EDWIN
ROBERTS, PRODUCER/RESIDENT PLAYWRIGHT
As the local arts scene developed rapidly in the 1990's, so too did Edwin's interest in the performing arts. After his graduation from Oklahoma City University in Media and Communication Studies in 1993, he joined D'Rama Productions in 1995 and actively conceptualised and scripted for numerous school assembly school plays.
Working with students and seeing the appreciation of an audience prompted him to further develop his craft and keep abreast of issues and topics that are relevant to student life. He enjoys devising new school programmes and churning out new material to keep the Arts scene in schools evolving.
Among his many writing and producing credits include A Chewy Affair (shortlisted for the Singapore International Film Festival) and My Name is Nadra staged at the Drama Centre in November 2000.
Edwin is among a select group of writers collaborating with Theatreworks in the "Hearing Voices" programme that seeks to present marginalised voices for the English speaking theatre audience. He will be presenting a play entitled Who Wins the Race? in November 2002.
DANNY
JOW, HEAD DRAMA TRAINER/ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
"I find it very fulfilling and rewarding as a drama practitioner to use drama as an educational tool to work with the students and watch them learn and grow. How drama has actually helped them to discover themselves and their emotions. How they have acquired the essential life skills, discipline and values to achieve their potential through drama. How drama has contributed to their positive character development. How much they have developed in their artistic awareness. How much they have enjoyed performing in the process. How their inner talents and strengths are being discovered and drawn out."
Our Artistic Director & Head Trainer, Mr Danny Jow, holds a BA (with distinction) in Drama from Queensland University of Technology. During his studies, he majored in drama education subjects. He also holds a Diploma in Drama, majored in Directing and Acting for Theatre from Lasalle-SIA College of the Arts, Singapore and a Certificate in Practical Counselling from Fei Yue professional Counselling Centre, Singapore.
Danny has 5 years of experience in television broadcasting with the Television Corporation of Singapore (TCS), assistant-directed and casting credits include popular drama series like Growing Up (Seasons 1 -3), Triple 9, Shivers and Dreamers.
He also has about 6 years of acting experience for both stage and television. Some of his theatre acting credits includes Plays like The Crucible, The Blood Wedding, The Threepenny Opera, Sammy won't go to school, Drunken Prawns etc. He has acted in TV series like Making Love, Triple 9 and Shivers.
His passion in theatre (Drama) and education led him to embark onto the BA programme, and began his new career with D'Rama Productions after his graduation in 1999. Bringing with him his myriad of experiences from television and stage work, Danny has developed and conducted numerous educational drama programmes together with his dedicated team. Some of these programmes include Drama-in-Education, Page to Stage, Acting Workshops etc.
He has also directed various genre of productions, from Plays to Musicals for Schools as part of the students' Arts Experience Education Programme, and Schools' Arts Exposure Assembly Programmes performed with Professional Actors.
His recent professional directorial credits include a multi-racial public theatrical production, My Name is Nadra (2000) and Quiet the Gorilla (2001).
ELNIE S MASHARI, RESIDENT DRAMA TRAINER/DIRECTOR
Elnie S Mashari graduated with a degree in Drama from Queensland University of Technology (QUT).
Elnie started her acting debut in 1994 for the Singapore Youth Festival as Emma Woodhouse in "The Trouble With Harriet" adapted from the novel by Jane Austen, which won her a Merit Award. Following that event Elnie directed her first public play (1994) "Duchess of Malfi" by John Webster for her graduation show.
She is a prolific actor who performs as well as being involved in stage management, technical operations and production management for 7 years. She has worked in both the English and Malay theatre scene with companies such as Teater Kami Ltd, Dramaplus, D'rama Productions under the direction of the likes of Aidli Alin Mosbit, Lim Kay Siu, Danny Jow, Atin Amat, Sandy Phillips, Chin Han & Lee Weng Kee.
Her other stage credits include Club Tempest, My Name is Nadra and Ikan Cantik. Elnie is also a facilitator and actor in theatre-in-education and school shows for Theatreworks, Dramaplus, ETC Associates and D'rama Productions and has worked with OAK3, Formations Pte Ltd, L.A Productions and Communication 2000 in productions for television and short films. Currently, Elnie is holding drama workshops in a Secondary School and Junior College.
Elnie is excited to be full-time with D'Rama Productions, a dynamic company, whose visions are similar to hers that is to bring drama to students and helping them in their growth to be better students and citizens through the crafts of drama.
SAN WONG, ARTS ADMINISTRATOR
Trained as an actor in Lasalle School of Drama and also taught by China Director Prof Zhang Ai Mei, Ms San Wong has performed in various genre of productions by both local English and Chinese amateur and professional arts groups. Some of her acting credits include Macbeth (The Necessary Stage), Hedda Gabler (Amp Theatre), Undercover (Theatreworks), The Bald Soprano (Centre for the Arts), The Other Shore (Chuen Lei Literature and Arts Association). She has also facilitated/acted in numerous Students' Theatre Exposure and Theatre-in-Education Programmes.
She was selected in 1992 by Lasalle School of Drama for a 10-week drama exchange programme with the drama department in Flinders University, Australia.
During her professional theatre practice, she has been well-versed in backstage support: wardrobe assisted in Oliver Twist (American Production), Cats (Australian Production), personal wardrobe assistant to Lea Salonga in Into The Woods (Singapore Repertory Theatre), stage crewed in The Witty Maid (Chinese Opera), assist stage-managed & prop mistress of Bugis Street - The Musical (Singapore & Hong Kong) and Madama Butterfly (Singapore Lyric Theatre). Her exposure to both local and overseas productions, and especially her 3-months attachment as a stage management assistant to Kevin Frederick, United States Production Manager have led her to discover the exciting challenge of organising productions.
This discovery led her into SAFRA as a fulltime Project Facilitator for 3 years, where she was delighted to have the exposure of coordinating exciting national level events including Sheares Bridge Run, National Sport Climbing Competition, Party at the Padang and Millennium Swing.
Currently, she is incorporating all her past experiences from the various fields as a fulltime Arts Administrator with D'rama Productions, an Arts (Drama) Education company focusing in arts education, and directed the school touring production, The Frankenstein Project. She is also directing the upcoming school assembly touring production The Adventures of Marco Polo.
ANDREW NG, PRODUCTION MANAGER
Andrew's interest in technical theatre started back in 1995 as he became a volunteer crew for his church production and developed his craft with the latter for a few years. Along the way, Andrew picked up skills as a Prop master and board operator for sound and light.
He started his first freelance job with ACT3 for the inaugural Prudential Children First! as their liaison manager in charge of Puk Puppet Theatre from Japan. Andrew continued to freelance for other Theatre companies; with works like Rainbow Theatre's Temptation! The musical, ACT3 Theatrics' James and The Giant Peach, Action Theatre's Viva Viagra!, Fiction Farm's Mee Pok Man - The play, TNS' Lovewave 96.6 as a Props Master, Sound operator, Assistant Stage Manager and Stage Manager.
Andrew's recent works include Action Theatre's 42 Waterloo fest as a Stage Manager for a double bill " Venus Vs Mars and This Is Not An Apple" in which "This Is Not An Apple" was nominated for the 2002 DBS Life! Theatre Award for best ensemble performance. And as a Production Stage Manager for Faithworks "LET ME FLY".
Andrew is always seeking ways to improve his skills as he has attended various training programmes conducted by the Esplanade Co Ltd. He is currently with D'RAMA PRODUCTIONS as their Production Manager supporting the company in all production matters for school productions and Arts Exposure Programmes.
