Teater Ekamatra

In 1961, Singapore’s first president, Yusof Ishak delivered a watershed speech at the National Day Mass Rally. A man of ideals who dared to dream of a peaceful and successful nation despite 200 years of colonial rule, he spoke of how democracy could transform Singapore into a country of great national unity and solidarity.Set against the backdrop of a young nation on the cusp of change, Yusof brings to life the defining moments that shaped both the man and the country. From his early days at Utusan Melayu, 

Yusof: Portrait of a President (2025)

Cast

Wild Rice

A hotel in Singapore is opened at the turn of the century, when the island is still a jewel in the crown of the British Empire. Each day, new faces appear and swiftly disappear – guests and staff alike.&nbsp;Every ten years, we check in to meet the hotel’s residents: Indian mutineers, Cantonese nannies, Malay film stars, Japanese soldiers, transsexual sex workers, wedding guests, suspected terrorists, and more. They live out the pivotal moments in their personal lives, as empires die and new ones are born f

HOTEL (2025)

Hossan Leong

A spectacular journey through Singapore’s arts scene.Join the OG Singapore Boy Hossan Leong in an extraordinary theatrical experience that weaves four decades of artistic evolution through the eyes of someone who lived through it all. This performance of song and storytelling is inspired by Hossan’s personal journey - which mirrors Singapore’s own cultural awakening - from church pianist to becoming one of the nation’s most versatile entertainers.Be dazzled as Hossan does EVERYTHING - acting, singing, stand

Hossan-AH! In The High Arts (2025)

Not so far away, in the Eternal Kingdom, lives a Queen who wants everything and everyone to be perfect – just not as perfect as her. So, when her subjects turn 18, they are sent for “Enhancement” – a programme to correct their flaws.One day, her Magic Mirror, who cannot lie without literally cracking up, reveals to her that a new beauty has come of age – her own step-daughter, Snow White. Seething with jealousy, the Queen orders the girl to undergo a nip-tuck by the creepy Royal Surgeon.To save her own skin

Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs (2023)

Sing'theatre

Sing’theatre is proud to present CABARET, one of the most iconic and decadent musicals of all time. Featuring unforgettable songs like “Willkommen”, “Cabaret”, “Don’t Tell Mama” and “Two Ladies” this exuberantly entertaining show will transport you back in time to 1930s Berlin, where life is beautiful but dark forces are on the rise.Directed by Hossan Leong and choreographed by Lisa Keegan, CABARET stars a talented cast of 18, accompanied by an 8-piece live band playing infectious music. The show boasts out

CABARET (2023)

The Necessary Stage

When Eric Lim returns home after studying abroad, he marries his long-time sweetheart and neighbour Shalini Mulchand. But a lot can happen in three years—especially when two families are united by love but divided by their pain.First staged in 1994 as part of the Singapore Festival of Arts, Three Years in the Life and Death of Land is about the Lims, the Mulchands, a ghost, a cat and three mosquitoes—one big family, trying hard to be happy.

Three Years in the Life and Death of Land (2023)

HOTEL (2023)

For Faith (Hossan Leong) and Hope (Kumar), the New Year is just another day. But when an old friend shows up suddenly, their lives are turned upside down. They find themselves embroiled with spies, childhood trauma and GENDER PRONOUNS.It's been almost 20 years since the gang met up. Will they be able to let go of the ghosts from their past? Will they be able to identify as ELDERLY? What world is this where the GAYBOURS are banging, the Health HOMOTION Board speaks the truth and MINISTRY OF NUCLEAR FAMILIES 

Old Gaze (2023)

In this cheekily on-the-nose musical adaptation of the classic fairy tale, Wild Rice brings one of the world’s most beloved characters to the Singapore stage. Meet Pinocchio, a wooden puppet crafted with loving care by Geppetto – a kind, humble carpenter who has always dreamt of becoming a father.With a wish and a touch of fairy magic, Pinocchio springs to life… but there are some strings attached! To become a real boy, Pinocchio must first prove himself to be brave, kind and true. It’s a challenge the litt

Pinocchio (2022)

Pulau Ujong, or “Island at the End”, is one of the oldest recorded names for Singapore. But what was it like at the beginning, before humans started transforming the landscape? What lifeforms once filled its rainforests and rivers, and which ones are now extinct? With temperatures soaring twice as fast as the rest of the world, what will this island’s future look like?Written with heartfelt insight by award-winning playwright Alfian Sa’at,&nbsp;Pulau Ujong&nbsp;is a riveting piece of documentary theatre fea

