Performers in Race for Love on stage at Huairou Theater.
"I am glad to see an authentic Broadway show in Huairou, it was rather surprising," commented a member of the audience after seeing the show.
The performance was held in the Huairou Theater, which was especially built this year to stage musicals. Conceived by Broadway Asia Entertainment, the musical borrowed from Broadway in everyway – with lyrics and dialogue in English and performers from the US.
Using the show as a starting point, the Huairou district government said it is building an original production base for stage performance, focusing on original creation, writing, training, rehearsals and production. More than 10 theaters are part of the project, varying in style and theme and each able to accommodate from 300 to 2,000 audience members.
Secretary-general of China Musical Society, Sheng Zhenhe, said that Beijing needs specialized venues for musical theater.
"Right now musical dramas in Beijing are usually performed at the Beijing Exhibition Centerwhich is actually not very suitable for musicals. Turandot was shown at the Bird's Nest but how can you see clearly at a huge stadium like the Bird's Nest?" Sheng added.
"Musical dramas need specialized theaters which cannot be too large. They should be within 2,000 seats. Many theaters in Broadway are small. You can see a play clearly from any seat. So are many musical theaters in Tokyo," Sheng explained.
Broadway Asia Entertainment was invited by Huairou district government to create a unique musical for the venue, according to production manager Wang Yuanyu.
"Huairou already has a fi lm base. The local government hopes to further develop entertainment and further boost the development of its culture industry," Wang added.
Despite the good intentions of the Huairou district government, some are doubtful about the location.
"It can not compare to the real Broadway. New York's Broadway is located in busy downtown, plus it attracts many tourists," commented Jiang Li, a producer with China National Opera House.
Offering a possible solution, Haidian district announced at the end of last year that it would become China's Broadway base by building the China National Show Center – 32 new theaters covering 600,000 square meters. The project is scheduled to be completed within fi ve years.
Earlier this year Dongcheng district also announced it would build itself into Broadway with two new theaters especially for musicals. Already having several major theaters and production companies, the district wants to further raise its image as an international performance center, similar to London's West End and New York's Broadway.
Chaoyang district has also jumped on the bandwagon, announcing the building of a group of theaters in Cuigezhuang and a 30 million yuan ($4.39 million) investment to transform it into Beijing's Broadway.
While the fi erce battle for Broadway has added excitement to Beijing's entertainment industry, critics are questioning the need of so many new venues, especially in light of the fact that many old theaters are not being fully utilized.
Statistics from the Beijing Culture Bureau revealed that Beijing currently has over 80 theaters. Only 30 are frequently used for shows.
Manager of Beijing Oriental Pioneer Theater, Fu Weibo, suggested that the government make some efforts to put the old theaters into use.
"Many theaters are often standing idle due to various reasons. Some are geographically inconvenient. Some belong to institutes and are not open to the public. As most theaters are built by the government, it is a waste ofState-owned assets," Fu commented.
Jiang Li from the National Opera House added that even now, box once revenue of many popular theaters is not always satisfactory.
"Except for China National Opera House, People's Art Theater, the National Ballet of China and China Oriental Song and Dance Ensemble, tickets at most of the other theaters do not sell very well," Jiang explained.
"It will be diffcult for some to survive if they only live on their income. They have to rely on some government subsidy. So I doubt whether Beijing needs so many new theaters right now." Jiang added that even with the current number of theaters, there are not enough performances to fi ll them and that quality would su. er if quantity becomes the focus.
"If many theaters are set up, they will need more plays. Some plays that have not been produced well will be shown," explained Li Yinan, a teacher at the Central Academy of Drama. "The quality of plays cannot be guaranteed. It is not good in cultivating the audience."
"Building theaters should be combined with the development and creation of plays," added Fu Weibo from Beijing Oriental Pioneer Theater. "Without good and enough plays, theater operations will have serious problems."
According to the Beijing Culture Bureau, in the first nine months of the year, Beijing's 34 theaters were used for 2,160 shows, attracting 1.2 million people.
(Source: Globaltimes.cn)
0 comments:
Post a Comment