Beijing Badaling Airport – 1 Hangkong Lu, Badalingzhen, Yanqing, RMB 1980 For 15 minutes/ RMB3800 for 30 minutes

Old Beijing Dinner By UnTour Food Tours –  Dec 17-31  

DIETARY RESTRICTIONS

• Vegetarians – Non-meat eaters are welcome and will find plenty to eat. Substitutes will be provided where possible.
• Vegans – This tour offers a limited selection of dishes, but excellent substitutions will be with excellent veg and tofu options at some stops.
• Celiac Disease – Celiac disease substitutes cannot be provided as soy sauce is widely used in dishes to be featured in the tour.
• Nut/Shellfish Allergies – There are no guarantees that utensils and other cooking tools have not come in contact with these ingredients or that dishes to be sampled do not contain said ingredients. If you are allergic, please bring an epi pen and other medication where applicable.

 The exact tour meeting point will be emailed upon booking.

Please contact contact@247tickets.com for booking. Please contact organizer for tour route. Adults RMB 420/ Children RMB 210/ Private tours RMB 2470 , 9am – 12pm .

Christmas Charity Market – Dec 21-22

Beijing Playhouse Kids Theater Camps – Dec 23 – Jan 4 

Daystar Academy Winter Camp – Dec 23 – Jan 3

Black Sesame Christmas Celebration – Dec 15 – Jan 31

Not often does an expat come to Beijing who has influenced numerous lives in the way that Chris Verrill did with his founding of the Beijing Playhouse (2006) and the Charity Readers Theater (2013). Along with introducing English language community theater to Beijing, he sparked an interest in many actors and other participants involved in these stage shows that they may have otherwise never knew existed. 

We at beijingkids have featured Verrill in our magazine and blog on numerous occasions because we have always appreciated the hard work he has put into his stage shows and the strong connections he has made with the greater community. When we heard about his upcoming departure we couldn’t let him go without asking him about his plans for the future and what he will miss most about life in Beijing.

Though it is always sad to say goodbye, the good he has done outweighs this sorrow and will hopefully create a new generation of stage show enthusiasts that will continue building this art form with the same vigor and passion as Verrill. We wish him good luck on this new adventure as he brings his Charity Readers  Theater to the US. “Parting is such sweet sorrow.”

Throughout your time here in Beijing you’ve completed numerous performances. How did you begin working here and what has been the trick to keeping active and helping to develop Beijing’s theater community?
China’s English Broadway theatre did 20 shows in 12 years. A total of about 200 performances, I think. For those 12 years, we were the largest locally produced English theatre in China. Plus we did about 40 or 50 educational children’s programs. And 100 or 200 drama workshops. I’ve long since lost count. When I got here, Beijing was probably the largest city in the world without a local English language theatre. We did the first show as a lark.  There was never supposed to be a second show. But the audience loved it and told us, in no uncertain terms, that we were going to do more. And they said they wanted us to start a drama education program to train children, too. At first, I resisted. But the love of theatre prevailed. 12 years is about 11 years longer than I thought we’d last.

Were there any challenges at the beginning?
When we started in 2006, a year before China’s National Center for Performing Arts opened, the Chinese audience didn’t even know what Broadway theatre was. The closest thing we could compare it to was Beijing opera. But that wasn’t always helpful. The audience of our first show was 90 percent expat. 12 years later, the audience of our last show was 90 percent local Chinese. The market had grown wonderfully. 

We know there must be many memorable moments throughout your time here, but what have been some highlights that you would like to share with us?
We had seven paying patrons on the opening night of our first show (plus a dozen or so curious media and other onlookers). But word of mouth spread. By the time that show closed, the 200-seat theater was full.

What are your plans for your upcoming move?
I have no idea what I’m going to do next. I wish I could stay.

Living in Beijing you see a lot of friends come and go. How does it feel to be finally leaving and what are some things that you think you will miss after you make the move?
I’ll miss the multinational expat community that has an insta-family feel to it. I’ll miss the resilience and perseverance of the Chinese people. I’ll miss cheap, delicious Chinese food. I’ll miss the family at the corner fruit stand that sells me jasmine green tea every day. 

What’s going to happen to Beijing Playhouse after your departure?
The current crew and teachers and students will continue the education programs. Except the shuttered main stage shows, other aspects of Beijing Playhouse will continue.

What advice do you have for people wanting to get involved in theater in Beijing but don’t know where to start?
The best option is Charity Readers Theatre (CRT). It’s not as big or professional as Beijing Playhouse shows were. But it’s still artistically rewarding. And the audiences have loved the last six shows CRT has done. Of course, the monthly drama club workshops will continue, too. Those are a fun, easy way to learn about theatre, have a few beers, and make some new friends all at the same time.  

Do you have any parting words for your fans or your extended Beijing family before you take off?
Audition for a Charity Readers Theatre show. If you’ve sometimes had that nagging thought in the back of your brain that you’d like to walk the boards, CRT is a great way to give it a shot. Instead of the three-month rehearsal and performance schedule of a Beijing Playhouse main stage show, Charity Readers Theatre is a show in a week. For an actor, it’s a much easier commitment. A great way to test the waters and get involved. 

Photos: Courtesy of Chris Verrill

“School’s out for summer…” But not forever, unless you’re Alice Cooper. As we reported in last year’s June/July issue, children are at risk of losing significant amounts of learning over the summer months, and teachers often report that much of the fall semester is spent getting students back into the swing of school.

