Premiere (Korea): February 2011 – National Theater of Korea, Seoul

U.S. Workshop: September 11, 2009 – Manhattan, New York (invited industry reading)

Concept Album Release: 2011 – Globalvision Records

🎬 Creative Team

Production: Seol & Company / Creative Production
Composer: Frank Wildhorn
Lyrics: Robin Lerner
Book: Phoebe Hwang (based on an original draft by Lee Man-hee)
Director: Gabriel Barre
Scenic Design: David Gallo
Music Director: Adrian Werum

🧭 Overview

Tears of Heaven is an original musical set during the Vietnam War, portraying a tragic love triangle between a Korean soldier, an American officer, and a Vietnamese singer. Commissioned for a Korean debut, the show was conceived with Broadway aspirations and developed in collaboration with international artists, including composer Frank Wildhorn (Jekyll & Hyde, Dracula) and lyricist Robin Lerner.

The narrative intertwines personal longing and geopolitical turmoil. As the Tet Offensive erupts in 1968, a young Korean private named Joon falls in love with Linh, a local singer. Their relationship is complicated by Colonel Grayson, an American officer with a past connection to Linh. The story unfolds across Vietnam, Korea, and the United States, exploring love, loss, and the lingering scars of war.

🌍 International Development

Before its Korean premiere, Tears of Heaven underwent an invitation-only reading at New World Stages in Manhattan on September 11, 2009, featuring Paolo Montalban, Deborah Lew, and John Cudia, under the direction of Gabriel Barre. The event marked the first public presentation of the work, produced by Creative Production and Seol & Company.

A concept recording was released by Globalvision Records in 2011, featuring Linda Eder, Morgan James, Rob Evan, and Christiane Noll. Although the production was envisioned for a future Broadway transfer, no full-scale Western staging followed. Press materials from 2011 mentioned potential expansion to Japan and Europe, but only the 2009 New York reading and the 2011 Korean premiere were realized.

The Seoul premiere starred Kim Junsu (XIA) and Brad Little, presenting the musical with cinematic staging, large-scale choreography, and ambitious commercial scope. Despite its high-profile cast and production quality, Tears of Heaven remains one of the most internationally visible yet untransferred Korean-origin musicals of its era.