Children are not going to lack entertainment options during the long summer vacation that begins late this month.

HCM City theatres are preparing several new plays featuring magic and fairy tales that will seek to capture the imagination of kids in the coming weeks and months.

The mini-theatre at the Institute for Culture Exchange with France (IDECAF) will celebrate the 10th anniversary of its well-known Ngay Xua Ngay Xua (Once Upon A Time) programme this month. It will stage a series of fairy tales, including Chu Be Khoai Tay va Ba Ba Tien (The Potato Boy and Three Female Deities), Bong Hoa Phu Thuy (A Magic Flower) and The Adventures of Pinocchio.

"The plays will be performed during the three-month summer vacation," said Huynh Anh Tuan, manager of the IDECAF mini-theatre.

Well-known artists like Thanh Loc, Thanh Thuy, Dinh Toan and Dai Nghia will participate in the plays.

The plays will be performed at two venues, IDECAF Theatre, 24 Le Thanh Ton Street , District 1 and the Ben Thanh Theatre, 7 Tran Cao Van Street , District 1.

The IDECAF mini-theatre is one of the most popular entertainment venues for children in the city.

This summer, IDECAF, in cooperation with the city's Tropical Diseases Hospital and England 's Oxford University will stage several short plays on healthcare for children at primary schools around HCM City .

The premiere of Chua Te Cua Muon Loai (The Lord of All Animals) by artist Minh Nhi will be staged at the Hung Dao Theatre in District 1 later this month.

Taking part in the play will be other wellknown artists including Bao Quoc, Hong Van, Thanh Thuy and Hoa Hiep.

"I hope the play, in which well-known artists perform the role of forest animals, will be attractive to children," Nhi said.

Other theatres in HCM City are also preparing to entertain children this summer. The Phu Nhuan Theatre is selecting artists for new plays specifically meant for children.

Plays like Vuong Quoc Ban Tay (The Kingdom of Hands), Bay Quy va Vien Ngoc Than (Devils and A Magic Stone) and Son Tinh, Thuy Tinh (Mountain Genie, Water Genie) will be staged at the HCM City Theatre, Phu Nhuan Theatre and Hoang Thai Thanh Theatre starting June 1, the International Children's Day.

"Huge profits earned by IDECAF mini theatre from children's drama performances have encouraged other theatres in the city to focus on entertaining the young ones," director Hong Van of Phu Nhuan Theatre said.

"We will try to improve the quality of scripts and make the dramas more interesting to attract children," she said./.