Pulau Ujong (2022)

When a father takes his life, his wife grieves, his daughter wonders, and his mother laughs.&nbsp;Berak&nbsp;looks at the whimsical journey of a family dealing with mortality. Adapted from Chong Tze Chien’s award-winning&nbsp;Poop!,&nbsp;Berak&nbsp;stars the stellar cast of Siti Khalijah Zainal, Fir Rahman, Siti Hajar Abdul Gani, and Aidli ‘Alin’ Mosbit.With its humorous musings on family, love, and grief,&nbsp;Berak&nbsp;promises to speak to your heart in unexpected ways, filling it with magic, laughter, a

Berak (2022)

This holiday season, Wild Rice proudly presents Momotaro and the Magnificent Peach, a spectacular new musical adaptation of the beloved Japanese folktale. Taking inspiration from anime, J-pop and all things Japanese, this epic joy ride is the perfect festive treat for the entire family!

For all of his young life, Momotaro&nbsp;has lived on Peach Paradise, an idyllic island so beautiful that it must have been blessed by the heavens above. But, one dreadful day, a poisonous wave of pollution engulfs Momota

Momotaro and the Magnificent Peach (2021)

Every day, we are inundated with dire consequences of the climate emergency.

In the face of this threat to humanity, what do we do? Recycle? Switch to environmentally-friendly products? Be a vegan? Stop having children? What can we do—and do our actions even matter?

Why do we have such different responses to climate change? What makes one a denialist, or another to commit acts of civil disobedience in the name of climate justice?

Can we as individuals, and collectively, affect change? Or will polit

The Year of No Return (2021)

Cake Theatrical Productions

By Design is a performance-centred art experience where graphic design, media art and performance meet in playful collaboration. Conceived and directed by CAKE, graphic design artists Vanessa Ban and Amber Vittoria, and media artist Zach Lieberman are invited to create new pieces in collaboration with live performers.


By Design (2021)

Performer

Double Confirm Productions

Sight Lines Productions

Six Suspects.Two Eras.One Missing Peranakan Treasure.The crown jewel of the “Treasures of the Straits” exhibition has gone missing and both guests and staff alike are suspects. The General Manager has been given till midnight to solve the case internally before the police is called.Set in the iconic Raffles Hotel Singapore, you, the audience, are invited to play detective and piece the clues together, as you navigate through the walls of the hotel and decide on the sequence of how the story unfolds.The Curi

The Curious Case of the Missing Peranakan Treasure (2021)

A man stabs an MP at a Meet the People Session. But this is not their story.

It is the story of the man’s girlfriend, an Indonesian maid who wants to get married and become a Singapore citizen. It is the story of the MP’s wife, who tries to cope with her husband’s injury and the media spotlight. It is the story of the maid’s employer, who is also struggling with her own tragedy.

These three women may mean nothing to each other, but they need one another to survive.

The maid, the employer and the MP

Model Citizens (2021)

Siti Khalijah Zainal is a familiar face on the Singapore stage. She’s played a diverse range of roles, including a schizophrenic young woman, an Indonesian domestic worker and Singapore’s first female Malay Prime Minister (not President!). But what challenges has she faced in her career?

Inspired by Konstantin Stanislavski’s first handbook on acting, An Actress Prepares follows Siti on a journey through her life in theatre. She candidly shares various affecting and hilarious episodes: learning Chinese da

An Actress Prepares (2020)

Playwright

When a father takes his life, his wife grieves, his daughter wonders, and his mother laughs. Berak looks at the whimsical journey of a family dealing with mortality. Adapted from Chong Tze Chien’s award-winning Poop!, Berak stars a stellar cast of Siti Khalijah Zainal, Fir Rahman, Siti Hajar Abdul Gani, and Aidli ‘Alin’ Mosbit.⁣⁣⁣

With its humorous musings on family, love, and grief, Berak promises to speak to your heart in unexpected ways, filling it with magic, laughter, and hope. ⁣⁣&nbsp;⁣⁣⁣⁣

Teate

Berak (2020)

This interactive theatrical experience will feature excerpts of&nbsp;Off Centre&nbsp;that traces the friendships that the protagonist, Vinod, forges—one with Charlie, his ex-classmate from Junior College, and another with Saloma, who—like Vinod—struggles with a mental health condition.

