山东沾化，一个位于渤海之滨的小县城，这里有绵延千年的渔家文化，也孕育了吟唱数百年的渔鼓戏。渔鼓戏历经兴衰守望着沾化人的传承，沾化渔鼓戏剧团就诞生在这里，再过不久，这个出自小县城、小戏种的小剧团，将受邀去埃及参加国际实验戏剧节，登上国际舞台。

　　一座小城，因为一群人的坚守和突破，将渔鼓戏这一方小戏唱成了一出大戏，而关于渔鼓戏破圈成长的故事，不仅是一个地方小戏种于困境中迸发力量的故事，更是小城小剧团如何破除生存焦虑的故事。

　　“小城里出大戏，小剧团里出精品”的罕见景象印证了渔鼓戏的成功，而沾化渔鼓戏剧团的成功，也为全国同类院团提供了宝贵的经验。

　　重生之路

　　渔鼓戏距今有300余年历史，于2008年6月被列入国家非物质文化遗产名录，因主唱者怀抱渔鼓，手持简板击节说唱而得名，在山东境内广为流传。凭借灵活自由的表演内容和接地气的演唱方式，渔鼓戏深受百姓喜爱。

　　然而，由于渔鼓戏属于地方小戏，长久以来从未登上大的舞台，如何传承，一度堪忧。

　　曾几何时，沾化渔鼓戏剧团的前身——沾化吕剧团也一样面临生存的困境。改制前，剧团资金短缺，观众流失，创作乏力，几乎陷入了停滞状态。

　　“我是在2005年接任沾化吕剧团团长，那时候，非常不景气，演出场次越来越少，整个剧团一年收入两三万块钱。”时至今日，渔鼓戏剧团的负责人王春贞回忆起改制前的艰难岁月，语气中依然带着一丝沉重。

　　他说，那时候有的演员去蹬三轮、卖豆芽、卖服装、炸油条。能不能给剧团找到出路的问题每天都困扰着王春贞。

　　然而，正是这种困境，激发了他和团队变革的决心。

　　那时候，院团的一位老师傅告诉王春贞，沾化有个宝贝叫渔鼓戏，深受当地群众喜爱，只不过由于传承人都已年迈，渔鼓戏和吕剧团一样，也已经走到了存亡的十字路口。

　　就是在这种异常艰难的情况下，王春贞多次考察学习渔鼓戏，并下定决心：剧团改制，自负盈亏，而且吕剧团改唱渔鼓戏！

　　“为什么要改唱渔鼓戏？在省内，吕剧唱得再好，唱不过省级吕剧团。我们只能找自己的路子，如果改制成功，皆大欢喜，大家一块受益。如果改制失败，所有的开支我一人承担！”王春贞说。

　　彼时，剧团刚改制并且转唱渔鼓戏，但沾化只有四个老艺人还能唱渔鼓。于是，剧团就和老艺人同吃住，“他们手把手地教，一句一句地教，我们一句一句地学唱。”

　　从吕剧转学渔鼓戏，剧种之间的区别肯定是不一样的，但整个沾化渔鼓戏剧团已经没有退路，唱好渔鼓戏，并且唱出名头是他们唯一的出路。

　　在这种极端困难的情况下，背水一战的王春贞们愣是一句句、一幕幕地排出了完整的作品。又在老艺人的指导下，抠细节，做提升，尽量把作品打磨成型。

王春贞（中）在排练现场

　　功夫不负有心人，转机很快出现。

　　在2006年举行的中国博兴国际小戏艺术节上，成立刚一年的沾化渔鼓戏剧团首战告捷，他们的作品《审衙役》获得了7项大奖，总分第一名。

　　那天是2006年4月29日，这一天，王春贞永远忘不了。

　　那一天是沾化渔鼓戏团的重生，也是渔鼓戏的重生。

　　破圈之路

　　有作为就有地位，有生命力才有市场。初战告捷，让沾化渔鼓戏剧团在省内站稳了脚跟，但绝对难言成功。王春贞深知，只有不断创新，才能吸引观众，才能在市场中立足。

　　“我们不仅要传承传统，还要让传统焕发新的生命力。”他常常对团队这样说。“我们的郑板桥三部曲虽然是古装戏，但是我们演古说今，这就是生命力所在。”

