The Mayor
Most especially, our cities of 300,000 citizens are warmly welcoming the theatre company who worked with us.
I would like to thank Chief Director Choi Ji-Sun whose efforts made it possible to bring us all together in this festival even in difficult circumstances. And of course, to all those who came, thank you.
Drama is an art that is able to express realistically the life and sensitivity of human beings.
In this festival, we carefully planned programs for the enjoyment of the performers and audiences alike, thus the slogan "Together! Chuncheon International Theatre Festival!"
Recently, this theatre festival has joined the rest of the noted local festivities, along with the Mime and Puppet Festivals, that has given Chuncheon a degree of recognition.
And to continuously foster local development, the administrators of the city will be with us in supporting this event.
Once again, welcome everyone who is present here today! Let us all enjoy the piece of nature that Chuncheon has to offer. Thank you!
The Mayor
Jung, HeungBo, The Representative of Munhwa Broadcasting Cor…
"Our dear audience from all corners of the world who came here with pleasure..."
"...and those who merely love theatrical performances..."
we are welcoming you to the 2009 Chuncheon International Theatre Festival!"
Despite the world-wide economic crisis since the end of last year, we are very honored to hold the 11th International Theatre Festival here in Chuncheon, a city rich with Korean culture and art. In this way we're hoping to connect cultures from various parts of the world.
The efforts of Chuncheon Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation prizes the local culture more than economic and political affairs thus allowing us to see more of our own culture alongside others'.
They say that "Life is like a drama" but in fact, it is the other way around. Dramas tell us about our lives. And if there is any form of art that is closest to us human beings, it would be these dramas."
"Through this same genre, our countries will be able to break the wall of racial, cultural and language differences and finally, we can agree on two things--that dramas are not only valued as art and that they stand for bigger realities.
We will also be seeing passionate performances from overseas and we shall take this chance to learn from each other's culture. Feel free and enjoy today's event. Let us all remember it as the time that we, audiences and performers alike, shared one mind together.
Before we begin, I would like to thank Choi Ji-Sun, the chief director of Chuncheon International Theatre Festival, whose efforts made it possible to bring us all together in this festival. And many thanks to Chuncheon City Mayor Lee Gwang-Jun for co-sponsoring this event. Again, welcome everyone! Thank you.
September of 2009
The Representative of Munhwa Broadcasting Corporation, Jung heung bo
The Provincial Governor
September, the cooling weather makes out mind light!
It is indeed s great pleasure to welcome you all on behalf of the Gangwon people, to the 「2009 Chuncheon International Theatre Festival」which will fill Gangwon residents' mind with theatrical world people's energy and perfume of art.
I would like to express my deep gratitude for those who spent their efforts to have this festival successfully this year, including Mr. Ji-Soon Choi, the president of Chuncheon Theatre Festival.
Theatre is a well-expressed pure art which mirrors society and emotions of the time breathing together with our lives for a long time.
And the impressions delivered by actors' words and gestures make our emotions fruitful.
The 「2009 Chuncheon International Theatre Festival」is 11th festival which has been held since 1993 and becomes the place of sharing and exchanging to understand and experience other countries' cultures with its various programs.
I've heard that more various and plentiful programs are prepared this year.
I hope these festival broads the opportunities to enjoy art and cultures for all the citizens and rises the brand value of Chuncheon which becomes a city of art and culture so that Chuncheon will be well-known as a center city of the art and culture.
Once again, allow me to extend my sincere thanks for those who put their efforts for this festival and wish you every success and prosperity for the theatrical world and all the participants.
Thank you.
September 9, 2009
The Provincial Governor
Huh, Cheon, The congressman
It has been eleven years since the Chun Cheon International Puppet Festival first started in 1993. During those years the Festival proudly grew not only as our city’s major event but also as a place where people from all over the world can share their thoughts and emotions.
In high respect I want to welcome the chief director of the Chun Cheon International Puppet Festival, Ji Sun Choi and her staffs of the festival and also the performers! I truly appreciate everyone for inspiring this naturally gifted city with your amazing talents. For the most, I want to congratulate everyone for hosting this festival successfully with all my heart.
I dream that someday a passion created by the successful fusion of Chun Cheon’s gorgeous nature and amazing artists’ performance through this festival will elevate Korea’s cultural level. And I desire the Chun Cheon International Puppet Festival would become the best Puppet Festival in the world so that it would give the performers honorable pride.
To the citizens of Chun Cheon, the performers from all over the world, and the honorable guests from many parts of our society, with only your love and care this festival can be brought up. And it is because of you that the festival thrived for many years.
In English theatre is called ‘play’ which also contain a meaning to have fun. Please enjoy the playful performances and participating in the festival to get good joyful laughter back in your lives. I again highly encourage you to be passionate in participating in many events that the festival offers so that the Chun Cheon International Puppet Festival may leave countless cheerful memories to people.
At last, I again welcome everyone to the festival and I want to wish you all for a good healthy life! Thank you.
2009. 9 .9
Huh Cheon
The Congressman
Park, GyeBae, The Chief Director of National Theatre Associa…
Park Gye Bae (The Chief Director of National Theatre Association)
From September 9 to 13, the city of Chuncheon, the city of culture and art, is prided in hosting the International Theatre Festival.
