Theatre blooms in second-tier cities

Performing on the stages of mega cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou is a sign of success for many playwrights and actors. Those cities are thought to have better theatres, bigger audiences and more appreciative artistic community. But things are changing in second-tier cities. And as they catch up, performers as catching on that the size of the city doesn't matter.

Stan Lai's troupe is not the only theatre group on tour this summer. The National Theatre Company of China and the Beijing People's Art Theatre are taking their hit productions on national tours. They'll travel to Xi'an, Nanjing and Chongqing, big cities but are still considered "second-tier" on China's drama scene.

Last year beloved actor Chen Daoming's drama "The Sorrow of Comedy" staged in Nanjing easily sold out, even though some tickets cost twice as much as in Beijing.

"We set higher ticket prices because it simply costs more to stage and promote shows from other cities," said Wang Li, manager of Jiannan Theatre in Nanjing.

"The audience pays to not only see a stage drama. The exclusivity makes them feel good too," said drama critic Tao Qingwei. The shows may be common in Beijing or Shanghai, but they are rarely staged in their cities."

The productions that dominate theatres in second-tier cities are mostly well-known plays staged by national-level troupes. The drawing power of their fame can lead to box office results that exceed expectation.

The drama "White Deer Plain" did just that in Xi'an in 2013.

"The total revenue was about 1.2 million yuan, almost doubled our estimation. People loved to see a drama classic played by an all-star cast. The tickets sold out really quickly online," said Liu Zhiyong, manager of Xi'an Qujiang Entertainment Group.

While theatre goers in second-tier cities have little choice but to pay higher prices for quality drama productions, audiences in first-tier cities still have more choices at lesser cost. Meanwhile, the touring national-level troupes are putting pressure on local independent theatre groups who are being forced to come up with new ideas and new strategies to attract an audience.