Art director Stan Lai [Global Times]

As a playwright and director, Lai warns that dramas should not only be made for entertainment alone. "Since 2006, with more and more contact with the mainland, I found that people's values have shifted toward money, which makes performing art on the Chinese Chinese mainland seem very profit-driven. This is misleading and it would become very dangerous if dramas are only made as entertainment, " Lai said.

"No matter if we're talking about America or China, they all exist in an age centering on consumption and materialism. Under such circumstances, perhaps performing art can enlighten people, and I hope that I can contribute to the development of culture here with the little power I have."

Though almost all his plays have seen success, Lai said he did not take box office numbers into consideration while writing a play.

"If you keep thinking about the market while creating, it's a trap, because it will be hard to avoid compromising oneself," he said. "Many people think that the theater now means big business, but what they don't know is that about half of the audiences nowadays are seeing a play for the first time. Their first experience will definitely influence their next choice. If they see a lame play, they may never go to the theater again."