Meet Talented Props and Puppet Construction Artist Yannie Wong
Our talented props and puppet construction artist, Yannie Wong, has expressed her inspiration to understand the importance of sharing happiness within the community through her creations.
Currently in Year 13 and studying the IB Career-related Programme (CP), Yannie was recently invited by a local theatre company to create a puppet named ‘Annie Wong’ for a show at Clockenflap. The script and storyline of the puppet were tailored to Yannie’s personal background, featuring a local girl whose parents are too busy to make her cookies. Yannie was delighted to witness the children in the audience fall in love with the character of Annie and the story.
Yannie’s commitment to sharing happiness extends beyond the stage. She has generously donated most of her designs to puppet companies and primary schools, gifting them to people around her to spread joy while breathing new life into her props and puppets.
Among all her creative inventions, Yannie holds a special fondness for the Griffin head she created for her house performance of Glee in June 2023. “It’s now displayed in the Senior School Centre (SSC), and we often see it during assemblies.”
As a self-taught props construction artist, Yannie began making puppets and props at the age of 9, inspired by her love for cartoons. “I wanted to be like the characters.” Her passion grew, and she started creating her own costumes for Halloween each year. Yannie studied visual arts in Years 10 and 11 and has been studying drama since Year 12 for her IB CP. “There’s more emphasis on acting in the lessons, but I’m particularly passionate about theatre design. The teachers and students at school have been incredibly supportive. The art teachers often provide positive feedback on my props.”
Yannie has experienced her fair share of trial and error throughout the creation process. “Having a vision, imagination, and thinking outside the box is very important for creating props.” When asked if she ever felt frustrated when her ideas didn’t work out, she shared that she has learned to take a step back, think, and try again, often discovering new directions in the process. Yannie also aims to further enhance her skills in sewing and drawing, which will help improve her work.
With Yannie’s talent and ambition, we wish her the best of luck with her university applications and future endeavours. We can’t wait to see where her creativity and talent take her in the future.
