By Chen Lijun

    BEIJING, Dec. 14 -- In a purpose-built theater in Huairou, an outer district of Beijing, Race for Love, an original Broadway-style musical, has just wrapped its debut shows and is about to embark on a global tour. The production marks the beginning of a battle of Beijing's districts to transform their image into the city's leading performance center.

Performers in Race for Love on stage at Huairou Theater.(Photo Source: Globaltimes.cn) Photo Gallery>>>

    "I am glad to see an authentic Broadway show in Huairou, it was rather surprising," commented a member of the audience after seeing the show.

    The performance was held in the Huairou Theater, which was especially built this year to stage musicals. Conceived by Broadway Asia Entertainment, the musical borrowed from Broadway in everyway – with lyrics and dialogue in English and performers from the US.

    Using the show as a starting point, the Huairou district government said it is building an original production base for stage performance, focusing on original creation, writing, training, rehearsals and production. More than 10 theaters are part of the project, varying in style and theme and each able to accommodate from 300 to 2,000 audience members.

    Secretary-general of China Musical Society, Sheng Zhenhe, said that Beijing needs specialized venues for musical theater.

    "Right now musical dramas in Beijing are usually performed at the Beijing Exhibition Centerwhich is actually not very suitable for musicals. Turandot was shown at the Bird's Nest but how can you see clearly at a huge stadium like the Bird's Nest?" Sheng added.

    "Musical dramas need specialized theaters which cannot be too large. They should be within 2,000 seats. Many theaters in Broadway are small. You can see a play clearly from any seat. So are many musical theaters in Tokyo," Sheng explained.