A still from the musical Today and Me. [Photo by Fu Xiao/For China Daily]

Beijing Normal University's original musical Today and Me was staged at the Lao She Theater in Beijing from Jan 16 to 18, paying tribute to China's normal school pioneers around 100 years back.

The musical centers on renowned historical figures such as Liang Qichao, Fan Yuanlian and Lu Xun, recreating the challenges faced by Beijing Normal University in its early days and Chinese educators' dedication to its development.

Merging the past with the present, the production's prologue and epilogue show a contemporary Beijing Normal University student singing, highlighting the development and heritage of China's education spanning a century. Multimedia technology is adopted to create smooth transitions between historical and modern narratives.

In terms of artistic expression, the production incorporates a rich array of musical theater elements, including solos, choruses and duets. The monologues, dialogues and debates among characters portray the vibrant exchange of ideas during the 1920s educational reforms.