he arranged the meeting because the performance would be long-term, making fans’ first responses very important.
 

A managing director of the Really Useful Company (RUC) and the production company of the Phantom of the Opera, Tim McFarlane, came to Korea with the actors and said that the fan meeting was a unique event only possible in a country with a high rate of Internet use. He said that he anticipated that the “mouth to mouth marketing effect” through netizens would be great. For more information, call 02-501-7888.