Professor Wu Yan's award-winning science fiction semi-autobiography "China Orbit" has been adapted into a stage drama, paving a new direction in the development of sci-fi that Wu hopes will capture more people's attention.

A scene from the live stage adaptation "China Orbit: Spring." [Photo courtesy of Eight Light Minutes Culture]

The hour-long stage adaptation, "China Orbit: Spring," is directed by Huang Yiyang and is the first installment for a series of planned stage shows. This production, along with three later installments, all named after the seasons, will together form a complete adaptation of Wu's novel, according to Yang Feng, founder and CEO of the Chinese sci-fi brand Eight Light Minutes Culture and the producer for the production.

"China Orbit" is an acclaimed children's sci-fi novel. In 2021, it won both the National Outstanding Children's Literature award and best children's sci-fi novel at the second Children's Science Fiction Nebula Awards. Written as part personal memoir and part science fiction adventure, this literary work tells the story of how a child gets involved in a thrilling human spaceflight project. 

In 2023, Huang Yiyang decided to create an adaptation of "China Orbit" for the stage and began writing a script. He was touched and inspired by the book's authentic child-centric perspective, which treats its characters and plotlines from a child's viewpoint seriously rather than belittling or trivializing them through an adult lens. After reading the book's epilogue, Huang said he understood that the author was sincerely addressing a dream that their generation had grown up with.

Sci-fi writer and scholar Wu Yan holds his award-winning book "China Orbit" at his home in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, Aug. 14, 2021. [Photo provided to China.org.cn]

Wu, a Chinese sci-fi pioneer, scholar, writer and professor at the Southern University of Science and Technology's Center for the Humanities, attended a special performance for children held at the Chengdu Science Fiction Museum in Chengdu, Sichuan province, on Sept. 1, the first day of the 2024-2025 academic year for Chinese students. The children who attended the show reacted positively and passionately, saying the story inspired their enthusiasm and longing for sci-fi and space.

Wu told them that the story is inspired by his own childhood and that he hopes, through this stage adaptation of his work, everyone will be moved to establish grand ideals from a young age and to contribute their intelligence and talents to the future development of China and humanity.

"China Orbit: Spring" is planned to have regular performances at the Chengdu Science Fiction Museum until the end of this year.

Wu Yan told China.org.cn that he felt that sci-fi stage plays will be a new direction and domain for the sci-fi industry. He suggested establishing a specific category for such plays in future sci-fi award ceremonies and organizing sci-fi stage play forums in order to explore their potential.

Cast and crew of "China Orbit: Spring" and author Wu Yan pose for a photo on stage at the Chengdu Science Fiction Museum in Chengdu, Sichuan province, Sept. 1, 2024. [Photo courtesy of Eight Light Minutes Culture]

"China Orbit: Spring" is not the only sci-fi stage play that has started to gain attention. In recent years, several shows, such as "Cloud Body," "AI in Love" and "The Unicorn," have been gaining widespread traction. Wu felt the sci-fi stage play is an upgrade from text and an economic way to present sci-fi stories, being that it involves a smaller budget and has more controllable factors compared to a movie's production. 

"I do think it has great prospects," Wu said. "I really hope that more people pay attention to this area and that we can have more talents and resources participating so that we can carve out a new path for China's sci-fi development," he added.

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