About Us

The Global Youth Alliance for Chinese Drama (GYACD) is a non-profit organization tax-exempt under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Services Code. Our founders come from globally minded secondary and higher education institutions such as Nanjing Foreign Language School, Shenzhen College of International Education, University of Chicago, and New York University, among others.

 

GYACD started with the musings of a few high school students trained in Euro-American theatrical traditions yet keenly interested in Chinese expressions on stage, both traditional and modern, local and global. This focus group soon connected with undergraduate and graduate students interested in theater and invested in similar issues in the latter half of 2023. Noticing the lack of opportunities for younger enthusiasts in Chinese theater inside and outside the classroom, especially for high school students, we felt compelled to build a platform to promote Chinese theater in general, encourage its integration into educational programs, and support its young participants. 

 

GYACD regularly hosts and sponsors workshops, masterclasses, speaker series, performances, and other events related to Chinese drama. Announcements of these events can be found in the “News & Events” page of our site.

 

Additionally, GYACD organizes an annual Global Youth Sinophone Theater Creative Initiative This initiative invites young theater-makers to submit their original plays in Chinese and/or English for awards and prizes. There are also opportunities for these works to be published by GYACD and performed by professional troupes or student theatrical organizations associated with renowned universities. For details, see the “Creative Initiative” page of our site.