K-Musical 'Let Me Fly' Tests English Readings in Seoul Before US Showcases
Creatrip Team
24 days ago
The Korean musical Let Me Fly held an English reading in Seoul ahead of showcases in Issaquah, Washington and New York, using the event to adapt to U.S. new-work development systems. The pared-down reading featured actors performing in English (with Korean-American actor Michael Lee translating and adapting) before about 70 local foreign residents and theatre professionals. Let Me Fly was selected for the Village Theatre’s Festival of New Musicals (a Tier 1 event with limited rehearsal) after a previous shortened New York reading. Producers emphasize stepwise development within local systems—Tier 1 piano-accompanied readings and a later Tier 2 extended rehearsal showcase in New York—to better prepare the work for U.S. production. This approach reflects a broader shift in K-musical international strategy: instead of exporting finished shows, creators increasingly collaborate with overseas writers and adjust scripts early to fit local audiences, as seen with other Korean works developing English versions in London and Broadway readings. (Tier system: levels of new-play development with different rehearsal limits)
