Making a song and dance about musical theater

His job at Nederlander was to tour the musical 42nd Street and Aida in China, and he traveled all over the country meeting theater owners and managers.

He was shocked so few people knew about musicals. He gave lectures in universities to educate the audience.

After every lecture, many students approached him to tell him they love musicals.

"They are the next generation of China and they have an interest in this art form. So I want to do in China what I did in the US 40 years ago. When the job (with Nederlander) finished I went home for Christmas, but I kept seeing those young faces that were enthusiastic about the musicals," he says.

Stimac returned a year later. One night at about 11 pm, he was walking along the street near Beijing's Silk Market and came upon a sign that read, "the future home of a first class venue for international performing arts".

"I said, 'I'm first class, I'm international and I should know about this'."

He soon secured the job of director of Reignwood Theater.

It was a well-paid role, and allowed him to present acts such as Placido Domingo and Sarah Brightman. But the boss of the theater favored Peking Opera and Vienna Philharmonic over musicals.

Stimac left Reignwood to pursue other opportunities. His proposals to bring musicals to China have received positive feedback, but many people either expect him to bring funding or want instant returns.

"I know the government has an interest in getting a musical to Broadway and real estate people with the money would like to participate in the culture business, but they don't understand yet what it takes and that you don't get a return in six weeks," says Stimac.

"But I still want to do musicals, that's why I came here. And my dream is to stand backstage in a Broadway theater and watch an original Chinese musical."

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