Janice Chan

Programme Manager (Assistant) and Star Residential Trainer 2010

Janice has received a Diploma in Theatre Studies from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. She discovered her strong interest in drama teaching since she first started conducting speech and drama workshops in 2005. In 2007, she was employed under Emaar International School, as its drama teacher. She planned and taught the curriculum for IGCSE Drama Programme, drama club and weekly drama sessions. She has written, trained and directed students in numerous workshops, play and musical productions. Her students have won 2 Distinction Awards for Trinity Guildhall Speech and Drama Examinations and 2 Bronze awards in Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) Drama.

Since 2006, Janice has been working with Mastereign Centre of Performing Arts in curriculum drama teaching. Her mentor, Danny has also provided many opportunities for her to explore new grounds, be it in teaching, directing or writing. She has also assisted Danny in supervising and mentoring the younger trainers in class. Such valuable experiences have surely helped her to hone her craft to be a more skilful and a knowledgeable drama trainer/educator. In 2010, she joined Mastereign Centre of Performing Arts full time and was awarded the “Outstanding Star Residential Trainer” in Mastereign Star Trainers Award 2010.

Regina Chua

Star Trainer 2010

Regina has been a full time theatre practitioner since her graduation from LASALLE, College of the Arts in 2006. She has performed in various community educational plays commissioned by the NEA, Nation Park Board and MCYS, as well as school assembly plays. She has conducted a wide array of drama workshops in various schools from teaching drama in curriculum to training for drama clubs, from script writing to directing stage productions from kindergartens to secondary schools, as well as the drama club in Changi Prisons over the years. Regina enjoys the challenges and the joy each class will bring. She strongly believes in impacting the lives of those she teaches and not merely instructing them in the forms. For there is much to learn about life through drama.

With a strong network of support provided by fellow trainers and enjoying the wonderful and open working relationship with her mentor, Danny, who constantly encourages her and recognizes her work and contributions, coupled with the various  Mastereign’s in-house trainings, such as the Train-The-Trainers workshop to ensure its trainers are further trained and well equipped, Regina is very proud to be part of the Mastereign Drama team and appreciates being recognised as one of Mastereign’s Star Trainers for 2010.

Renee Chua

Star Trainer 2010

Renee is a bilingual actress, stage director and drama educator. After graduating from NUS with a BA in Economics and Chinese, she sought out training from masters: Christina Sergeant, YT Wong, Phillips Gaulier, Marco Luly, David Zinder, Noorlinah Mohamed, Edith Podesta, Dr Jane Gilmer, Craig Whisker. Renee has appeared in Home Boxes (Paper Monkey), which was nominated for Best Ensemble in Straits Time Life! Awards 2011. She is also an associate artiste with improvisational community theatre – Tapestry Playback Theatre as well as director for community theatre shows with The Voice. Her repertoire includes facilitating drama in education programmes, playback theatre training, to training young actors and directing them in stage productions. She found it extremely fulfilling and rewarding witnessing many students maturing into more confident, expressive and empathetic young adults. This is exactly why she is constantly driven to continue her role of a drama educator.

Last year, Renee was awarded Star Trainer by Mastereign. What is more rewarding about the recognition is the fact that the company values its trainers and celebrates the trainers and the company’s achievements, something which other companies have not done. It has always been a pleasure working with Mastereign, especially with Danny and Janice. Their strong support, understanding and professionalism have made the working relationship so much more enjoyable and comforting.

Adi Jamaludin

Star Trainer 2010

Adi always has the interest to teach and loves acting since he was still a student. It was in 2008 that he discovered he can combine these two interests thus, he decided to be a drama instructor. Despite of his diploma in Mass Communication, he knew he has limited knowledge and skills in drama education. In 2009, he successfully enrolled himself with the Young and Wild programme under the wing of Wild Rice. He is actively involved in stage productions to keep his drama skills and theatre knowledge relevant and updated so that he can share and impart them to his students.

In 2009, he has the honour of working with Mastereign Enrichment, a leader in providing holistic enrichment programmes for schools. The working experience has definitely been an enriching and a rewarding one. The ‘Train- The-Trainer’ courses, he has attended with the company, have taught him the different techniques that have proven to be useful and effective as part of his continuous growth as a drama educator. In 2010, he was recognised as one of three star trainers in the drama entity.

Mohamad Abdillah

Abdillah started out being involved actively in drama when he joined an English theatre group, Theatre Compass, in polytechnic before becoming part of a pioneer batch of an informal drama group in poly itself. Without any formal drama training, he has participated in productions to learn from established and award-winning directors and actors to further hone his understanding and skills in drama. He now has a Cambridge International Diploma for Teachers and Trainers. He is constantly being challenged to motivate, encourage, inspire and teach his students and in the process, helping them to discover and develop their character positively.

Mastereign has been a fantastic company to work with. Since working with Mastereign Drama, he has been given opportunities not just to teach but also to network with other trainers under the company who has since become good colleagues and friends. Mastereign Drama also cares for it’s trainers by ensuring that pay is received on time and welfare is looked into with informal gatherings aimed at bonding everyone together and conducting training workshops for the trainers to improve on the quality of our teaching and delivery.

