INTERVIEW From English teacher to actress, Brooke Prince brings fresh perspective to 'Il Tenore'
Brooke Prince poses in front of a promotional photo zone at CJ Towol Theater at Seoul Arts Center, Feb. 6. The American actress plays music teacher Madame Becker in the musical "Il Tenore," revolving around Korea's first operatic tenor during the Japanese occupation of Korea. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
The new musical "Il Tenore," which depicts the rise of Korea's first operatic tenor under the 1910-45 Japanese occupation of Korea, marks a significant step forward in Korea's musical theater industry.
This leap is exemplified by the casting of American actress Brooke Prince in the role of Madame Becker, a character that draws inspiration from Louise Becker, a real-life missionary and music teacher active in the 1910s.
Created by Will Aronson and Hue Park, "Il Tenore" centers on the journey of Yun I-seon, who transitions from a medical student to a musician, and Seo Jin-yeon, leader of a student independence activist group. In the musical exploring themes of passion, discovery and liberation, Madame Becker, portrayed by Prince, plays a key role in uncovering Yun's hidden vocal talent, underlined by her indispensable influence in his transformation.
The decision to cast Prince, an American, as Madame Becker is particularly noteworthy in Korea's predominantly ethnically homogeneous theater scene.
A scene from musical "Il Tenore" shows Madame Becker (Brooke Prince) teaching Yun I-seon (Seo Kyung-su) music. Courtesy of OD Comapny
Prince has been establishing herself as an entertainer in Korea since her arrival approximately eight years ago.
Her early interest in acting took root in high school, but despite her initial aspirations, Prince’s path took a detour when she found herself working as a legal assistant, far from the acting career she envisioned following graduation. Feeling stuck and seeking change, she stumbled upon a teaching opportunity in Korea.
"I thought this would be a great adventure… a great thing to do while I'm still young. So I told my family, ‘I'm just going to go for a year.’ And now, it'll be eight years in August. That's how it happened," Prince told The Korea Times during an interview at Seoul Arts Center, Feb. 6.
Prince's narrative mirrors that of her character, Madame Becker, who gives up her opera dreams to teach music at Ewha College, encapsulating the struggle between passion and practicality — a theme that resonates deeply with Prince.
"Madame Becker really enjoyed teaching, but her true dream was music. My dream is being an actress," she said.
In "Il Tenore," Madame Becker fulfills her operatic ambitions through I-seon, inspiring him to become Korea's first operatic tenor. Similarly, Prince reignited her pursuit of acting in Korea, starting with small, English-speaking roles.
Despite Prince's passion for acting beginning on stage, with her high school role as Bernice in "The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940,” her career trajectory soon veered towards screen acting, both in the United States and later in Korea.
Brooke Prince poses at the CJ Towol Theater in Seoul Arts Center, Feb. 6. Musical "Il Tenore" runs through Feb. 25 at the theater. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
The turning point came with an audition for "Il Tenore," a commitment-intensive opportunity she learned about through an agency. Eager for the chance, Prince promptly pledged to make room in her schedule.
"I was so excited," she recalled. "I went to the first audition and I felt like it went well… But I didn't hear anything for a while afterwards. And when that happens I usually just move on with my life, but I kept thinking about it — it seemed like such a good show, I wish I got that role,” she said.
That callback, when it finally arrived, reignited her enthusiasm.
A more demanding second audition awaited, challenging her to respond to varied feedback and directions.
"It was like a playground for me.”
Prince described how one particular moment from the audition stayed with her. Tasked with conveying the thrill of discovery in an opera class scene alongside I-seon, she tapped into her teaching experiences.
“I thought about all my experiences of teaching my students — how excited I was to see them learning something new. So I put all my excitement into it and everyone was all excited and clapping. When they asked me ‘How was it?’ I said, ‘Exhilarating’ in reference to the lyrics. It was really exhilarating, electrifying,” she said.
“I felt this little flicker of hope like maybe I'm meant to do this role… And then I got it. I cried because I was so happy, not just to get the role, but (because) I really felt in my heart that something about the show was going to change my life.”
Brooke Prince's character Madame Becker draws inspiration from Louise Becker, a real-life missionary and music teacher in the 1910s. Courtesy of OD Company
Regarding the unlikely choice of casting a Western actor in the Korean theater scene, the creators of the show noted their commitment to authenticity and inclusivity.
