The Driving Force - Our Founder
Deepika Rajani is an impassioned and seasoned educator, as well as a skilled film and theatre director and actor. She holds registration as a speech and drama instructor with the Ministry of Education in Singapore and is certified by Trinity College London.
With boundless enthusiasm, an unwavering work ethic, and an insatiable passion for captivating audiences, she leads theatre, performing arts, and speech and drama classes catering to both adults and children ranging from 4 to 18 years old.
Deeply committed to cultivating strong bonds with young individuals within the realm of theatre arts, she possesses an exceptional dedication to working with children. She firmly believes that drama serves as a potent educational tool, engaging multiple faculties and nurturing critical thinking.
Her journey in the world of theatre commenced in India in the year 2000, and since then, she has garnered numerous accolades and awards for her remarkable contributions, including prestigious recognitions from the esteemed National School of Drama in New Delhi. Over the years, she has conducted extensive workshops for children, spanning across Singapore and India.
Deepika brings with her extensive hands-on experience encompassing scriptwriting, strategic planning, directing, and acting across a wide spectrum of productions, including stage plays, online plays, radio dramas, community theatre performances, street plays, and short films showcased in Singapore, India, and the United States.
Lakshmi Krishan
Lakshmi is a seasoned English Drama Teacher with a comprehensive background in her field. She received her training at the Julia Gabriel Institute of Speech and Drama in Singapore and holds a Teaching Certificate in Drama from Trinity College, London. Her expertise extends to guiding students through various modules of the Drama Graded exams.
In her lessons, Lakshmi draws from a diverse range of literature, encompassing everything from poetry to prose by contemporary English authors. Within the framework of a typical class, students engage in Voice and Speech exercises, Choral Recitations, Role Play, and more. She firmly believes in the transformative power of drama, viewing it as a catalyst for positive change in every child.
Having transitioned from a career in banking and financial consulting, Lakshmi made a joyful mid-career shift to teaching. Beyond the classroom, she dedicates her time to community volunteering and pursues her passions for gardening and crafting with equal enthusiasm.
Riona Ann Cardozo
Riona Ann Cardozo is a dedicated theatre artist whose passion for drama ignited at the tender age of seven. Holding four prestigious distinctions from Trinity College, she has graced the stage with her presence in numerous stage plays, musical recitals, and dance shows. Beyond her impressive theatrical accomplishments, Riona is a polyglot, fluent in English, Mandarin Chinese, and Japanese, with a smattering of Korean.
Riona’s journey continues as she takes on the role of assistant director and trainer with Tamasha by Deepika Rajani, eager to delve into the fascinating world behind the scenes of theatre. Her experience working with these talented young artists has been both enjoyable and profoundly enriching.
Elizabeth Laurel
Elizabeth Laurel is an actress who embarked on her theatrical journey at the young age of 12. Beyond her acting pursuits, Elizabeth is a passionate playwright and poet. She is recognized as a registered drama trainer by the Ministry of Education, Singapore, and is on the verge of earning her Diploma in Performance from LASALLE College of the Arts. Her creative endeavors have included collaborations with Theatreworks, and she showcases her poetic talents through self-publishing. In her role as an educator, Elizabeth finds immense joy in nurturing young minds and instilling in them her profound love for the dramatic arts, ensuring a vibrant legacy for the next generation.
Sheetal Gautam
Sheetal, an ardent devotee of drama, dance, production, and styling, is a multifaceted talent. Her journey began with self-taught dancing, and she further honed her skills as an actor, leaving audiences captivated in Dubai and Singapore. Beyond the spotlight, Sheetal has played pivotal roles within production teams, lending her expertise to costume design, makeup artistry, and various behind-the-scenes responsibilities. As a director of student plays, her exceptional work garnered acclaim and accolades. Sheetal’s unwavering commitment, boundless creativity, and nurturing mentorship qualities set her apart in the realm of performing arts, leaving a lasting, positive impression wherever her artistic endeavors take her.
Hemang Yadav
Playwright Hemang Yadav’s works include Radio for the Singapore Arts Festival Fringe (2008), a modern Noh play All the Crazy People (2010), Maya: Demon Architect for the Esplanade Raga Festival (2014), an audience-interactive performance at the National Museum Not 50, 700! (SG50), Letter to Juliet combining opera with theatre (2014), site specific plays for Art Walk Little India (2017 – 2020), a trilingual ten-minute play Pongal (2021), a children’s play Ek Anokhi Duniya (2021), and Death of An Artist, uniting drama, dance and poetry (2021 and 2022). His play The Good Teacher continues to be staged successfully by Tamasha Theatre.
