Siddhartha Training Program Showcases “Three Acts of Goodness” Through Devised Theatre

Fo Guang Shan Philippines
October 7, 2025

The third session of the Siddhartha Training Program at the Guang Ming College Cebu Campus in the Philippines culminated in a theatrical showcase on September 3 at the Siddhartha Theatre. Presented in the style of Devised Theatre, the performance was a collective creation by the students—developed from their imagination, life experiences, and personal voices—allowing the audience to witness a production that was “born in the moment.”

Drama teacher Junrey, drawing from his studies of Humanistic Buddhism at Fo Guang Shan Nan Tien University and guided by the “Three Acts of Goodness Stories” emphasized by Ven. Yung Guang, Head Abbess of Fo Guang Shan Philippines, encouraged the students to integrate arts education with humanistic values.

The showcase, themed “SWITCH: Inception,” was divided into four segments. Through scenes set in everyday streets and communities, students portrayed pressing social issues such as domestic violence, abuse, and injustice. Each storyline found resolution through the transformative power of the **Three Acts of Goodness—doing good deeds, speaking good words, and thinking good thoughts—**which inspired the audience to reflect on hope and possibilities in the real world.

This year’s participants included ten senior high school students from the University of San Carlos, whose presence was further supported by the attendance of Principal Andrew Dy and Vice Principal. In total, 23 students performed on stage, with the support of seven volunteers behind the scenes, working together to make this rare and meaningful showcase possible.

The event drew a distinguished audience, including Ven. Hui Yi, Director of the Fo Guang Shan Volunteers Association, and Ven. Miao Jing, Abbess of Fo Guang Shan Mabuhay Temple, who both came to show their encouragement. With heartfelt performances and undeniable passion, the students demonstrated that “art is not merely performance—it is life education.”

Ven. Hui Yi shared his reflections after the performance, expressing his deep admiration for the students’ creative energy. “Here, art was expressed to its fullest. There was no pressure of popularity metrics, no idol burdens, and no anxieties about appearances. For these students, there is no song they cannot sing, no dance they cannot perform, and no role they cannot embody. What they need is simply to find their own place, and to pursue the performing arts with love and persistence.”

He further emphasized that this form of arts education is itself an expression of compassion and wisdom—born of gratitude, family support, and teachers’ guidance, while also representing a strength that passes from one generation to the next. “I too once carried a dream of theatre,” he added emotionally. “I hope these students will continue bravely and steadfastly on their own life journeys.”

This one-night-only performance was more than a showcase of artistic achievement—it was a profound encounter of the heart and an educational inspiration that left the audience deeply moved and reflecting long after the curtain fell.