On the afternoon of May 26, 2025, the auditorium of Shanghai Hongrun Boyuan High School came alive with creativity and passion as the much-anticipated English Drama Festival unfolded. This vibrant showcase featured the semester’s achievements from four courses: Advanced Musical Theatre, Intro Performance Art, Vocal and Choral Elective course, and Speech and Rhetorics. The theater was full of audience, and the anticipation was written on every young face in the audience.

The performance began on a soaring note. Students from the Vocal and Choral elective course opened the event with a powerful rendition of “Nessun Dorma”, the iconic aria from Puccini’s opera “Turandot”. Jenny Liang, Shelly Song, Celestine Ren,  Regulus Yuan, and Jerry Qu delivered a moving and resonant performance that captured Prince Calaf’s longing for victory and love. As the lyrics proclaimed, “At dawn, I will win!”—the audience was instantly captivated.

Next, students from the Speech and Rhetorics class—Kimi Wang, Ken Zhang, Christine Wang, Joanna Chen, Luca Zhu, Candy Li, Hedy Wu, Nemo Ni, Michael Wu, Wilson Shen, Kevin Gu, Melody Gao, and Beverly Xiao—guided the audience through a series of classic dramatic excerpts with confidence and clarity. Their engaging stage presence shone through, whether it was the hilariously exaggerated “French Taunt” scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail, which had the audience roaring with laughter, or the tense confrontation between Reverend Parris and Abigail from Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, which drew the audience into the suffocating atmosphere of Salem in 1692. Their comedic timing sparkled in the interrogation scene from The Pink Panther Strikes Again, and their dramatic intensity impressed in the mutiny scene from Mutiny on the Bounty, based on real historical events. Even the humorous line “Oh great, real bullets!” from the Western comedy Three Amigos was delivered with flair. The smooth transitions between scenes, led by student hosts, further showcased their wit and fluency.

The second half of the performance transported the audience into the grand and mysterious world of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s timeless masterpiece, The Phantom of the Opera. Students from the Intro Performance Art and Advanced Musical Theatre class took on this formidable challenge. From the very first scene, “The Phantom of Box Five,” and the haunting beauty of “Think of Me” (performed by Jenny Liang as Christine), to the mesmerizing duets “The Phantom of the Opera” and “Music of the Night” by the Phantom (performed by Kevin Zhong) and Christine(performed by Decem Lu)—the audience was enthralled. The drama reached its peak in Act III: “Plotting His Fate,” the heartfelt duet between Christine (performed by Shona Shen) and Raoul (performed by Han Zhong), and the climactic “Final Lair” scene where Phantom (performed by David Kong) sang the desperate and powerful “No Way Back.” Every note, every line, resonated deeply. In the poignant final scene, the emotional entanglements between Christine (performed by Jenny Liang), the Phantom (performed by Kevin Zhong), and Raoul (performed by Jiahe Liu) brought this classic story to a stirring conclusion. The students delivered not only compelling vocal performances but also emotionally nuanced acting, capturing the characters’ inner worlds and earning wave after wave of applause.

As the lively tune of “The Most Dazzling Folk Style” played for the curtain call, all the performers went to the stage once more, greeted by thunderous applause. It was a triumphant ending to an unforgettable “afternoon of drama.” But beyond the performances, this event was a celebration of art, youth, and collaboration. It offered a window into the brilliance and potential of these young performers and stood as a testament to their dedication and growth throughout their drama studies. This special production also held a deeper meaning, paying tribute to Ms. A. Ruby Spence, and adding a heartfelt note of gratitude and respect to the occasion.

Looking ahead, we can’t wait to see even more brilliance on the Hongrun Boyuan school’s stage. Wishing all the teachers and students a summer filled with sunshine and fruitful achievements!

文｜G11 Africa Zhang

译｜G11 Henry Du

图｜G11 Thea Wu, G10 Isabella Zhou

排｜GPre-A Celestine Ren