Around 2,000 people watched the romantic comedy, including first lady Chow Mei-ching and Acer Group founder Stan Shih. The New Taipei City-based GBT aims to combine modern theatrical techniques with local popular culture.
More than 67,000 people have seen the show free of charge since June 2009, when the company began the tour with the idea of injecting more love and beauty into local society.
“People in Taiwan need positive inspiration and our drama is one source of this,” GBT founder Wang Rong-yu said.
“In times past, both rich and poor could enjoy free shows in neighborhood temple courtyards. We want to plant a cultural seed in people’s hearts by recreating that precious experience.”
Echoing his remarks, Huang Hui-mei, the prime mover of the project and long-term sponsor of the theater, said she was extremely touched to see the enthusiastic audience response during the tour. “Our efforts are worthwhile, though we faced a lot of obstacles.”
Ko I-chen, a renowned director who is chairman of Paperwindmill Foundation in Taipei, is committed to encouraging GBT. “When I first heard about Wang’s project, I thought it was fantastic. It shows the enormous strength of Taiwan’s private sector,” he said.
Paperwindmill Theatre also runs national charity tours, but directed at children. Their anti-drug initiative themed Saving Faust was launched in December 2012. “I hope to see more local troupes getting involved in similar programs to light up people’s lives,” Ko added.
Following the Taipei performance, GBT will continue the tour with a goal of 30 performances annually until it has finished visiting the remaining 200-plus cities and townships across the nation. (DF-SDH)
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