　　为了保证持续的作品输出，沾化渔鼓戏剧团组建了一支年轻而富有创造力的创作团队，深入挖掘沾化地方文化，将渔鼓戏的传统元素与现代艺术形式相结合，创作出了一批既具有地方特色又符合现代观众审美的优秀作品：

　　2009年，剧团排练的郑板桥系列剧之二《追龙缸》，再获“中国戏剧奖·小戏小品奖”大赛的“优秀剧目奖”，沾化渔鼓戏被列入第一批国家级非物质文化遗产扩展项目名录。

　　2011年，郑板桥系列剧之三《打板桥》再登“中国戏剧奖·小戏小品奖”大赛榜首，实现“三连冠”。

　　2017年，作品《老邪上任》一经推出，就凭借曲折动人的剧情、诙谐幽默的表演和渔鼓戏独有的唱腔，赢得观众和专家的一致叫好。并于2019年5月23日一举摘得十八届戏剧类“群星奖”。

　　近年来，沾化渔鼓戏更是佳作频出：《今夕何夕》取材于《唐传奇·义侠》， 讲述了晚唐时期的一段恩仇故事，情节跌宕起伏，发人深省；《煮海》则是戏曲舞台上第一次呈现“盐文化”的剧目，作品以“盐”为媒介连接起历史与今天，借“盐文化”精炼深化主题，整部剧作既具有传统戏曲的生动魅力，又不失现代审美的新颖感，给观众带来了全新的视听体验。

渔鼓戏剧照

　　这些原创作品不仅在本地上演时场场爆满，还多次受邀参加全国性的戏剧展演，赢得了广泛赞誉，《今夕何夕》更是受到国际舞台邀约，即将成为首部走出国门的渔鼓戏作品。而沾化渔鼓戏和他们的剧团也因此成为地方戏剧院团中的一匹黑马，走出了一条属于自己的破圈之路。

　　更令人欣喜的是，沾化渔鼓戏的成功吸引了大批年轻人的关注。一些来自顶级学府的年轻人纷纷加入剧团，为剧团注入了新鲜血液，同时也带来了前沿的理念。

　　“当初只有20多人，现在我们发展到40人左右，一年我们演出300场左右，与其说我们拯救了渔鼓戏，不如说渔鼓戏拯救了我们！”王春贞说。

　　传承之路

　　沾化渔鼓戏剧团的故事，是一个关于变革与坚守的故事。通过改制实现自我管理，通过原创作品推陈出新，通过坚守初心传承文化，剧团在小城市的小剧场里实现了大发展，成为地方戏剧院团自我造血、自我发展的典范。

　　沾化渔鼓戏剧团的成功，不仅为全国同类院团提供了宝贵的经验，也为地方文化的传承与创新注入了新的活力。在这个小城里，一出出大戏正在上演，而沾化渔鼓戏的故事，也将继续书写下去。

渔鼓戏获得群星奖

　　Zhanhua, a small county (now a district) located on the coast of the Bohai Sea in Shandong province, is home to a millennia-old fishing culture and has given birth to the centuries-old Yugu Opera. Yugu Opera has experienced both rise and decline, yet it continues to be cherished and passed down by the people of Zhanhua. The Zhanhua Yugu Opera Troupe was born in this very place. Before long, this small troupe from a small county and a minor opera genre will be invited to participate in the International Experimental Theatre Festival in Egypt and step onto the international stage.

　　A small county, through the perseverance and innovation of a dedicated group of people, has transformed the local Yugu Opera from a minor regional drama into a major theatrical production. The story of Yugu Opera's breakthrough and growth is not only about how a local theatrical genre can unleash its potential in adversity but also about how a small county's drama troupe overcomes existential anxieties.

