The troupe members lead a simple life. In Qingquan town, where the circumstances are relatively better, the actors share a courtyard house with several other households.

Yan Laowu, his wife and 7-year-old son have converted one corner of the backstage into their bedroom. Household items and opera props share their bed.

"The condition is much better now. I used to sleep in the open stage and use a piece of plastic to stay warm during winter days," says 40-year-old Yan, who is bubbly and talkative.

Unable to afford expensive props and costumes, the troupe uses cheaper substitutes. For example, fishing lines are used to replace yak-tail hairs to make fake beards. They also use cheap prickly heat powder as makeup base, and vegetable oil as makeup remover.

Despite the constraints, the troupe members are always in high spirits. They joke and laugh aloud. When off stage, they'd chat or play mahjong together to kill time.

Yan enjoys watching news and pirated blockbusters on his small TV.

From a family with a long opera singing tradition, Yan learned to perform with his father at 7. Yan and his two brothers, who are with the troupe, had performed in different places with their grandfather since early 1980s.

Like many troupe actors who had given up the stage life for better livelihoods in the past years, Yan operated a restaurant for half a year.

"The business was not so bad," he explains. "But I decided to return. I am more used to life with the troupe."

Many troupe members started learning opera at an early age and received very limited education in school. Some of them had tried different jobs, such as production line work, but returned.

"We stick to the opera stage simply because we love it. We can make a better living doing anything else. I just can't drop the skill that I spent so long to learn," says 49-year-old troupe member Liu Anzhen.

To support her three young children, Liu, who learned to perform opera at 11, once quit to became a businesswoman for more than 10 years.

"But I continued singing when I was at home," Liu recalls, beaming a big smile. "I went back to performing opera again since my children have grown up."

For some members, the opera has gradually become an important source of confidence in their life. At least for three hours a day, they are "emperors", "princes", "scholars" or "ladies" who enjoy the limelight on stage.

"Sometimes I feel I am a different person as soon as I put on the costumes," says Yan Dandan.

Because of a shortage of hands, the troupe members often take up a wide portfolio of responsibilities. It's a natural thing for them to act different roles in the same play.

Every day, Yan Laowu plays a handful of instruments fixed before him, including the traditional suona, or trumpet, the gong and drum, and erhu (two-stringed bowed musical instrument).

"The busy transition makes us tired, but we have gotten used to it," says Yan. "After all, we all depend on performing to support ourselves."

liuxiangrui@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily USA 07/24/2013 page10)