On January 11th, the Mandarin version of the musical "I am What I Am" finally had its grand premiere at the Guangzhou Opera House. Famous Hong Kong actor Jordan Chan, who played the role of Qiang not only skillfully played Meihuaquan and performed one-third of the original songs in solos and duets, but also brought laughter to the audience with his vivid body language and lines, which presented the strength and versatility accumulated over decades as a multi-talented artist.

From late 2023 to early 2024, Jordan Chan spent over two months immersing himself in Guangzhou, wholeheartedly devoting himself to the role of Qiang in the musical. He participated in stage rehearsals, vocal training, and lion dance lessons. The actor reset his four decades of stage experience and gradually shaped his character together with the team.

Before the premiere, Jordan Chan sat down for an exclusive interview with a reporter from the Yangcheng Evening News, sharing his experience and feelings about participating in an original musical on the Chinese mainland for the first time.

Working on a musical with young performers for the first time, Jordan Chan found it refreshing, stating, "We learn together, have fun, and enjoy ourselves." When discussing the rehearsal process, he said that establishing mutual trust and understanding with all the actors on stage was quite challenging.

In the play, Jordan Chan portrays the hidden lion dance master named Qiang. When asked about learning the lion dance, he said, "The lion dance is truly difficult!" The team specially invited Zhao Weibin, the fifth-generation heir of the "Zhao Family's Lion Dance" and the son of master Zhao Jihong, the provincial inheritor of Guangdong's intangible cultural heritage project - Awakening Lion - to teach the actors lion dance performances. Jordan Chan added, "It's not something that can be mastered in a few months or even half a year or a year to perform lion dance well. It's even more difficult to capture its spirit. We can only practice and strive every day, hoping to present the cultural essence and vitality of Lingnan."

In addition to the challenging lion dance, Jordan Chan's foremost consideration was how to better connect with his character. He immersed himself deeply in the role, delving into the characters' backgrounds and understanding their emotions beyond the music and script.

In the context of a play that involved a character's journey of growth amidst challenges and difficulties, Jordan Chan drew a parallel between this theme and his personal experiences. He likened life to the stock market, a volatile entity that experiences fluctuations in value. Despite this unpredictability, he emphasized the importance of pursuing activities that bring joy and contentment, regardless of the market's performance.

The musical "I am What I Am" is adapted from the popular animated film IP of the same name. It not only focuses on the inspirational story of a young boy's growth but also serves as a song dedicated to every striving underdog.

Juan, an ordinary left-behind boy who has been weak and ill since childhood and suffered constant bullying, discovers his passion for lion dance when he meets a girl with the same name. With the help of two friends, Juan forms the Lion Dance Team and becomes a disciple of the skilled lion dance master Qiang. The team undergoes rigorous training day and night to compete in the prestigious "National Lion Dance Competition."

Source:Yangcheng Evening News

《雄狮少年》首演成功，陈小春挑战舞狮直呼“很难”

1月11日，音乐剧《雄狮少年》普通话版终于在广州大剧院举行盛大首演。饰演“咸鱼强”的陈小春不仅辗转腾挪走梅花桩、以独唱合唱的方式演绎了剧中三分之一的原创歌曲，还凭借生动的肢体语言和台词带给观众欢笑，尽展一位多栖艺人从业几十年积累而来的实力和可塑性。

2023年年底到2024年年初，陈小春用两个多月的时间扎根在广州，把自己踏踏实实地交给音乐剧《雄狮少年》普通话版中的“咸鱼强”一角。走台、练唱、学舞狮……陈小春把过往四十年的舞台经验归零，跟剧组一起慢慢完成对人物的塑造。

首演之前，陈小春接受了羊城晚报记者独家专访，认真分享了自己首次参演内地音乐剧的体验和感受。

第一次和年轻人一起排练音乐剧，陈小春觉得很新鲜，“大家一起学习，好玩，开心。”提起排练过程，他表示，和同台所有演员建立起互相信任的默契很有挑战。

陈小春在剧中饰演隐世舞狮高手“咸鱼强”，当提到舞狮学习时，陈小春直呼“舞狮真的很难“！剧组特别邀请国家级非遗项目广东醒狮的省级非遗传承人、“赵家狮”第五代嫡传人、“南狮王”赵继红之子赵伟斌对演员进行醒狮表演教学。陈小春坦言，“不是两三个月、半年一年就能够把舞狮舞得好看的，要舞出精神来就更难了。只能每天练每天试，希望更好地呈现一些属于我们岭南的文化和精气神在里面。”

除了高难度的醒狮的挑战，如何更好地贴近角色，是陈小春考虑最多的。他把自己深入代入人物角色，深入探索其成长背景，理解音乐和剧本描述下的人物心境。

对于本剧中人物成长的心路历程和跌跌撞撞、逆风翻盘的励志之路，陈小春也用自己的个人的经验和感受打了比方，他说：“人生就好像股市一样，一定有升有跌。应该做一点自己喜欢的、让自己开心的事情，管它什么低不低谷，高不高光。”

【链接】

音乐剧《雄狮少年》改编自现象级同名国漫电影IP，不仅仅着眼于少年成长的励志故事，更是写给每一个努力奋斗的小人物的歌。

剧中，平凡的留守少年阿娟，自幼体弱多病，终日被人欺负，一天他遇上一位与他同名的少女，少女对舞狮的热情，为阿娟打开了梦想的大门。阿娟连同两位好友组成雄狮小队，拜入隐世舞狮高手咸鱼强的门下，师徒四人一往无前，日夜接受艰苦特训，向着“全国醒狮大赛”的目标昂然踏步。

文｜记者 艾修煜
译｜白心怡
图｜受访者、夏冬等