Beijing hosts theater from across China

Fu Sheng, a historic play by the National Theater of China, is a highlight of the three-month theater showcase running through June in Beijing. [Photo provided to China Daily]

The National Theater of China is hosting the first China Original Drama Invitational Exhibition and will stage productions from theaters across the country through June 7.

Thirty-five dramas will be staged at theaters in Beijing and audiences will enjoy more than 100 performances during the three-month event.

"We have never before gathered together so many original Chinese dramas from around the country in Beijing. These works contain distinctive local cultures," Zhou Yuyuan, president of National Theater of China, said at the opening of the event in Beijing on March 15. "It will be exciting for the audiences to see drama from different places in China. It will also be a good opportunity for people from theaters across the country to communicate and work together."

Some of the plays have been performed for several years and have a stable fan base, while others are new to audiences.

Jujube Tree, made by National Theater of China, opened the event. The play tells the story of Beijing families who live in a traditional hutong and courtyard.

Fu Sheng, a historic play that pays tribute to a Qin Dynasty (221-206 BC) Confucian scholar, will close the exhibition on June 7 at the National Center for the Performing Arts. It is directed by Wang Xiaoying for National Theater of China.

"Theater once played an important role in Chinese life. With more forms of entertainment vying for people's attention, drama faces challenges. But we want to bring audiences back to theaters," says Cui Ning, vice-president of Beijing People's Art Theater, one of the country's most established theaters.

"Each play is more than a story or a character. It is about inheriting culture and experiencing life."

Three dramas from Beijing People's Art Theater will be staged during the event, including Ruan Lingyu, which tells the tragic story of the late Chinese actress Ruan Lingyu, and Gong Min (citizen), which is about Pu Yi (1906-1967), the last Chinese emperor.

72 Hours of Ludian, a new work by Yunnan Art Theater, is based on the earthquake that struck Ludian county, Yunnan province, in August. According to director Ma Jie, who is also the director of Yunnan Art Theater, it only took three months for the theater to finish the drama, which premiered in Kunming, the provincial capital, in December.

"Few people know we have a theater in Yunnan, a province far away from the capital. And we don't have big-budget productions," says Ma. "When the earthquake happened, some of our actors volunteered to help the people there and some were concerned about their families. Through theater we can share our different life experiences with audiences."

Besides State-owned theaters, independent drama groups will also bring their works. Shanghai-based Modern Drama Valley will bring two plays, Aunt Bai on Her Way to Work, starring 66-year-old Bai Wanqing, a Shanghai TV show mediator, and Qiu Ou (courtship), which tells the story of Chinese parents who are too eager to help their unmarried children find a match.

"We target hot social topics and public figures, which led to our dramas becoming attractive among audiences of different generations," says Yang Yong, general manager of Modern Drama Valley.

"We also have professional and amateur actors perform together. I believe that our works will add variety to the event."