　　The rare phenomenon of "a small city producing a grand drama and a small troupe creating high-quality works" has validated the success of Yugu Opera. Moreover, the success of the Zhanhua Yugu Opera Troupe has provided valuable experience for similar troupes across the country.

　　The Path of Rebirth

　　Yugu Opera, with a history of over 300 years, was inscribed on the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List in June 2008. It is named for the performers who hold a "yugu" (a type of drum) in their arms and use bamboo clappers to keep the rhythm while singing and reciting. Widely popular in Shandong Province, Yugu Opera is beloved by the public for its flexible and free-form performance content and its down-to-earth singing style.

　　However, as a local minor drama, Yugu Opera has long been confined to small stages and has never had the opportunity to perform on larger platforms. As a result, its future as a cultural heritage has been a cause for concern in terms of preservation and transmission.

　　Once upon a time, the predecessor of the Zhanhua Yugu Opera Troupe—the Zhanhua Lu Opera Troupe—similarly faced dire survival challenges. Before the reform, the troupe was plagued by financial shortages, a dwindling audience, and a lack of creative vitality, almost falling into a state of stagnation.

　　"I took over as the director of the Zhanhua Lu Opera Troupe in 2005. Back then, things were really bleak. The number of performances was dwindling, and the entire troupe's annual income was only twenty to thirty thousand yuan," Wang Chunzhen, the head of the Yugu Opera Troupe, recalled the tough times before the reform, still with a hint of gravity in his voice.

　　He said that at that time, some actors had to resort to pedaling rickshaws, selling bean sprouts, selling clothes, or frying dough sticks to make a living. The question of whether a way out could be found for the troupe haunted Wang Chunzhen every day.

　　However, it was precisely this predicament that ignited his team's determination to bring about change.

　　At that time, a veteran master from the troupe told Wang Chunzhen that there was a treasure in Zhanhua called Yugu Opera, which was deeply loved by the local people. However, just like the Lu Opera troupe, Yugu Opera had also come to a crossroads of survival and extinction because its inheritors were all advanced in age.

　　It was under these extremely difficult circumstances that Wang Chunzhen conducted multiple investigations and studies on Yugu Operaand made up his mind: to restructure the troupe to be financially self-sufficient, and to switch from performing Lu Opera to Yugu Opera!

　　“Why switch to Yugu Opera? No matter how well we perform Lu Opera within the province, we can never outperform the provincial Lu Opera troupes. We have to find our own path. If the restructuring succeeds, everyone will benefit and be delighted. But if it fails, I will take responsibility for all the expenses myself!” said Wang Chunzhen.

　　At that time, the troupe had just been restructured and switched to performing Yugu Opera. However, in Zhanhua, there were only four elderly artists who could still perform this opera. So, the troupe members lived and ate with these veteran artists, “They taught us step by step, line by line, and we learned to sing line by line.”

　　Transitioning from Lu Opera to Yugu Opera certainly involved differences between the two genres. But for the entire Zhanhua Yugu Opera Troupe, there was no turning back. Performing Yugu Opera well and making a name for themselves was their only way forward.

　　Under such extremely difficult circumstances, Wang Chunzhen and his team, with their backs against the wall, painstakingly rehearsed line by line and scene by scene to produce a complete work. Under the guidance of the veteran artists, they refined the details and made improvements, striving to perfect their performance.

　　Their efforts paid off, and a turning point soon emerged.

　　At the 2006 China Boxing International Mini-Opera Festival, the Zhanhua Yugu Opera Troupe, which had only been established for a year, achieved a resounding success. Their work "The Trial of the Constable" won seven major awards and topped the overall score.

　　That day was April 29, 2006—a day that Wang Chunzhen would never forget.

　　That day marked the rebirth of the Zhanhua Yugu Opera Troupe, as well as the rebirth of Yugu Opera itself.

