Friday, September 14, 2007
Broadway Musicals in Growing Demand in China
VOA News: "Broadway productions have been, until recently, rare in Chinese theaters. But today, Western musicals are winning audiences across China. VOA's Heda Bayron in Beijing tells us more."
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8 comments:
Applying some of the Theatre Management jargon...
This is a perfect example of the Social Motivation for going to the theatre. By traditional theatres presenting very American classics, they offer a theatrical experience that supplies public recognition, and prominence in the society. American musicals in China probably have the same attitude that 'the opera' in the US gets. You go to be seen and see the spectacle, probably not that you care a whole bunch.
This is expecially true as the article implies that the tickets are more expensive than your average Chinese show.
This has to do a lot with Broadway Asia's launch in Shanghai early this year. I think, it made the licensing process so much easier. China now is the second biggest performing arts country in Asia, obviously for the side of the audience pool. But it will take a little time to create their own. It took Japan nearly 50 years to create a mogul company "Shiki."
it fascinates me how much the arts spread with global trade.
it'll be great when modern chinese theatre becomes so widespread here that everyone will have seen or heard of it.
i hope it can be translated accurately...
As my comment post on “World Biggest LED Screen”, all the industries and the businessmen in the world are attracted by enormous China market. While the economics is getting better, people may their stomach full and may dress warm. Next they may start to consider the entertainment, like the article Houston Boom says. Some economic theories say the rich occupies a certain percentage among the whole population in a county. If there were only one-percent rich men among the total population in China, then there would be one million people, out of more than one billion population! Broadway musical certainly want to try this market.
Also China opens the tourism and education policy to its people. Therefore, many rich Chinese come out and go abroad for sight-seeing and education. These people then have the opportunities to experience the western culture. Doubtless, they could be one of the Broadway musical audiences in China.
One interesting issue about how the western theatrical system cooperates with local backstage is not discussed yet. Maybe later.
I think it is definately a sign of the progression of China's economy and government that Broadway is making a splash there. It is true that the production and implementation of culture, like theater, is a sign that people have enough of the basics that they can enjoy a swanky night enjoying imported theater.
It is also interesting to see the new advances in the globalization of theater. I know I generally think of musical theater as a Western style, especially when you are talking about shows like Anything Goes. I think it would be really cool to see it done in a joint venture company. This progress shows that there are exciting opportunities to incorperate new and foreign styles into our own productions.
A lot of American culture has actually started to become popular in China, as pro wrestling actually debuted in China about two years ago (and yes, that IS theatre). It will be interesting to see if these shows are actually successful in China, for if I remember correctly, the pro wrestling experiment was not really a humongous success, as pro wrestling was in Japan.
This article brought me back to a book I recently finished.
It was a diary Arthur Miller kept for 6 weeks as he directed Death of A Salesman in Beijing, China.
It fasinates me to know that back in the Spring of 1983 where everyone was doubtful how China will receive an American culture play, the play came and stayed with the people.
In an era where China was just picking up from the Cultural Revolution and proverty, the realities of Death of A Salesman seem so far away and unrelated.
I will always remember Arthur Miller as he worried about how to teach the Chinese actors to play American poker, and his burst of excitement when the Chinese actors payed it as if it was the most natural thing in the world with just one round of explaination.
I couldn't imagine how this great play was done back then but reading the diary alone, touched me with every page.
This is really good news to me. Yes, I understand the Asian stereotypes of Western, better yet foreign people. I also think it is about time America opened its attention to Asian theater. There is so much to be experienced from every culture in the world. I am just glad the Chinese are showing interest to such art work.
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