Since high school, Yang Meishengming has been fond of imitating his teachers, performing skits and comedies, and he became obsessed with drama performance when he watched the whole documentary film about drama creation at the National Theatre of China in Beijing in the summer of 2018. He then made up his mind to join the best drama club in college, a goal that he has achieved by joining the Yanhu Drama Club, a renowned club in South China Normal University, Guangzhou.

A stage photo of a drama presented by students from Guangzhou University. (Photo provided to Newsgd.com)

From Guiyang, a city in southwest China's Guizhou Province, Yang Meishengming is in his early 20s and studies at the Department of Tourist Management. Yang has decided to study one more major humanities, which he believes will contribute to his drama performing.

As the deputy head of the club, Yang is responsible for performer management and daily training. Sometimes he needs to spend several hours each day in the drama club, as he has been doing lately since the club is preparing for their big show at the 15th Youth Theatre Festival.

The 15th Youth Theatre Festival is already underway at the No. 13 Theatre of the Guangzhou Drama Art Center between December 7th and 13th, featuring 17 final works singled out from college drama clubs and non-professional drama clubs mainly in South China. Audiences will be invited to watch the drama performances for free while complying to epidemic prevention and control requirements.

A poster of the 15th Youth Theatre Festival (Photo provided to Newsgd.com)

The festival is co-hosted by Guangzhou Municipal Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau and Guangzhou Federation of Literary and Art Circles, and organized by Guangzhou Drama Art Center and Guangzhou Dramatists Society. Members of the jury included national first-level performers Zhang Yechuan, Xuan Zhihong, Shu Chen and other professionals.

Among the shortlisted dramas, some focus on social issues, some highlight young people's experiences and thoughts, and some show solicitude for special communities. Yang and his peers will stage a drama entitled "On the other side of the dragon gate", and Yang will play an eccentric fish, the only comic role in the play which is very challenging for him.

A poster of Yang's drama "On the other side of the dragon gate" (Photo provided to Newsgd.com)

Yang told the reporter that his crew is composed of about 20 people, and they have been working on this drama for about two months. "It is a touching story, we often shed tears during the rehearsals," Yang said, "With everyone's hard efforts and experiences, we are proud to present this drama at the 15th Youth Theatre Festival."

Yang has been participating in the Youth Theatre Festival for three consecutive years, and he is extremely grateful for the annual festival which serves as an important platform for young drama enthusiasts including himslef to enjoy the glamour of drama together. In his speech at the opening ceremony, Yang said, "We get together here in Guangzhou because of the festival. We tell instructive stories via drama performances on the stage. We bring vitality and positivity to the city and society and we hope to continue growing with the festival."

Author | Monica

Editor | Jerry