"It will be my first musical as a director and it reminds me of my days with the theater as a young actress," says Liu, who is also an acting teacher at the Central Academy of Drama. "The story of Two Times Lotte is about love and courage, not only for children but also for adults."

Some other creative members behind the Chinese version also have acting experience with Shiki Theatre, such as Liu Wei, who is the music director of the Chinese musical and choreographer Niu Junjie, who performed with the Japanese theater as an actor.

Zhang Jing and Zhang Ying, a pair of twins, stood out during the audition, who will play the role of Lisa and Lotte in the musical. Singer-songwriter Man Jiang, who rose to fame with his pop hits during the late 1990s, will perform as the father in the musical.

Contact the writer at chennan@chinadaily.com.cn