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South Korean star Ivy makes successful Broadway debut in 'Chicago'

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

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  • South Korean singer and musical actress Ivy made her Broadway debut as Roxie Hart in the musical 'Chicago' at the Ambassador Theatre in New York.
  • Her performance, which included English dialogue, songs, and choreography, was met with a standing ovation from the audience.
  • Ivy has a long history with the role, having performed it over 590 times in South Korea since 2012, and her Broadway run continues until December 6.

South Korean singer and musical actress Ivy has successfully debuted on Broadway, taking on the iconic role of Roxie Hart in the long-running musical 'Chicago'. Her first performance took place on November 17 at the Ambassador Theatre in New York City.

If the audience can clearly understand my lines and songs and grasp the message of the work, I consider it a success.

— IvyThe singer and actress shared her goal for her Broadway performance during a previous press conference.

Ivy delivered a full performance, spanning approximately two and a half hours, encompassing English dialogue, songs, and intense choreography. According to her management company, Shinsh Company, her entrance was met with cheers from the audience, and the show concluded with a standing ovation during the curtain call.

This significant achievement follows nearly a year of auditions, during which Ivy underwent three rounds of video auditions and focused intensely on refining her English dialogue, pronunciation, and accent. She had previously expressed her goal for the performance: "If the audience can clearly understand my lines and songs and grasp the message of the work, I consider it a success."

There was a roar from the audience when she appeared on stage, and after the performance, the audience gave a standing ovation during the curtain call.

— Shinsh CompanyIvy's management company described the audience's reaction to her Broadway debut.

The role of Roxie Hart holds special significance for Ivy, as she has portrayed the character over 590 times across six seasons in the Korean production of 'Chicago' since 2012. This Broadway appearance marks her transition to performing the role in English after more than a decade of acting it in Korean.

There will never be a more proud and monumental day in Korean musical history.

— Michael LeeA fellow musical actor shared his thoughts on Ivy's Broadway debut.

'Chicago,' which premiered in 1975 and was revived on Broadway in 1996, satirizes the sensationalist media and public consumption of crime in 1920s Chicago. The musical is celebrating its 30th anniversary on Broadway this year and has had over 12,000 performances. The Ambassador Theatre has been its dedicated home since 2003. Musical actor Michael Lee, who attended the performance, called it "a more proud and monumental day in Korean musical history." 'Chicago' producer Barry Weissler also stated that Ivy's "passion and determination moved the entire production team."

Ivy's passion and determination moved the entire production team.

— Barry WeisslerThe producer of 'Chicago' commented on Ivy's performance.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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