Community Matters: Beijing Playhouse Open Auditions, Restricting Expansion of Businesses Around Forbidden City

Kipp Whittaker | Jul 30, 2014 3:00 pm | Add a comment | 1188 reads

Beijing Playhouse is looking for 100 cast and crew for their big show this Christmas. They will be performing Robin Hood, and are currently seeking 24 adults and six child thespians to act and sing in this Christmas musical comedy. Join Robin Hood, Maid Marian and the whole gang of Sherwood Forrest as they help King John to discover the magic of Christmas. A whole new crazy twist on this timeless story.

Audition dates are Sunday, September 21 and Monday, September 22 at 6.30pm at the British School in Sanlitun. They're looking for three boys, age 6-17; 12 men, age 18-60; two men, age 60-80, three girls, age 6-17; eight women, age 18-60; two women, age 60-80. The ability to perform in English is required, though it doesn't have to be your native language.

Experienced actors are encouraged to audition, but newcomers are also welcome. At the audition, you will need to perform a live reading from the script along with some of the songs from the production. If you are a non-native English speaker, they strongly suggest bringing a memorized 60 second English monologue. All interested actors must complete the Actor Audition Form in advance. (Request one here and they’ll send it to you.) Contact Beijing Playhouse if you have any more questions about tis upcoming production. Break a leg ya'll.

Beijing Restricting Expansion of Businesses Around Forbidden City

The area around the Forbidden City just became a bit more forbidden, as the Beijing Municipal Government is restricting or prohibiting the expansion of buildings and institutions around it.

As the Palace Museum, the former imperial palace complex's official name, straddles both the Dongcheng and Xicheng Districts, both have announced that new universities and hospitals may not be built in the area, and that hotels, office buildings, and exhibitions centers will be restricted, according to People's Daily online.

Manufacturing, construction, and wholesale businesses will be banned entirely from the area, the report said.

The move is part of the city government's efforts to reduce traffic and pollution in the city center. With a plan to create a 100-million person megacity that would include Beijing, Tianjin, and parts of Hebei province under consideration, relocating businesses, universities, and government ministries to areas away from central Beijing are all possible.

More community events this week:

Images: farm5.staticflickr, fansshare