Abstract

Showbiz, as the core of culture industry, is an indispensable part of it. The development of show business is finally achieved by troupes, whose level of development concerns the overall strength of showbiz and the prosperity of national culture. As “Culture City of East Asia”, Quanzhou abounds with valuable intangible cultural heritage like Nanyin, Marionette Opera, Gaojia Opera, Liyuan Opera, and Minnan Folk Dances. Quanzhou theatrical companies not only shoulder the responsibility of reviving local show business, but the mission of inheriting national traditional culture. As the leading troupes, Quanzhou five the-atrical companies are at the forefront of entire Quanzhou troupes in terms of inheriting mission, level of management, professional performance level and development scale, therefore they hold a vital position in Quanzhou show business.

There have been quite a few researches in all traditional genres of dramas and their classics, but it is the first time to probe into local troupes from perspective of management and development mode. The author has successively finished the field research in Quanzhou five theatrical companies, Quanzhou Press and Publication Bureau of Culture, Radio and Television, and Chendou village, Nanan, Quanzhou during 2011 and 2013, where is the cradle of Gaojia Opera. The recorded interview has reached 70,000 words, and the collected first-hand documents like audio, video and books are more than 100,000 words. This book has recorded every troupe colonel's comments on the hardships in startup, the originality of their troupes and foresight of future inheritance of genre of drama in detail. This book not only makes generality analyses in influencing factors for Quanzhou five theatrical companies'development, but also applies case analysis in each troupe's development mode.

The first chapter briefly introduces the background and significance of research, basic train of thinking and methods for research, Quanzhou showbiz cultural industry and opera culture and the development of Quanzhou five theatrical companies. The second chapter reviews the related literature and theoretical basis. The third chapter describes the traditional show business in our nation and the setup reform process of Quanzhou five theatrical companies and the impact on Quanzhou state-owned theatrical troupes. Meanwhile, the chapter makes an empirical study on influence factors of five theatrical troupes, working out the development influence factor mode. Up till now, this is the first general quantitative analysis towards five theatrical companies. From Chapter Four to Chapter Seven, based on the depth interview with four colonels and one office manager from four troupes—Quanzhou Puppet Troupe, Quanzhou Nanyin Troupe, Fujian Liyuan Opera Experimental Theatre and Quanzhou Gaojia Opera Troupe, there is a case study on each individual development mode. In Chapter Eight, we make an overall case analysis towards the similarities and differences in the five theatrical companies development process, and then design their development routes in four dimensions—individual effort, government support, innovative system construction, and the support from related industry and social organizations. Till here, this is the second general qualitative analysis towards five the-atrical companies. In Chapter Nine, we draw the whole conclusions and put forwards the topics required further research.

This book intends to cast a brick to attract jade for those art performance enthusiasts and show business researchers, who would like to systematically explore the panorama of Quanzhou traditional show business and how the managements devote to promote genres of local dramas and their influences.