The time we started our thematic research is just the time the Troupe finished Official Performance and was preparing for campus tour. After relocating from Taipei to Yilan, the “Huang Ta Yu Kid’s Troupe” as led by Master Huang Chun-Ming, in additional to aggressively training interested and gifted drama talents, it also tries very hard to promote the performance of kid’s drama in troupes of Fuhsing Junior High and Jausi Elementary school. In order to provide students who have little chance of watching in theaters, he arranged more than a dozen performances in different campus. So, we have 5 times orientation in their rehearsal, we made 4 site interviews, accompanying them in their circuit performance in campus. The following are our reports：

■Rehearsal prior to Campus Tour

Took time of the afternoon to watch the rehearsal for campus tour of Huang Ta Yu Troupe. There were older ones and younger ones, and they did not seem to be professional actors. Judging from their talking, one is cafe owner, some are elementary school students and one seemed like military instructor of a school. They were looked as member of big family living together- some like grandpa, some like the mother and others are naughty kid. No wonder the producer is called Granny. This rehearsal was mainly to screen for new actors. As some of the actors were having private causes that they could not attend Campus tour, so they have to conduct the rehearsal with limited manpower. Except the leading actor and the grandpa, almost everyone was acting two parts or more. Those who were having break took time to review the script. It seemed that everyone in the troupe likes to show off and as long as the music is sound, the action is on it way, some like intuition. This surprised us very much.

Report of Sing Yuan：

This is the first time we met the actors. Each of them were actively joining the rehearsal. In the beginning, we knew no one of them and we sat by to watch. We found they had limited numbers and each of them was playing 2 or 3 parts in the performance. And they have to remember lines of different parts. It is actually a tough job.

This is our 2nd time in watching rehearsal of the troupe. The unorganized situation of last Saturday was improved quite much and each rehearsal moved on smoothly, except some of kid actors lost in their scenario. Even the newly assigned members were fitted to the play quickly. They were seen of reviewing script to memorize lines at the break of rehearsal and practicing their actions. We found them devoted to it. According to Granny, they are all volunteers and they receive not compensation, but for interest. We felt that they are great. They sacrificed holidays to try to present a touching kid’s drama to schools far from big city. They are great.

Eileen’s Report ：

1:00 pm. We waited our teachers in school to go to Fuhsing for watching rehearsal. Last time we did not finish, so we felt a bit at loss this time, but gradually we caught it up. Later we saw someone cutting paper and we went over to help. The paper cuts would be used as peach blossom pedals.

Just finished the interview in Jausi Elementary School, we rushed to rehearsing class of Fuhsing Junior High to wait for the rehearsal. As the scheduled circuit is approaching, their rehearsal continued for one week is coming to its end and we are finishing our night time interview. With hanging out in the troupe, we have good interaction with member of the troupe. We have not been able to offer any assistance, but as audience, we took chance to interview a number of actors and listening to their comments about the troupe. Each of the members interviewed has their own reason of joining the troupe, but one thing in common is that they all like this play, “Li Jr. is not a liar”

Yi Shao’s report：

As usual, we went to Fuhsing Junior High to watch their rehearsal. Although it is only a rehearsal, it was quite good for us. We got the idea of how the actors are performing themselves. We admired them very much. They were playing really good. When we were there, Tze Zung and I run after a lovely boy, Tang Yuan. A little boy is already performing in kid’s troupe.！

It was scheduled 1:30 pm for rehearsal, but Granny wanted to give more time for rehearsal, she advanced it to 9:00 in the morning. To cover their rehearsal, we advanced the assembly at 8:30 am. We all felt that it is hard to cover the rehearsal so early, but the troupe members arrived on time, no body took any excuse. Since it is the last rehearsal before circuit performance, the job of the troupe today was full rehearsal, complete the performance all through. Some of the properties were made few years ago for performance in National Theater, which was subsidized by Council for Cultural Construction with the assistance of professional stage worker, so the properties and costume were very good. They made good use of resources and invited many people to participate. We had lunch together with the troupe members, but we forgot to pay the bill. What an embarrassment!

