Last week, the Yew Chung International School of Beijing put on three sellout performances of the critically acclaimed Legally Blonde: The Musical. Students from across our Secondary School came together, working hard for nearly six months to put on this fantastic show featuring a slew of talented actors, actresses, and musicians. The upbeat and energetic production had everyone on their feet cheering and clapping along!

The performance would of course not been possible without the help of the teachers and staff who tirelessly devoted their time and energy to this project, including Daniel Pearton (Head of Performing Arts), Annette Atkins (Teacher of Performing Arts), Lianne Yu (IGCSE Coordinator and Orchestra Director), and Anne Dwyer (Music Teacher). A heartfelt thanks to each of them!

Mr. Pearton offered his thoughts on the musical and how performances like these can have an indelible impact on student learning and development:

This year’s Secondary School musical was another fantastic success. I love to see how our performers really come out of their shells every year to rise to the challenge of playing parts very unlike who they are in real life. Chloe Sandifer-Stech in particular was outstanding as Elle; she was onstage for practically the entire 2 hour runtime of every show! She did an excellent job memorizing all her lines and handling her six solo songs, especially considering it was her very first musical production. Annette Atkins, our dance instructor, was also instrumental in helping our students put on the first proper dance routine we’ve had in a musical, so a special thanks to her as well.

This performance is a memory that our students will take with them even after they’ve left YCIS Beijing. The comradery and friendships they’ve built through this shared experience are one of some of the most fulfilling aspects of the performing arts. Along with developing confidence, teamwork, and a willingness to try new things, the performing arts offers undeniable benefits to participants that will serve them in their academic and post-academic lives.

Congratulations to our talented students on another amazing production!

Please visit our Flickr gallery for a full selection of photos from the performances!