Yet our kids are under increasing pressure to achieve academically and are at risk of missing out on their childhoods. Besides, a substantial body of scientific research shows that play is a vital aspect of a child’s development. In a 2012 report titled “The Importance of Play,” Dr David Whitebread of Cambridge University wrote: “There is very clear evidence that children’s cognitive development and emotional well-being are related to the quality of their play, and a number of studies have shown that individuals who are not well developed in these areas are not playful.”

How can parents square this circle, and prevent summer fallback, while still allowing their kids to enjoy those precious weeks of leisure? One increasingly popular approach is summer camp.

Traditionally summer camps involved kids staying away from their parents for days or even weeks at a time, sleeping in tents or dormitories, and taking part in outdoor activities. There are still plenty of these options available in and around Beijing, but many camps now offer daycare only. This is a more affordable option, as well as being more suited to younger children and parents who miss their kids being around.

However parents will be rightly concerned about the quality as well as the affordability of their child’s summer activities. To find out about the educational value of day camps, we talked to two of Beijing’s most respected providers.

Marianne Daquet came to Beijing from her native France 11 years ago, having been brought here, she says, “by chance.” In September 2012 she set up Atelier Art School.

“When we first opened it was like me opening a small school, giving classes myself, until I found a teacher willing to work freelance,” she tells us. “We had a small offer dedicated mostly to the expat community.

“Later I spent more time thinking about what to teach and how to teach, how to make a difference here in Beijing. Now Atelier is evolving into a comprehensive educational project. We’re targeting more Chinese families, and we’ve expanded to two branches, in Sanlitun and Shunyi.

“We’re passing on art education in a very specific way which is unique in Beijing, teaching children to create, to think, to be open-minded, to develop an open mind.

“We’re quite passionate about it!” she laughs, and that passion is apparent when you talk to her.

We ask her what a typical day at the Atelier summer camp involves.

“We have two classes in the morning,” she says. “The younger kids, age 5 to 8, have a two hour art class which is thematic, with a different theme each week. Every year Adeline comes up with new ideas!”

Adeline Parrot has been working at Atelier for three years, planning the classes. Daquet tells us more about the themes she has developed for the camps.

“Last week we entered the world of David Hockney. This week it’s about traveling into space. Next week it’s history, going back to the Middle Ages. Sometimes we go to the jungle through the eyes of Henri Rousseau, ‘Le Douanier’… The camp has a strong art basis, and a strong history basis.

“Meanwhile the older kids [age 9 to 12]are doing Fablab classes. They’re working on same subject, but the classes are oriented on engineering and science, they do experiments. The first Fablab was about Leonardo da Vinci. It got the kids trying to think about how to change things, make them move, while at the same time being an artist and staying creative.

“In the afternoon the younger kids don’t have a class, and the older kids go to art class.”

We ask about the profile of kids attending the camp.

“It depends on the week,” Daquet tells us. “Early in the summer they’re more or less all from international school, then later in the summer we have kids from public schools. We teach in English so they need a certain level to follow the classes.”

Do children from different backgrounds integrate and communicate, we wonder?

“We come up with the subject,” Daquet says, “but they have to work together, and think together. It’s good for them because they don’t all have the same experience. We guide them through the classes, but team building happens naturally. We don’t do any formal icebreakers, that’s not a French thing! But they all work on the same subject, and we ask them to get involved, to think, react. Soon enough they will all work together, discuss together.”

But is it harder for children from Asian cultures to understand the context of western art?

“When we did the Roman Empire with younger kids, all Chinese, they were like ‘what are you talking about?’ But if you talk about castles and knights, they all understand that. Then we talk to them about architecture, about Gothic and Romanesque styles, about stained glass… All the classes are planned and written. Adeline prepares a long introduction, it’s really precise; like a history and art class at the beginning.”

We ask Parrot how she helps children relate to art from past centuries.

“I explain it to them like a story,” she says, “and try to make bridges between the art and their life. I have a lot of pictures to show them, and videos, and I keep it simple. I never have problems with the historical aspects.”

But the children learn more than art and history, Daquet tells us.

What do kids learn from the camp, other than artistic skills?

“What they will also learn is what is at the core of all our classes: to be creative, to react to the subject, to think critically, to develop independence through the way they work which is unique here in Beijing.

“They might say ‘I cannot do it’ – we say ‘yes you can’ – and at the end they will be so proud. One group of 5 to 7 year olds made Viking longships, and at the end they were ‘wow, I did this,’ and we say ‘yes, you did it by yourself.’ It’s a big part of they way we teach here, getting them to do things on their own. There are the visible things that they learn, and then the invisible things which are so important.”

We see the pride she talks about when we visit the class. What’s your favorite artwork which you’ve made here, we ask 6 year old Oliver?

“Jackson Pollock Milky Way!” he announces enthusiastically. He takes me over to a big spatter painting, with drops of paint representing the stars, and explains to me how he did it using a toothbrush.

“Some of the points can glow,” he says.

Most of the art classes teach traditional, low-tech methods such as this, Dacquet tells us, but the Fablab is a different matter. Here kids get to use a 3D printer, a milling machine, and computer-aided design to produce their creations.

“For the Middle Ages theme they made a castle. The kids worked on the design with Sebastian. They decided the shape of the castle, he added accessories like the drawbridge. He also designed a catapult, and they worked together to create it.

“We only opened Fablab in March, it’s all new. Next year we will try an architecture class, that will be interesting with a 3D printer.”

At Fablab we meet Finn, Oscar, Theo and Benjamin, who are keen to show off their creation.

“We’re making a rocket,” they tell us. “It’s actually going to launch!”

“What’s the best thing about Fablab?” we ask, and they respond with a volley of different reasons.

“I like rockets!”

“I like to make new things.”

“We get to ride on skateboards.”

“They allow us to use tools usually only grown ups use.”

