Special to the Opelika Observer
The Alabama-Korea Education and Economic Partnership will present The Music Group Kong-Na-Mul in their U.S. debut performance of “A Korean Cinderella Story” Jan. 18 at the Opelika Center for the Performing Arts.
Inspired by Kongji and Patzzi, the Korean version of the beloved fairytale is one of the most well-known folktales passed through oral tradition in Korea. The performance follows Kongji, a young woman who triumphs over the adversity and schemes of her evil stepmother and stepsister with the help of mischievous and powerful goblins.
The performance “brings an excitement through its modern use of sarcasm and comedy,” said Production Director Gwang Tae Park. It will deliver a beautiful display of traditional Korean dance, captivating renditions of classic Korean storytelling and an elegant blend of Eastern and Western musical instruments to audiences in Montgomery and Opelika.
A-KEEP works to enhance the variety of multicultural and artistic expression in the River Region by bringing professional performing and cultural arts from South Korea to Alabama.
With the City of Opelika serving as one of the event’s main sponsors, Opelika Mayor Gary Fuller said he is looking forward to the performance and its cultural impact on the city he leads.
“We are excited to be one of the sponsors for the upcoming play, A Korean Cinderella Story. It’s going to be a fun night of traditional Korean folklore, and traditional and modern dance and music,” Fuller said.
Tickets are available for $10 – $20 online at www.akeep.org/events or at the box office on the night of the show, which starts at 6 p.m.
Other sponsors include the Alabama State Council on the Arts, Art Works and the National Endowment for the Arts and Troy University at Montgomery.
For more information, www.akeep.org.
