In answer to this issue, Huang Lei, the main organizer of the festival, explained to the Global Times that the ticket prices are set by the individual production companies, and these prices are comparable with those charged at most other theater venues.
Shi Hang told the Global Times that the relatively few leading productions this time is probably another reason for the high prices.
In Shi's opinion, within the scope of the whole nation's live theater market today, only a handful of directors can win enough box office.
Of the names on Shi's shortlist, three are included in this festival: Tian Qinxin, Meng Jinghui and Stan Lai. And their productions make up half of the festival's leading six.
"Someone asked me why there are no productions from Shanghai or Guangzhou (the two major theater markets in South China) at this festival... I had to ask in reply, 'are there any representative theater works with nationwide reputation in these two cities now?'" Shi said.
Yang Shaolin, the general manager of the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center told the Global Times that Shanghai would probably never be one of the festival's first choices anyway, but always be ranked after Beijing, Hong Kong or Taiwan.
"I don't think any outside theater productions will challenge the local theater market of Shanghai," Yang said, "A stable market in any place must depend on its self-sustaining ability, and not some external force that occurs from time to time."
Single investor
This time, the festival's total expenses (more than $8 million) including the construction of seven newly built or restored theater venues) is supported by one company - the Wuzhen Tourism Investment Company.
Fu Weibo, a senior theater producer in Beijing, who was also the chief organizer of the Beijing International Youth Festival and the Golden Hedgehog University Students Drama Festival told the Global Times that, "Under the current situation that many theater festivals in China are running on financial fumes, such a big investment is indeed very rare."
In Fu's analysis, the important things for the local Wuzhen authorities to do are firstly to insure that the money used in support of the festival is used wisely, employing modern transparent accounting practices to deter corruption and profiteering. Secondly, the organizers must develop a business model that can guarantee the sustainability of the festival. Only then will it have the chance to develop as hoped into one of the world's leading theatrical gatherings.
Short movies to make TV debut overseas
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