Interview: Frank Wildhorn Talks MONTE CRISTO; Now Playing In South Korean Cinemas

April 21st, 2010 was a memorable day as the first production of MONTE CRISTO was introduced to the Korean audience. After a successful opening, MONTE CRISTO was officially welcomed and became mainstream show in Korea. The 5th production which opened on November 14th, 2020 marked the 10th anniversary of MONTE CRISTO in Korea. It was recently announced that there will be a cinema release under the name of "MONTE CRISTO: The Musical LIVE," both in 4DX and 2D. To celebrate, I had the great opportunity to interview Frank Wildhorn, the composer of MONTE CRISTO.

MONTE CRISTO is an amazing show filled with grand numbers and a story filled with love, adventure, and drama, which captivates the audience instantly. What are some things or ideas that motivated you in creating the numbers of MONTE CRISTO?

I have a 'Wildhorn Rule,' in which when you have bigger-than-life characters in bigger-than-life situations, that is where the musical comes from. The real job that Jack Murphy and I had was how to edit a thick book decide which story to tell and which character to focus on.

This may be a difficult question, but what are some of your favorite songs from MONTE CRISTO?

I would start with 'The Man I used to Be', it's such a powerful moment of redemption, I also love the song Mercedes sing, 'When the World Was Mine,' I remember seeing the first time when Julia sang it and being so blown away on the vocal on that particular song. Also, the song that ends the first act, 'Hell to Your Doorstep,' it's sexy, dangerous, and it's rock and roll. It's like hard rock meet theatre."

I agree, it's always a great joy to see the audience's shocked faces after the first act, during the intermission, when they realize that you can actually hear songs with rock aspects into it.

One thing I am proud of about MONTE CRISTO is that the show can hold a song like 'Hell to Your Doorstep,' but also hold a Puccini company number. So it's a show that's able to hold that musical style but also something like Hell to Your Doorstep,' in the same evening.

MONTE CRISTO has a long history of productions in Korea. What part of the show do you think captivates the audience the most?

Not a part but the setup of the story, the fact that this innocent guy has been wronged, and now he's going to spend his life in the worst place in history for something he didn't do. I think it's the setup of the situation that is compelling and draws us in. His revenge is motivated, but at the same time, he learns during the course of the show that revenge is not going to bring real joy and happiness to the end of your life and that you got to give it up. In this case, he gives it up for love. If we set it up right then the audience is with you, the audience is with you during the whole journey.

Korea was one of the first few countries to have an international production of MONTE CRISTO, what were your initial thoughts when you heard that there will be a Korean production?

I had already become aware of the singers, musicians, craftsmen, designers, and the people who work in Korea and have so much respect for them. Also, EMK and I have shared many adventures and more to come. Theatre is not just what the performers and what I do. Theatre is the audience that comes and the energy they bring to each show. I have a saying, 'We don't do the show for the audience, we do the show with the audience.'

Is there a special memory or moment that you can share with us?

I think it always goes back to the beginning, the first time you hear the songs being sung, it's always much better than what I envisioned.

Are there any characteristics of the Korean production that stands out to you?

The industry is very young and has this pop sensibility in singing. In Korea, it is not unusual to have K-pop singers do theatre and multiple actors play the same role.

Could you share your thoughts on the cinema release?

I am very excited to hear about the cinema release, it will reach more people and eventually cultivate new audiences and fans, who might later see the show in theaters.

Is there any concluding remarks or special message that you would like to share with the readers of Broadway World?

One big giant thank you gamsahamnida! Thank you so much for the support and love. And for inspiring me to try my best for you. So excited and proud about the movie, and for the upcoming shows like Dracula and Xcalibur. The thing I'm most excited about is what comes next, the next wave of Wildhorn in Seoul. And hopefully, the world gets better, and go to the theater and not worry about it. I have a lot of gratitude and love for the Korean audience and Korean artists and I just look forward to continuing.

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