It was a chilly Thursday evening on March 5. The ground, trees and rooftops of Beijing had been blanketed in snow for two days. Drum Tower West Theatre, tucked away in a quiet hutong, or narrow alley, in Beijing's iconic Drum and Bell Towers area, was filled with the soft hum of anticipation.
A group of people, ranging from a middle school chemistry teacher to an overworked employee from a tech company, sat in a circle, their eyes focused on the printed pages of the first chapter of the book, The Art of Acting, written by Stella Adler, who was an American actress, teacher, and founder of the Stella Adler Conservatory of Acting.
The night's event was a book reading session, part of the expanding array of workshops hosted by the Night School of Drum Tower West Theatre, an initiative launched on March 5, 2024, aimed at offering emotional nourishment and personal growth through the art of theater.
The group of participants sat comfortably, a mixture of apprehension and curiosity in the air. They had come to explore something beyond their daily routines: a refuge from their work pressures, their social isolation, their ever-busy lives.
Some had never set foot in a theater before, while others were seasoned theater-goers or even professional actors. But that night, they were united by a shared desire to unlock something deeper within themselves.
Wang Hao, with an air of quiet authority, sat among the people, his hands casually holding a copy of the book, which he translated in 2014.
With each of them reading a paragraph of the chapter, they also learned and discussed the idea of acting guided by Wang, a professor in the acting department of the Beijing Film Academy.
Among them was 30-year-old Du Junhong, a middle school chemistry teacher, who has been attending the night school since 2024 to explore the creative and expressive parts of his mind, fulfilling his passion for theater.
"I remember the first session I attended. It was an event during Qingming Festival in April 2024, and we spent a day at the Temple of Heaven, interacting with the trees, connecting with nature, and participating in movement exercises," Du recalls. "I had no real expectations when I came, but the experience was beyond what I imagined. It felt like a deep exploration of the surroundings, a kind of mind-body immersion that I had never experienced before."
The initial surprise and joy at the event sparked Du's continued interest in the night school's offerings. Despite his demanding job as a chemistry teacher, Du found that the night school provided an essential outlet for creative expression and emotional release.
"I've always been fond of theater, dance and music. These forms allow me to expand my imagination, which is something I often don't have the chance to do in my day-today life," he says.
Over the years, Du has participated in various workshops at the night school, including those led by top international instructors, such as the acclaimed actress Suzana Nikolic, founder and artistic director of StudioChekhov, who has worked with the acting method, Chekhov's technique, and who has taught it professionally for over 20 years. StudioChekhov is an acting studio that offers systematic professional training and continual development of acting skills in Croatia.
Du has also been a regular at the weekly Tuesday improvisational theater sessions, where participants engage in spontaneous and often comic performances.
"Improvisation allows you to be fully present in the moment. It helps you break free from your habitual ways of thinking and allows for realtime creativity. And that's something I really value — to be able to get out of my own head and just experience the world as it is," Du says.
According to Zhao Yewen, head of the night school, in 2025 nearly 200 workshops and events were held with thousands of new and returning students. The school has become a spiritual home for many urbanites after school or work.
"In this space, it's the ordinary people who are the real stars," she says. Unlike other activities, drama creates a more open, welcoming environment, blending physical and mental training, observation, imitation, sensory experiences, creativity, teamwork, music, storytelling, dialogue, and the full spectrum of emotions.
"Here, you can let go of the roles you play in everyday life and at work. You get to reconnect with 'yourself' first, then slow down to truly feel, express, listen, communicate, collaborate, imagine and co-create," she says.
Zhao, a former editor of a publishing company in Beijing, recalls many touching moments. For example, two mother-son pairs joined a performance workshop. One son was recovering from a breakup, and the other was navigating the rebellious years of high school. Both mothers hoped the experience would help their children overcome emotional struggles. Afterward, the mothers bonded over dinner, while the sons became friends. What started as a class turned into a meaningful connection between strangers.
One summer, a young woman signed her retired parents up for a reading group. The elderly couple joined the younger participants in singing and dancing, fully engaged in the experience. Another regular brought her mother to a physical theater workshop, where the mother performed scenes like breastfeeding and changing diapers, letting the daughter see a side of her mother she'd never known. They both left the workshop with newfound joy and understanding.
"Many newcomers to Beijing, whether for work or study, find themselves isolated in a new city. But once they discover the night school, they become regulars. Some attend up to six times a week, finding a sense of community and emotional support that makes them feel less lonely. Here, they find their home away from home," says Zhao.
According to Li Yangduo, the founder of Drum Tower West Theatre, the idea of launching the night school marked a bold new step for the establishment as it celebrated its 10th anniversary back in 2024.
It started with Li's vision: as the night falls and the world quiets, the hustle of the day fades, and a new kind of magic begins to unfold. After a long day of work, people gather at the theater, not just to watch a performance, but to immerse themselves in a completely different world.
"Here, the stage becomes a space where anyone, regardless of experience, can step out of their everyday roles and explore the artistry of theater," says Li. "It's more than just a creative outlet; it's a place of personal transformation."
Contact the writer at chennan@chinadaily.com.cn
