China's Central Academy of Drama created the International Theatre Academy Award back in 2011, to promote international exchange and to offer a platform for Chinese actors.  The Academy awarded its "Acting Awards" on Saturday night in Beijing. A-lister theatre artists and big names behind the stage from home and abroad were present to show their support for the event.

6th Int'l Theatre Academy Award announced in Beijing

Nine theater works were honored as  "Outstanding Plays" at this year's International Theatre Academy Awards. They include "Desire Under the Elms",  "Hero 24 Hours" ,"White deer Plain", "Homeland" and "The Story of the Gan Monument" from China, "Romeio and Julia" from South Korea,  "Eric XIV" from Ukraine, and "Red Venus" from Argentina. 

This year's jury was filled with prestigious actors, scholars, and experts from home and abroad. Professor Snejina Tankovska from Bulgaria's National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts was invited to be judge for the fourth time. She says she is glad to see China's theater industry develop.

"With every new year, I see how things are developing here.  I see the huge curiosity opening and the Chinese students are much more ready to work internationally. I mean to meet people from abroad. And we start getting in touch with each other in the working process much more easily.  Sure for my international college, it's a huge expeirence, because we come here and we always are about to get to know something new, to know more about Chinese culture. It's a great opportunity to know more about Chinese traditional theatre which you know it's so popular all over the world, in Europe as well. So it's a great moment for theare, for theatre art is life art," said Prof. Snejina Tankovska.

Chinese theater professionals are also concerned with fostering a new generation of theatre in China. Famous Chinese actor 89-year-old Lan Tianye headed this year's panel. Actress Lyu Zhong was also a judge.

"Every year, our company, Beijing People's Art Theatre, will audition graduates from the Central Academy of Drama. But sometimes we choose not to enroll any performers out of hundreds of applicants," said actor Lyu Zhong.
 
"The key to develope China's theatre art is education. The Central Academy of Drama is the top school for theatre art. I didn't recieve any formal higher education for acting when I started my career at a young age. However, figuring out how to foster a good actor or actress at a four year college is a big challenge," said actress Lan Tianye.

Swiss actress and costume designer Gunilla Palmstierna-Weiss was also honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award during the ceremony. China's Central Academy of Drama and UNESCO's International Theatre Institute presented the prestigious award.