However when we ask whether Fablab is learning or fun, the answer is unanimous:

“Both!”

Fablab is only a few months old, but Chris Verrill of the Beijing Academy of Performing Arts is a veteran. Originally from San Francisco, he’s been running Theater Camps for 11 years now, and has been involved in theater for “thirty-something years,” he tells us, “the last 12 here in China. I’ve done 75 shows, a couple of thousand performances…”

His background also helps him maintain the educational value of the camps.

“I spent time in the US working for PBS, doing educational TV,” he says. “Sesame Street is the most researched show on television. They research not just how kids watch TV, but how they learn from it. All the Muppets that the kids love are designed to teach a specific lesson. So for example with Grover, the lesson is it’s OK to make mistakes.

“I’ve taken from that experience all that thought on how to make something entertaining and also educational. I love entertaining kids then sneaking in the education so they don’t even notice. It’s also true that kids learn through music, which is why music is an important part of educational theater, and language learning.”

And for Verrill education is the driving purpose of the summer camps.

“The show at the end of the week is not the point; the point is the educational process. We could buy sets and they’d look prettier, but we like the kids to be invested and then they learn.”

He sees this as being what makes his approach unique in Beijing.

“In the US there would nothing unique about what we do, or in the UK. These are programs we have lifted lock, stock, and barrel from ones I did in the US. But the mere fact that we’ve brought it here is cutting edge. When we did our first show no one else was doing this.

“I’ve been to other drama programs and you walk in and the sets are beautiful, but the children didn’t do it themselves. They have no vested interest in the creation of the sets. We’re focused on the learning process and not on making kids look pretty on stage.

“In each show we have six song and dance numbers, so that’s 12 items all together. Chinese schools will put the same time into just one dance. Our musical directors come with four songs done, the other two the kids write. Is it good? Sometimes it is! But even when it’s not the kids learn. Every morning we have the kids come in and we say, what do you want to learn today?”

He shows us the board where they have written their goals for the camp on Post-its. “My camp goal,” one child has written, “is to have fun, make new friends and speak more loudly!” The theme of fun is a recurring one, and is encouraged by the camp organizers.

“We want them to be learning and having fun,” Verrill says. “This is their summer vacation, so we want to make sure they come to us and have fun for a while because they deserve it.”

The children spend their day in eight classes lasting 30-45 minutes each, learning not only performance skills but also set design, costume, lighting and stage management. We ask Verrill about the wider educational benefits of the camp.

“They learn typical theater things,” he says, “like teamwork and confidence building. Imagine if you’re 8 years old standing on that stage [the camp takes place at Harrow School]and trying to get your voice to the back of the room. You can give them a microphone and they’ll sound better, but they don’t learn.

“They spend a fair amount of time learning how to project. 99 percent are not going on to become actors, but the fundamental skills they’ve learned will help them. They’ll be able to walk into any room and project confidence.”

The children also help each other to build that confidence, Verrill tells us.

“One of the things we do is we assign an older child to be the mentor of a younger child. The older learns by teaching, the younger gets individual attention. The teaching assistants are frequently doing one on one work, if at 6 the kids are having difficulty reading or remembering their lines. We love taking the shy children and making them less shy.”

As well as confidence, the children are developing their creativity.

“On the first day of costumes we ask the kids, ‘what’s it supposed to look like? What colour is the tree?’ Then we say, ‘What about a purple and blue tree?’ There’s no wrong answers; it’s art, so be creative.”

Verrill sees a cultural difference in children’s response to this challenge.

“When we tell children we they can paint a blue tree, westerners go for it straightaway. The Chinese kids take a bit longer, but by the end of a two, four, or six week program they’re on board. It’s inherent in human nature and the kids get it… and their parents love it.”

He’s also seen significant changes in the profile of children attending the camp.

“It’s open to children aged 6 to 14, but for this camp we don’t have a single 14 year old. It skews lower, we have lots of 6, 7, and 8 year olds. Educational theater is like that everywhere, and it always skews more toward girls than boys. It’s true for adults too: in the main stage shows women out number men two to one.

“Our kids come from all round the world. We did a late audition for kids coming in from the US and Hong Kong, who are spending their summer here. When we first started it was all expat kids. Now, with the dynamic and make up of expats in Beiing changing, the kids and audience are overwhelmingly Chinese.”

They haven’t changed the fundamentals of their approach though, but pitch it at a level appropriate to the children’s ability.

“We have beginning programs and intermediate, and we hope to launch an advanced program,” Verrill says. “Everything’s in English, the production, the teaching, and so on. If there’s something they’re not understanding, we’d have put them in beginning camp. Which is good, because I can’t speak Chinese!

“We try to choose shows which are pretty accessible. Everybody knows the story of Snow White, and the next camp we’re doing The Three Musketeers; people know that too.”

But Verrill is optimistic about the future of theater in China.

“When we first started this 12 years ago people didn’t even know that this was an art form. They didn’t understand the whole concept of what theater was. So for many of the kids this is their first experience, their parents had to research and find us. But one of the wonderful things that’s happening in China is that in the past two or three years, the government has really changed fast how they value performing arts in education.

“As China does, when it embraces something, it usually does it full throttle.”

Photos: Courtesy of Atelier Art School and Beijing Playhouse

This article originally appeared on p 28-31 of beijingkids August 2017 issue.
Download the digital copy here.

A college training or education really may not be the only way for one to become a professional in the dreamed area. Rebecca Barkhouse, a born and bred Canadian woman, proves this theory to be true.

