45 Years of 黄城夜韵: Passion, Community and Grit

Written by: Ashley Ng (26A13)

Edited by: Tan Zhengyue (26S63)

Ten…nine…eight…  The atmosphere was tense; the air still. All eyes locked on the clock above. Breaths quivering with trepidation and adrenaline. Then, the countdown was up. The emcees stepped into the spotlight, instantly capturing the attention of the audience. 黄城夜韵 2026 had started. 

Over two days in mid-May this year, the Chinese Society’s Drama Wing held three showings of its annual production at Gateway Theatre. Beyond the spectacular performances from the Actors department, the toiling of 12 departments – from Makeup to Props to Ticketing – ensured the success of 黄城夜韵. Each department persevered through long, late-night work sessions and rehearsals. But all paid off.  As one C1 audience member expressed, “I really enjoyed the production. You could tell the different departments worked well together to produce such a high-quality show.” 

Blood, sweat and tears were shed throughout the arduous journey. This journey can be distilled into little moments. Take, for example, the moment the curtain fell during the last show. Performers turned to each other on stage and held one another in embraces. Backstage crew on stage left and right sprinted towards each other, choking up as their arms wrapped around their fellow department members. In these small instants filled with immense emotions, one really starts to grasp the sheer amount of effort every member put into each show, and in turn what a key part of the Hwa Chong experience 黄城夜韵 has become. 

Learning to adjust to different working styles, adapting to frequent unprecedented changes, and persevering through the long nights were just a few ways the 黄城 members overcame challenges. These challenges were opportunities for self-reflection, growth and maturity.

Now that the hectic 2026 season has ended, what would the outgoing leadership of 黄城 like to say to their CCA mates? Chen Hanyu (25S6T), one of the two Presidents of 黄城, said: “I’m thankful (to them) for being here with me and making 黄城夜韵 a successful production. Twenty, thirty years from now, I won’t only think about the production but also the people I worked with. These are the people I’ll hold close to my heart.” Meanwhile, Ang Siang Teng Krystal (25A11), also President of 黄城, shared a historic milestone the CCA had reached– this year was the first year in all fourty-five years of 黄城 that two female presidents have been elected. She left a message dedicated to the incoming leaders: “Although (some) were worried about a lack of perspective, I have a lot of hope in them. I trust they will prove themselves.” 

Passion, grit and community have made 黄城夜韵 a success for 45 years. The 2026 run is over, and the curtain will be drawn for now. Here’s to many more years – 黄城万岁！