Written by 1990 Cultural Medallion recipient, Han Lao Da, Striving Years, a contemporary theatre work, is the contribution of the Singapore Federation of Chinese Drama Associations to the Singapore Festival of Arts 92. With a cast drawn mainly from the Southern Arts Society, the Singapore I-Lien Dramatic Society, the Life Drama Society, the Chuen Lei Literature & Art Association and Singapore Chin Kang Huay Kuan Drama Group, the joint production features specially composed classical and Xin Yao music.
The play is based on real life experiences of some Xin Yao singers with the theme centering on the strength of friendship and its ability
to withstand the changes in time. It centres on two good friends – a boy and a girl with a common interest in music composition.
Xin Yao literally means new ballads, and this attempt to incorporate this genre of local modern folk songs will make it the first Singapore folk musical.