Artists from home and abroad have promised a wonderful experience for youngsters at the ongoing China Children's Theatre Festival, the first of its kind in the country. Now let's see some highlights from the play "Fishing Bowl" presented by Fujian People's Art Theatre last weekend in Beijing.

It's all about a fishing bowl, a magic vessel that could give you everything you want, a temptation that's hard to resist.

The fairytale has fascinated a few generations since it was told in an animated featurette in 1959. In 2008, artists from Fujian People's Art Theatre refreshed the old plot. More roles of animals were created to hold young audiences' attention. Through the story, they learn a lesson about greed.

Wei Fangnan, director of Fujian People's Art Theatre, said, "We've added a few characters of various animals to animate the story, make it more interesting, and it works. Kids like it. Interaction is another key to keep these young audiences' mind on the performance. We've also blended in some modern pop songs, though it's an aging story."

Fujian People's Art Theatre has two subgroups. One is focused on young audiences, while the other is dedicated to creating dramas for adults. Both are now busy preparing for the transition from a government-supported theatre to a market-oriented one.

Chen Jiayuan, creative head of Fujian People's Art Theatre, said, "We've been conducting experiments on bringing in producers to produce shows. It works well. Before, the director of our company was the only one responsible for producing shows, but now he's getting some help as more producers are required to rack their brains."

Chen also expressed their big pressure on producing as many as possible good children's plays, because the demand in Fujiang Province is huge and they are the only children's art theatre there. Next year, the theatre will turn 60. The transformation might bring a new beginning for another 60 years.