This is "2002 Drama Season of Chinese College Students", which opened on Wednesday evening at the Beijing People's Art Theater (BPAT).

Just a month ago, the BPAT in Beijing celebrated the 50th anniversary of its founding. And this time, a group of college students with an especial love of drama are trying to express their independent way of thinking through self-developed plays.

During the fortnight's season, college students from 12 well-known Chinese universities including Peking University and Tsinghua University, will stage 18 plays in a range of styles. The list includes both famous playwrights' masterpieces and self- produced plays on campus life.

Four short plays staged today at the opening ceremony drew thunderous applause.

A young man who stood for the whole two hours of the evening, said: "The craze for the World Cup only comes once every four years, while I wish this passion for drama could be seen every year."

Fang Yang, a student at Peking University, was moved to tears several times. "Drama stays with us."

A young playwright, Yuan Hong said: "Enthusiastic, brilliant and pure are my comments on their plays, despite specific shortcomings due to lack of professional training. Their performances not only inspired me with their boundless imagination, but also offered me a new way to look at my own creativity."

Wang Xia, a teacher with Tsinghua University, discovered for the first time a special talent of her students outside campus.

"Their play showed people a bright side of campus life, and a healthy image of Chinese college students." said Wang.

In more than 1,000 colleges and universities throughout China, students have organized troupes for drama, dancing, singing or other artistic forms. In the process they found a new lifestyle, different from their previous travels abroad, graduate study or part-time job.

The drama season, as a non-governmental and non-profit performance, was initiated in 2001 when it attracted just five universities in Beijing and staged six plays. This year, students from Shandong University and Zhejiang University volunteered to give a performance in Beijing out of their own pocket.

Shao Zehui, a Peking University graduate is a former head of the campus drama troupe.

Sitting among the audience and watching the performance, he said: "Campus drama is always straight from the heart."

(China Daily July 10, 2002)