Wanzuo Xiao Theatre

Through 曉劇場's productions, its theatre space, the Mengjia International Dance Festival and its artist residency programme, it connects with networks in Taiwan and abroad. The theatre occupies Warehouse B of the 臺糖 Taipei warehouses, originally a sugar warehouse from the Japanese colonial period that witnessed the development of the local sugar industry. In 2003 the city's cultural affairs department designated it a municipal monument. After restoration it became the Tangbu Cultural Park (糖廍文化園區), renamed Taipei Sugar Works (臺北製糖所) in 2025; its cultural and historical value was kept while it became a base for nurturing traditional arts. 曉劇場 leased and moved into the building through Taipei's Old House Cultural Movement programme, turning it into a professional theatre for creation, performance and training. This protects the building's cultural value and ties artistic work closely to the historic site, making it part of local cultural memory. After the monument was restored, the space was converted over three years and officially opened in 2022, making 曉劇場 Taiwan's first theatre company to live in symbiosis with its own venue. The venue has an artistic director who plans programmes around each year's theme, such as the Mengjia International Dance Festival and the Wanzuo Focus series. It also provides rehearsal and performance space for performing arts groups, bringing more of their work to Wanhua. In a spirit of open collaboration, it both stages its own shows and curated programmes and makes the space available to other theatre companies and arts groups. Since arriving in Wanhua, 曉劇場 has become closely involved in the local community, drawing on it for its work and carrying out a number of social and cultural projects. It has made theatre about homeless people and sex workers that challenges social stereotypes. It also runs community drama classes and has presented the Otter Project (水獺計畫) series of works; works with 南海發展中心 on inclusive theatre classes for people with disabilities; develops drama performances with nearby Dali Elementary School; and takes pupils to the Sugarcane Festival, a local celebration held every autumn, to remember the area's sugar history together. Through the performing arts it promotes culture in the community and raises Wanhua's cultural profile.

Translated and shortened by DealTaipei from Taiwan's national tourism database. Sources are on the terms page.