Having lived in Beijing for 9 years as a teacher of aviation science at the Beijing Aviation and Aerospace University (Beihang University), Barkhouse was a professional pilot in her home country Canada. As a female pilot, a rare profession even in Canada, she possesses some mature calmness and rationality in her demeanor. Such a style may be far from what costume designers often use to impress people, but it is her style of choice nonetheless. Barkhouse designed all the costumes for this year’s show, Christmas Carol, at the Beijing Playhouse.

Barkhouse was first brought to the world of design by her mother and grandmother who made clothes for her and her sister in her childhood. She liked the idea of being able to create clothes from a piece of fabric. Her mother then bought a sewing machine for them and from there they started making clothes for dolls, and eventually for themselves. “For me, after learning the basics of sewing, designing was the next step.” She says. She has worked with Beijing Playhouse on three of its main stage Christmas shows as costume design assistant. This year, she became the designer.

BeijingKids interviewed Barkhouse with the following questions and answers.

Q: What’s your perspective/approach for designing?

A: For costume design, the first step is talking to the director to get his vision of what feeling or impression he wants to create with the show.  Then I do some sketches and we discuss what is good or bad and then I will start making the costumes.  Really inspiration can come from many places but the Internet is very helpful to give practical examples of what the director wants.

Q: How long did it take to finish all of them? 

A: I started on the National holiday in October; first I choose costume pieces from the playhouse storage facility, then they were cleaned.  Next the actors had to try them on for size and I’ve been working on making the adjustments and also creating some costumes from the beginning for the more elaborate costumes.  I should be finished by November 15th.

Q: Any new inspirations or perspectives during the process? 

A: Absolutely! I find that the idea in the designer’s head doesn’t always end up as the finished costume. There are many reasons for that, it doesn’t stay in place when the actor is dancing, it is not easy to move in, or as I work on them, there are things I see I can add and it will make the costume look so much better. I guess this is what they call the creative process!

Q: When will the play be staged or available? 

A: The performances start on December 3rd and run through until December 18th.

Q: What is your perspective on the famous “Christmas Carol”, its key message? 

A: I really like the story of Christmas Carol.  To me it sends the message to never give up hope on anyone.  It shows that people can change no matter what condition they are in and the other characters in the show really kept being good to Scrooge even though he wasn’t nice to them.  So never give up and always be kind!

Q: Did your background as a pilot provide any special help or contributions to the designing process? 

A: The strange thing is, yes being a pilot has really helped me in the designing and costume-making process.  Even though flying an airplane is very technical, there are a lot of things that can be transferred, time management, prioritizing tasks, communication.  I’m not operating a machine, but there are deadlines and changes that need to be met.  It has been very helpful!

Q: What were some highlighted points for why this play production is a must-see? 

A: This show is going to be very colorful, lots of action, dancing and jokes.  Beijing Playhouse does a very good job of adapting plays to be enjoyed by the Chinese audience as well as the foreigners.  It is a great Christmas treat to see this play and the story itself has a very good message!

One unique area this show of Christmas Carol may impress the audiences is its incorporation of two classic characters from the renowned Chinese literature  “Journey to the West”. The monkey king has been included several times in previous years and this time in 2016, the pig man will also find a place in this Dickens masterpiece.

For details on the specific nights of the performances, you can email: broadway@beijingplayhouse.com.

Next week, many schools will start and students will all begin to learn the processes and routines of their classrooms. These events will help keep your family busy until the crunch of the year starts.

Did you know we have a family events WeChat group? Join two hundred other internationally-minded families for the latest information on what’s going on in Beijing. Send an email to editor@beijing-kids.com with your WeChat id or add vanessajencks on WeChat.

Free Events

Beijing Playhouse Drama Club Workshop – How to Sing for Stage, August 16
All ages. How do you sing for a Broadway show? This event is open to all, experienced singers and actors are also welcome. Learn the basic singing skills required for theater. Native English speakers or English speakers still gaining confidence in the language encouraged to come. Free. 6.30-9.30pm. Caravan Restaurant. 44 Guanghua Rd, directly across the street from the Brazilian embassy, 300m north of the Jianguomen Subway Station. 直接穿过巴西 大使馆大街对面，光华路44 (从建国门地铁站下，东南口出。沿着东二环向北走300米。朝东（右转）到光华路，向东走100米到Caravan酒店。) (broadway@beijingplayhouse.com, More Information)

Summer Fun Runs, August 18 and 25
Ages 12+. Get in shape for the Beijing Marathon in autumn with support from AmCham and United Family Healthcare. Chaoyang Park charges RMB 5 for entrance, but the actual event is free.  Event spots are limited and pre-registration and waiver required. 7.30-8.30pm. Chaoyang Park East 5 Gate 朝阳公园东5门.  Nongzhanguan North Road, Chaoyang District. 北京市朝阳区农展馆北路 (sren@amchamchina.org)

The Bookworm’s Weekly SciFi Book Club, Thursdays
Ages 10+. Attendees of the Bookworm’s weekly SciFi Book Club will read a new short story then discuss it during the meeting. Authors previously covered include Greg Egan, Iain M. Banks, Andy Weir, among others. Free. 8-9pm. The Bookworm. Courtyard 4, Gongti Beilu, Chaoyang District. 朝阳区工体北路4号院 (Wechat: Merukaba, Website)

Lin Zhipeng aka 223, Until August 28
Ages 14+. Guangdong-born photographer 223 (real name Lin Zhiping) has contributed to numerous creative fashion magazines such as Vice and Vision, as well as shooting for brands such as Converse, Nike, and Bacardi. The Carchangdi’s de Sarthe gallery now hosts his solo exhibition displaying his works, which explore topics of Chinese youth hedonism and going against the expectations of middle class dreams. Free. Tuesday to Sunday every week at De Sarthe. 328-D Caochangdi Art District, Chaoyang District. 朝阳区草场地艺术区

“A typical Indian Lunch box or “dabba” is a multi-tiered steel contraption with boxes stacked on top of each other. Whether tied to the back of a motorbike, hanging on the handlebars of a bicycle, or simply carried by hand, the tiffin box has a ubiquitous presence in India.”

