TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s All U People Theater announced full ticket refunds Thursday (Sept. 5) for its musical titled “Take Out the Trash” after guest star Ko Wen-je was detained on suspicion of corruption.

The Taiwan People’s Party founder was invited to appear in the musical for a 30-minute guest spot earlier this year. The musical is about the renewal of old neighborhoods and echoes Ko's Core Pacific City development case, per CNA.

When asked if the storyline predicted what would happen to Ko, All U People Theater Director Hsieh Nien-tsu (謝念祖) said no. He said the group “never expected this to happen.”

Hsieh noted that Ko's role in the musical was limited and he played himself. The team decided to remove his scenes without affecting the main plot.

The last time the troupe interacted with Ko was during their Kaohsiung performance in June. Hsieh said they were scheduled to resume rehearsals next week but would not be able to present the original version with Ko.

Hsieh laughed when asked if the group could find another actor to replace Ko. "Who would want to take on the role now?" he asked.

The musical will be performed in Taichung on Sept. 14 and 15.