Famed for its world-wide festivals, Chuncheon has been putting effort in its pursuit of a distinctive character by enlarging various fields of the performing arts, particularly the Mime
Good festivals are not made merely by inviting fine works or by long histories and experiences.
Good festivals are made possible by the love and concern of goal-oriented people who make up for the shortcomings.
In the mid summer, the whole country is a host to various festivals
Even in difficult times, new festivals are opened while the existing festivals are developed further and are brought to bigger stages.
The existing value of performing arts is not dependent on external conditions alone.
The performing arts generally give bigger hopes during the more difficult times. More importantly, it serves to continue the vitality of the art itself.
It is also the motivating force that made various festivals in present time.
One of the biggest pleasures is watching diverse and abundant performances in theatres which are they a sight to be marveled, providing audiences an escape from the ordinary.
With the unique performances that you will see in the lake city of Chuncheon, I am looking forward to seeing bright smiles from everyone.
I can already envision the Chuncheon International Theatre Festival to have the impression and passion that is even hotter than the summer heat.
In the hopes of making this festival one of the best, if not the best, among the others, I am thanking everyone who extended an effort--day and night--to make this possible.
The Chairman of the Provincial Assembly
Good day, everyone!
Today, the city of Chuncheon is opening itself to the international community.
I am very happy to be in this important place with everyone gathered here.
And I want to celebrate it with all citizens.
When we look back to our lives, we will see that our memories of drama have sunk into obscurity as time went by.
Furthermore, everything around us is so competitive that it is hard to draw that drama is a world of fiction and truth that reflects our lives am more than pleased to have chance to hold this theatre festival even under this difficult time.
Because dramas remind us of things like our childhood, they make us stronger during our hard times.
So it suddenly dawned upon me that I want to be on stage with audiences and work hard.
I know that prominent theatrical companies will participate in this 2009 theatre festival.
The quality and quantity is certainly richer.
And we can certainly enjoy more cultural benefits and see the reinvigoration of our local economy.
Through this theatre festival, may we all have the time to think even for just one day beyond what is abstract.
By all means, I wish this theatre festival, including Chuncheon Puppet Festival and International Mime Festival, would help make this city a city of culture and art.
I would also like to thank Choi Ji-Sun, the chief director of Chuncheon International Theater Festival, whose efforts made it possible to bring us all together in this festival.
And thanks to performers –native and foreign—for bringing us this experience by sharing your talents.
Again, welcome everyone! Thank you.
2009.9.9.
The Chairman of the Provincial Assembly
The President of The City Assembly
To our families in the theater, audiences, organizers, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 2009 Chuncheon International Festival!
It happens that even nature has converged to allow us to celebrate this event under this clear autumn sky in this very city of culture and art.
First of all, the heart of the show is to be so impressive it is almost flawless.
It is lovely that we are to be able to bring the theater outside for the enjoyment of everyone and of all the almost 300,000 citizens of Chuncheon.
Through this, we opt to make possible the international exchanges of art, and the enjoyment of which, at its highest forms.
In behalf of Director Choi Ji-Sun and the Chuncheon Theater Festival we deeply appreciate your presence today.
Transcends time and space to play in the various stages of life and to pursue the idea and philosophy of human life, the direction of true humility always been present, in the endless flow of history and the development of the public and kept breathing with has
In this sense, we opt to make the 2009 International Theater Festival set a standard for the festivals to come and for the society to adopt.
The more we empower our local art, adding depth to it, the more we enrich our country’s heritage as a whole.
Once again, we deeply appreciate everyone’s presence. We hope that each and every one of you have a good time with us. Thank you.
2009. 9. 9.
The president of the city assembly
Choi, JiSoon, The chief executive director of CITF
The chief executive director of the chuncheon international theatre festival
In Chun Cheon where is the birthplace of cities of culture and festivals, various festivals are adding up their own gorgeous taste to help creating Chun Cheon’s own emotions and joyful soul. In the core of it, festivals of art performance have taken their place and the Chun Cheon International Puppet Festival also took a huge role in improving local fine art.
As you know the Chun Cheon International Puppet Festival used to be held every three years since 1993 however the transition in 2002 which the festival has became an annual event that everybody can enjoy caused more interests and loves from performers from all over the world.
In 2009, the eleven year old festival is now trying to reach deeper into hearts of every audience. Through performances we want to sincerely communicate with the audiences to create a festival where everyone can enjoy.
Therefore in this year’s festival, twenty two teams of local and international performers will show their talents through realistic plays, musicals, musical dramas, dance dramas, physical dramas and many other complex forms of performances on indoor and outdoor stages.
As an unknown artist said, “Life is play and it occurs on a stage of life,” let’s find the true meaning of our lives by enjoying the festival.
With the slogan “Let’s do it together! 2009 Chun Cheon International Puppet Festival!” we will bring out trucks full of happiness, joyfulness, greetings and goodbyes and beautiful emotions of waiting and longing for you. Maybe the place you will stay for a little bit with the festival will become an unforgettable place in your life.
At last, I’d like to give my appreciation to the Mayor of Chun Cheon City, Kwang Jun Lee who is holding this festival together with us, to the head of the Chun Cheon MunHwa Broadcasting Company, Hung Bo Jung and to every staff members of ‘Bohemian.’ Thank you.
September 9th, 2009
