The Wuzhen Theatre Festival is an annual theatre event co-founded by Chen Xianghong, Stan Lai, Huang Lei, and Meng Jinghui, and organized by Culture Wuzhen Co., Ltd.

A grand celebration of the art of performance, the Wuzhen Theatre Festival consists of various inter-related parts: the Specially Invited Plays, the Young Theatre Artist’s Competition, the Outdoor Carnival, the Wuzhen Dialogues, and the Master Classes. The entire town of Wuzhen, which has a history of more than 1,300 years, will be transformed into a splendid stage, and theatre lovers all over the world are invited to enjoy, and participate in, this tantalizing feast of the theatrical arts.

Numerous specially invited plays and an abundance of works by masters of the theatre, all at the summit of their creative lives. Twelve creative groups in the Young Theatre Artist's Competition competing with brand new works that demonstrate their impressive energy and dedication. A nonstop Outdoor Carnival, dazzling and delightful, will further make Wuzhen an adventure. The Wuzhen Dialogues and Workshops, along with the Master Classes, will offer opportunities for all theatre lovers to talk with, and to learn from, Chinese and international theatre masters.

One of the unique qualities of the Wuzhen Theatre Festival is the charm and variety of all of its theatre spaces. Within walking distance of each other, there are seven indoor venues that sport widely differing characteristics—all exuding the charm and beauty of the old town. There are also a large amphitheatre and several outdoor plazas suited for performance. These striking venues create a theatre cluster that is not only unique in China, but in any theatre festival in the world. To see great theatre in these special, historic venues is to experience the unique spell that the Wuzhen Festival casts on all its audiences.

By cultivating new talent for the theatre, and by enhancing global cultural exchange as its core missions, the Wuzhen Theatre Festival will not only play an instrumental role in the cultural revitalization of Wuzhen, but also make valuable contributions to the development and diversity of the theatrical arts in China.

In May of 2013, with “Reflect” as its theme, the inaugural Wuzhen Theatre Festival garnered wide acclaim, bringing a new voice to the theatre festivals in China. In 2014, the second Wuzhen Theatre Festival, themed “Metamorphoses,” saw an exciting increase in the number and variety of performances. The year 2015 marks the 3rd anniversary of the Wuzhen Theatre Festival, and this year’s Festival, with the theme of “Transmittal,” will feature even more productions from world-renowned companies. Devotees of the theatre will also have chances to come in contact with, and absorb the perspectives of, some of the very most senior artists of the theatre, both Chinese and from abroad. On its way to becoming a theatre gathering with far-reaching impact, the Wuzhen Theatre Festival promises this lovely water town a long and vibrant future.