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March 18, 2017

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Shanghai Culture Square keeps faith with musicals

SHANGHAI Culture Square has re-emphasized its identity as a theater for music lovers as more than 80 percent of the programs scheduled for this season are musicals.

They include seven big productions — Tony Award-winning “West Side Story” and “Wicked,” “The Bodyguard” and “Sister Act,” adapted from popular movies, classic Broadway production “Producers,” and the Culture Square’s own works “My Bucket list” and “French Musical Gala Concert.”

“Musicals have always been our major draw, but we are very lucky this year to have so many big productions available in Shanghai,” says Fei Yuanhong, vice president of the venue.

This year, privately run companies will introduce foreign productions that will enrich the Shanghai Culture Square. They include the “Wicked” that will be staged from April 11 to May 14.

The 256 performances from 68 programs at the Shanghai Culture Square last year attracted about 280,000 audiences.

Josh Piterman, who will star in “West Side Story” in Shanghai from November 22 to December 6, says he has been aware of the huge Shanghai market before coming here.

Since “Cats,” “Phantom of the Opera” and “Les Miserables” were so well received here, he believes the Chinese audiences will also enjoy “West Side Story.”

“The Bodyguard” has been adapted from the movie of the same name starring the late pop diva Whitney Houston. The romantic comedy has such hit songs like “I Have Nothing” and “I Will Always Love You.”

The melodies will fill the air again in Shanghai from June 27 to July 16.

With Shanghai Culture Square’s own production “Spring Awakening” doing relatively well last year, it will present two new productions “My Bucket List” and “French Musical Gala Concert” on August 8-20 and September 22-24 respectively.

“My Bucket List” deals with the story of two young men — with one of them facing death. They come together to accomplish their dreams and discovering the true meaning of life.

“Making our own production will always be a part of our plan,” says Fei, “Even though the occupancy rates for Spring Awakening last year was below the other hot-selling programs, we were satisfied with the outcome.

“We will keep on trying.”

 

‘Wicked’

Date: April 11-May 14, 7:15pm

Venue: SAIC Shanghai Culture Square, 597 Fuxing Rd M.

Tickets: 80-1,050 yuan

Dialogues in English with Chinese and English subtitles

Visit www.shculturesquare.com for more performance information.




 

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