A poster for the inaugural Beijing Youth Theater Festival, scheduled to run from September 10 to 28. [Photo: ent.sina.com.cn]

Meng Jinghui, China's most influential avant-garde theater director, thinks there has never been a shortage of theatrical talents in Beijing. What has been missing is a proper stage for them.

To remedy the problem, Meng will present the inaugural Beijing Youth Theater Festival from September 10 to 28, Sina.com.cn reports.

The festival will highlight twelve young directors whose works will run throughout the event.

Their plays focus on diverse subjects, from urban romance to everyday people to social responsibilities shouldered by the younger generation.

The directors will also chair a series of forums and workshops to exchange ideas with audiences.

Meng hopes to build an annual festival that produces 10 to 15 long-running plays each year.

Meng himself has created a number of phenomenally popular shows, including "Rhinoceros in Love," which debuted in 1999 and still attracted large audiences when it was staged earlier this year.

(CRI August 22,2008)