“Art” will be canceled until April 14 in light of the spread of coronavirus. (Double K Film & Theatre)
Double K Film & Theatre announced Thursday that its production of “Art” would close temporarily, after cast members of “Phantom of the Opera” tested positive for the new coronavirus.
“As people of the performing art industry test positive with the coronavirus, for the safety of actors, staff and audience and to prevent further spread, we have decided to temporarily cancel ‘Art’ performances from April 4-12,” Double K Film & Theatre posted on its social media page.
The play has been showing in the Baekam Art Hall in Seoul since March 7, and was initially scheduled to perform until May 17.
Two members of the international production of “Phantom of the Opera” tested positive for COVID-19 so far, canceling all of its shows until April 14. The first was a Canadian actress in the ensemble who tested positive Tuesday, and the second was an American actor in the ensemble confirmed on Thursday.
“Art” is a black comedy where three friends for 15 years -- Marc, Serge and Yvan -- fight over Serge buying an expensive, completely white painting as modern art.
Meanwhile, in response to the cancellation of many performances, the National Theater Company of Korea will be posting online performances of plays on its YouTube channel from Monday.
“We want to open a space to meet audiences through our online campaign, as the culture and art industry is weakening more than ever,” National Theater Company of Korea Director Lee Sung-yeol said in a statement.
The first play to show online will be director Park Geun-hyung’s “Pest” (2018), an adaptation of Albert Camus’ novel “The Plague,” on April 6 and April 13.
Other plays scheduled to show are “Ballad for Roxanne” (2017) -- an adaptation of “Cyrano de Bergerac” by Edmond Rostand -- “1945” and “The Comedy of Errors” (2016) - an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s play. The plays will go up at 10 a.m. for 24 hours each day.
The National Theater Company of Korea is promoting the move with the phrase “Although the stage has been paused, the play is here.”
By Lim Jang-won (
ljw@heraldcorp.com)
