Hondao Senior Citizen's Welfare Foundation's (“Hondao”) founding purpose is to serve seniors in local communities and create opportunities that encourage self-esteem, self-worth and healthy well-being in those they serve. Created in 2012, “Senior Broadway Show” is the large- scale musical successor of"The Elderly Vitality Show", Hondao's popular community based talent competition that The Ministry of Health and Welfare promoted into a national competition in 2011 due to its beneficial and motivational effects on communities.
Like its predecessor, participants of the annual musical production are exclusively ordinary seniors from a variety of social backgrounds and communities. Groups are chosen based not only on performance but also the profound impact that the experience may leave on the individual, community and society. Every fall, finalists from tryouts showcase their hard work and determination on Taiwan's renowned stage, Taipei Arena, where famous local and international artists perform. Through a skillfully choreographed and professionally orchestrated production, the musical strings together unrelated groups of geriatric amateur performers to present an unforgettable experience for all those involved. Hondao hopes to empower these newly confident superstars to stay active and engaged locally after the event.
The uniqueness and accessibility of Senior Broadway Show have not only impressed the people in Taiwan but have also attracted international interest and participation. Artists and peers from New Zealand, U.S., Japan and Hong Kong have all contributed to the success of the show through the years.
If you or your organization would like to participate or sponsor the event, please contact us anytime!
Date: 29 October 2022
Afternoon Show 1:30pm – 3:30pm
Evening Show 7pm – 9pm
Taipei Arena (No. 2, Sec. 4, Nanjing E. Rd., Songshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan)
§ Date: 02 November 2019
§ Cast: 316 senior performers, sum of their combined age was 21,793 years. Average age was 73 years young. Oldest performer was 93.
§ Number of Tickets Requested: 13,575
The theme this year was classic TV theme songs. Uncle Happy was magically sucked into a TV world and met all the popular and iconic TV characters.
The documentary film about the “Senior Broadway Show” was released on 30 September, 2019.
§ Date: 03 November 2018
§ Cast: 282 senior performers, sum of their combined age was 20,047 years. Average age was 75 years young. Oldest performer was 92. Visually-impaired child drummer Lu Yue Jun (呂岳駿) and geriatric drummer Yang Bao Xiu (楊寶秀) performed a duet symbolizing the importance and cohesiveness of intergenerational interaction.
§ Number of Tickets Requested: 14,981
The story was created around a board game called the Silver Adventure, an AI game that came with a robotic home aide. It accompanied Uncle Happy through many lonely days. While playing games with the robot, he began reminiscing about the good old days and feeling nostalgic about his youth.
§Date: 21 October 2017
§Cast: 301 senior performers joined the show, with an average age of 75 and a combined age of 21,862. The oldest performer was 93 years old. The special guest was Japan Pom Pom, the senior cheerleading squad based in Tokyo.
§Requested tickets: 17,862
Uncle Happy and Miss Satsuma-age were popular radio hosts. One day, one of Miss Satuma-age’s friends told her something strange: she frequently got letters from Taiwan when she studied in Japan. Surprisingly, all of these mails were from Uncle Happy.
§ Date: 14 October 2016
§ Cast: 252 senior performers, sum of their combined age was 22,053 years. Average age was 76 years young. Oldest performer was 98. G-Squad, an American senior citizen hip hop dancing group, was the special guest of the year.
§ Number of Tickets Requested: 15,382
The theme in 2016 was"the fabric of our lives" set in the 1950s when the textile industry in
Taiwan was emerging. Uncle Happy and Miss Satsuma-age transported back to his childhood
to relive the golden age of his generation.
§ Date: 24 October 2015
§ Cast: 306 senior performers, sum of their combined age was 20,956 years. Average age was 72 years young. Oldest performer was 92. The choir from KOBE Silver Collage, KSC male choir, was the special guest of the year.
§ Number of Tickets Requested: 17,601
This year’s theme was comfort food. Inspired by a mysterious person, Uncle Happy embarked
on a culinary journey to find the most unforgettable and palatable moments in his life. Through
hip-hop dancing, African drums, and many other forms of artistic presentations, these senior
performers proved how energetic and full-of-life they can still be. Then First Lady Ms. Chow Mei
Ching (周美青) and then Vice President Mr. Wu Den Yih (吳敦義) both attended the show and
cheered on the elders.
§ Date: 15 November 2014
§ Cast: 223 senior performers, sum of their combined age was 21,159. Average age was 75 years young. Oldest performer was 95. Special guest of the year was the world’s oldest dance troupe, Hip Op-eration Crew from New Zealand.
§ Number of Tickets Requested: 17,433.
“Uncle Happy” was introduced for the first time in 2014 as the key narrator of the show. He devoted his entire career as a witty DJ on a radio show. But when it came to his retirement, he could no longer be optimistic. Dramatically, something happened on the last episode of his show, and his attitude toward retirement changed.
Then First Lady Ms. Chow Mei Ching (周美青) and many foreign experts from Denmark, USA, Israel, Japan and Hong Kong attended the show, making this year’s performance a successful international exchange experience.
§ Date: 05 October 2013
§ Cast: 226 senior performers, sum of their combined age was over 16,000 years. Average age was 73 years young. Oldest performer was 92.
§ Number of Tickets Requested: 12,872
This year’s show emphasized the importance of passing down traditions from generation to
generation, where elders become role models and demonstrate leadership to the younger
generations. Many of Taiwan’s cultural traditions were exhibited on stage including the Chinese
orchestra, Taiwanese opera, art of incense making, and Jingma Bus Attendants that
nostalgically represented a prosperous period known as Taiwan's "economic miracle"!
§ Date: 02 October 2012
§ Cast: 343 senior performers, sum of their combined age was over 24,000 years. Average age was 71 years young. Oldest performer was 92.
§ Number of Tickets Requested: 14,748
The first ever Senior Broadway Show debuted on stage at Taipei Arena with "the tree of life” as
its theme, describing life stories of their generation from childhood to present day. Fond
memories of childhood brought smiles and joy to everyone. Growing up in war time Taiwan,
they strived to deter all difficulties life presented and became the most economically successful
generation of the past century. However, after retiring and were no longer economic
contributors, they became invisible members of society. Participating in this show ignited hopes
and dreams in these youngins and gave them an opportunity to step into the limelight again. In
the company of family and friends, they flourished once again in their golden years.
