The pre-Broadway engagement of KPOP, The Musical in Washington, D.C., has been canceled by producing partners Tim Forbes and Joey Parnes due to pandemic-related logistical challenges. The show was scheduled to begin in December at Signature Theatre.
The musical, according to the producers, is still on track to open on Broadway in the coming year.
“All of us at Signature are very disappointed we will not be able to bring this exciting production to D.C. audiences before it heads to New York for its Broadway premiere,” said artistic director Matthew Gardiner. “Signature is still very much looking forward to welcoming back audiences and artists to our home venue in Arlington this November when we reopen the theatre with our reimagined production of Jonathan Larson’s Rent starting November 2, and we look forward to celebrating KPOP’s Broadway opening when the time comes.”
Forbes and Parnes added in a statement, “After careful deliberation this felt to all of us like the prudent choice to make at this time. We are still committed to bringing KPOP to audiences on Broadway and beyond, and we look forward to continuing the show's developmental process with its team of wonderful artists.”
KPOP, which takes audiences behind the scenes of the K-pop industry, was conceived by Woodshed Collective and Jason Kim and features a book by Kim, music, lyrics, and music production by Helen Park, and music and lyrics by Max Vernon. The musical played an acclaimed Off-Broadway run through Ars Nova, Ma-Yi Theater, and the Woodshed Collective in 2017, going on to win the 2018 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical.