Report of Tze Zung：

Originally the interview was planned for the afternoon, but we were afraid that they finished their rehearsal in the morning already, so we changed to assemble at 9:00 am at Fuhsing Junior High. When we arrived their, we found that one of the actors was unable to join the Full Rehearsal that rehearsal this time was not smooth. We knew only then that even in rehearsal, no one actor may be absent.

Report of Sin Yuan：

Huang Ta Yu Kid’s Troupe was going to present a Drama “ Li Jr. is not a liar”. As they don’t have their own premise to practice, they used the Troupe Class of Fuhsing Junior High to rehearse. As they are going to have circuit soon, they have to step up the practice. They need to better their skill to win the admires of audience.

Early in the morning, we went to cover the first show of Huang TA Yu Kid’s troupe in campus in Kolin Elementary School. The first person we met is the principal of Kolin Elementary School. He led the way and helped us in questionnaires survey enthusiastically. We were very grateful to his assistance. Kolin Elementary School is rather at suburb area, but more than a dozen of parents came to watch the show, some of them took their whole family. The auditorium is not a big one, so the show was not on raised stage but at the same level as the students. The stage, at both sides was fended by ping-pong table covered with black fabric as the curtain. However, the students were quite attracted to the performance. After the Kolin Elementary School, all the members quickly recollect their properties and other necessary items and rush to their next stop.

Zou Jun’s Report：

We went to Kolin Elementary School to watch the performance of “Li Jr. is not a liar” of Huang Ta Yu Kid’s Troupe, which is the first performance of the Troupe in campus. We were quite concentrated in watching the performance and I found the actors were doing their best. Perhaps this is the first time we watched the show in full and they are in their costumes, we all were attracted to the show.

Eleen’s Report ：

We went to Kolin Elementary School in Lotung Township this morning. In the beginning , I have no idea where we were. The school is rather small as the number of student is small. (At least smaller than ours) When we were there, we met a person. We thought he is director of a department, but we knew later that he is the principal. We were invited to Principal’s Office. We were flattered. Nevertheless, we asked him to distribute questionnaire for us, as we were strangers their. When we walked into the Activity Center, we were astonished by the scene, as this is the first time we saw them doing their make-up. But we can still tell who is who. The one with hair wrapped into two firecrackers and the Funny Guy had fuzzy hair. Since this is the first time “Li Jr. is not a liar” performed in campus, and we did not finish watching their rehearsal, we could not wait to watch their performance. After the performance, we made survey among students of Kolin Elementary and gave each a pen. After completing the job of today, we bought each a lunch box and rush to our school, as Sing Yuan and I had a Chinese Music class to attend.

After finishing performance in the morning in Kolin Elementary School, the troupe rushed to Yilan Special Education School to perform in the afternoon in their auditorium. At the break, the members of the troupe had to recollect properties, costume and rushing to next stage, besides their main job of performing on stage. We knew how hard their job is. Probably the ground was too slippery that the dancer acted as mermaid and the old man playing with large flag fell on ground. But they jumped up to continue without interrupting the show. They are professional. After finishing the performance, we asked question about the stage with Granny and we talked about the religious ritual held before the show commenced. We gained quite a lot of knowledge about this business.

It was a week after last interview of performance. This time was in the Auditorium of Suao Elementary School. Though it was in elementary school, but the audience is from Suao Junior High. There is a distance between the two schools. We saw a long cue with colorful umbrellas entering the auditorium. We asked directors of Suao Junior High to help us in distributing questionnaire and recovered smoothly. We thanked him for his assistance.

In last few performance, we took photos without using flash light as it might affect their performance, the pictures we had were very blur. This time we use the motion mode of camera and we got very good picture of their actions. Great!

