SDEA Spotlight: Cathy Kee

SDEA Spotlight is a series of short interviews with SDEA members that peel back the curtain behind their practice, their beliefs about arts and drama education and their influences.

Cathy Kee has been a theatre practitioner for almost 25 years. She crossed over from TV to stage and has done on stage and behind the scene works, choreographed, directed and worked with people from all walks of life - the young, teenagers, adults as well as senior citizens. She's very thankful for the wonderful opportunities of working with people from different cultures overseas.

1. What are you working on at the moment? I'm working on The Poultry Tales, a musical for children at the Drama Centre. And a play with the students at Victoria Junior College.

2. What’s the direction of your work? Has it changed over the years? Oh yes. It has definitely changed, quite a bit. From choreographing purely dance performances to choreographing for musicals and directing musicals whenever I have the opportunity.

3. What is a dream project that you hope to do? I would really love to write and direct my own musicals. I am in the midst of tweaking my scripts and finding a way to transform them to stage  - from 2 D to 4 D !

4. How did you start out doing what you do?

I had formal training in classical ballet ( RAD Advanced ), tap and jazz and started dancing at the age of 10 and choreographing performances when I was still in secondary school. Then I joined  SBC ( a millennium ago :) ) and got my first exposure to the theatre and musicals in 1998. I remembered telling myself that there was so much more to dance and movement in the context of theatre. I could not just focus on dance alone after my first musical called Land of a Thousand Dreams. After 8 years,  I left TV to explore theatre / musicals.

5. How do you keep your work fresh?

By attending workshops and courses relating and not relating to my work. I used to travel a lot to different countries performing to the local audiences promoting and exchanging cultures. I learned so much from my travels and had the chance to observe how differently people do things. It has given me an awareness that we are always moving, always learning, always connecting. As for courses that are not related to what I do, they were, TESOL, F&B Hospitality, etc as well as creativity workshops. I feel that taking these courses gave me a fresh perspective on my current work. At the same time I gained knowledge in other areas. I never want to stop learning.

6. What do you think makes a perfect drama educator?**** I think the word here should be 'effective' rather than 'perfect'. The former can be learned but not the latter.  An effective educator always has a dialogue with the students. Making the students comfortable and creating a fun environment are tantamount to a convivial class.

7. Why is drama important? Why should it be taught in schools?

Throughout history, many countries had been using drama as a tool to educate and entertain. They used it to investigate the world around them. Therefore it has always been a natural part of being human. Even now, when we gather in a group, without realising it, we are all actors in our own rights. When we speak, we use gestures and together with our expressions we are dramatising whether we realise it or not. We use drama because we want people to believe what we say.

I think people have forgotten how to play. Drama education can bring out the fantasy or hidden aspects of students, arouse curiosity about their environment, understand each other better, inculcate tolerance and foster awareness of other important issues surrounding them in a controlled environment  without losing sight of reality. In fact, drama touches the hearts of all those who embrace it.

8. Who was the drama educator that has the most impact on you?

I haven't had the chance to work with a drama educator who can impact me in a big way but I am thankful for the many opportunities to talk to and attend workshops with a number of drama educators from SDEA. The times when we were just hanging out exchanging stories reinforced the idea that drama education is  important for everyone.

9. What is your most memorable moment in the classroom/on stage?

On stage - I was part of a musical and I was dancing to 'Singapura, Sunny Island' when my costume skirt came off. My big butt was showing and everyone from the cast to the crew including me, of course, couldn't stop laughing.  Luckily that was only the dress rehearsal.

In class - I was playing a drama game with my students and I grouped them into 4 different groups. I asked them to discuss how they would build objects and one of them was a toilet bowl . While they were trying out different positions and movements, suddenly a voice called out, " Hey! Who is going to be the poo?". Laughter...

10. Share a drama activity that you love to do.

I actually like asking students to form pictures in groups - ships, aeroplanes. I am always amazed at how creative their minds can be. It encourages teamwork and dialogue.

11. What do you hope to see in Singapore's drama/theatre landscape in future?

More emphasis on musicals or plays with a moral value with original scripts.

12. In one word, sum up your drama education journey.

Continuingtoexplore.. :)