THE STORY BOOK Academy has recently launched a performing arts scholarship programme for children from underprivileged communities.
The first beneficiaries of this programme are students from the Dignity for Children Foundation, a non-governmental organisation that provides holistic care and education for urban poor children.
To kick off this meaningful venture, the programme will sponsor five handpicked students from the Dignity for Children Foundation for the academy’s upcoming intake.
These students will have the unique opportunity to participate in the academy’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” acting classes set to commence in February, culminating in a public performance at the Petaling Jaya Performing Arts Centre (PJPAC) in June.
According to THE STORY BOOK Academy director Jeanisha Wan who herself grew up in an underprivileged environment, many of these children had often regarded the world of performing arts as a distant dream as such classes are often confined to families with the means to afford enrichment activities.
“At THE STORY BOOK, we believe that every child, regardless of their financial background, should have the opportunity to pursue their passion in the creative and performing arts,” Wan said in a statement on Monday (Jan 22).
“Through this scholarship programme, we hope to break down barriers and open doors for these deserving children.”
Established as an offshoot of THE STORY BOOK, an organisation known for organising interactive and roleplay-based storytelling events, THE STORY BOOK Academy has been conducting acting and roleplay classes since September 2020, catering to children as young as three years old. Students are selected through an audition process before they are admitted.
The academy’s students have showcased their talents publicly at prominent venues such as Sunway Velocity Mall, Paradigm Mall PJ, and Tropicana Gardens Mall, presenting beloved stories like ‘A Christmas Carol’, ‘Journey to the West,’ and ‘Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves’.
Since 2022, their repertoire has expanded to include sell-out performances like ‘Peter Pan’, ‘Pinocchio’, ‘The Lion King’ and more at PJPAC and KuAsh Theatre. – Jan 22, 2024
