Drama

Estella Wong is currently the Associate Professor and the Head of Academic studies/ Applied Theatre. She was the Associate Dean of the School of Drama in AY 2017-2021, and the Acting Dean in AY 2021-2022. Graduated from the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts and Birmingham City University, Estella Wong joined two professional theatre companies, Prospects Theatre Company and Chung Ying Theatre Company, before joining the Academy as a full-time faculty member in 2008. Her earlier creative works include 4.48 Psychosis by On and On theatre and the original musical production The Chiu Chow Groom by Rayanita Production as leading actress, Broadway musical Once on this Island by Hong Kong 3 Arts Musical Institute and Homo Superus by 2 On Stage as Assistant Director. Recent works include the innovative "Online Interactive mini-ethnotheatre Trilogy" See You Zoom and See You Zoom Again by Case One as Director, both created under the pandemic 2020. In March 2021, See You Zoom was named “Featured Work of 2020” by the International Association of Theatre Critics (Hong Kong). As the creative producer, Estella further collaborated with Tai Kwun Onstage Online for the innovative exploration by the Academy drama students in 2022. Being an advocate of Applied Theatre and Drama Education and active alumnus of the Academy since late 90s, Estella has pioneered various Applied Theatre and Drama Education programmes in Hong Kong, covering almost all academic levels (from secondary education to master’s level). These training programmes contributed to the current local Applied Theatre and Drama education scene. These pioneering programmes include: designed the first certificate course (jointly with Chung Ying Theatre Company) on “Drama education techniques for drama tutors" for the Academy’s drama students in 2002; developed the first local DSE Theatre arts module as an Applied Learning subject in 2012; designed and established the first local Master of Fine Arts programme Drama and Theatre Education major in 2008 (currently re-titled as Applied Theatre, Drama and Education major); designed and established the first local Bachelor of Fine Arts programme Applied Theatre major in 2022. Her publications include co-author of Applying Theatre (2011), chapter contributor of Performing research: Tensions, triumphs and trade-offs of Ethnodrama (edited by Ackroyd & O'Toole, 2010), Chinese translation of Dramawise: An Introduction of GCSE of Drama by Brad Haseman & John O’Toole (2005), Chinese translation of Gavin Bolton: Essential Writings (edited by Davis, 2013), editor of Risks and Opportunities: the Tension in Hong Kong (2007), journal article Some Reflective Notes on Directing the Online Auto-Ethnotheatre See You Zoom - An Account of the Lives of Hongkongers in the Dramatic 2020 (2021) etc. Wong was a member of the academic committee in IDEA 07 hosted in Hong Kong, and the chairperson of academic committee in the World Conference of Drama Education in Chinese Communities (DECC) in 09.  She is currently an international External Advisory of the Research-based Theatre Cluster in the University of British Columbia, and also serves as the Board Member of Pants Production and Hong Kong Teacher’s Drama Association (HKTDA). Estella Wong Applied Theatre and Drama Education Scholarships has been founded since 2010 for the Academy drama students who have shown outstanding commitment in the Applied Theatre and Drama Education field, more than 20 graduate and undergraduate students have been awarded thus far.