Recently, Tianjin International School (TIS) carried out 4-month-length drama internship program, participated by the international students attending the school.

In order to provide its students real-life experience and the advices of professional dram director, the school recruited student participants for its drama performance, “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe.” Student Interns acquired some useful related skills including the controlling of lightings and sounds, general management of the stage, including their supporting of the student actors practicing their lines on the stage and scheduling the practice periods of all students participating in the program.

The school rehearsed and planned its program after school, and therefore, due to the time constraints, many student interns had to stay until late at night to prepare for the upcoming event—some students had difficulties with balancing between drama internship and their academic works. However, it was crucial that students have adequate amount of practices for drama is not pre-filmed, but it is a play that needs to be acted out in front of the audience, which does not live a room for mistakes. Therefore, during the long hours of practices, student interns and actors repeatedly rehearsed the program, controlling sounds, shiftily arranging the stage designs and costumes.

The play “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe” was held for three days, performing three times throughout the period. The program received acclamations of many audience members, and conclusively it was a great success. Participants and the student interns carried out their roles adeptly, fluorescent lightings illuminated the stage, stage equipment was placed and prepared on time, and more than one hundred different types of sounds—footsteps, opening and closing of doors, lion roar—were turned on to enhance the completeness of the play, as they had numerous practices beforehand.

One of the student intern, after the program, said, “I watched “The Chronicles of Narnia,” when I was in elementary school, and because I knew the story plot by heart, I participated in this internship program. Throughout the past three performances, I found myself growing, learning to “know” my job.”

Aforementioned, student interns had to carry out a burden on time management due to heavy academic load along with the drama practices; not only that, for drama management was a novel area for a plethora of students, some had difficulty getting themselves adept to their roles. Yet, this experience allowed the students to step closer to their future dreams, and furthermore provided a skill and courage to confront with difficult task laid in front of them. The school awarded these students with certificates of “Professional Interns,” proving that it was a mutually beneficial educational program for both school (in providing their students a new experience) and students (in learning the new skills). It was agreed among many students and faculty member that the dram allowed students to witness the passion for one’s job from their drama director.