Seaside theater festival makes a splash

The 2025 Aranya Theater Festival, themed on Sensibility and Sense, opened on Thursday in Qinhuangdao, Hebei province.

Since its debut in 2021, the annual festival has positioned itself as a seaside utopia. Over five years, it has grown from 12 non-traditional venues to 15 stages.

This year, running until June 29, the festival presents 29 productions, brought by 40 directors from China and abroad, with a total of 94 performances.

Apart from the productions, the festival also features its recurring Migratory Birds 300 project, which invites young artists from around the world to collaborate and create during the festival.

A Future Theater Showcase section will be joined by nine groups of young creators to present their theatrical works over four days, and seaside dialogues, workshops and reading sessions aim to immerse visitors in diverse theater activities.

"I've always felt that theater shares a natural connection with the seaside," said Ma Yin, chair of the festival, at the opening ceremony.

"When we arrive in this small coastal town, our theatrical journey has already begun. I hope everyone can truly enjoy each day here, with theater as a part of our everyday life."