At a time when she was still playing male roles, the female lead left temporarily, and Yang Li-hwa, the queen of Taiwanese opera, recommended Hsu as the replacement.
改演花旦後，許秀年拚命練嗓、練身段，以改掉從前演小生的習慣動作。她每天走蓮花碎步，直到累得腳拖不動為止。然而由於以前演慣小生，開始時仍屢屢出錯。她回憶說：「有次我演村姑，在溪邊拍洗衣服的外景戲。