Young talent takes center stage

The first competition was successfully held last year in Wuzhen, Zhejiang province, and managed to attract 80 students from different parts of the country.

Lu Haoxin from Foshan city, Guangdong province, joined the competition this year, to explore answers to her current state of life.

The 18-year-old just graduated from middle school and finished the college entrance examination.

She joined the competition to further her interest in stage play, which she says opened her up to a new world during a campus event a few years ago.

"We were randomly assigned to teams during the competition, and given keywords of fire, text, and erasable pen," Lu says.

"Initially, we wanted to tell a grand story, but found the idea difficult to materialize. After repeated discussions and rehearsals, we decided to bring the script back to ourselves and our lives, telling the story of the confusion and choices faced by students preparing for the college entrance exam," she says.

Several of her teammates went through the same process, so they settled on the theme about choices and named it Left and Right, which won the third prize.

"We used our experiences as a source of inspiration for creation. We had collective discussions, as we brought out parts of each person's story ... and then expanded on them to create this play," Lu says.

During the creation, Lu says she comes to believe there's no need to be afraid about confusion, because it is a course of nature.

"I think theater represents a kind of vitality for me. It transmits energy to me when I create, discuss and stage it with others," Lu says.

Ding says she was very impressed when Yang approached her to organize such a theater competition, which has been rare among middle school students.

"They are willing to put in so much effort and dedicate their time. The joy and happiness they derive from theater are something they are eager to share and promote. For someone who has been working in theater for many years, I feel obliged to encourage and support it," Ding says.

Liu Xiaowei, a tutor at the competition, says he was surprised by the teenagers' performance.

"Their works are full of imagination and creativity, which deeply inspired me. In just 10 days, I witnessed their growth. They even did their own makeup and made their own props, which is so cool," Liu says.

Shao Zehui, who has been tutoring young theater talent for years, says the lectures he gave to those middle school students are the same as those for college undergraduates.

"However, middle school students need to focus more on developing their psychological resilience. By practicing their expressions, they can become more accurate and confident on stage, and also gain a better understanding of themselves and connect with society through theater," Shao says.

He believes theater is a lab of life.

"The dreams sown by the children today will take root and grow in the future, helping them become outstanding figures in the field of Chinese theatrical art creation," Shao says.

Outstanding performers of the Mailang competition will visit the headquarters of the United Nations and communicate with officers there to promote their art works and tell China's stories, according to the competition's organizers.