LET IT RAIN Young talents of Đồng Ấu Bạch Long Troupe perform in Cóc Kiện Trời (The Toad Sues the God for Rain), a cải lương play based on a Vietnamese fairytale. Photo courtesy of the theatre

HCM CITY — Young actors of the Đồng Ấu Bạch Long Troupe have staged a cải lương (reformed opera) play featuring Vietnamese folk stories in HCM City for Halloween season.

They perform Cóc Kiện Trời (The Toad Sues the God for Rain), a production that combines musical elements and cải lương - a 100-year-old traditional genre of theatre in the South.

It tells a story of a little toad who goes to heaven in order to sue God to make rain to save animals living in a drought.

The play highlights love, trust, sharing, understanding, and bravery.

Young talents to perform include Trần Quân, Bạch Luân and Thanh Dư.

They add modern styles to cải lương to meet the taste of young audiences.

“Our young actors are aged six to 16 years old who study at art schools and training courses offered by leading theatres. They have worked to preserve and bring the traditional art forms closer to children and teenagers,” said the troupe’s founder, art director and actor Bạch Long, who has 40 years of experience in the industry. “We hope our new show, Cóc Kiện Trời, will provide young audiences with beautiful images, sounds and music.”

TRADITIONAL ENTERTAINMENT: The HCM City-based Đồng Ấu Bạch Long Troupe offers shows of cải lương (reformed opera) and tuồng (classical drama), two traditional genres of Vietnamese theatre which began more than 100 years ago. Photo courtesy of the theatre

Đồng Âu Bạch Long Troupe, which opened in 1992, is composed of 20 skilled actors, mostly graduates of leading art schools in the city and neighbouring provinces.

Its founder, Long, has trained more than 100 young actors, including Meritorious Artist and cải lương stars Quế Trân, Tú Sương and Lê Thanh Thảo.

Long and his actors have travelled to many provinces to offer performances. They have also performed in charity programmes launched by the city’s Theatre Actors’ Association and Hồ Chí Minh Television.

The play Cóc Kiện Trời will be performed every weekend at the Nón Lá Theatre, 55B Nguyễn Thị Minh Khai Street in District 3, to entertain young audiences during the Halloween season. — VNS