The Pao School Songjiang campus auditorium was packed with more than 200 audience members on March 24-25, eagerly attending the Chinese Drama Club annual production. The work staged this year was a play entitled ‘Jesus, Confucius, and Lennon,’ written by Chinese author Sha Yexin in 1987, ambitiously exploring the intersection of spirituality, philosophy, and popular culture. “The creativity and teamwork showcased in this play truly embody the spirit of our students,” remarked school President Xu Yongchu. The Executive Headmaster, Iain Kilpatrick commented: "Not only did they provide a great evening’s theatre, but they really gave me a sense of how strong the arts are here at Pao School."
Script Introduction
‘Jesus, Confucius, and Lennon’ weaves together the teachings of the three moral teachers, examining how their ideas resonate in today’s society. It explores themes of love, peace, and moral guidance, prompting the audience to reflect on the relevance of these teachings to today’s world, and the way they continue to shape beliefs and social values.
Teacher-Student Co-creation Journey
The team, involving 28 students and three teachers from the high school’s Chinese Department, began working seven months previously, in September 2024. Over this period, the team rehearsed together twice a week. The teachers took on multiple roles, guiding students through the script and into character analysis, working as stage directors, and managing off-stage logistics, including props and costumes. The play was a work in progress, with students improvising lines based on their understanding of the characters. Every member of the Chinese Drama Club contributed behind the scenes, taking on tasks from crafting large props, to designing multimedia backgrounds, to selecting the opening music. The students took on roles as carpenters, painters, and costume designers, as they turned their visual ideas into reality.
Unforgettable Moments
Harvest and Growth
Cao Yuxi (The actress playing John Lennon, Y11 student):
I used to dislike teamwork, believing individual work was more efficient. However, during rehearsals for this play, I witnessed the power of efficient, harmonious teamwork. For example, on a weekend before the performance, our teacher coordinated everything—from assigning props and explaining lighting to timing music and managing costume changes. Every detail was meticulously arranged, ensuring the performance flowed seamlessly.
This experience taught me that ‘the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.’ Each department played its role, leveraging their individual strengths in ways I had never imagined possible. Since then, I’ve tried to emulate the teachers’ organizational clarity in managing my own student club, aiming to maximize everyone’s strengths.
Voices from the Audience
The play was built upon a regional project ‘Research on Educational Drama Practices Guided by Core Literacy in Language Arts’ that was originally initiated by the high school’s Chinese Department. Throughout this project, the teachers practiced theatrical innovation, guiding students in experiencing, creating, performing, and discussing contemporary Chinese plays.
Jesus, Confucius, and Lennon: An Inside Look：
* A special thank you to the High School Chinese Department for contributing the content
