Beijing showcases the best of original Chinese drama

The 11th China Original Drama Invitation Exhibition, co-launched by the National Theatre of China and supported by the China Theatre Association, was held in Beijing from April to August 2026.

The exhibition presented 21 original Chinese plays — nine for large theaters and 12 for smaller venues — with 79 offline performances. Sixteen productions were also streamed online, attracting nearly 200,000 viewers.

It expanded access to theater through low-priced tickets and five free public performances. Among the featured works was the original drama Dream Paradise, which explores the lives of ordinary people against the backdrop of China's urban transformation.

The exhibition also launched a new "Drama on Campus" program, bringing artists from the National Theatre of China to schools including Beijing No 4 High School and Beijing Yucai School for lectures, workshops and rehearsal guidance. Ten post-show talks under the long-running "Up Close with Masters" program further encouraged dialogue between artists and audiences.

Now in its 11th year, the exhibition has staged more than 1,000 performances and reached over 4.4 million people, establishing itself as an important platform for Chinese original drama and a barometer of the country's contemporary theater scene.