Lao She Theater opens in Beijing

A new theater, named after the late Chinese writer Lao She (1899-1966), was launched by Beijing Federation of Literary & Art Circles on Nov 5.

Born as Shu Qingchun in a

Manchu family in Beijing, Lao She specialized in depicting the local culture with humor and use of the city accent. His works such as Teahouse, Rickshaw Boy and Four Generations Under One Roof have inspired generations and have been adapted into plays, movies and TV dramas.

The new theater, Lao She Theatre, is located inside the Beijing Federation of Literary & Art Circles in downtown capital. Covering an area of 975 square meters, the new theater has a capacity of 300 seats. Besides the stage space for shows, such as plays, dance and music, the theater also offers visitors with spaces to enjoy exhibitions.

Statues of four former presidents of Beijing Federation of Literary & Art Circles: Lao She, Cao Yu (1910-96), Yang Mo (1914-95) and Guan Hua (1922-2003) stand in the theater, which pay tribute to the elder generation of Chinese writers.

"The new theater will be a new hub for theater lovers in Beijing and it will also bring a platform for new theater talents," says Chen Ping, the president of Beijing Federation of Literary & Art Circles.