The S4A Annual Gala has become the leader in the field of Children’s Performance Arts in Hong Kong. Each year one of Shakespeare’s classic plays is reimagined to align itself with the history, heritage, and culture of Asia. Since 2016 we’ve seen - Macbeth set in Korea, 1953; Romeo and Juliet in Hong Kong, 1842; The Tempest in Saigon, 1855; Hamlet in India, 1839; Julius Caesar on planet Hong Kong, 3030; Antony and Cleopatra in Hong Kong, 1979; King Lear in the underwater world of Sai Kung, Hong Kong, 2022.

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Since 2018, S4A Annual Gala has been funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust through their support for the Jockey Club "Destiny In Ourselves" Youth Drama Programme and Jockey Club "All The World's Our Stage" Shakespeare Youth Drama Programme. 

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The Gala has a cast, orchestra, and production team of over 100 young people aged between 8 and 18 years of age.  It is an opportunity for young people to challenge their aspirations to step out of their comfort zone and embrace the power and magic of theatre both on and off the stage.

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The cast are chosen not for their level of English proficiency but for their determination to want to learn. Passion is key. They learn performance skills such as classical theatre training, physical theatre techniques, vocal and singing training, dance, stage combat, martial arts, puppetry, character, and cultural study. The chosen students undertake intensive training over the month of August and the performance is usually in the month of September. The audition applications are cut off at 300 and only 60 places are available.

 

The student technical production team of the Gala are from the S4A Powerhouse Project, who embark on a week-long theatre internship as the final part of their 2-month training. Additional students who are part of the production team are Alumni from the performers who work directly beside the Artistic Director as Junior Assistant Directors.

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The orchestra is led by Mr Brian Cheng who arranges the music to suit orchestral instruments. Students are introduced to different genres of music that are either memorable or musicians who were leaders in musical trends over the decades. These have included Michael Jackson, Queen, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, famous film and tv theme tunes and disco.