It's time for the opening of the tea house again. From March 17th to 27th, the classic play "Teahouse" by Beijing People's Art Theatre was performed again. A ticket is hard to come by, and it runs out of stock as soon as it goes on sale. The popularity of "Teahouse" has become a cultural phenomenon on stage this spring. This timeless work, written by Lao She and co directed by Jiao Juyin and Xia Chun, takes the rise and fall of the Yutai Teahouse in old Beijing as a mirror, reflecting the tremendous changes in Chinese society from the late Qing Dynasty to the victory of the Anti Japanese War nearly half a century ago. The profound and profound connotations of classic plays, as well as the excellent performances of powerful actors such as Liang Guanhua, Pu Cunxin, Yang Lixin, He Bing, Wu Gang, Gong Lijun, and Feng Yuanzheng, have left the audience extremely satisfied. When the curtain falls, "Teahouse", which has been performed for nearly 70 years, is still crowded with guests. Beijing People's Art Theatre hopes to write new footnotes to the classics in its own way. Teahouses are not old, stemming from the timeless charm of classics. In the past two or three years, we have always been asked the same question: what changes have been made to this version of Teahouse? ”Feng Yuanzheng, the director of Beijing People's Art Theatre, said. Unlike many theater troupes that constantly adjust their lineups and reconstruct versions, Beijing People's Art Theatre has an almost stubborn adherence to classics: they do not easily change actors or styles. Once the premiere version is established, there will be almost no major changes except for very minor adjustments. The main cast remains largely unchanged, with stage scheduling and performance paradigms strictly following the artistic tradition left by Mr. Jiao Juyin. ”Feng Yuanzheng said. As the artistic director of the rehearsal, Yang Lixin frankly stated that the most important thing about the rehearsal of this play is not to deviate from its original form. I hope the audience can see the authentic old Beijing on stage, "Yang Lixin said. On March 29, 1958, "Teahouse" was officially performed at the Capital Theater, causing a sensation overnight in Beijing. The premiere lineup includes Wang Lifa, Zheng Rong as Chang Siye, Lan Tianye as Qin Zhongyi, as well as a generation of famous artists such as Ying Ruocheng, Huang Zongluo, and Tong Chao. In 1992, the veteran artist retired and bowed to the audience at the Capital Theater to bid farewell to 'Teahouse'. It took seven years to rearrange 'Teahouse'. ”Memories of Feng Yuanzheng. At present, this version of "Teahouse" brings together actors such as Liang Guanhua, Pu Cunxin, Yang Lixin, He Bing, Wu Gang, Gong Lijun, Feng Yuanzheng, etc. The re arranged version continues Mr. Jiao Juyin's aesthetic spirit, striving for excellence in performance rhythm and stage scheduling, and striving for every detail to withstand scrutiny. This perseverance has achieved an irreplaceable artistic quality in "Teahouse", allowing the "tea aroma" to transcend time and space, with a rich and mellow aroma. As the second generation actor of Wang Lifa, Liang Guanhua has not missed a single performance since 1999. His actor's notes are densely filled with the bits and pieces of his 27 year performance in 'Teahouse'. The old gentlemen have performed 374 times, and after this round of performances, we have performed 390 times, exceeding the number of performances. ”Liang Guanhua said, "Mr. Lao She's profound insight and summary of life have enabled 'Teahouse' to surpass the times and become a classic. It is our responsibility to pass on this play well. 'In the closing performance of' Teahouse 'in 1992, Pu Cunxin, who had just arrived at the theater, played the role of a tea guest. In the re arranged "Teahouse", Pu Cunxin, who is now the chairman of the Chinese Dramatists Association, became the actor of Chang Siye. For Pu Cunxin, every performance of "Teahouse" is like a climb from scratch, "every time with an improvisational and first-time attitude, creating together with the audience," Pu Cunxin said. Life continues, and art is also passed down. What we need to do is to preserve the flavor of the old "Teahouse" as much as possible, without emphasizing novelty or personal interests in its form. Our greatest wish is to steadily hand over this play to young actors. ”Pu Cunxin said. From the artistic foundation laid by the older generation of artists to the sincere dedication of today's skilled actors, 'Teahouse' has been passed down and continued to become a classic work for several generations. The development of technology has given classics a broader space. This year, the theatrical film "Teahouse" produced with 4K high-definition technology will debut at the Beijing International Film Festival, nourishing more audiences with classic works. Preserved the flavor of the old 'Teahouse'! ”This is a traditional drama of Beijing People's Art Theatre, a 'classic dish'! "Viewers on social media left messages expressing their love for" Teahouse ". The transition between old and new, breaking through the topic of cultivating young artistic talents. The classic play "Teahouse" cannot be separated from the accumulation of talent cultivation by Beijing People's Art Theatre. Looking back at history, from 1958 to 1985, Beijing People's Art Theatre held a total of six student classes, providing talent reserves for development. In 1985, the Beijing People's Art Theatre last recruited students from the society, with over 3000 applicants and 15 ultimately accepted. Feng Yuanzheng, Wu Gang, Ding Zhicheng, Wang Gang, and Gao Dongping, known as the "Five Tigers of the People's Art Theatre," came from the student class. In 1987, the People's Art Theatre and universities jointly organized classes, with Xu Fan, Chen Xiaoyi, He Bing, and Hu Jun becoming the first batch of students. In 2004, another joint class was held. In the following years, the People's Art Theatre relied on the models of "group led classes" and "joint classes" to support its stage for decades. These actors have also become the core actors of the second generation of "Teahouse", continuing the glory of this classic. How to inherit classics and continue glory? Feng Yuanzheng said that for classic plays like "Teahouse", talent inheritance is not simply about "having someone perform", but about "matching the role". Core figures such as Wang Lifa, Chang Siye, and Qin Zhongyi have extremely high requirements for actors' temperament, experience, and performance skills. The inheritance of art lies not only in the continuation of skills, but also in the comprehensive growth of individuals. Yang Lixin said, "The times are