Festive curtain poised to rise on shows with a difference

Key reason

Deng Wei, vice-president of Star Theaters, who is also the company's chief producer, said Zhang's knowledge and passion for nontraditional theater was the key reason Star Theaters invited him to stage Miss Julie.

"The pandemic seems to have changed the way in which people want to enjoy theaters. I have found that audiences are tending to look for new theater experiences after the hard times during the pandemic, when there were no live performances," Deng said.

"The government has also drawn up plans for developing nontraditional theater, and Star Theaters is included in these plans."

Deng added that a survey the company conducted for Miss Julie found that audiences for the production were mainly in the 18-30 age group, much younger than the creative team expected. Before each show, the team plans games for audiences to prepare them for the production.

"Some audience members even dress up as the characters from Miss Julie," Deng said. "Coming to a show is no longer just about watching the performers onstage. It is an opportunity to communicate, meet people, and experience something traditional theaters cannot offer."

A total of 175 performances of Miss Julie are scheduled for this year, including during the Spring Festival holiday.

To appeal to tourists in Beijing, Star Theaters is working on a new production, combining stage performances with live action role-playing games.

Zheng Yi Temple Theater, located near the Qianmen commercial area in the Chinese capital, is also a popular destination for theater lovers.

The venue, which boasts a history of about 350 years, is the nation's oldest theater built from wood. Since it reopened in April 2022, it has gained a large fan base by staging a diverse range of shows, from traditional Chinese operas to classical music recitals.

For Spring Festival this year, it will present a series of shows catering to tourists and local residents.

Zhang Peng, general manager of the theater, said the two-story building only has about 130 seats, giving audiences the sense of being fully immersed in shows.

Zheng Yi Temple Theater is one of the few that remain in commercial guild halls in Beijing, Zhang said. Since it reopened, it has attracted numerous audiences, including those who watch shows streamed online.