The highly anticipated "Magnolia Blossoms Performance Season" by the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center is making its grand return to Beijing this month after a five-year hiatus, with a total of eight plays set to be staged in the Chinese capital.

In total, three domestic productions and five Chinese adaptations of Western theater classics will grace various theaters in Beijing.

Kicking off the performance season is the domestic production "The Age of Awakening." The play, which will be staged at the National Centre for the Performing Arts from July 7 to July 9, is an adaptation of the critically acclaimed TV drama of the same name, which became a sensation in 2021. It focuses on Chen Duxiu and other cofounders of the Communist Party of China.

"The protagonists are in their 20s and 30s, but it’s impressive that they're already thinking about matters which will fundamentally revolutionize our nation. It means a lot to us to bring their stories to the stage and inspire more people," said He Nian, theater director of "The Age of Awakening."

Apart from domestic stories, the program also offers some Western theater classics, including Agatha Christie's masterpiece "And Then There Were None," as well as the theatrical version of the Golden Bear Award winning film "12 Angry Men."

Fans of British "confrontational drama" will love Phillip Ridley's dark masterpiece, "The Pitchfork Disney," which promises to push boundaries and challenge perceptions.

With such a diverse program, the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center hopes to further enhance communication with their Beijing counterparts and inspire creativity. "In fact, our center held this kind of cultural exchange program in 2013, 2015 and 2017. And we will change the lineup of the program according to how it is received here. It's a mutual learning process. And hopefully our efforts can bring more positive changes for the whole live performance industry," said Zhang Huiqing, general manager of the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center.  

The special performance season is expected to run until December 17 this year.