Venue hosts dramatic celebration

In 2022, when Beijing People's Art Theatre had its 70th birthday, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the theater's regular performances to be canceled or postponed.

The company decided to livestream its classic play, Teahouse, for a week to keep the birthday celebration alive. The online version, to their surprise, had over 150 million views.

Teahouse, written by Chinese novelist and dramatist Lao She (1899-1966), is a vivid depiction of people from all walks of life during the late Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), and has been staged by different generations of artists of the Beijing People's Art Theatre since its premiere in 1958.

Last year, the theater also screened a 10-episode documentary, Wo Zai Ren Yi Xue Biao Yan (I'm Learning Acting at the Beijing People's Art Theatre), which follows young actors at a training program started by the theater. The documentary was viewed over 250 million times.

"We felt a strong connection with the audience despite the difficult situation caused by the pandemic. We were looking forward to welcoming the audience to the theater again," says Feng Yuanzheng, a veteran actor and director who is now president of the Beijing People's Art Theatre.

An open house held on Sunday and Monday to mark the theater's 71st birthday drew hundreds. For the first time, the theater's five venues, including the newly opened Cao Yu Theater and the Beijing International Theater Center, opened to the public simultaneously at no charge.

A series of activities, such as a photo exhibition, screenings of plays, a flash mob and workshops showcasing theater props, were held during the event. Young actors selected to study at the theater's latest training program volunteered to explain the institution's history at the Beijing People's Art Museum.

"We invite the audience to draw closer to us to see our rehearsals, talk to our artists and gain a deeper understanding about how we operate and create plays," Feng says. "Without the loyalty of our audience, the theater would not have been able to achieve this outstanding milestone. It is an honor to share this tremendous achievement."

Zhao Hao, a young father, brought his 4-year-old daughter to the open house. "I am a big fan of the Beijing People's Art Theatre, and I often come to watch its plays, both classic and new," says Zhao. He says he has been watching the theater's plays since he was a university student, and one of his favorites is Teahouse.

"My daughter cannot yet understand the plays, but she loves theater. I hope that, when she grows up, we will come here and watch plays together," he says.

Zhao Xuguang, 20, says he hopes to make a life for himself on the stage.

"I was inspired to become an actor after the performance of Thunderstorm, one of the theater's plays, when I was in high school. Now, I am learning acting at the Central Academy of Drama in Beijing. I will apply for the theater's actor training program after I graduate, and hopefully I will become one of the theater's actors one day," Zhao Xuguang says.

Thunderstorm, the classic play written by the theater's first president, Chinese playwright Cao Yu (1910-96), premiered in 1954 and is still performed by the theater.

The Beijing People's Art Theatre, founded in 1952, is about 20 minutes' walk from the bustling Wangfujing pedestrian street. It is considered the flag bearer of Chinese drama. It's known as home to many established actors and has built a reputation for its tradition and work ethic.

"A play is bigger than the sky," a slogan inherited by the theater, is printed on a huge banner hanging on the rehearsal room's wall.

Veteran actor Pu Cunxin says he enjoyed the hourlong session with members of the audience on Sunday morning. "We (usually) meet our audience onstage, with us standing under the spotlight and the audience sitting in the darkness. Now, I am very happy to see the audience in the light with time to communicate face to face."

The night before, Pu, who will turn 70 in July, played the leading role in the theater's classic play, Wu Wang Jing Ge Yue Wang Jian (Shining Spears of King Wu and Sword of King Yue), based on the dispute between the states of Wu and Yue during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC). The play, which premiered at the theater in 1983, was previously directed by the theater's late actor-director Lan Tianye (1927-2022).

"It's been a year since he (Lan) died. He directed this play when he was 87 years old. We staged his classic play again to commemorate the great artist, who was a mentor to me," says Pu. "He was loved by many in the audience. We paid tribute to those great artists who are no longer with us on the occasion of the theater's birthday, which is very significant."

On Monday, the theater staged its play Wan Jia, or Antique, which was directed by Ren Ming (1960-2022) and premiered in 2016. The play tells the story of local Beijing antique collectors and their stories spanning over three decades, which appeals to the nostalgia of many in the audience.

On June 19, 2022, about a week after the theater celebrated its 70th birthday on June 12, Ren, a former president of the theater, died. Many aficionados went to the theater to mourn his death.

"The play, Wan Jia, has been staged over 100 times with this round of performances. There is no better way to commemorate Ren Ming than performing his work again," says Feng, who plays the leading role of Jin Bo'an, an antique collector. The play will be staged at the theater through Monday.

During the open house, actor He Bing and young director Yang Jiayin also shared their stories about the theater with audience members.

"The theater is experiencing a time of transformation. Some artists of the older generation are soon to retire and new members are appearing onstage. We try our best to let that new talent be seen by the audience," Feng says.