Can you "seek a sword from a notch on a boat?" Is it necessary to "teach a fish how to swim?" And there are consequences to "being there just to make up a number?" These ancient idiom stories have long been part of the repertoire of the China National Theatre for Children. And now a group of American high schoolers is presenting their version of these tales at this year's China Children's Theatre Festival -- in Chinese!
Can you "seek a sword from a notch on a boat?" Is it necessary to "teach a fish how to swim?" And there are consequences to "being there just to make up a number?" These ancient idiom stories have long been part of the repertoire of the China National Theatre for Children. And now a group of American high schoolers is presenting their version of these tales at this year's China Children's Theatre Festival -- in Chinese!
Combining culture and theater.
This group of high schoolers are from the Missoula Children's Theatre in the US state of Montana. They have been learning Chinese for several years, with help from the Confucius Institute at the University of Montana, but for this production they only rehearsed for two weeks.
They might lack in acting skills and language proficiency, but their enthusiasm for Chinese culture and theatrical performances certainly made up for those deficiencies, as kept the packed hall engaged.
Lead actor Nathan Dudden plays four roles: a master who seek his sword from a notch on a boat; Confucian student Zilu and master carpenter Lu Ban who "teach a fish how to swim;" and Mr. Nanguo, who only knew how to blow sugar figures, but pretended to be able to play the "yu" instrument, in order to "be there just to make up a number." He says he enjoyed the challenges very much.
"It's an amazing experience. To learn the history and the culture through theater is awesome. These idom stories, they are not new. They have been passed down from generation to generation. It's really fun to learn these idiom stories, and by doing that, you also learn about the language," Dudden said.
Can you "seek a sword from a notch on a boat?" Is it necessary to "teach a fish how to swim?" And there are consequences to "being there just to make up a number?" These ancient idiom stories have long been part of the repertoire of the China National Theatre for Children. And now a group of American high schoolers is presenting their version of these tales at this year's China Children's Theatre Festival -- in Chinese!
This production of "Chinese Idiom Stories" is part of a cultural exchange program at the China Children's Theatre Festival. The China National Theatre for Children, and America's Missoula Children's Theatre, have been working closely for about two years. Last year, some 60 Chinese kids learned and performed an English play, and this year, the American students are presenting Chinese idom stories in Chinese!
"This whole experience for the kids and for us, theatre is a universal language. Once they are on stage, they are not American actors, they are actors. And everyone here understands what's going on, and even we can understand what's going on. All of a sudden cultures come together, everybody is one," said Joseph Martinez, Missoula Children's Theater Artistic Director.
"We have seen many foreign plays here in our country in recent years. It's great to introduce and learn from them. But a cultural exchange should be a two-way street. Our country boasts a wealth of traditional culture, with a lot of classic stories. These stories can reach more foreign audiences through the performing art of theatre. This collaboration has proved to be rewarding for both parties," said Yin Xiaodong, China National Theater for Children President.
The theme of this year's event is "Light Children's Hearts And Shape The Future — Colorful Chinese Dream." The festival will last 49 days, and feature 46 dramas and 215 performances by 25 troupes from 8 countries and regions. There will also be various theatre workshops involving young audience members.
