TheatreWorks (Singapore)
Encyclopedia
TheatreWorks is an independent, non-profit theatre company in Singapore
. Its artistic director is Ong Keng Sen
. Its Managing Director is Tay Tong.
TheatreWorks appointed Ong Keng Sen as its artistic director in 1988. It is known for its reinvention of traditional performance through a juxtaposition of cultures. Its works reflect a concern with cultural negotiation and artistic exchanges with artists, through a network of traditional and contemporary artists from different disciplines. It encourages creative partnerships and artistic risk-taking, pushing beyond the boundaries of one’s artistic and cultural comfort zone, and most importantly, to embrace and project the multiple realities of Asia with artistically strong works that its audiences can relate to.
Locally, TheatreWorks continues to support and nurture Singapore artists through developmental programmes such as The Writers’ Laboratory. Such programmes provide an avenue for writers to develop their concepts, themes and characterisation through interaction with an informed and critical audience at various stages of development.
Internationally, TheatreWorks continues to develop various productions and programmes that have gained international recognition. Homegrown research and development projects such as The Flying Circus Project have turned into an internationally known and sought-after laboratory process, while international programmes recently initiated include the Continuum Asia Project (CAP) in Laos, and the Mobilising Arts Communities project (MAC) in the Mekong region. The CAP helps to preserve the rich cultural heritage of Asia by reviving dying traditional art forms. TheatreWorks is assisting the Royal Ballet Theatre at Luang Prabang to revive the Laotian Ramayana. The MAC, on the other hand, serves to link artists and local communities through capacity building and harnessing skills of participating artists in Vietnam and Cambodia.
In September 2005, TheatreWorks relocated to 72-13 Mohamed Sultan Road. The new premise is a converted rice warehouse with enough space to host a gallery, a cinema and a theatre (with seating capacity
of 250) as required. The premise is also hosting the International Centre of Asian Arts (ICAA) and the Singapore Creative Arts Nucleus (SCAN). ICAA serves as a Research & Development Centre, a forum, a performance, and a platform for Asia’s expression and its relationship to the rest of the world, while SCAN is an incubator for emerging creatives.
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. Its artistic director is Ong Keng Sen
Ong Keng Sen
Ong Keng Sen is a Singaporean director of the theatre group TheatreWorks, which was founded in Singapore in 1985.Ong is a member of the Asia-Europe Network, which promotes the artistic exchange between Asia and Europe...
. Its Managing Director is Tay Tong.
History
TheatreWorks (Singapore) Ltd was established in 1985. Since its establishment, the company has staged over 200 productions and about 2,500 performances in Singapore and overseas, and has reached an audienceship of close to a million over the years.TheatreWorks appointed Ong Keng Sen as its artistic director in 1988. It is known for its reinvention of traditional performance through a juxtaposition of cultures. Its works reflect a concern with cultural negotiation and artistic exchanges with artists, through a network of traditional and contemporary artists from different disciplines. It encourages creative partnerships and artistic risk-taking, pushing beyond the boundaries of one’s artistic and cultural comfort zone, and most importantly, to embrace and project the multiple realities of Asia with artistically strong works that its audiences can relate to.
Locally, TheatreWorks continues to support and nurture Singapore artists through developmental programmes such as The Writers’ Laboratory. Such programmes provide an avenue for writers to develop their concepts, themes and characterisation through interaction with an informed and critical audience at various stages of development.
Internationally, TheatreWorks continues to develop various productions and programmes that have gained international recognition. Homegrown research and development projects such as The Flying Circus Project have turned into an internationally known and sought-after laboratory process, while international programmes recently initiated include the Continuum Asia Project (CAP) in Laos, and the Mobilising Arts Communities project (MAC) in the Mekong region. The CAP helps to preserve the rich cultural heritage of Asia by reviving dying traditional art forms. TheatreWorks is assisting the Royal Ballet Theatre at Luang Prabang to revive the Laotian Ramayana. The MAC, on the other hand, serves to link artists and local communities through capacity building and harnessing skills of participating artists in Vietnam and Cambodia.
In September 2005, TheatreWorks relocated to 72-13 Mohamed Sultan Road. The new premise is a converted rice warehouse with enough space to host a gallery, a cinema and a theatre (with seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of 250) as required. The premise is also hosting the International Centre of Asian Arts (ICAA) and the Singapore Creative Arts Nucleus (SCAN). ICAA serves as a Research & Development Centre, a forum, a performance, and a platform for Asia’s expression and its relationship to the rest of the world, while SCAN is an incubator for emerging creatives.
Productions
- Machine (2002)
- Comrade Mayor (2002)
- Positive People (2002)
- Pulse. I am Alive (2003)
- Balance:Space.Time.Movement (2003)
- Ma: Moment (2004)
- Shanty: Follow That Dream (2004)
- Marriage of Inconvenience (2004)
- Geisha (2006)
- Diaspora (2006) and toured to the Edinburgh Internationa Festival in 2009
- 120 (2007)
- "Dance, Dance, Dance (2008)
- "Reservoir" (2008)
- "The War Painter Project" (2008)
- "Awaking" (2008)
- "Vivien and the Shadows" (2008)
- "The Continuum : Beyond the Killing Fields" (2008/ 2009 tours)
- "RPM" (2009)
External links
- TheatreWorks (Singapore)
- 72-13
- Arts Network Asia (ANA)