Sirfan Sulami

Sirfan (formerly known as Suzlaifan Sulaimi) has been acting and performing for over 20 years. Trained in music (with a Grade 6 Yamaha – Electone), vocal and in children’s theatre, Sirfan began his life as a performing artiste in music. Over the years, he has discovered that his passion also lies in acting and thus, he joined a theatre company performing in children’s theatre. Since then, Sirfan has attended various drama workshops and acted in many school assembly shows, corporate skits, musicals, TV and short films. He also did puppetry, mascots, mime and dance.

Sirfan has directed and conducted many drama workshops with Mastereign Drama. He would like to thank Danny Jow for believing in him and giving him the opportunity to develop himself as an actor, a drama educator and a trainer. He is honoured and is proud to be part of Mastereign with strong core values and the chance to work with a wonderful team made up of supportive and professional people in an encouraging and a positive working environment. Sirfan is looking forward to be one of their STAR Trainers in time to come.

Helmi Fita

Lighting Designer

With 15 years of experience in the drama industry, Helmi has never looked back and regretted on why he has decided to be a full-time theatre practitioner cum facilitator focusing in drama education. He believes in sharing with the students the joy and fun in learning and developing through drama and the need to have theatre in our life. After all, theatre is life and life is theatre. He was trained under many professional and skilful practitioners in theatre. Through them, he has acquired the knowledge, developed his skills and since, he has grown to be a competent facilitator. Helmi has been an instructor/director/coach/motivator and has put up many public performances of various genres from Brecht’s ‘Mother Courage’ to Haresh Sharma’s ‘Lanterns Never Go Out’. His students have also acquired 4 Gold Award for SYF Drama under his guidance.

The working relationship with Mastereign has always been eventful and a rewarding one. Under Mastereign, he has the privilege to work with different level of students through various drama workshops. He also has the pleasure in designing lights for a few school musicals with the company. He is impressed with the professional drama team in Mastereign who believes so much in creating and conducting quality arts education in schools. It’s always a sheer joy to work in such a positive and inspiring environment where the people are passionate, committed in their work and still know how to have fun at the same time.

Sia Ee Mien

Ee Mien graduated from the former holistic “Theatre Training and Research Program” (TTRP) with Theatre Practice. It is a three-year full time, systematic training and research program in contemporary theatre. There, she did multi-lingual and intercultural theatre work and also experimented with Asian theatre techniques and combines them with contemporary theatre work. She believes the reason to do theatre is to present it as a gift for those who watch it; and to learn drama is to learn more about life and what life can bring about. As such, Eemien is a drama instructor who strongly believes in theatre education, and the transformation of life through it.

Ee Mien has collaborated with Mastereign as a trainer/director in various drama workshops and productions working with different level of students.  She thoroughly enjoys working with Mastereign. Their professionalism at work and passion for drama education inspires and motivates her to enjoy teaching drama more as a profession.

Jacklyn Kuah

Jacklyn is a graduate from Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications with a Diploma in Theatre. She has completed Grade 6 Chinese Dance examination from Beijing Dance Academy in 1996 and later obtained the Beijing Dance Academy Cerficate for Teaching Chinese Dance. She has also undergone trainings by world-renowned theatre practitioner like Philippe Gaulier, Joan Holden, SITI Company and Anne Bogart. She has been training and performing with various arts groups that promote traditional Asian performing art forms in Europe as a performer and in Korea as a director cum performer. She was also involved in the 2003 Arts Festival with contemporary groups like Meredith Monk and Ann Hamilton. Her passion for the arts grew when she started drama education in 2001 at the Singapore Hokien Huay Kuan Arts & Cultural Troupe educating the younger generation about the arts. She has taught extensively working with different level of students and directed them in various national competitions with awards won.

Jacklyn joined Mastereign in 2007, all thanks to Danny Jow, her drama Programme Director. Mastereign is a credible company and one that values its associate trainers and is committed to provide them with a supportive and a positive working environment. Working the passion is everyone’s dream and Jacklyn has been fortunate enough to fulfill this dream. “Seeing students able to stand on the stage and perform confidently is satisfying and rewarding but knowing that you have a certain place in their heart is even more comforting.”

Jaclyn Tan

Production Designer

Jaclyn Tan graduated with a BA (Hons) from Lasalle Technical Theatre Programme majoring in Set Design. Being a Designer, she thoroughly enjoys conceptualizing and designing both naturalistic and stylized set for productions varying in genres and styles. As a technical theatre trainer in schools, it is most satisfying to see students learn, grow and develop together through theatre.

She would like to thank Mastereign for introducing Technical Theatre training in schools with the aims to encourage and inspire students to discover their interest in theatre and develop them in designing. She is also very thankful to Mastereign for the chance to work on many productions for schools in both designing and teaching. These valuable opportunities have allowed her to enjoy and share her passion with the students while she continues to grow as a designer/trainer. She is very blessed to be able to work with and learn from a dedicated, supportive, understanding and enthusiastic drama team in Mastereign.