Not longer after 6:00 in the morning, we assembled in Yilan Railway Station and joined with Huang Ta Yu Kid’s Troupe and took train to Nanao. Nanao station is about 45 minutes away from Yilan. We fed ourselves with buns and soya milk. We talked and laughed with the members of the troupe and almost forgot the painful early rise. When we arrived at Nanao Station, we found Master Huang Chun-Ming greeting us at the ticket gate. We later heard that he drove all the way to Nanao through Su-Hua Highway. He had a bit of cold but he still narrated the play with his coarse voice, to tell the stories. The kids in the troupe were intimate to Master Huang that before the play was commenced, they stayed around him all the time. They were just like a family

Eileen’s report：

Early in the morning, we gathered in Yilan Railway Rear Station. We took train because we are going to farther place. After assembly, we found that we are taking same train with the troupe, only they were assembled at front station. When we went through the under path, we found a bunch people in uniforms of 9-Bend and Huang Ta Yu. The uniforms are the symbol for the troupe. When we were waiting for train, Granny came over to distribute breakfast. We had ours. When the train arrived at Lotung Station, there are a group of actors joining us. Members are mostly from Yilan City, with little portion from Lotung and other places. On the train, it was time for our teachers to take pictures. But I felt that it was something like paparazzi. But we had our pastime with us, like MP4. After about an hour, we arrived at the destination finally, but it was a pity that it was raining. Recently, Yilan has many raining days, so we all have our umbrella with us. When we were drawing our umbrella, I heard someone called “Master Huang!”. I turned my head toward the direction. Oh, yes, it is Master Huang Chun-Ming. After the members of the troupe moved properties on car, we walked to Nanao Junior High. This is the 4th days of their tour. We helped them in moving the properties. We did not do anything for them in the past. And we must contribute this time. When we arrived at the location, we asked Granny immediately what we can help . She assigned a simple job for us. It was fitting fabrics together and carries their things to their Make-Up room. The members, after we complete the job, sat around their make-up case and started their jobs. What are the jobs? Drawing on their faced to fit to the roles they were assigned. Then they made test of the microphones, each one spoke a line. Time rushed and came to the time for performance. Master Huang gave narration. As our teachers needed to take pictures, I was assigned to operate camera. It is rather difficult. After they finished their 1st performance, we went to have pictures with Master Huang and helped them to clean the grounds, as they have 2nd performance in the after noon. Lunch hour, we finished lunch in the nearby restaurant. When we returned to Nanao Junior High, the troupe member had already in their nap and taking this period, we discussed about the performance in the morning. Then we held an interview of Master Huang Chun-Ming. Later, since we booked 2:30 PM train, we left earlier without watching their 2nd performance.

In this “Li Jr. is not a liar” I can see that they worked hard to make good performance and I believe it will be well received by audience. I am sure it will be very amusing and funny. Each of the actors are with own features—When Li Jr. is in rehearsal, she is very serious, but when she is off from the play, he changed to another person. She is a funny person in her private time. I hope they will perform more good dramas for us.

　　
I like Funny Guy and Li Jr. of this “Li Jr. is not a liar” very much. The actors are young, only grade 3 or 4 in elementary school. The part I like most is that Li Jr. does not push Funny Guy is a nut, but takes him to accomplish many thing, such as feeding mermaid, which is not liked by other persons. Though Funny Guy has never been in Arcadia, he believed in the story of Li Jr. Even though the whole village determines that Li Jr. is a liar, but Funny Guy still tells others that Li Jr. is not a liar. This is the most touching things to me in the drama.

I feel that “LI Jr. is not a liar” is suitable for whole family to watch, young kids or grownups. Many of the actions and sections are arranged properly. The ending is also a fast ending. When I was watching, I felt that Li Jr. is a highly difficult role to play. Other than many lines to be remembered, there are many different moves and actions to do. It is really difficult to play the role assigned. I saw all kinds of properties, shredded paper, flags and costume on the stage and I admired those who made them very much. They are wonderful and each of them is just want was required. This is the best drama I have ever watched.

After watching this drama, I felt that Li Jr. is very pitiable. He told the emperor that there is a place like arcadia but was blemished as a liar as the emperor could not find it. In order to wash off the disgrace, he brought mermaid to town, but was laughed by the town people. I was most impressed by the part close to its end that there were peach pedals falling suddenly. It makes audience happy and when they were spraying to the audience, everybody was excited and happy. Last time where we were in Nanao Junior High, Tze Zung, Yi Shao and Zou Jun had been helping the spray and Sing Yuan and I took pictures from under the stage. I hope I will have chance to spray next time.