Unique Events

Tastes of India, August 17
All ages. Join Chef Reshma Khan as she puts together a typical Indian lunch box with a vegetable dish, a meat curry, pickle etc.  Then pack yourself a dabba, put on a jaunty Gandhi cap and enjoy an Indian picnic or carry an Indian lunchbox to work and watch your colleagues drool as the spicy aromas fill the air. RMB 300. 7-9.30pm. The Hutong (159 0104 6127, events@thehutong.com)

Brave Grandpa Pu, August 20-21
All ages. This is a puppet show using wooden puppets wearing traditional South Korean clothing. The show is classified as non-material cultural heritage and features many of South Korea’s performing arts that are characteristic of their folk culture, including traditional rope skipping and percussion. RMB 120. 10-11am. Holiday Classic Theatre Hall. 64 Dongzhimen Waidajie, Chaoyang District. 东安门大街64号中国儿童剧场4层 (Buy Tickets Here)

Ongoing Events

Art in the Streets, Until August 24
Ages 8+. Curator Magda Danysz says, “Street art is unquestionably, for who wants to see, the most important artistic movement of the early twenty-first century. For some this is not yet obvious. Time will teach them.” Open everyday except Mondays and Sundays. RMB 15. 9.30am-5.30pm. CAFA Art Museum (6477 1575)

Yoga with Rhada, Saturdays Until August 27
Ages 13+. Radha’s Yoga classes employ poetry and play, and introduce different yoga asanas and meditation techniques to connect with the body, mind, and spirit. In the coming four weeks, she will introduce four techniques of meditation: breathing based, chanting based, walking based, and laughing based. Maximum of seven people per class, secure your spot. RMB 100. 9.30-11am. Beijing Mindfulness Centre. 44 Qian Yong Kang Hutong, Dongcheng District. 东城区钱永康胡同44号 (132 6181 5599)

Hi, Beijing Children’s Acrobatic Show, Until August 31
Ages 4+. This troupe uses acrobatics, aerial acts, farces, magic, and jugglers to bring alive the story of Marco Polo, who first visited Beijing in 1215, but comes back to modern Beijing to view its modern day developments. RMB 180. China’s National Children’s Center Theater, 43 Western Road, Ping’anli, Xicheng District. 西城区平安里西大街43号 (138 0106 7568)

Culinary Market Tour, Every Tuesday and Saturday
All ages. The Hutong leads a culinary walking market tour to help expat residents create their own Chinese kitchen, as well as to get over the intimidation and confusion of the Chinese food market.  Registration required. RMB 200. 10am-noon. The Hutong (159 0104 6127, events@thehutong.com)

6 Best of Next Week

DCB Newcomer’s Fair, August 25
Adults. DCB invites all newcomers to Beijing to join the annual Newcomers Fair to learn about living and surviving in Beijing at their Legend Garden campus. Free. Registration required. 9am-noon. Dulwich College Beijing (6454 9068, Flora.Zhang@dulwich-beijing.cn)

“Little Truck Transform”, August 27 – 28
All ages. Though this little guy is young, he wants to help others. But what should he do when adults refuse his help? For now, all he knows to do is cry. Performed in Mandarin. RMB 120. 10am. Holiday Classic Theatre Hall, 东安门大街64号中国儿童剧场4层 (Buy Tickets Here)

Roundabout Book Fair at BSB Shunyi, August 27
All ages. Thousands of gently used books for the whole family in many languages and genres are up for sale. All proceeds go to raise funds for Roundabout’s charitable endeavors. Free. 10am-3pm. The British School of Beijing, Shunyi (8047 3588)

SuperWab Community Picnic: Hero Time!, August 27
All ages. WAB welcomes the entire Beijing community to Tiger Field for a superhero-themed afternoon of fun in the sun that’s bound to be filled with games and activities for the whole family. Food and refreshments from your favorite restaurants will be there, too. Free 3.30-6.30pm. Western Academy of Beijing (5986 5588)

Interact with Snow White, August 28
All ages. This special rendition of Snow White is produced in Chinese. RMB 80-380. 10.30am, 2.30pm. The China National Children’s Center, West Gate, No.43 West Street, Pinganli, Xicheng District, Beijing (Book Tickets Here)

INN Arrival Survival, August 29
For adults. Listen to veteran Beijing expats share their wealth of information about Beijing and how to get the best out of your new home away from home at the annual International Newcomer’s Network Arrival Survival meeting. Meet other newcomers and long term residents then head to a Chinese restaurant for brunch. Open to foreign passport holders only. RMB 50. 10am-noon. Capital Mansion Athletic Club (www.innbeijing.com)

Photos:Wikimedia, Pexels, and courtesy of Roundabout Beijing

The Beijing Playhouse is looking for 20 adult and 10 child actors to participate in putting on their annual Christmas Show. This year, A Christmas Carol: A Twisted Musical Comedy will bring the old Christmas classic to a Beijing audience with a new, unexpected twist. Audience members are welcome to actively participate in the performance through cheering or booing, in a simulation of the old British play-watching tradition. Upbeat music and hilarious Christmas costumes makes this show a great choice for a family outing during Christmas time and will make for an especially fun memory for children.

