Musical shows set new audience records in city despite pandemic
Musicals have become one of the fastest-developing performing art genres in Shanghai, with audience numbers more than doubling last year despite the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the latest report released by the city's performing art association, Shanghai staged a total of 8,894 theater performances in 2021. Among them, 911 were musicals, a 142 percent jump from a year earlier.
The musical performances attracted some 524,000 theatergoers, a 129 percent increase compared with 2020.
Huangpu District, home to some of Shanghai's signature venues, hosted 639 musical performances, accounting for 70 percent of the total last year.
The Chinese adaptation of French musical "Romeo and Juliette"
As a venue known for musical works, Shanghai Culture Square staged 206 performances last year, attracting 225,000 fans. The Chinese adaptations of French musical "Romeo and Juliette" and South Korean musical "Fan Letter" were the most popular on the year-end menu. Both were the culture square's self-produced features.
"Romeo and Juliette" was not only well received by Shanghai musical fans but also won popularity from around the country, as it attracted 35,000 patrons in 25 performances during a national tour at the end of last year.
"The performance industry has faced a lot of uncertainties and risks due to the pandemic over the past two years," said Fei Yuanhong, vice general manager of the culture square. "Fulfilling a theater's responsibility while exploring more potential from ourselves is our way to deal with the impacts and challenges."
The Chinese adaptation of South Korean musical "Fan Letter"
In addition to its role as musical producer and presenter, the culture square plans to cement its leading position in the development of musicals in China by creating a new research center dedicated to the genre this year. The center will provide a platform for musical industry practitioners to exchange ideas and integrate resources.
"The pandemic has restricted the number of foreign musicals in market, and this can be considered a good opportunity for domestic creators to present themselves to audiences," said Fei.
The culture square is not the only theater getting involved in the creation and promotion of original stage productions.
Shanghai Oriental Art Center's self-produced play "Road to Victory" proved its quality by becoming a winner at the 5th Chinese Theater Awards. The play pocketed the Best Playwright and Best Director awards, and was nominated as a candidate for the Best Play of the Year.
Shanghai Oriental Art Center's self-produced play "Road to Victory"
Involving famed playwright Yao Yuan and director Hu Zongqi, the play is based on the award-winning novel "The Road We Have Taken," which focuses on the fate of youngsters searching for their political path through the turbulent years between 1925 and 1949.
The play just completed its seven-month national tour, during which 34 performances were staged in 18 cities, attracting nearly 50,000 patrons from around the country.
"Road to Victory" is the Oriental Art Center's third self-produced play. Lei Wen, the center's general manager, said in an earlier interview that the work showcased the venue's ability to turn itself from a "stage" to a "platform" for creators.
