Some of the early pioneers that helped in transitioning southern opera from Mandarin to Cantonese. Also note that there were various “amateur troupes… referred to as zhishi ban, they advocated a reformist if not a pro-revolutionary agenda, hoping to harness popular theater for the sake of political and social change in China.” These were the early “indie” action movements in Southern China.

Source: The Rise of Cantonese Opera by Ng Wing Chung.