Launched in both Chinese and English, the website, www.bjry.com or www.bjpat.com, is claimed as the first professional drama website launched by a theater at national level.

Users can watch several video versions of famous Chinese dramas from Thursday and nearly 30 works selected from a number of works nationwide during the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS).

Some well-known actors and directors with the theater such as Pu Cunxin, Xu Fan and Lin Zhaohua will chat with fans on-line regularly. Drama fans will be able to book tickets on line as well.

Meanwhile, a drama called "I Love Peach Blossom" will be staged on June 20, the first play in Beijing since the SARS crisis, according to Ma Xin, the head of the theater.

(Xinhua News Agency June 13, 2003)