Wuzhen Theatre Festival set for October

The 12th Wuzhen Theatre Festival, themed "Swirling Up," will be held from October 16 to 26.

Wuzhen, located in the northern suburbs of Zhejiang Province, is an ancient watertown known for its well-preserved 16th-century structures and stone bridges, making it an ideal backdrop for drama, literature and art.

The festival was launched in 2013 by cultural figures Chen Xianghong, Huang Lei, Stan Lai and Meng Jinghui.

The "Emerging Theater Artists' Competition" features "Meteor, Credit Card, Peony" as the three creative elements.

Participants are required to incorporate these elements into their productions, utilizing simple tables and chairs. Performances must not exceed 30 minutes in length.

Candidates can register on the official website of the Wuzhen Theatre Festival (www.wuzhenfestival.com) until 12pm on August 20.

The preliminary judges will conduct an initial selection based on online submissions and will announce the 18 shortlisted works on September 21.

After the preliminary round, six to eight productions will move on to the finals, where the judging panel will decide the winning works.

The festival welcomes all art forms that provide aesthetic impact and evoke emotional resonance.

From now until September 12, theater troupes, artists and performance art enthusiasts can register for participation on the official Wuzhen Theatre Festival website.

The organizing committee of the festival will offer support in areas such as creative development, performance logistics and daily arrangements.