MEETING THE TALENT: Young artists of the Sân Khấu Tài Năng (Talent Stage) Club and audience members take a photo after a show in HCM City. — Photo courtesy of the club

HCM CITY — Young actors from the Trần Hữu Trang Cải Lương Theatre are working to offer a series of performances for children in HCM City this summer. 

The artists are members of the theatre’s Sân Khấu Tài Năng (Talent Stage) Club, which opened last year.  

They will perform cải lương (reformed opera) and tuồng or hát bội (classical drama), two traditional Vietnamese theatre genres that began more than 100 years ago. 

DRAMA FOR KIDS: The HCM City-based Sân Khấu Tài Năng (Talent Stage) Club offers new shows in cải lương (reformed opera) and tuồng (classical drama), two traditional genres of Vietnamese theatre which began more than 100 years ago. They are targeted at children and teenagers. — Photo courtesy of the club

Highlighted shows include Vương Quốc Thú Nhồi Bông (Kingdom of Teddy Bears) and Trần Quốc Toản Ra Quân (Young Hero Trần Quốc Toản in the Battle). 

Kid artists Thảo Trâm, Thảo Trúc and Vương Tiến feature in the musical Vương Quốc Thú Nhồi Bông, a production on childhood and friendship. 

The show tells the adventure of five boys and girls who travel to discover the world. 

Its first show on June 25 attracted more than 150 children.

Young actresses Tú Quyên, Thảo Trâm, Kim Thư and Quỳnh Anh perform in the historical play Trần Quốc Toản Ra Quân. Their art highlights honesty and patriotism. 

“We add modern styles to cải lương and tuồng to meet the taste of children and young audiences. Vietnamese dances and folk music are highlighted,” said theatre director-producer Hoàng Song Việt, a founder of Sân Khấu Tài Năng Club.

BUDDING STARS: Young talents of the Sân Khấu Tài Năng (Talent Stage) Club offer new shows featuring Vietnamese history this summer. — Photo courtesy of the club

Việt wrote the script for the musical Vương Quốc Thú Nhồi Bông targeting audiences aged six to 13 years old. 

He also invited veteran artists to help young artists improve their vocal and performance skills in the hopes that they will renew the art. 

“Our artists are working to offer new shows targeting children this summer. These new shows feature quality images, sound and music,” said Việt, adding that cải lương will stay alive if our young artists keep developing it. 

New shows by actors of Sân Khấu Tài Năng Club are scheduled to be staged in the weekend in July and August at Trần Hữu Trang Cải Lương Theatre, 136D Trần Hưng Đạo Street in District 1, HCM City. — VNS