“Typically, Korean musicals might cast Korean actors in diverse roles, often regardless of race or nationality. However, for 'Il Tenore,' set in 1930s Korea, authenticity demanded a Western actor for Madame Becker. This choice was vital to maintain historical and cultural integrity,” the production team said.
In "Il Tenore," Madame Becker discovers the singing talent of I-seon, a medical student who unintentionally finds himself at a women's school during an independent movement activity. Rather than dismiss him for eavesdropping on her music class, she is impressed by his voice and encourages him to sing, recognizing his potential.
"I like to portray Madame Becker a little bit feisty, sassy. I really tried to give her a sense of inner strength and openness. I think that she tries her best to follow the customs of Korean culture, but she also has a very passionate personality. So most of the time, she's very composed, but I think of her like a volcano erupting every so often when she gets so fiery and excited," Prince said, explaining the complex layers of her character's personality.
Brooke Prince speaks during an interview with The Korea Times at the CJ Towol Theater in Seoul Arts Center, Feb. 6. Prince's narrative mirrors that of her character, Madame Becker, who gives up her opera dreams to teach music. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-suk
Committed to ensuring authentic representation, Prince conducted extensive research on the era and the real-life individuals who inspired the characters of Madame Becker and I-seon, drawing from the life of doctor and tenor Lee In-seon (1906-1960).
“She is an American missionary and teaches opera in Korea during the Japanese occupation. And I think we all really tried hard with all of our roles to make sure that it was historically accurate, as much as possible,” she said.
“We really wanted to bring to light the real person. We actually met one of her (Louise Becker’s) relatives during the rehearsal… When I met her, I really felt her energy. She was so elegant and composed. I thought I have to channel this energy.”
Prince, who shares her role with Adriana Tomeu from New York, expressed gratitude towards the production company for offering opportunities to foreign actors.
"The only way that we change this in the industry and we get more represented is for more companies to be brave enough to take that risk. Because it is a risk, of course. There can be other factors that you have to think about, like visa and the language barrier. It's more complicated than hiring a Korean actor or actress, but when you do take a chance on someone you'd be surprised to find what they're actually capable of doing," Prince said.
"Fantasy Opera" (translated title) scene depicts Yun I-seon (Seo Kyung-su) experiencing a life-changing auditory hallucination of operatic music during a medical exam. Courtesy of OD Company
In the musical, there is a song "Fantasy Opera" (translated title), in which I-seon experiences a life-changing auditory hallucination of operatic music during a medical exam. This moment of artistic awakening resonates deeply with Prince, who has stood at her own crossroads.
"Honestly, I had almost given up entirely on my dream because when you go through so many auditions and don’t get roles, it is so discouraging. You just start to feel like maybe I'm not meant to do this," she said, reflecting on her past struggles.
"For my entire 20s I was battling with myself — should I be an actress or should I go to law school? So it was like lawyer, actress, lawyer, actress that was that was my two voices in my head."
Whenever she watches the scene, Prince is reminded of spending years of her life at war with herself.
"But I really am inspired by I-seon because right after that he tells Jin-yeon 'I gave up, I'm gonna bet my life on being an opera singer.' And I always think to myself 'Wow, that's so cool. I want to bet my life on my dream.' So it's really inspiring to me and I think now I finally am where he is after that number. I am just putting all my eggs in the acting basket, deciding this is my dream."
Returning to the stage rekindled Prince's passion for live performance, appreciating the immediate connection and feedback from the audience.
"If I notice that the audience really seems to appreciate a certain choice, then I go in that direction. So I find that it helps to guide the role as people respond, so I really find it very rewarding to perform in front of people,” she said.
Brooke Prince playing the role of American music teacher Madame Becker in "Il Tenore" is particularly noteworthy in Korea's predominantly ethnically homogeneous theater scene. Courtesy of OD Company
Prince also advocates for a more inclusive Korean entertainment industry.
“I think it starts from the very beginning of the creative process. They have to write in roles of foreigners because that's the only way that we're going to be able to play them. It's not like we can play a Korean role. The roles have to be created for us and then we'll be able to audition for them,” she said.
“So I'd like to see just more consideration to how many of us there are. More and more foreigners come every year, particularly to be a part of the entertainment industry. So I'd love to see it become more accessible.”
The musical "Il Tenore" runs through Feb. 25 at CJ Towol Theater of Seoul Arts Center.