Children's play captures Dunhuang glamour
The Mogao Grottoes, the charming world cultural heritage, will be revealed at the Chinese children’s play, “Deer Boy and the Lost Celestial Instruments,” produced by Grand Boat Culture.
A scene from “Deer Boy and the Lost Celestial Instruments.” Courtesy of Grand Boat Culture
Utilizing paper-cutting-inspired visual effects and children’s painting aesthetics, the multimedia stage show invites young audience members and their parents to embark on a fantastic journey on the Silk Road.
Lena, an adventurous girl, hears from her grandpa that there’s a place called Dunhuang in the East. One night, when Lena is going to bed, she is mysteriously brought to the Gobi Desert in Dunhuang. By the Crescent Lake, she meets Dunhuang guardian Luming who is transformed from the Nine-Color Deer and a Silk Road merchant called Babaya. Liming tells them that three important instruments disappear and Dunhuang is about to be in chaos and danger. Could the trio find the instruments and restore peace and happiness to Dunhuang?
Directed by Allegra Libonati and Pipi Kao, the show incorporates puppetry and magic acts with scores composed by Michael Brennan and dances choreographed by Guo Zhenrong and Ronald Todorowski. Brennan is a U.S. composer for film and theater and an accomplished music director. He was the supervisor for “The Lion King,” “Mamma Mia” and “Avenue Q.”
The Mogao Grottoes, a cluster of Buddhist caves dating back to a period from the fourth to the 14th centuries in Dunhuang, Gansu Province, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a key witness to cross-cultural communication along the Silk Road. The caves are best known for their exquisite murals. The play is a vivid enlightenment of traditional Chinese culture and will take audience members on a journey beyond time and space.
Time: 10:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m., Aug. 6
Tickets: 180-580 yuan
Booking: WeChat account “dczspf”
Venue: Bay Opera of Shenzhen, Bao’an District (宝安区深圳滨海艺术中心)
Metro: Line 5 to Baohua Station (宝华站), Exit A (Cao Zhen)