REPRODUCING CLASSICS: Actors give vivid performance in the homegrown musical The Vagrant Life of Sanmao, which reproduces the classic image of a poor orphan, on the stage (JI GUOQIANG)

"But there really isn't a market for musicals in China just yet," said San Bao, China's renowned composer, who composed music for musicals such as The Gold Sand, Butterflies and The Vagrant Life of Sanmao.

"Although there are dozens of original musicals each year, Chinese audiences know little about musicals, not to mention getting in the habit of going to musicals and appreciating them," said San Bao. "I think it will take China at least 50 years to form a mature musical theater market."

Li Suyou, a famous producer and former teacher at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, shared the same view.

"Only if audience size increases enough, then they support people working in the industry. But the number of people willing and able to pay to see musicals hasn't formed, which is why we think the market hasn't really come into existence," Li said.

In addition, Chinese audiences often confuse musical theater with opera or drama because the concept is so new that few Chinese really understand it, said Zhang Aojia, heroine of the Chinese version of Mama Mia!.

The market for musicals in China has yet to take shape, but it will be huge once formed, given the country's large population, said Li.

"If 1 percent of Chinese people are willing to buy tickets for musicals, the market will be beyond imagination," said Li. "Now Broadway and West End producers are keeping a sharp eye on the market performance of the Chinese version of Mama Mia!. They will dash to China as soon as they find it's a lucrative business, just like Hollywood had done with its movie industry."

Theoretically, Chinese have no obstacles in appreciating musicals, said Zhang.

"They should enjoy this stage performance because of China's long history of traditional Chinese operas," she said. "Musicals are vivid, direct and exaggerated performances, and so are traditional Chinese operas. For instance, in Peking opera, one syllable can last for more than one minute to express a character's inner world, and facial makeup is used to exaggerate people's characters."

Stage challenges

A lack of talent presents the biggest challenge for the musical theater industry in China.

"It's a brand new business which requires all kinds of professionals," said Li. "A lack of talent is the common problem for all posts in Chinese musicals, including producers, composers, playwrights, stage directors, actors, and costume designers."

While recruiting actors for his 2011 production, The Vagrant Life of Sanmao, San Bao found the lack of talented actors and actresses particularly bothersome. The production is based on Sanmao, a well-known comic book character created in 1935 by Zhang Leping.

"Although China has several universities offering musical stage performance courses, 99 percent of their graduates will turn to other 'more promising' careers, such as acting in movies or TV shows," said San Bao. "For instance, Sun Honglei, a graduate from the Central Academy of Drama who majored in musical performance has made a name for himself by starring in movies and TV shows." Sun played a supporting role in Forever Enthralled, a 2009 biopic directed by Chen Kaige of Mei Lanfang, one of China's premiere Peking opera maestros.

Different from other performances, musicals usually feature a producer-centered production model.

Zhang Yu was concerned about the shortage of competent producers in the industry.

"Producers should have the foresight to see the comparatively mainstream and lasting trend for musical productions, and select investors, actors and other crew accordingly, as successful musicals will usually remain on stage for years, if not decades, " he said.

Aside from fostering a deep pool of acting talent, it's equally important for the business to establish standards for producing quality musicals.

"Musical production is a mature business in Broadway and the West End, with standard production procedures like that of a car factory or a chemical plant," Li said.

For instance, "in Broadway productions, stage managers are responsible for taking control of everything on the stage with all kinds of information in hand to send out cues for other crew members," said Li. "In China most stage managers don't even have a paper in hand when instructing other staff. Instead, they just copy the experience of directing evening shows or dramas."