Can Vinod draw support from his friends, in the face of social prejudices against those suffering from mental illnesses? Will their friendships be able to withstand the personal conflicts that each of them experience?

O

Off Centre (2020)

Actor

Facilitator

Sing Lit Station

Centred around social and familial issues, NEW LIGHT / NEW WORKS will feature a dramatised reading of Reply When You Can, a project by Farhanah Diyanah, one of our writers-in-residence at the Jalan Besar Writing Residency.In early 2020, FD facilitated drama workshops and wrote scripts for Youth Stories, a collective made up of social workers and youths from financially-challenged families between the ages of 10 to 16 years old. Through this involvement, she gathered their personal stories and together with 

Reply When You Can (2020)

Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay

Find out what happens when colourful characters from Malay folklore stay in the same kampung! Whether you're reliving its hilarity or watching Alkesah for the first time, you don't want to miss this boisterous theatre work that saw a sold-out run at Pesta Raya – Malay Festival of Arts 2018.Mat Jenin is a hopeless dreamer who is the new village head of Kampung Alkesah, a position he reluctantly inherited from his late father, along with the mounting misfortunes that have been distressing his beloved village.

Alkesah (2018)

Berak chronicles the aftermath of a suicide: A grandmother bargains with divine powers to release her son's soul from hell. Failing which, she brings him home; she takes over the reins of bringing up her granddaughter, while keeping her daughter-in-law at bay, saving the granddaughter all for herself. She tries to instill in her granddaughter that death is merely a joke, that there's nothing to cry about as she takes her on a mind trip towards the underworld and purgatory. These personal fantasies of the af

Welcome to the club! Make yourself at home, but this is not your house. Don't forget to tip us! We are your&nbsp;perempuan-perempuan joget&nbsp;(dancing girls) Zubaidah and Rukiah. Do you like our kebaya? Come to our club and we will share with you our stories and songs. Our show is not like other shows. This is a time travel show. We will bring you to the past—during the heyday of the 1960s - and to the future. You want to dance? Later we can dance. First, sit down. And enjoy the ride.

Directed by Alvin

Kebaya Homies (2020)

With all the pressures of school and growing up in Singapore, Wendy and her brothers would rather be anywhere else than their stuffy bedroom in Serangoon Gardens. Enter Peter Pan, who promises to take them on an adventure of a lifetime!&nbsp;

So up, up and away they go, journeying towards Neverland — an enchanted island where they never have to grow up. Along the way, they meet Ting Tong Bell’s fairy friends, bewitching mermaids and a motley crew of Lost Boys. But they soon discover the dangers lurking i

Peter Pan in Serangoon Gardens (2019)

There is no past without colonisation,&nbsp;and there is no future without it.

As we commemorate the bicentennial of the founding of Singapore, let us take a moment to express our gratitude to our founding father/s for their foresight in transforming Singapore from a small fishing village to a global metropolis. We are civilised!

Let's marvel at how, all over the world, our land has been plundered, our laws kept archaic and our freedoms curtailed by those in power. Let us honour our pursuit of economi

Civilised (2019)

Dream Academy

Singapore’s new favourite duo is back by popular demand! After a successful debut with rave reviews, sold-out shows, and a Straits Times Life! Theatre Awards Best Actress nomination for&nbsp;Judee Tan&nbsp;as Cheenah,&nbsp;Meenah and Cheenah&nbsp;are back to make you laugh so hard your dentures may fly out! (True story!) Best known for playing hilarious characters such as Dr. Teo Chew Moi (Happy Ever Laughter,&nbsp;Dream Academy) and Kim Bong Cha (The Noose,&nbsp;Mediacorp),&nbsp;Judee Tan&nbsp;teams up wit

Meenah and Cheenah (2019)

This holiday season, W!LD RICE brings you its heartwarming, hilarious take on Charles Dickens' classic tale about love, compassion and the spirit of giving!

S.K. Loo's All-In-One app has made him the richest businessman in town. To him, only money matters. Kindness? Forget it. Generosity? Never heard of it? And Christmas? #BAHHUMBUG!&nbsp;

He's determined to spend Christmas as he always has - holed up in his penthouse, dreaming of hostile takeovers and retrenching staff.&nbsp;

But this Christmas is

A $ingapore Carol (2018)

Temple sees the invention of a mythological universe where all the quarters of the world are at odds. A sports hall, once the diplomatic meeting arena of the now opposing sides, stands desolate.

