蘭陽平原是臺灣交通開發較晚的地區，日治初期當地的反抗勢力四起，一直到一九一七年才開始興建宜蘭到臺北的鐵路，但查閱日治時期報刊的報導，發現在一九一一年已經有中國戲班到宜蘭演出，而一九一一年到一九三六年至少有12個中國戲班，11個來自臺灣其他地方的劇團，與4個日本的表演團體來到宜蘭地區表演，這些劇團表演的絕大多數都不是當地已存在的劇種。 本文從日治時期境外劇團在宜蘭的演出，瞭解當地如何從交通的發展、經濟利益的考量、觀眾的需求，逐步投資劇院的興建，形成一個適於表演的環境。 而這些來宜蘭表演的境外劇團也對當地的表演活動產生影響。在中國來的12個戲班裡，以京劇班佔最多數，受京劇演出的影響，當地的藝妲與北管子弟班也學習「北曲」（京劇）。而從觀眾對演員表演、服裝、化妝、布景、劇目的要求，可以看出當時觀眾的審美角度。 中國、臺灣其他地區與日本三地來的劇團，在殖民時期被邀來蘭陽平原表演的目的也不相同。前兩者呈現商業劇場的走向，以票房為考量的標準，而日本來的團體，包含新派劇、歌舞伎、少女歌舞團、綜藝團等，以宣傳日本傳統藝能與最新娛樂為重點。 一九三七年以後，因為中日戰爭的關係，中國戲班來臺的管道斷絕。原為商業劇場演出準備的「羅東座」、「宜蘭座」成為演出皇民化劇、防諜演藝會，或傷兵、陣亡將士遺族慰安會的地方，民眾娛樂的內容必須配合日本政府軍國主義的思想要求。

Lanyang Plain is the area where transportation system was developed the latest in Taiwan. Because of the constant uproars in the early stage of the Japanese colonial period, rail road from Taipei to Yilan wasn’t built until 1917. However, according to the reports in the newspapers during the Japanese period, there were, from 1911 to 1936, already 12 theatre groups from Mainland China, 11 from others districts of Taiwan, and 4 performing groups from Japan which had played in Yilan Region. These peforming groups did not play the Siping opera, Beiguan theatre, Glove-puppet theatre or string-marionettes theatre which had existed in Yilan. This study will first focus on performances by the imported performing groups in order to understand how local people in the Yilan Region made the place an environment suitable for performances by developing transportation systems and gradually investing on the construction of theatres for financial benefits and audience’s needs. Also, these imported performing groups had influence on the local performing activities. Most of the 12 Opera groups were Beijing-style theatres. Under the influence of these Beijing-style theatres, local Kaisha and participants of Beiguan community theatres started learning stamps of Beijing Opera. How local people appreciated Beijing theatre can be understood through the audience’s requirements of performing styles, costumes, make-up, settings and repertories. The performing groups from Mainland China, other districts of Taiwan and Japan were invited to perform in Yilan Region for different purposes. Groups from the first two areas were mainly for money making. Groups from Japan including New School Drama (Shinpa geki), Kabuki, Young Ladies’ performing troupe, variety show troupe, on the other hand, came with the purpose of introducing Japanese entertaining forms. Because of the war between China and Japan in 1937, Chinese performing groups were no longer able to come to Taiwan. Those performances originally planned for commercial purposes such as those performed in Luodong Theatre and Yilan Theatre could not but be put aside, and in their place, performances like Drama of Kominka, anti-spy, consoling injured soldiers and family members of deceased soldiers, were offered to promote militarism for the Japanese Government. Performing to entertain was no longer important.