Almost without knowing, the Wuzhen Theatre Festival has entered its seventh year. I remember that early on, I already had the impulse to organize a youth theatre festival. Teaching in the university, I had a lot of ideas about arts education that couldn’t be realized in traditional institutions, so I intended to hide in my beloved town and build my dreams with my young friends. Today, the dream is truly realized, and it has become the most internationally influential theatre event in the Chinese-speaking world. With the Wuzhen Theatre Festival, I always feel lucky, so I am grateful for that seed of passion I had when I was young. Over these years, I’ve witnessed the seed taking root, sprouting, blossoming, and bearing fruit. This seed is you, my young friends. I always say I hope I myself have grown from just a playful boy to a seed of idealism. Here, I also hope that all young people can always have faith in idealism, hold up the banner of idealism, believe in dreams, believe in miracles, believe that the theatre can change people’s lives, can change not just you but the world, and not only what you can see but also something you have never even imagined. And last but not least, I want to say the words I want to say every year: Long live the youth!

—Huang Lei,

Co-founder and Producing Director