November 23 2011: While living in Hangzhou, China, I was invited to write and direct a play for the Year 7 “Ruling Class” students, at Greentown Yuhua Middle School.
The play won the Zhejiang Province Division of the NAFLE Drama Festival, and the students were invited to participate in the National Finals of the competition, to be held in Beijing in August 2012 (unfortunately, the competition was later cancelled).
The play was called “The Rehearsal: Alice In Wonderland.” It was about a group of actors rehearsing to perform the classic story “Alice In Wonderland.”
The “Ruling Class” is a special program run by Greentown Yuhua School in Hangzhou, for the most gifted students in English, Maths and Science. According to the Coordinator of the program, Topren (Top Man) Sun, the students will one day be the political and business leaders of the world’s largest countries and companies. While the ambitions of this teacher are perhaps a little too high, there is no doubting that the students are exceptional by Chinese standards.
I taught the students Maths and Science, as well as coaching them in the play. What made them stand out is their creativity, which is obvious in their acting. Behind the scenes, they were just as creative. They made huge contributions to the additional script, the costumes, makeup, props, music and staging. In the classroom, they also demonstrated imagination and creativity, which is very rare in Chinese classrooms.
According to the NAFLE web site, the competition started with 2,500 schools and 1.5 million students, and Greentown School was in the final 12 schools nationwide for the Beijing Final. The web page, and English translation, is reproduced below.
“My Journey” Articles and Photo Galleries
The winning performance, on November 23rd 2012 and totalling 15 minutes, is seen here in two parts:
Part One
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Part Two
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Captured from: http://www.eltchina.org/2011drama/?action-viewnews-itemid-31
English Translation Below
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China National Student English Drama Festival 2011
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“My Journey” Articles and Photo Galleries
English Translation (Google Translate)
About festival
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First, the organizational structure
- Sponsor: Chinese Society of Education Committee of Foreign Language Teaching
- Professional Support Unit: National Theatre of China, Peking University Institute of foreign theater and film
- Unit title: Casio (Shanghai) Trading Co., Ltd.
- Sponsor: Beijing, Fujian, Guangdong, Hubei, Jiangsu, Liaoning, Sichuan, Shandong, Shanghai, Tianjin, Zhejiang and other provinces and research institutions related to provincial and municipal research institutions
- Co-organizer: “students in the bilingual newspaper” “English News”, “learning English Coaching Paper,” “English Weekly”
- Exclusive video media partners: Ku6
- Exclusive Portal Network / official microblogging partners: education channel Tencent, Tencent microblogging
Second, the subject
Dream theater light of life (Dramatized Dreams Enlightened Lives)
Third, the profile
Chinese Society of Education Foreign Language Teaching Council (hereinafter referred to outside of the IPCC) will be held from July 2011 to July 2012 held “in English 2011 National Student Drama Festival and the ‘CASIO’ Cup first National School English Drama Contest” activities. Organizers hope the event can effectively improve the English proficiency of students to expand their artistic horizons, and create a healthy cultural environment on campus, encourage students to learn lively, healthy and happy growth. The event will be the first in Beijing, Fujian, Guangdong, Hubei, Jiangsu, Liaoning, Sichuan, Shandong, Shanghai, Tianjin, Zhejiang and other provinces and is expected to more than 700 secondary schools will have one million high school students directly involved in the activities.
Chinese Society of Education Committee of Foreign Language Teaching
Foreign Language Teaching Chinese Society of Education Committee is a national, mass organizations, and foreign language teaching foreign language teachers of academic organization. Individual members outside of the IPCC’s main teaching and research staff from all over the foreign language and foreign language teachers constitute the backbone. Research outside of the IPCC’s theory of basic education, foreign language teaching, academic research, organize research projects and academic activities, exchange of foreign language teaching and research experience. Founded 30 years ago, the IPCC has been successfully held outside the country of the hundreds of foreign language teachers, activities, attracting hundreds of thousands of foreign language teachers’ active participation.