The audition will take place on Sunday, September 18, 2016 and Monday, September 19, 2016 at 6:30pm. The auditions will be located at the Eagle International Performing Arts Center in Wangjing. Please see our event listing for a more detailed address. At the audition, you will be required to read from a script and perform scenes from the show with other actors. You will also be asked to sing a song. Additionally, monologues are optional but not a required part of the audition. It is advised that you come with a memorized 1-minute long monologue in English if you are not a native English-speaker. This is a volunteer community activity for fun, therefore there will be no payment for acting in the musical. Specifically, the playhouse is looking for 10 men, aged 18-80, 10 women, aged 18-80, and 10 children, aged 6-17.

The performances themselves will take place on December 2-18, 2016, on weekday and Saturday evenings. There will also be matinee performances on the weekend. Rehearsals are evenings at 6:30pm and Saturdays at 2:30pm in October and November. Rehearsals will take place at 77 Theatre, by the Nanluoguxiang subway station.

Next week, on Tuesday, August 16, ambitious actors and actresses can attend a singing workshop which will no doubt help prepare for the September auditions.

Then, on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 The Beijing Playhouse will be hosting a workshop at the Caravan Restaurant located at 44 Guanghua Road, which is directly across the street from the Brazilian embassy. The event will be a script reading of A Christmas Carol led by director Chris Verrill. People of all ages, English speakers or not, are all welcomed. There will be a social starting at 6:30pm at the Caravan Restaurant, giving workshop attendees an opportunity to mingle and get to know each other. The workshop itself will commence at 7:30pm. Please see our event listing for more details from The Beijing Playhouse. This is an informal drama workshop and if you’re thinking of attending the auditions mentioned above and want to get more information, this workshop is a great place to get started! If you’re interested in being a part of this Christmas production this winter, or always dreamed of being in the theatre, really consider looking into these opportunities!

All information above is provided by The Beijing Playhouse.

This summer Beijing Playhouse organized kids camps, where children were taught performing arts. These photos are from the Peter Pan and Aladdin shows.

Each camp had a play at the end, which was attended by around a hundred close friends and relatives.

The courses are held at China’s English Broadway Theatre.

The next theatre camp will be taking place this winter, ending with the Life and Adventures of Santa Claus performance on Christmas.

Photos: Courtesy of Beijing Playhouse

As long, long time ago, I also attended summer camps (to give my parents a break).  I attended girl scouts camps, YMCA camps, educational day camps, and one year I even went all the way to Sweden to attend a Chinese culture camp organized by Taiwan’s overseas division.

In the beginning, camps were literally camps. We had tents, sleeping bags, sleeping mats, huge backpacks, flashlights, flasks, pocket knives, and everything else in the camping checklist from our trusted scout handbook.  Then, as I grew older, suddenly we had these day camps where I still had to rise dreadfully early and travel to the middle of nowhere to explore nature and make friendship bracelets–all to ensure that I was properly socialized during my summer break.

The last summer camp I attended was the Chinese culture camp, and despite my initial revulsion for it (I was in middle school by then), the traditional dances, martial arts, and top spin training all turned out to be pretty fun in the end.  So, why was it my last then?  I became more independent and began traveling with friends (instead of family), so the ultimate goal of my going away and getting out of everyone’s hair was still met.

Nowadays, summer camps are even more complex than before.  I have been in the education scene long enough to realize that it’s definitely not about tents and campfires anymore, but now we want to know if the camps are for fun, enrichment, enhancement, or just pure revision.  Which camp is right for your child? I have no idea.  All I can do is roundup all the available summer camps and let you decide what is the best fit for your child!

Imagine Survival Summer Camp, Jun 13-Aug 19
Ages 7-14.  Imagine’s Summer Survival Camp is a real outdoors camping experience where children will learn to make fires, build rafts, cross rivers, make traps and tools, cook fish, and build shelters.

• RMB 3,500. Campers do not stay overnight. Daily transportation included. Imagine (info@imagine-china.com, 5739 4933).

AEA US Embassy Camp, Jun 16-Aug 15
Ages 4-12. The American Employees Association Summer Camp is an American-style day camp with weekly themes, hosted by AEA (affiliated with the US embassy).  Each year, the themes are changed to incorporate current trends and children’s interests.  The daily program is filled with fun, songs, games, and activities which are related to the weekly themes.

• Early bird discounts till May 31. The camp will be hosted at Beijing City International School from Jun 16-Jul 4 and then from Jul 7-Aug 15 at 3e (info@aeabeijing.net, 8531 3349)

Enhancement

DDC Ocean Exploration Camp, Jun 20-Aug 26Grades 2-7. DDC Ocean Exploration Camp is led by ocean experts from New England Aquarium USA.

• RMB 5,800.  Hosted at the Beijing Aquarium (dd-learning.com, 8049 0079).

DDC Talented Youth Program – MIT STEM, Jun 27-Aug 5Grades 4-7. DDC Education Centre offers a tailored educational program dedicated to the development of highly talented children. With award-winning teams of instructors from the United States, it offers systematic STEAM courses to students aged between 7 and 14. Courses include web design, 3D printing and computer programming. They give priority to the development of students’ science spirit and comprehensive ability, and emphasize the mixture of social value, humanities and the arts, Information Technology & STEAM.

• Registration deadline August 1.  RMB 5,800 per week (contact@dd-learning.com, 8049 0079)

Keystone Academy’s Marine Science STEAM Program, Jul 18-29 Grades 3-7. The Marine Science STEAM Program for summer students is a small step that combines the school’s missions of promoting environmental stewardship and thoughtful bilingual immersion education. Students’ learning in the program will be inquiry-based: they will work with our teachers to observe closely, ask good questions, investigate actively, and find answers to their own questions–all in the context of studying ocean life in both Chinese and English. Students will be challenged to examine the connections between human life and millions of lives in the ocean. In doing so, they will achieve an understanding of the importance of environmental conservation.

