Chinese dramatist Cao Yu's signature play "Thunderstorm" has been adapted into a new dance drama "Thunder and Rain," which is making its debut at Shanghai Oriental Art Center in July.

There have been various stage adaptations, but the 1933 classic has never been recreated as a dance drama with full script and characters.

"The challenge is how to express the conflicts, emotions and secrets between the characters in the original work through body language," said director Zhao Xiaogang.

Zhao said "Thunder and Rain" will be a group performance rather than centering on one or two protagonists. Each of the eight main characters will have a solo dance to showcase their personality, like an aria in an opera or a monologue in a play.

As the Oriental Art Center's self-produced dance, "Thunder and Rain" has gathered a handful of famed dancers from Beijing, Zhejiang and Shanghai. The all-male group dance configuration is also a highlight.

Ti Gong

"On the international stage, many popular dances such as 'La Traviata,' 'Onegin,' and 'Anna Karenina' are adapted from literary classics," said producer Gu Shengyin.

"With 'Thunder and Rain,' we hope to introduce Chinese classic literature to the world through Chinese-style physical expression," she said.

Shanghai Oriental Art Center general manager Lei Wen hopes "Thunder and Rain" will attract a variety of audiences, especially younger ones, with its modern aesthetics.

Ti Gong

"It would be boring if the audience walked into the theater and saw the scenery they expected – traditional long robes and mandarin jackets, and sad and depressing music," she said. "This will be a contemporary interpretation."

Ticket information will be announced soon.