"Shiki Theatre has been producing and staging theatrical productions for children for decades. When I interviewed Keita in 2004 in Japan, he told me that for children, watching their first shows in theaters might give them a lifelong impact," recalls Wang. "That's why he was so keen on bringing out shows for children. I hope that children in China could have the same experiences in theaters, which should be inspiring and enlightening."
Now, as one of the largest theatrical groups in Japan, Shiki Theatre keeps its tradition of bringing productions for children. Performing about 3,000 shows in Japan, the theater gives 500 charity shows for children every year, according to Wang.
The latest Chinese musical Two Times Lotte is the fourth Shiki Theatre's production that Wang's company adapted into Chinese. For example, in 2017, the two companies worked on bringing out a Chinese musical, The Cat Who Wished to Be a Man, based on the musical by Shiki Theatre of the same name.
The established Japanese company has a long friendship with China. When the Central Academy of Drama launched its musical major program in the early 1990s, one of the first of its kind in China, artists of the Japanese company visited Beijing to help the students rehearse the company's musical, The Cat Who Wished to Be a Man.
Among the students was Liu Tianchi, who was impressed by musical, an art form that was still new to China back then. Later, Liu performed with Shiki Theatre for three years right after she graduated from the Beijing-based Central Academy of Drama, with a major in acting in 1995, which allowed her to gain an experience as a musical actress. Liu will be the director of the new Chinese version, Two Times Lotte.
