She adds that she wants to present a contemporary interpretation of the story while remaining faithful to the script by the author.

Eager to tap her full potential in theatrical expression, Jin decided to take on a second role in the play as the prostitute Cuixi, a character who shares a similar fate as Chen, but is poorer and not as pretentious.

All the characters in the play have voluntarily chosen their way of life, except for an innocent teenager nicknamed Little Thing, who is forced into prostitution and eventually takes her own life.

"Her perspective will be vital for the play," she adds.

Jin started her career as a modern dancer and founded her own dance company in 1999, of which she is still the director and choreographer. In the new theater production, all 18 dancers from her company will take part in the show and present the characters' mental struggles in physical movements.

The leading male character Fang Dasheng will be played by Chen Long, a veteran television actor. Chen says it is a privilege to be a part of the production and work with Jin. More importantly, he is looking forward to the immediate response from the audience, which would be far more satisfactory than acting on the silver screen.

The SHOAC has in past years presented concerts of internationally acclaimed orchestras such as the Vienna Philharmonic, and hosted annual showcases of traditional Chinese operas. This year, the theater will expand its operations and be involved in the investment and production of theater shows, with Sunrise being the first production.

The second production The Road We Have Taken (Renjian Zhengdao Shi Cangsang), will be adapted from a 2009 TV series of the same title.

The play, which tells the story about modern Chinese revolution, will premiere in theaters on July 1 in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China.