• Registration deadline May 1. RMB 10,900. Contact: complete application at keystoneacademy.cn

DDC Integrated Art Summer Camp, Jun 20-Jul 1, Jul 11-Jul 22Grades 2-7. A joint effort between DDC and educational experts from the US, Integrated Art summer camp is an organic and evolving approach to teaching by integrating music, language, and visual arts.  It builds communication, problem solving, collaboration, shared experiences, and allows the student to actively ponder and experiment to display comprehension employing a variety of art forms.  Students will awaken their critical eye and develop ownership of thought and creativity with evidential reasoning via hands on and minds on learning.

• RMB 5,800. DDC Education Centre (contact@dd-learning.com 8049 0079).

DDC Talented Youth Program – US STEAM Summer Camp, Jun 27-Aug 5Grades 5-8. DDC Education Centre invites you to have a touch of the prestigious US STEAM summer camp at British School of Beijing Shunyi! Whether you want to know how to become a doctor, how to create water on Mars, you’ll learn how through the various projects in this camp.

• Registration deadline August 1.  RMB 5,800 per week. British School of Beijing Shunyi (contact@dd-learning.com (8049 0079).

Enrichment

CISB Enrichment Camp, Jun 27-Aug 5
Ages 6-15. Canadian International School of Beijing will be hosting two enrichment classes where children can develop their English or Chinese skills, play sports and participate in cultural activities, such as playing a Chinese instrument and going learning Kungfu.

• Registration Deadline May 27th.  RMB 7,900/2 weeks.  Canadian International School of Beijing (summeradmissions@cis-beijing.com)

Beijing Mandarin School Summer Camp, Jun 13-Aug 26Ages 6-13. Beijing Mandarin School was founded nine years ago, and has successfully been running Mandarin classes ever since to expats of different native languages.  Their children’s summer camp is divided into three different age groups with varying learning targets.  Each group begins their day with Chinese lessons, indoor Chinese culture activities, sports, followed by a half-day excursion.  The camp also offers whole-day travel adventures on the weekend.

• RMB 1,250/week (3 hr Chinese class), RMB 1,850/week (half-day), RMB 2,880/week (full day).  Registration fee RMB 280. Price includes orientation, assessment test, books, t-shirt, study materials, and a learning certificate. Lunch can be added for an extra RMB 200/week, and the price of transportation is negotiable. Beijing Mandarin School ( info@beijingmandarinschool.com, 6508 1026).

Imagine’s Summer Knight School, Jun 13-Aug 19
Ages 7-13. Now in its third season, Imagine’s popular Summer Knight School Camp teaches kids aged 7-13 how to wield a sword, fire a bow and arrow, ride a horse, build a trebuchet, design a shield, make chainmail, travel to a castle, slay a dragon, and much more! Run by a team of English-speaking, experienced outdoor education professionals.

• RMB 4000/week. RMB 800 deposit required upon registration. Campers do not stay overnight. Price includes transportation, equipment, and supplies. Requires own lunch. Imagine (info@imagine-china.com, 5739 4933).

Chinese Cultural Summer Camps, Jun 20-24, Jun 27-Jul 1, Jul 4-8Ages 6-14, China Culture Center hosts a five day bilingual summer camp with both indoor hands-on activities and outdoor tours exploring the city’s authentic Chinese culture and structures.

• RMB 3,200 per child for 5 days. China Culture Center (info@chinaculturecenter.org, 6432 9341)

Atelier Summer Camps, Jun 27-Jul 26
Ages 5-12. Atelier Art School will be running funny, creative, and inspiring artistic summer camps for one thematic week.  The themes include a Cubism Workshop where children will make collages, draw a cubist self-portrait, and a cardboard sculpture of a music instrument; Hokusai and Japan where children will discover Japanese engraving, learn about daily life in the 18th century, and realize a wonderful book inspired by Japanese art; Egyptian Civilization where children will learn about Egypt, build a model pyramid, make their own papyrus and write hieroglyphs on it; Africa where children will discover Africa as a continent, its different cultures and habits while engraving savannah animals, making patterns like the clothes of Zulus folk, and African mask collages; The Little Prince wherein children will discover the novel by Saint Exupery and learn new techniques by building a helix plane from the 40s, understand the work of the illustrator and how to use water colors, and finally build imaginary planets using papier-mache; Around the World in Eighty Days wherein children will discover various cultures and civilizations by following the story in Jules Verne’s novel and making their own travel book with a map, pictures of the characters, and learn how to make pop-up books, different paper textures, and stamps.

• RMB 1,500/week, session. Morning session for 5-8 year olds. Afternoon session for 9-12 year olds. Note that the Sanlitun campus sessions begin on Jun 27 and end on Aug 26, while the Shunyi campus begins on Jun 13 and ends on Jul 22. See their website for a detailed schedule of when each theme is taught. (contact@atelier.cn.com, 132 4018 490, 6416 1614).

Hyde Education Summer Enrichment Program, Jul 11-Aug 12Grades 1-9. Hyde Academy has scheduled a series of fun, hands on, academic summer enrichment programs in math, science, language arts, and humanities for students in grades 1- 9. Take a tour of the universe from the inside out with our exciting introductory physics course.  Use math to explore the world around us through a variety of inquiry-based problems and projects. Fancy yourself as the next Sherlock Holmes? Sign up for our Crime Scene Investigation program.  Other course titles include: Public Speaking, Archaeology, Geography: Mapping our World, and Vocabulary and the Art of Writing.

