Two traditional Chinese dramas, "Legend of the White Snake" and "Thunderstorm," to be staged from April 3 to 8 in Beijing, will star Plum Blossom Award-winners.

Meanwhile, a celebration will be held at the Great Hall of the People on April 12, where all the award-winners over the past 20 years will greet the audience and some will perform their best works.

The series of celebrations are jointly-held by organizations including the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles (CFLAC),the Chinese Dramatists Association (CDA) and the Culture Ministry.

Founded in 1983, the Plum Blossom Awards have honored 435 players covering 47 kinds of performance, and are regarded as China's top stage drama awards.

"All the award-winners have contributed a lot to the prosperity of Chinese drama," said Liao Ben, member of the secretariat of theCFLAC.

Famous actors and actresses, such as Shang Changrong, Pu Cunxinand Xu Fan, attended the press conference to announce the event. "As a part of Chinese culture, Chinese drama should be supported and passed on through the generations," said Li Moran, actor and chairman of the CDA.

Li Peng, chairman of the Standing Committee of the Chinese National People's Congress, and Li Ruihuan, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, made inscriptions for the celebration.

(People's Daily January 23, 2003)