Calendar: Comfort Women : A New Musical LA

Comfort Women : A New Musical features a tragic history by an all-Asian cast at the LATC.

Dimo Kim Musical Theatre Factory presents Comfort Women : A New Musical, which tells a widely unknown history about thousands of young women forced into sexual slavery by the Imperial Japanese Army during WWII. The issue was largely suppressed up until 1987, yet from then till now, survivors and activists continue to fight for global recognition.

Set in 1941, Comfort Women takes us to Seoul, Korea, where we meet Goeun, a young woman whose brother is attempting to revolt against the Imperial Japanese Army. Goeun meets a man who promises her a good paying job at a factory in Tokyo. Feeling like she has no other options to support her family, she chooses to leave her home and take the job. Unfortunately Goeun soon realizes that this is not the dream opportunity that she has been promised. She is held hostage, transported to Indonesia, and is forced to become a Japanese Imperial Army sexual slave. We follow Goeun through this life-altering experience as she befriends fellow slaves (Comfort Women) and they plan their impossible escape.

As the sensitive conversations around comfort women continue to cause conflict and polarize communities, at times it is easier to let them fall through the cracks, leading into taboo and secrecy. However, we believe this act of silencing is unjust to the memories of violence that these victims and their families must carry throughout their lives; instead, we make it our responsibility to respect them appropriately.

For this reason, Comfort Women is a production that tells these women’s stories on their behalf. The featured characters are not merely victims; while they face unspeakable horrors, the vast, emotional strength they carry moves them to protect themselves and other women. By allowing their performances to convey the true fear and trauma experienced by comfort women, the cast members work to amplify their voices to the audience in attendance.

Dimo Kim Musical Theatre Factory in Association with MOIM foundation LA Presents, Producer Shinyoung Chun
Comfort Women : A New Musical
by Dimo Hyun Jun Kim, OskerDavid Aguirre and Joann Malory
Music by Bryan Michaels and TaeHo Park
The Los Angeles Theatre Center (DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES)
August 15 – 25
Cast: Abigail Arader, Lyndon Adolf Manuel Apostol, Jennifer Sun Bell, John Bernos, Emma Magbanua, Eunice Ye-In Lee, Gena Baek, Anna Kaskeeva, Tenzin Yeshi, Tim J. Lim, Brandon English, Maddie Lucas, Joy Yang and Jiwon Jeon
Directed by Dimo Hyun Jun Kim
Chreographer Natanal Hyun Kim
Associate Choreographer Renata Škobo
Music Director Wani Han
Orchestrator Hyunju Yun
Scenic Design Choul Lee
Lighting Design Byungchul Lee
Sound Design Tae Jong Park
Production Stage Manager Courtney Rhodess
ASM Denise Kha & Beth Scorzato
AD Yuri Kwag
Company Manager Emi Chun
Executive Producer Sejoon OH

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