“This is what I wanta real musical with Chinese characteristics,” he told CNN.
San Bao has made seven musicals since 2005 and his latest “Nie Xiaoqian and Ning Caichen” — currently on tour in China — draws on a collection of supernatural tales written during the early Qing Dynasty.
Underwritten by government funding, none of his musicals has yet made a profit, let alone smashed box-office records — although a 2005 production called “Butterflies” made it to South Korean stages in a 2008 tour.
“It takes time for people to appreciate this art form,” said San Bao.
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“The reason why I produce musicals and will keep doing it is because I like it very much.”
READ MORE: ‘Spin’: Chinese musicals take center stage
Serena Dong reported from Beijing, Katie Hunt wrote from Hong Kong.
