Veteran actors Shin Gu (88) and Park Kun-hyung (84) have stepped up for young theater artists.
On the morning of the 23rd, a press conference for the special charity performance ‘Shin Gu, Park Kun-hyung’s Waiting for Godot X Young Cultural Arts Pass’ was held at the Artist's House in Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Actors Shin Gu and Park Kun-hyung, along with Jeong Byeong-guk, chairman of the Korea Arts Council, attended.
The play ‘Waiting for Godot’ is a representative work by Irish playwright Samuel Beckett, depicting two wanderers, Estragon (Gogo) and Vladimir (Didi), who endlessly wait for a non-existent character named ‘Godot’.
This charity performance was born out of deep consideration by the two actors on how to give back to the audience who have shown great love by selling out every show since its premiere, including encores and tours in Seoul and other regions. It was planned as a special performance for young audiences aged 19 to 34.
Chairman Jeong Byeong-guk stated, “I received contact that Shin Gu and Park Kun-hyung wanted to hold a charity performance. Just the fact that these two veteran actors are performing a great play like ‘Waiting for Godot’ is comforting, and the fact that they want to donate for young theater artists made me think about how to convey that intention.”
He continued, “So, I thought that inviting young people and having a conversation after the play would encourage more people to come see the play and that the message would be well conveyed. Thus, we decided to invite young people to the charity performance. I hope that through conversations with the youth, the message will be effectively communicated,” adding, “I believe that today’s event will resonate with all theater artists, cultural artists, and the public, and that the outcome will become a new seed to grow a new artistic tree.”
Park Kun-hyung expressed, “I wanted to show harmony through ‘Waiting for Godot’. I was curious if it was welcomed by the audience, and surprisingly, there was a lot of response, for which I am truly grateful. Experiencing this made me want to do something. I thought it would be nice to start something, even if it’s a small effort, for the poor theater industry.”
He added, “The 102nd performance sold out, and I wanted to give back to the audience, which is why we are holding this charity performance for the youth. I am filled with courage, but I have high expectations for how it will turn out. I want to show something hopeful to the youth.”
Shin Gu opened up, saying, “The Seoul performances of ‘Waiting for Godot’ and the regional performances sold out. It was surprising and I was grateful. I thought about how to express this gratitude, and this opportunity came, leading to the decision to hold a charity performance.”
He continued, “The theater industry has hardly changed from when we were young. It is still in a dire state. Especially young people starting in theater are facing many difficulties, so I thought this opportunity might help a little. The beginning may be small, but I hope the results will be grand.”
After the performance, actor Choi Min-ho (Shinee Min-ho) will serve as a moderator through a talent donation, and a ‘Talk with the Audience’ program will be held with the two actors and director Oh Kyung-taek.
All ticket proceeds will be donated to the ‘Theater Tomorrow Fund’ to support young theater artists. Additionally, performance staff and junior actors who resonate with the two actors’ intentions will also participate in audience donations, contributing to a warm sense of solidarity.
Chairman Jeong Byeong-guk stated, “We decided to use this fund as seed money to establish a fund called ‘Theater Tomorrow Fund’. We plan to conduct a campaign to raise more funds. With the collected funds, since young actors are primarily educated in schools, they often lack in acting skills and techniques, so if given the opportunity, we would like to provide direct guidance. We are thinking of creating a re-education program for our theater artists. We will discuss further to develop a good educational program.”
This charity performance will take place for one day only on Tuesday, May 13, at 7 PM at the National Theater of Korea's Daloreum Theater.
[Shin Young-eun, Star Today Reporter]
