CCA Previews ’26: Raffles Players

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By Raffles Players EXCO’26

Photos courtesy of Raffles Arts and Photography Society

Adapted from CCA Previews ’25

Let us guess.

You’re here because you saw the name, and thought it was all about the game. Once again, we are not those kinds of players.

Or, you’re the kind of person who belts musicals in the shower, who shamelessly thinks that you’re the main character.

Perhaps you’ve been itching to get your hands on some power tools, to make a colourful mess while working on the creation of our backdrops. Maybe you’re angling to get your hands on our robust, recently-renovated Lights and Sounds system? Or maybe you’re just looking for a respite from the mundanity of everyday school life.

Regardless, read on, because Raffles Players may be just the place for you!

The Players Experience

Raffles Players engages in at least one significant production each year, in which each of our members has the opportunity to play a part.

SYF

The first type of noteworthy production is the biennial Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) Arts Presentation, an externally organised showcase where Raffles Players presents a 15-minute play at the Festival. Beyond serving as an opportunity to hone and refine our craft, it is also an opportunity to meet like-minded young people across Singapore as we all convene to collectively appreciate our art form.

Last year (2024), we presented a distinction-winning play entitled “More”, adapted from local playwright Haresh Sharma’s play of the same name.

*Group picture after our SYF 2024 play “More”*

College Production

Our College Production is held once a year. We alternate between doing a larger-scale College Prod at RI’s very own Performing Arts Centre, and a smaller-scale but equally interesting Immersive Prod in Raffles Players’ very own home turf, the Theatre Studies Room.

College Productions involve both the senior and junior batches working together, with two or three performance nights and a larger cast and crew. These tend to be ambitious, large in scale, and highly demanding.

This year (2025), Players boasted a full house of 350 audience members at the PAC as we performed the heart-rending American classic Death of a Salesman (tickets sold out within four minutes!). Ultimately, these productions serve to be an excellent platform for us to learn new skills and bond collectively as a CCA.

*A scene from our 2025 college production, Death of a Salesman*

What are the hours like?

While we may only have one official CCA session on Wednesdays from 8.00am to 11.00am, this is not always the case. During peak production season, which typically occurs in Term 2, we may have additional sessions every week, the time of which depending on our Players members’ schedules — we try to find the best time for everyone.

What does a session look like?

A typical Players session might look rather odd from an outsider’s perspective. That’s because while Players is fortunate to have seasoned theatre practitioners and trainers to come in and teach us the ropes of drama, from improvisation workshops to musical theatre lessons, these lessons can take place in a rather unorthodox manner!

Think improv, monologues, lip-sync battles, and more. So, you can look forward to a cacophony of crawling and cawing, if that sort of thing appeals to you.

*Players create a tableau as part of a movement workshop*

What’s important to note is that we learn so much more beyond on-stage work. During dedicated sessions, we are exposed to the backend of productions, whereby we get to explore lighting and sound systems, learn how to make stunning sets, and familiarise ourselves with stage management.

During production season, the work we do varies greatly depending on the role we have committed to for that particular production. Everyone has a backstage role, where we are split into four committees: Costumes and Makeup (CnM), Lights and Sounds (LnS), Props and Sets (PnS), and Publicity. These four “limbs” of the production are coordinated by the Stage Manager and Directors (SMD), the brains of the operation, our benevolent overlords.

*Players working on sets for Death of a Salesman*

Who are we looking for?

Okay, you’ve made it this far. We can tell that you’re interested, but maybe you’re worried about your lack of experience in theatre and drama. Well, fret not! Most of our members do not have much of a background in drama, but we all share the same passion for learning.

Even the most experienced of us make mistakes, but we learn to shrug it off and treat it as an enriching experience for us to learn and grow from. All you need is an open mind and eagerness to learn, and the stage will soon be yours to command.

Most importantly, Players is not just a CCA, it is a tightly knit family. We are looking for people who are willing to be committed, willing to help one another out, and most importantly, willing to make new friends.

*The team who manned Front-of-House for Death of a Salesman*

If everything you’ve read so far appeals to you, sign up for our auditions! Auditions will take place sometime in late January. For our budding thespians, it typically includes performing a short monologue and improvisation exercise, along with an interview. For those more interested in the backend of production work and bringing a play or musical to life, it will comprise a short interview and a portfolio submission.

If you’re curious to learn more, do check out our Instagram page @rjc_players!

We hope to see you there!