Summer Drama 2025: Taking Care of Children's Plays

Currently, the three stages IDECAF, Truong Hung Minh, and Quoc Thao have carefully prepared summer plays for children.

In the context of the flourishing stage, children's plays at socialized stages have emerged as a special bright spot. With a creative spirit, serious investment and deep love for young audiences, many art units have created impressive works, contributing to nurturing children's souls with profound human values.

Three Colors - One Thing in Common

In Ho Chi Minh City, three socialized theaters, IDECAF, Truong Hung Minh and Quoc Thao, have affirmed their pioneering role in the field of children's theater. Since the beginning of April, these three units have prepared new plays for young audiences. Each theater has its own style but all aim for a common goal: Using art toeducate , bring pure joy in entertainment and enhance children's imagination.

IDECAF Theater artists with characters in the play "Descendants of the Sun God" (Photo: IDECAF)

IDECAF Theater with the series "Once upon a time" has built a sustainable children's theater brand for more than 20 years. On May 22, the 36th program with the play "Descendants of the Sun" will be rehearsed. The play promises to be not only attractive because of its magnificent stage techniques, but also conveys a humane message through modernized fairy tale characters through the staging and care of the "skilled" artist duo of fairy tale drama genre: Dinh Toan, Quang Thao.

Truong Hung Minh Stage, under the direction of Meritorious Artist Minh Nhi, chose a humorous and approachable path. Director Chanh Truc was invited to stage the play "The Big Nose Princess and the Meo Meo Kingdom" this time. He said the stage will use humorous language, directly interacting with young audiences, creating a lively "playing and learning" space.

Quoc Thao Theater is famous for plays with mythological elements. This summer, he and his colleagues will launch the play "Na Tra Dai Noi Long Cung", recreating folk legends in a modern storytelling form, while also providing a creative practice environment for theater students.

Invest with passion

After the resounding success of the 35th "Once Upon a Time" show with more than 15,000 tickets sold after just a few days of opening, IDECAF Theater continues to prepare for the 36th show, which is expected to be performed in the summer of 2025 at Ben Thanh Theater, Ho Chi Minh City.

Director Dinh Toan shared: "We will try to continue to maintain the "Once Upon a Time" brand that has been loved by a large audience. This time, we strive to create a unique appeal for each drama story, from the script content to the costumes, scenery... all are invested in thoroughly."

With the motto that making children's plays is not simply telling fairy tales but rather a way for artists to sow the seeds of personality, imagination and compassion in children, the artists of IDECAF Theater have united in creating a new play of artistic quality to serve the summer of 2025.

"Every time we write a script or stage "Once Upon a Time", we ask ourselves a question: What will children learn after watching the play? But learning here is not in a "classroom" way, but through situations, emotions, smiles and tears. We always maintain the quality of an adult play - from sound, lighting, costumes to acting - because children deserve to enjoy decent art" - Mr. Huynh Anh Tuan, IDECAF Theater, shared.

Meritorious Artist Minh Nhi said: "Children today are very intelligent, delicate and sensitive. To touch their hearts, the stage must be sincere and close. I want my stage to be a place where children come and laugh a lot but when they leave, they still remember the lessons about filial piety, friendship or courage. What's special is that we always create conditions for young actors to be creative, to adapt situations to the times, thereby creating a natural, friendly atmosphere - like playing while learning".

Director Quoc Thao (Quoc Thao Stage) said: "I want children to see the joy of coming to the stage. From their imagination, summer learning and playing properly will give them more energy to study better."

From the above sharing, it can be seen that each stage has its own direction but they all share the same belief: Children are not a "secondary" audience, but a generation that needs to be nurtured spiritually by true art, so the plays serving them are both meticulous and gentle. It is the seriousness, dedication and creativity in each play that have contributed to the proud achievements of the Ho Chi Minh City socialized stage in the field of children's drama.

People's Artist Tran Minh Ngoc commented that thanks to the persistent efforts of socialized theaters, children's drama in Ho Chi Minh City is gradually becoming a valuable "bright spot" in the artistic life after 50 years of national reunification.

Not simply a summer stage, these plays are contributing to nurturing a whole generation of civilized, sophisticated and emotional audiences in the future.

A large audience came to see children's plays at the Ho Chi Minh City Small Stage Drama Theater (Stage 5B) such as: " The World of Toys and the Story of the Dragon Boy", "The Kingdom of Ugly People", "The White Fang Tribe", "The Great Chaos of the Dragon Palace", "The Cicada and the Two Humpbacks"... All of these plays are by author Vuong Huyen Co.

The plays have created good interactions with the audience, especially integrating educational messages for young audiences. "To touch the hearts of children, the stage must tell very ordinary stories. Stage 5B chose to tell stories in a gentle, humorous but still meaningful way. Children will remember longer if the lessons come from laughter and closeness" - author Vuong Huyen Co said.

In addition, Ban Mai Theater has only been established for over a year but has already staged and invested in a number of plays: "Rago - The First Journey", "Colora - The Glorious Land", "Moon, Moon" and most recently "Penny - O Me Ly"...

Source: https://nld.com.vn/kich-he-2025-cham-chut-cho-vo-dien-thieu-nhi-19625051320473335.htm