Musical adapted from Lilian Lee's 'Rouge' to debut in Shanghai

The original musical "Rouge," which is adapted from Hong Kong writer Lilian Lee's novel of the same name, will start its first round of performances on April 7 at the Shanghai Culture Square. Following the Shanghai stop, the musical will also be staged in cities including Nanjing, Beijing, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, and Hangzhou.

The musical is helmed by two-time Tony-nominated Broadway choreographer and director Joey McKneely, whose credits include "The Life," "Twelfth Night," "The Wild Party," and the "West Side Story" revival.

At rehearsal of "Rouge" at the Shanghai Concert Hall on Sunday, McKneely expressed his delight at cooperating with outstanding Chinese actors. He has expanded the materials of the novel's former movie adaptation.

"The biggest challenge for the actors is the intensity of emotions that they have to go through," McKneely said. "They have to go very deep into these emotions. They're doing a great job."

Taiwan singer Jam Hsiao takes the leading role in the musical. It is also his musical debut. Hsiao spent a lot of time in discussions with the director and other actors to discover more of the unique temperament of the role and find the characters' behavioral logic on stage.

"I feel excited to portray this classic role on stage," Hsiao said. "For me it is a rewarding experience of learning from others."

The musical also stars Zhang Ze, Xu Yao, and Ding Zhenying.

It has been 40 years since the publication of Lee's novel "Rouge" and Lee has been very supportive of the musical. To cater for modern aesthetics and tastes, Lee made some adjustments to the characters and plot.

The story which originally took place in 1940s Hong Kong is now set to the backdrop of Shanghai. The distinctive charm of the city and the alternation of new and old cultures in Shanghai at that time left a large canvas for the adaptation of the musical.