娱乐英语新闻:Fame failed but future looks bright

BEIJING, June 5 -- Fame was the fist major Chinese language edition of a Western musical produced in China. In 2005, Beijing Time New Century Entertainment Co Ltd teamed up with the U.S. company Nederlander Worldwide Entertainment to establish Nederlander New Century to produce musicals.

As the first joint venture allowed in China's performing arts industry, Nederlander New Century collaborated with the Central Academy of Drama to produce a Chinese language version of the hit musical Fame, performed in Beijing in December 2008.

But then came the financial crisis. The American International Group (AIG), which had invested heavily in the joint venture, was dealt a death-blow and the Chinese-language Fame was unable to tour other cities as the company originally planned.

Many people predict that the development of the musical industry in China will be in three stages. The first stage, bringing English language shows to China has already been a great success over the past 10 years and interest in musicals in China has subsequently grown enormously.

The industry is now in the second stage, which is Chinese companies working with experienced partners from New York's Broadway or London's West End to produce Chinese language productions of major Western musicals. This collaboration will not only provide the chance for Chinese audiences to see hit musicals in their native language, but also create opportunities for Chinese stage performers, musicians and technicians to gain invaluable experience in staging a major musical. The hope is that by building on this experience, Chinese companies will eventually produce original musicals, which in time might be presented in theaters around the world.

Last year, CAEG invited officials from the Ministry of Culture to attend a forum on China's musical industry and education held in London to pave the way for signing the agreement.

Backed by the Ministry of Culture, it should be relatively easy for CAEG to raise funds and exploit media and marketing resources.

Li Xiaolei, deputy-director of the Industry Bureau of the Ministry of Culture, who attended the London forum, also attended the agreement signing ceremony between CAEG and Littlestar on Wednesday. He praised CAEG's commitment to musicals and said it was taking the right approach to developing musical theater in China and said that the Ministry of Culture fully supported the collaboration.