Chinese songwriter San Bao wants to make home-grown musicals to rival to some of Broadway's biggest successes. Here are some of his current and previous productions. His latest, "Nie Xiaoqian and Ning Caichen", pictured here, is currently on tour in China.
Courtesy San Bao Music Studio
The musical draws on a supernatural love story written during the early Qing Dynasty between a female ghost, Nie Xiaoqian (R) and a young scholar, Ning Caichen (L).
Courtesy San Bao Music Studio
Broadway and West End shows like "Les Miserables" and "Mamma Mia!" have captivated Chinese audiences before, making San Bao confident that combining Broadway showmanship with Chinese plot lines also could have the same potential.
Courtesy San Bao Music Studio
However, high ticket prices and a lack of all-round performers remain a challenge for the fledgling industry.
Courtesy San Bao Music Studio
As well as China's imperial past, San Bao has also made shows about one of the nation's most beloved cartoon characters, who some have compared to Tintin. In 2013, "Wanderings of San Mao," debuted in Beijing. It is a classic underdog tale about a street child who tries to be optimistic during a period marked by war and suffering.
Courtesy San Bao Music Studio
San Bao also does not shy away from exploring Chinese contemporary social problems. "The Piano in a Factory," produced in 2012, is about the common struggles middle-aged men face in China: Getting laid off from work and being abandoned by family members.
