Tom Stoppard's 'Leopoldstadt' gets its Korean premiere at Ansan Arts Center this October

Tom Stoppard's Leopoldstadt is coming to Korea for the first time. Ansan Culture Foundation announced the play will run October 16–19 at Ansan Culture and Arts Center's Dalmatgi Theater — four days, domestic premiere.

A government subsidy funded the production after the foundation was selected for the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's 2026 Cultural Center Specialization Support Project. Stoppard drew Leopoldstadt from his own family history. The play premiered in London in 2020, then swept the 76th Tony Awards in 2023, winning four prizes including Best Play.

The story follows the Merz family, a prosperous Jewish household in early 1900s Vienna, across 50 years as war and antisemitism erode everything they have. The Holocaust is the backdrop. The focus stays on the family's lives and losses rather than historical events.

Director Kim Yeon-min (김연민) is handling both translation and direction. He won the New Director prize at the 62nd Dong-A Theater Awards. He previously introduced Leopoldstadt at the Korea National University of Arts and LG Arts Center, and brought Stoppard's Arcadia to Daehangno. Last year he worked with Ansan Culture Foundation on Yeomjeon Iyagi (염전이야기), a play rooted in local Ansan narratives.

Casting has not yet been announced. "We ask for much anticipation for the detailed direction, the deep narrative, and the casting lineup to be revealed later," a foundation official said.

Tickets go on sale August 13 at 11:00 AM through NOL Ticket.