Lights! Drama! Action! (Speech and Drama Arts Performance for SGAA 2022)

After three years of virtual performances, the Speech and Drama Arts (SDA) students were finally back on stage for a live performance.

On 26 November 2022, DAS held the Student Graduation & Achievement Awards Ceremony at Singapore University of Technology & Design (SUTD). The SDA students from both Bishan and Bedok Learning Centre presented an original piece-Castaway. Castaway is a tale of four children who were stranded on an island after a sea storm. Their biggest challenge was learning how to survive in the wilderness while facing many challenges along the way.

13 SDA students between the ages of 10-16 years old graced the stage. Donned with their costumes, make-up and props, the students dazzled the audience with their acting abilities and enthusiasm.

The young performers went through one term of rehearsals. Every student, from the youngest to the oldest, had their own set of obstacles during the rehearsals, like memorising the sheer number of lines, knowing where to stand on stage, remembering the actions, recalling the cues on when to use the props, and facing the fear of standing in front of a large audience. Through the rehearsals, students develop language and communication skills, creativity and learning to work together in a team. Despite their learning difficulties and speech and language issues, the SDA students managed to overcome the challenges by trying continuously and not giving up. On performance day, the SDA students were able to remember their lines and the students spoke clearly with confidence. After the performance, the students were beaming with joy and feeling proud of themselves for performing on stage. The Speech and Drama Arts (SDA) team recognises speech and drama as an effective means of developing our students’ talents and self-confidence, which in turn can lead to a more positive self-concept for our students. Class showcases and performances at external venues are essential learning grounds for SDA students. During the pandemic, the students still managed to present virtual performances, whereas in the later part of 2022, they finally had the chance to be back on stage, performing live for a large audience. It’s a special year for the students.

By Amrit Kaur Gill
Senior Educational Therapist / SDA Teacher

ABOUT SPEECH AND DRAMA ARTS

The Speech & Drama Arts programme is offered in Bedok and Bishan Learning Centres.
To find out more about our Speech and Drama Programme click here!