Chip Deffaa's musical production "George M. ohan Tonight!" returned to Korea in 2016, and it went over wonderfully.... In 2007, "George M, Cohan Tonight!" played Korea for three months; producer Hansaem Song lined up three great Korean entertainers to star in a production of the show that was presented in the Korean language. (You can read more about that production on a separate page on this web site, "'Cohan' in Korea--2007.")
In 2016, producer You-Chul Kim (in consultation with Hansaem Song) brought over from America the star of the original New York production, Jon Peterson, playwright/director Chip Deffaa (who'd fallen in love with Korea in 2007), and music director Richard Danley for a special return engagement in Seoul. This time, the show was presented in English, with projected Korean super-titles. The engagement was a great success. Deffaa noted: "We can't wait to get back to Korea again!
Jon Peterson's dynamic and beautifully nuanced performance in Chip Deffaa's :"George M. Cohan Tonight!" drew standing ovations in Korea, just as it has everywhere else....
Playwright/director Chip Deffaa (above) was delighted to return to Korea with his musical play "George M. Cohan Tonight!" The play tells the story of legendary Broadway star/songwriter/playwright George M. Cohan (1878-1942). And although the name "Cohan" is not familiar to Korean audiences, audiences responded to the show itself with as much enthusiasm as audiences have in the U.S., England, and everywhere else.... Everyone loves a good story. And Deffaa's show touches audiences wherever the play is performed....
Jon Peterson--who has been playong "Cohan" for Deffaa, off-and-on, for over a decade--was in peak form, and introduced some new choreography for the 2016 Korean prouction.
Producer You-Chul Kim, production supervisor Young Hwa Cha, and their many associates (pictured above) worked tirelessly to mount a first-rate production. They had a large team of people working hard, behind the scenes at the Seeya Theater in Seoul, to make sure everything went off smoothly. Deffaa noted: "We could not have been happier. Our Korean hosts--and the friends we were lucky enough to meet--made this trip unforgettable."
Audience suport was tremendous, and it was a joy for Deffaa, Peterson Danley and company to meet members of the audience after each performance.... Representatives of the United States Embassy graced the opening night in 2016, as they had in 2007.
The photos above show fans lining up, after the performances, to get autographs from our star, Jon Peterson....
Jon Peterson poses (in the photo above) with one of the fans--a young actress, Mi Jin Kim--after the show. The fans we met were just wonderful.
In the photo above, playwright/director Chip Deffaa stands in front of a wall of posters for his show....
In the photo at left, we see producer You-Chul Kim conferring with music-director Richard Danley, performer Jon Peterson, and playwright/director Chip Deffaa....
Playwright/director Chip Deffaa and actor Jon Peterson were happy to be interviewed on Korean radio stations to help promote "George M. Cohan Tonight!" The photo above was taken at KBS--a major Korean station--where they were interviewed as soon as they arriveed in Korea....
(Photos courtesy of Sukhee Jun)
(Photo courtesy of Mi Jin Kim)
It was a treat to meet so many appreciative fans--many of whom were aspiring actors themselves, intrigued by this show about a legendary American entertainer--after the performances. (Photo courtesy of Mi Jin Kim)
We were lucky enough to meet some wonderful people on this trip.... (Photo courtesy of Sukhee Jun)
Deffaa commented: "It was great to reunite with Hansaem Song--one of Korea's top producers--who is seen at the far right in the photo above. He produced the 2007 Korean production, after catching our original Off-Broadway production at the Irish Repertory Theater in New York in 2006, and he helped facilitate this 2016 production, for which You-Chul Kim was the lead producer. We're in debt to both of these good men." (From left to right, in the photo above, we see: Korean star Im Chun-gil, American star Jon Peterson, playwright/director Chip Deffaa, music director Richard Danley, producer Hansaem Song.)
Deffaa commented: "We were honored to have Im Chun-gil--one of Korea's greatest musical-theater stars--come to see the 2016 production of 'George M. Cohan Tonight!' in Seoul. He was one of three Korean stars who alternated in the role of 'George M. Cohan' in the 2007 Korean production of 'George M. Cohan Tonight!' And what a wonderful performance he gave!"
The photo on the left, above, shows Im Chun-gil with with the star of "George M. Cohan Tonight!," Jon Peterson, after a performance in Seoul, in 2016. The photo on the right, abovem
shows Im Chun-gil starring in "George M. Cohn Tonight!: in Seoul, in 2007.
It's always a pleaasure to greet fans after the show--and the fans were just great! (Photo courtesy of Byeong hyo Son.) "Hope to meet you again sometime...."
Playwright/director Chip Deffaa noted: "We were also honored by the presence in our audience one night of Ko Young-bin--a great Korean musical-theater star, who's dne everything from 'Grease' to 'West Side Story' in Korea. He was one of three Korean stars who alternated, magnificently, in the role of 'George M. Cohan' in the 2007 production of 'George M. Cohan Tonight!' in Seoul. And when he came to the 2016 production of 'George M. Cohan Tonight!,' he brought a number of his fans with him to see the show." In the photo on the left, above, we see Ko Young-bin with Chip Deffaa and actor Jon Peterson, after a performance of the 2016 production of "George M. Cohan Tonight!" in Seoul. In the photos on the right, above, we see Ko Young-bin starring in the 2007 Korean production of "George M. Cohan Tonight!"
The original cast album for Chip Deffaa's musical play "George M. Cohan Tonight!" is available onSh-K-Boom/Ghostlight Records.
Chip Deffaa's musical play "George M. Cohan Tonight!--which has won over audiences, young and old, everywhere from New York to Hollywood, from London to Seoul--is published and licensed by Steele Springs Stage Rights. For info on licensing the play, please visit www.stagerights.com.
