SHANGHAI, CHINA, Sept. 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Following its Shanghai debut, The Underworld Intern (《摆渡人日志》), an original musical created by student artist Ashley Ge and AHA Theatre, is now being expanded into an English-language version and a school-based educational model, with a sequel also in development. The project uses a fantastical reimagining of the Chinese underworld to help teenagers explore grief, attachment, identity, and the difficult process of saying goodbye.

Creator Ashley Ge, who served as playwright, producer, director, lyricist, choreographer, costume, set, and lighting designer, developed the production to help children confront emotions that classrooms rarely teach them how to handle. “No one ever systematically taught teenagers how to face farewells, including how to say goodbye to loved ones, to relationships, or even to certain parts of themselves,” explained Ge. “But this is a lesson that every person in this world will eventually have to learn.”

Developing the 90-minute musical involved a 24-member cast and crew drawn from AHA Theatre. Since its founding, the youth-led group has viewed musical theatre as a way to engage young people with real-world issues.

Established by high school students in 2024, AHA Theatre provides free theatre education to underserved children through programs connected with the Shanghai Children’s Foundation.

The Underworld Intern is designed for teenagers confronting difficult questions about loss, attachment, change and growing up. The story follows Susu, a young girl overwhelmed by an immense urge to find her older sister who died from an accident. She signs a contract to become a soul ferryman in the underworld, working to guide one hundred spirits toward reincarnation in order to earn the chance to see her sister again. As Susu encounters more souls trapped by their own obsessions, she gradually discovers that death is not one’s true ending. After overcoming her unwillingness to accept change, she discovers that the best farewell is to carry that person’s memory and continue to live.

The production applies a distinctly Chinese theatrical language. Its costumes and stage design draw on Chinese aesthetics, while Shanghainese appears in its lyrics and dialogue. Rather than relying on familiar underworld figures, The Underworld Intern created an original mythology that makes painful realities feel approachable and imaginative.

Audience responses suggest the experiment is working. Viewers described crying during scenes of separation, thinking about relatives they had lost, and being impressed by the teenagers. Audiences praised both the cast’s artistic abilities and their thoughtful understanding of life. The actors themselves were moved by the process. Lead actor Emma noted that the play meant a lot to her because she noticed that many adult playwrights produce scripts that are too different from how kids truly speak and think.

Inspired by the successful debut in Shanghai, Ge is exploring how to grow the project beyond a single production. She is currently developing an English-language version, a deeper sequel, and an educational model for schools based on her methodology.

The goal is larger than putting on a show: to use theatre as a place where young people can rehearse not only performance skills, but growing up.

About AHA Theatre

AHA Theatre is a youth-led theatre initiative under the Shanghai Children’s Foundation, founded in 2024 by high school students. The group provides free theatre education to children of migrant workers in Shanghai, left-behind children in rural communities, and children with special needs. AHA Theatre has produced two original musicals and brought young participants to major cultural stages, including the Shanghai Grand Theatre and the Shanghai International Arts Festival.


Ashley Ge
AHA Theatre
Email: aisinixx0108@gmail.com
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