Theater maestro Stan Lai lights up father's hometown with new Theater Village
Shot by Ma Yue. Edited by Ma Yue.
Famed theater director and playwright Stan Lai's Huichang Theater Village in Jiangxi Province officially opened this month. With the launch of the inaugural Huichang Theater Season, works by national and international troupes are to be introduced to visitors and Huichang residents.
Huichang, hometown of Lai's father, is over 1,000 years old. With profound cultural foundations and beautiful natural scenery, it was known for literary luminaries.
The Huichang Theater Village opened on January 5.
Wishing to introduce modern theater to his father's hometown, Lai has been bringing his signature theater creations to Huichang every year since 2015. The idea of setting up a theater village also came up.
With the support of local government, the Theater Village was unveiled on January 5. It includes four performance venues and various open spaces for outdoor shows and activities.
The design took into consideration the preservation of local historic features.
Theater Converge is built from the remains of an old printing house.
The Theater Converge is a fully equipped theater with a capacity of 300, which was built from the remains of an old printing house. The Courtyard Theater has been adapted from an ancient family shrine.
Lai has used a tree growing from a light bulb as the signature image for the village. The bulb is a symbol of lighting up the creativity and wisdom in everyone's heart, while the tree reminds people of the two ancient banyan trees in the village. Each 300 years old, the two trees are believed to be protectors of generations in the town.
An ancient banyan tree in the Theater Village is over 300 years old.
Given Huichang's relatively remote location, visitors from outside Jiangxi Province will usually reach Ganzhou city first by plane or train, and then take a two-hour car or bus ride to reach the village. But according to Lai, "Sometimes it's good to be far, with theater so near" – a slogan for the Theater Village.
"Distance is not a problem as long as we can offer quality theater performances in the area constantly," said Lai. "The performances can also attract visitors from provinces of Guangdong and Fujian and other parts of China."
Lai said he intends to build a cultural ecosystem rather than a theater industry in Huichang. "We hope this becomes a wetland for theater art, a birthplace for new ideas and inspirations," he said.
Lai's signature work "The Village" is staged at Theater Converge.
The productions greeting visitors at the Huichang Theater Village during the 10-day theater season include Lai's signature "The Village," a tea harvest opera version of "Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land," and new work "Flower in the Mirror, Moon in the Water" that Lai created especially for Huichang Theater Village.
Taiwan-based U-Theater is presenting outdoor show "Meeting with Vajrasattva." Hong Kong Repertory Theater has brought an adapted version of French play "Sisters," while French troupe Compagnie des Quidams is performing "Herbert's Dream." There are also workshops, dialogues, script readings and various outdoor shows on offer.
Huichang is the hometown of Stan Lai's father.
The Hesheng Technical Theater School is located in the village, providing technical courses and training for local students so as to cultivate professional technical theater personnel for the future.
"Many families in Huichang have three or four children. The youngsters would usually leave home and work in coastal cities for a future career," said Lai. "Maybe, the theater school would open another window for the younger generation, and make them realize that life has other possibilities."
A tree growing from a light bulb is the signature image for Huichang Theater Village.
Lai's father left the town in 1947 for a diplomatic career that sent him to the United States. Born in the US, Lai began his creative career in Taiwan. He is considered the most celebrated Chinese language playwright and director in the world with over 40 original plays.
Lai said he doesn't have a clear picture of the Theater Village's future growth yet, or how much influence and benefit the village will be able to create for Huichang.
"I like doing difficult and even unpractical things. This is a dream that requires everyone's effort," he said.
