the TESL Drama Workshop
On December 15, the TESL Drama Workshop Final Performance opened its curtain in B101. The three-hour long performance included three plays, eighteen comedy sketches, and six monologues. It brought constant laughs to the audience from both UIC and Beijing Normal University (Zhuhai).
The show was the final performance held by the students of the TESL Drama Workshop, with all students of the workshop taking part in the performance.
The three plays were inspired or adapted from Oscar Wilde’s “The Importance of Being Earnest”. Students in the workshop used their creativity to write the three plays: one version set in modern times; a version with vampires; and a version set in the Victorian era.
The modern version was a love story about a girl and two different boys, neither of whom were earnest with her; the Vampire adaption presented the story of a man’s redemption after having been turned into a vampire through the demon’s seduction; and the Victorian version told the story of the two couples whose love was almost not possible, due to miscommunications and lies.
versions of "The Importance of Being Earnest" performed by UIC students
Lily Li, a student from the TESL Programme, said that each member of the workshop began preparing the final performance from the beginning of the semester. All work was done by students themselves, including creating or re-writing the scripts, costume preparation, and stage background settings.
“Participating in the performance made me understand the art of performing better. During all those rehearsals, I have developed the ability to express myself on stage in a dramatic way.” said Lily.
Reporter: Chang Liu, Melody Feng, Irene Xu
Editor: Sze Ying Cheong
(from TESL, with special thanks to TESL and IJ Programme)
