Melissa was Education Director of PlayInc, an art activation agency, from 2017-2018. She was previously Director of Education and Outreach of The Theatre Practice (TTP) from 2012-2016. Before joining TTP, Melissa had been chalking up experience in various aspects of theatre – acting, directing, education and arts administration.
After graduating from ITI, Melissa returned to Hong Kong and she worked as a full-time actress in Theatre Ensemble (later known as PIP) for a year. She performed in The Legend of Na Ja, Moon 71/2 and Faust auf dem Klosett (New Vision Arts Festival programme in 2006). She performed in the commissioned production Ending the World, with ITI graduates Andy Ng and Walter Leung, at the Hong Kong Arts Festival 2006. Thereafter, she has worked with many theatre groups in Hong Kong such as Theatre du Pif, On & On Theatre Workshop, Unlock Dancing Plaza and Theatre Fanatico. The theatre pieces she has been involved in recent years include My Favourite Time (written and directed by Chan Ping Chiu) and Far Away (written by Caryl Churchill) presented by On and On Theatre Workshop, and Theatre du Pif productions – Antigone by French playwright Jean Anouilh and directed by Jovanni Sy from Canada, The Will to Build (2010 version), a verbatim theatre piece written and directed by Bonni Chan, and Sunrise, an adaptation by Cao Yu’s classic play.
Melissa was one of the founders of the group Hong Kong Acting and Research Centre. In addition, she taught Multi-Media Performing Arts at the HKICC Lee Shau Kee School of Creativity in 2009-10. In 2008, she was also a directing consultant in Stage of Creation at the HKTA Ching Chung Secondary School, a project of the Quality Education Fund by Hong Kong’s Education Bureau.
The same year, Melissa set up Quattro Station together with Kim Dae Gun from Korea, as a result of the interaction between different cultures. Despite coming from two completely different theatre training backgrounds, Melissa and Dae Gun have managed to join hands to develop unique performance styles that are at the same time complementary to one another. The group focuses on physical theatre and dance theatre, believing in the power of simple stage design and the fundamental energy of performers in delivering theatrical works.
She is currently the Artistic Director (Education) of City Contemporary Dance Company (CCDC) Dance Centre in Hong Kong.
Photo by The Theatre Practice