Casio (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
Casio Computer Co., Ltd. was established in June 1, 1957 , And the male end of the current president DIMENSIONS. Our main products are digital cameras, watches, electronic dictionaries, electronic musical instruments, calculators, label printers, mobile phones, cash registers, projectors, handheld terminals, page printers, office computers, LCD monitors, WLP commission processing, mold.
Casio’s business purpose is “to create contribution.”
It expresses the Casio by providing innovative products in order to achieve contribution to society. Products with innovative features not only improve people’s daily lives, promoting social progress, but also brings joy to people, is to create a new source of culture. If the new product can be popular, will have a new market, and gave birth to a variety of peripheral industries. Casio is by offering new products and services, from all to achieve the contribution to society.
National Theatre of China
National Theatre of China is a tradition, hard work, full of exploration, the pursuit of high quality drama, performing arts, drama, art and create a base. National Theatre of China in order to create and perform high-quality, high-grade fine drama, art and foreign mission, the constant pursuit of theatrical stage classical and experimental, for the audience with a world of advanced theater and national cultural achievements.
Peking University Institute of foreign drama and film
Peking University Institute of foreign drama and film was formally established in August 2005, the Institute Director Cheng Zhaoxiang, Artistic Director Joseph Graves of the United States to actively explore and grow rapidly under the guidance of the students to carry out activities of social practice, in the past few years has been staged more than 20 English drama, by the widespread concern.
Ku6
Ku6 uphold the “independence point of view, the spirit of entertainment” brand philosophy, location sharing portal website in China, by the information, sports, entertainment, film, advertising, games, animation composed of a dozen channels, is the Chinese mainland and global Chinese video sharing site in the Internet’s most respected brands.
Tencent Education Channel
Tencent China Education is the largest user education portal, quality education, information resources at home and abroad and a powerful combination of products and services closely. Under examination, foreign languages, overseas, on campus, blog and other columns, the value of Tencent education adhere to the user in mind, relying on a strong network to promote the advantages of Tencent and user data Sources, in-depth education in a number of industry events reported continued brand building, awarded by the State Council Information Office, “recommended the brand part of China’s Internet” title.
Fourth, the schedule
(A) press conference
Time: In late July 2011
Content: English language officially declared a national theater festival starts, release the relevant information.
(B) contest the final judges and guidance teacher training
Time: September 2011
Content: English first national student drama festival organizing committee will invite domestic and foreign experts and drama activities to develop English language teaching experts for rating criteria, expertise and how drama drama into the teaching of English in areas such as professional guidance.
(C) the preliminary and final contest
Time: September 2011 — November
Content: the school as the unit selection junior and senior high school two groups according to “entry requirements” Organization Division preliminaries, the specific organization of the organizing committee to decide by the Division, the National Drama Festival Organizing Committee not to the standard requirements, but to encourage the Division Preliminary approach to the game site, organize more students to participate. Division Organizing Committee selected from the Division preliminaries in the selection of the best team of outstanding representatives of participating schools to participate in Division finals. Division final on-site game way to school as a unit, sub-junior high school two groups to compete. Each group of not less than 12 participating teams. Division final win of a team (junior high school group of a team) will represent the Division qualify for the National Finals.
(D) of the National Finals and the National Students of English drama Winter Camp
Time: early February 2012
Content: The first National Student Drama Festival will be held in English in 2012, organized during the winter-themed drama in English winter camp activities, the first National Student Drama Festival, English National Finals will be held concurrently.
(E) award-winning teachers and students of foreign exchange activities
Time: Summer 2012
Content: Organize outstanding award-winning teachers and students to participate in English drama outside of the theme-related exchanges.
Craig Hill Media and Consulting 
I think this is a great story about the important things in life that really matter.
Posted by mulrickillion | March 17, 2012, 23:28Bravo!
Posted by eideard | March 21, 2012, 14:32