• RMB 2,250 (half day), RMB 4,275 (full day) per week. Hyde Academy  (registration@hyde-education.com, 8046-3886).

Beijing Playhouse Summer Theater Camps, Jun 27-Aug 6Ages 6-14. At Beijing Playhouse’s two-week long summer camps, children will get to perform Peter Pan, Aladdin, and Rapunzel with acting, song, and dance. Aspiring actors, singers, dancers, and musicians are all welcome. Some English proficiency is required. All who audition will be cast. Parents are invited to the final performance.

• Audition dates May 7, May 21, June 4. RMB 8,000 (broadway@beijingplayhouse.com)

That’s Mandarin! Chinese Summer Camp, Jun 13-26, Jun 27-Jul 10, Jul 11-24, Jul 25-Aug 7, Aug 8-21 Ages 5-17. That’s Mandarin offers several different camp options to suit any family!  There are morning camps, day camps, and full day camps.  For older children, there are also homestay camps, and if you’d like in on the fun—family camps! Camps can be two week long or four week long. The full-length program includes intensive Chinese classes with cartoon class, reading and writing, and topic based oral lessons.  Each week has three days of cultural activities, including traditional Chinese calligraphy, opera mask painting, cooking classes, Chinese knot making, and mahjong. Fieldtrips and excursions are also available for Beijing, such as the Great Wall, Ming Tombs, Confucius Temple, and Beihai Park.

• For Beijing camps, contact: info@thatsmandarin.com (5218 6432). For the Shanghai camps, contact: info.shanghai@thatsmandarin.com (6452 0017).

Sports

Imagine’s Watersports Summer Camps, Jun 13-Aug 19
Ages 6.5-15.  Now in its third season, Imagine’s popular Watersports Camp in Shunyi teaches kids aged 6.5-15 all kinds of watersports skills, from sailing and kayaking to rafting and paddling. Learn how to balance on the paddle board, play games on rafts, navigate the boat, using knowledge about the wind and work towards your ‘Learn to Sail Level 1’ Certificate. Taught by certified trainers who learned abroad.

• RMB 4000/week. Campers do not stay overnight. Transportation included. (info@imagine-china.com, 5793 4933)

SBJ Summer Camps, June 13-Jul 27 Ages 5-15. Sports Beijing will be hosting its weekly sports camps at at ISB’s air-conditioned Fusion Dome.  The choices are basketball, gymnastics, and soccer in the mornings; multi-sports (flag fotball, dodge ball, ultimate frisbee, etc.) in the afternoon. Tennis is now also offered in cooperation with Fusion Tennis Center. Water activities, such as water fights and pool time, can be expected, as well as fun games such as capture the flag and obstacle courses.

• Early bird specials through May 31, with sibling and multiple week discounts also available. Price includes lunch, camp t-shirts, and transportation. (contact info@sportsbj.com)

Flips & Kicks Plus Summer Camp, Jun 27-Jul 1, Jul 4-Jul 8 Ages 4-12. Flips & Kicks Plus offers a multi-sports Summer Camp where children can try fun sports, such as: Gymnnastics, Martial Arts, Track & Field, Football, Ping Pong, Basketball etc.

• RMB 1,980 (half day-1 block). RMB 3,080 (full day-1 block). Price includes water and a fruit snack. Please bring your own water bottle. Lunch can be provided for an additional fee. (info@flipsandkicksplus.com, 13718462044)

ClubFootball, Jul 5-Aug 24
Ages 4.5-16. ClubFootball has been around since 2001, hosting football classes and camps that promote coordination and teamwork. This summer, their coaches will have week long summer classes for players of all skill levels, or minimal three-day intensive workshops, depending on your child’s schedule.

• RMB 800-1,500/week. Camps will be held in Chaoyang Park, Olympic Forest Park, Zhongguancun, Wangjing, Lido and Shunyi (contact coaching@wanguoqunxing.com, 5130 6893)

Photo: Pixabay

Beijing Playhouse’s first ever children’s show Rapunzel debuts May 8, and beijingkids will be hosting a pre-show meet and greet!

We suggest families have a lovely brunch in the Wanjing area and then stop by at the Eagle International Performing Arts Center by 1pm.  Editors Andy Killeen, Jessica Suotmaa and Vanessa Jencks will be available for chats, questions, hugs, and silly faced photos with rambunctious children.

The editors will bring along their favorite portable games, from Jenga to card decks for Go Fish, so kids will be happy to have come along so early to meet new friends, too. 

After we’ve all swapped parenting war stories and become WeChat friends , we’ll all hurry into the round for the ageless childhood favorite within a child friendly one-hour retelling.

The show is designed for children from ages 6 to 12 and the audience will sit on the floor around the actors’ performing center as they recreate the story which has inspired hundreds of spinoff cartoons, books and movies.

We suspect Andy Killeen will have a comparison discussion with his own two boys after the showing.  How do you think this Rapunzel differs from all the others? Do you like this version better than Tangled?  What is added to the story in it being acted out rather than simply told or watched in a cartoon?

Tickets are still available for the May 8 matinee (as well as the other dates of the show, May 22 and May 29) by visiting here.

 For more information about the beijingkids editors, please click here.

Beijing Playhouse presents Rapunzel, May 8
Ages 6-12. It’s more than just a fairy tale; it’s an inspiring rendition of the traditional coming of age motif. This English language performance is especially for children. On May 22, Beijing Playhouse will make a special trip to ISB, while May 8 and 29 will be performed at their usual thespian grounds. RMB 80 children RMB 150 adults. 2.00-3.00pm. Eagle International Performing Arts Center, International School of Beijing (childrenstheatre@beijingacademyofperformingarts.com)

Photos: Courtesy of Beijing Playhouse