Shandong Local Opera
Shandong Local Opera, performed to the accompaniment of wooden clappers, is one of the old types of Shandong local dramas. It has developed from Shaanxi Opera in Ming Dynasty, and has a history of over 300 years. It is popular in the southwest of Shandong Province. The music for voice in this kind of opera is emotional, loud and sonorous. The type of time for music is complex and changeable. The forms of performance are straightforward and uninhibited, and the gestures are exaggerated. The opera is good at expressing the straightforward and unrestrained characters of Shandong natives. With strong local characteristics and local flavor.
Tai'an Shandong Local Opera Troupe, which was established in 1952, is the only performing troupe of this kind of drama remained. The troupe has about 100 performers and staff at present, including 3 first-class performers (one of them enjoys the special subsidy from the State Council), 20 second class performers and over 30 third-class performers. The main performing dramas include: traditional dramas Empress Dowager He Scolded the Emperor, Wufeng Ridge, Family Yang Generals, and newly edited historical dramas Miss Yang Bajie Rescuing Her Brother etc., especially the large-scale modern drama rehearsed in recent years Eyas on Taishan Mountain, Full of Love on Taishan Mountain and Sister-in-law which not only got the award of "Perfect Project" in Shandong, but also were broadcast on CCTV and got the state awards.
Acrobatics
Tai'an City Acrobatics Troupe has over 60 performers at present, whose age is less than 20 years old on average. It is a troupe with strong capability in Shandong acrobatic circle and is also well known in China. The main repertoires of the acrobatic troupe are Comic Soft High-wire Walding, Passing through the Barrel, Rotating Carpet with Lithe Movement Kicking Bowls on High Bicycle and Flying Trapeze etc., in which, Passng through the Barrel gained the Copper-lion Award in the Acrobatic Competition in the East of China. The performers of the troupe; with well-balanced cast and wonderful programs, have actively performed in Shanghai Big World, Jiuxian Palace and Zhuhai's New Yuanming Garden etc. in recent years. In September 1998, the troupe was designated by China Performer Association to attend the Chinese Culture Festival in Hawaii, USA. The performance lasted three months. The troupe was warmly welcomed by the local audiences and tourist groups, highly appraised and received by the Chief Executive of Hawaii State and Honolulu City.