developing and life is progressing, but the audience has feelings for old Beijing and hopes to see the authentic old Beijing like 'Teahouse' on stage. This is a great test for the actors. How to make this play fully present the charm and style of the past has become a difficult problem that we must overcome." "Inheritance requires time and precipitation. ”Pu Cunxin said that seniors should pass on their skills and provide more space for young actors. Young actors' performances should be centered around people, requiring understanding, imagination, and expression. They should pay attention to their own vitality and focus, integrate the atmosphere of the times into their performances, and create classics that belong to the new generation. The cultivation of young actors is a difficult problem faced by Beijing People's Art Theatre and also a dilemma faced by the development of national drama art. Young artistic talents across the country are generally facing problems such as the crisis of discontinuity in artistic inheritance, the lack of a closed loop in creative practice, and the lagging effect of market feedback. Experts suggest that the selection, cultivation, and retention of young artistic talents face new challenges, and relevant measures that comply with the laws of artistic talent cultivation should be introduced. The answer given by Beijing People's Art Theatre to solve the problem of inheritance is to adhere to the principle of "Dragon and Horse Spirit, Camel Step by Step". It is necessary to be as sharp and innovative as a dragon and horse, daring to explore and innovate, and as determined and fundamental as a camel, taking solid steps step by step. In 2019, after a hiatus of more than 30 years, Beijing People's Art Theatre restarted its training program for performance trainees, inheriting the tradition of "group leading classes" and selecting professional performance talents through a teaching system with distinctive characteristics of the People's Art Theatre. This year, Beijing People's Art Theatre has designated it as the "Year of Talent Accumulation", placing the cultivation of young actors at the core: providing one-on-one guidance and offering master classes for different levels, strengthening basic training in traditional Chinese opera posture, etiquette, and stage form. Qin Xinchun, a member of the Party Group and Vice President of Beijing People's Art Theatre, said, "We also organize young people to go deep into life, root themselves in the grassroots, and gain life experience. We continue the tradition of the troupe, strictly select, teach, and train, and cultivate a new generation of actors with heritage, connotation, and humanistic temperament." Adhering to our original intention and focusing on long-term talent cultivation to solve this problem, relying solely on the efforts of the troupe is far from enough. Feng Yuanzheng believes that we should respect the laws of art and give young actors enough time to accumulate experience. "The people trained by the Beijing People's Art Theatre's' group led classes' and 'joint classes' back then carry the genes of the People's Art Theatre in their bones. When they enrolled, they clearly stated that they would serve the stage in the future, and the theater would deeply participate in teaching, seamlessly connecting the classroom with the stage." Song Baozhen, honorary director of the Drama Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Arts, said that a systematic reform is needed from the education system, training mode to industry connection. The theater, schools, and society should form a joint force to break the closed nature of traditional art education through institutional innovation. It is gratifying that the audience is also changing, providing new space for the inheritance of classics. When we took on 'Teahouse' back then, as soon as we went on stage, the old audience would say, 'Is it like this?'? Does it look like Lantianye? Not like that, let's deny you first. ”Feng Yuanzheng said, "Nowadays, audiences, especially young audiences, don't look like it or not, they only look at whether it looks good or not, the content, and the performance. This gives young actors greater room for growth." Pu Cunxin said, "While cultivating actors, the cultivation of audiences is also crucial." Beijing People's Art Theatre has always insisted on nourishing the audience with the stage, launching hundreds of performances every year, combining classic plays with new works, and constantly performing and innovating, planting a strong soil for the long-term development of theatrical art. At present, except for the 8 main characters, all other roles in "Teahouse" are taken over by middle-aged and young actors. During rehearsals and performances of 'Teahouse', many young actors and I often watch them perform on both sides of the stage. The seniors on stage, the directors and stage designers behind the scenes, fully demonstrate the spirit of the theater's' one dish '. Actors, bands, stage designers, and others, like Caiye, Caixin, and Caibang, work closely together regardless of priorities, truly supporting and entrusting each other. ”Yang Mingxin, a young actor from Beijing People's Art Theatre, said. In addition to starring in "Teahouse", he also appeared in several plays such as "The First Floor in the World" and the new version of "Sunrise". In recent years, the theater has been vigorously supporting young talents, from directors, actors, costumes, stage art, etc., to enable young people to enter the core creative positions of the stage. This puts pressure on us and also allows us to grow rapidly. ”Yan Rui, director of Beijing People's Art Creation Studio, said. As an actor in dramas such as "Teahouse" and "Player", he has become a co director of dramas such as "Under the Red Flag" and "Zhang Juzheng" in recent years. Beijing People's Art Theatre has accumulated dozens of classic preserved plays over the past 70 years, which is a valuable asset accumulated by the People's Art Theatre that has always been rooted in the people and deeply cultivated on stage. ”Beijing People's Art Party Secretary Zhou Tong said, "We must uphold the mechanism of passing on the torch of the People's Art, fully tap into the power of old artists, go deep into life, root in the people, build a multi-level and professional art talent reserve system, and create a talent training model that conforms to the style, characteristics, and needs of the People's Art." "We believe that as long as we adhere to the original intention of literature and art, uphold integrity and innovation, we will definitely be able to achieve steady and far-reaching success on the stage of the times. ”(New Society)