　　The Path to Breaking Through

　　Where there is achievement, there is standing; where there is vitality, there is a market. The initial victory allowed the Zhanhua Yugu Opera Troupe to establish a foothold within the province, but it was by no means a definitive success. Wang Chunzhen was well aware that only through continuous innovation could they attract audiences and secure a position in the market.

　　“We must not only preserve tradition, but also breathe new life into it,” he often said to her team. “Our 'Zheng Banqiao Trilogy' may be set in ancient times, but we use these stories to convey contemporary messages. That is where the vitality lies.”

　　To ensure a continuous output of works, the Zhanhua Yugu Opera Troupe established a young and creative production team. They delved deeply into the local culture of Zhanhua, combining the traditional elements of Yugu Opera with modern art forms. As a result, they created a series of excellent works that not only reflect local characteristics but also meet the aesthetic demands of modern audiences:

　　In 2009, the troupe's production of the second installment of the Zheng Banqiao series, "The Chase for the Dragon Jar", once again won the "Outstanding Play Award" at the "ChinaDrama Award·Playlets and Sketches Competition." In the same year, Zhanhua Yugu Opera was included in the first batch of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage Expanded Project List.

　　In 2011, the third installment of the Zheng Banqiao series, "Beating Banqiao", once again topped the "China Drama Award·Playlets and Sketches Competition," achieving a "three-peat" championship.

　　In 2017, the production "Lao XieTakes Office" won over audiences and experts alike immediately upon its release, thanks to its intricate and touching storyline, witty and humorous performance, and the unique vocal style of Yugu Opera. On May 23, 2019, it went on to win the 18th "Star Award" in the drama category.

　　In recent years, Zhanhua Yugu Opera has seen a continuous stream of outstanding works. "Jinxi Hexi" was adapted from the Tang Dynasty legend "Yixia" and tolda story of revenge and gratitude set in the late Tang period. The plot was full of twists and turns, and it was thought-provoking." Boiling the Sea Water" was the first-ever Yugu Opera to present the theme of "salt culture" on the stage. The work used "salt" as a medium to connect history and the present, refining and deepening its theme through the essence of salt culture. The entire production combined the vivid charm of traditional opera with the novelty of modern aesthetics, offering audiences a brand-new audio-visual experience.

　　These original works have not only been performed to packed houses locally, but have also been invited multiple times to participate in national drama exhibitions, where they have garnered widespread acclaim. "Jinxi Hexi" has even received invitations to international stages and is set to become the first Yugu Opera production to step onto the global stage. As a result, Zhanhua Yugu Opera and its troupe have emerged as a dark horse among local drama troupes, forging a unique path to breaking through.

　　More encouragingly, the success of Zhanhua Yugu Opera has attracted the attention of a large number of young people. Many young talents from top-tier universities have joined the troupe, bringing in fresh blood as well as cutting-edge concepts.

　　"Initially, we only had about 20 people. Now we have grown to around 40 members. We perform about 300 shows a year. It’s not so much that we have saved Yugu Opera, but rather that Yugu Opera has saved us!" said Wang Chunzhen.

　　The Path of Inheritance

　　The story of the Zhanhua Yugu Opera Troupe is one of transformation and perseverance. By restructuring to achieve self-management, continuously innovating through original works, and steadfastly preserving cultural heritage, the troupe has realized significant growth within the confines of a small county’s modest theaters. It has become a model for local drama troupes in terms of self-sustainability and development.

　　The success of the Zhanhua Yugu Opera Troupe not only offers valuable experience for similar troupes nationwide but also infuses new vitality into the inheritance and innovation of local culture. In this small county, grand performances continue to unfold, and the story of Zhanhua Yugu Opera will keep being written.

　　视频直播中心、大众网滨洲站、无限工作室联合出品

　　策划：魏鹏 冯炜程 辛然

　　文案：马鑫 张一帆

　　翻译：武玮佳