7 people, assailed, stand at the entrance of the great hall. Quickly, they enter and bolt the doors. Some nights they hear pounding on the doors but they keep very still and do nothing. Within the inner sanctum, they create their own rules, find their own order. They wait.

One day, they awake to find the doors

Temple (2018)

In 1943, the Japanese film 'The Tiger of Malaya' was released. Based on the life story of Tani Yutaka, a Japanese man who lived on the east coast of Malaya, the film portrayed him as a patriotic agent who liberated the Malay natives from British imperialists and Chinese capitalists.

Now, more than 70 years later, a group of actors are going to reenact scenes from the film. Real Malay actors will replace the 'brown face' Japanese actors in the original. Chinese actors will play antagonists who are 'less e

Tiger of Malaya (2018)

Siti Khalijah Zainal is a familiar face on the Singapore stage. She's played a diverse range of roles, including a schizophrenic young woman, an Indonesia domestic worker and Singapore's first female Malay Prime Minister (not President!). But what challenges has she faced in her career?

Inspired by Konstantin Stanislavski's first handbook on acting,&nbsp;An Actress Prepares&nbsp;follows Siti on a journey through her life in theatre. She candidly shares various affecting and hilarious episodes: learning C

An Actress Prepares (2018)

Drama Box

In 2016, Drama Box and The Necessary Stage presented the groundbreaking sold-out production&nbsp;Manifesto, that delved into the relationship between art and politics.

This year, the two companies collaborate once again on a brand new work that explores poverty, inequality and human dignity in Singapore.

Underclass&nbsp;tells the story of Xinyi, who finds herself in a downward spiral after losing her job and her flat. When she moves into a rental unit, she meets Johari, and they strike up an unlikely 

Underclass (2018)

This holiday season, W!LD RICE proudly presents&nbsp;Mama White Snake, the perfect musical for the entire family! Full of heart, humour and home truths, this epic adventure puts a cheeky, charming spin on the classic Chinese folk tale,&nbsp;Madam White Snake.

For all his young life, Meng has dreamt of adventures beyond the confines of Emei Mountain. But his mother and aunt have always kept him close, warning him of the dangers and strangers lurking in the outside world.

Finally, Meng decides he has ha

Mama White Snake (2017)

A foreigner from an ancient civilization, Medea becomes the perpetual outsider in a city defined by self-proclaimed civility and rule of law. When her husband deserts her to marry the daughter of the city’s Premiere, she is left utterly displaced. Facing imminent exile with nothing save the skin on her back, she redirects her anguish into vengeance, punishes her enemies and horrifies the populace by spilling the blood of her own children on their very ground.

One of the most fascinating mythological figu

Medea (2017)

Over three decades, The Necessary Stage and actors-collaborators who have been partners in the making of the company's devised plays have revealed to us over and over again - in profound, heartbreaking and funny ways - what it means to 'be' in Singapore.&nbsp;

Vinod | Radha Krishnan | Eric Sim Guan Yeow&nbsp;| Noorhayati Yusof&nbsp;| Sergeant Mok&nbsp;| Jali bin Mohd Fariz&nbsp;| Mrs Chua&nbsp;| Mrs Phua Su Lin&nbsp;| Alisha&nbsp;| Melly&nbsp;| Saloma and many more

Away from the buzz of the rehearsal 

Being Haresh Sharma (2017)

Spare Room Productions

A Brand New Show about Sexy! Sixties! Singapore!

The year is 1968, and a lavish Las Vegas style niteclub opens its doors for the very first time in the heart of Orchard Road.

Known for its international class topless revues, glamorous stars and lifestyle of the rich and famous of its time, Tropicana captured the imagination of the nation and brought some hard-hitting realities to light.&nbsp;Tropicana The Musical&nbsp;is a story less about tits than it is about balls. The balls of a nation of dream ma

Tropicana the Musical (2017)

First staged in 1990 and subsequently in 2010 to full houses at the Singapore Arts Festival,&nbsp;Those Who Can't, Teach&nbsp;is a Singaporean theatre classic by Cultural Medallion winners Alvin Tan and Haresh Sharma.

Set in a secondary school, the play looks at the madcap lives of teachers and students - with often hilarious results. As the teachers struggle daily to 'nurture and groom', the students prefer to hang out and chill. In the meantime, they all have to deal with the dreaded 'parents'.&nbsp;


Those Who Can't, Teach (2017)

Akulah BIMBO SAKTI

Following its previous two iterations in Singapore and Bangkok, Noor Effendy Ibrahim's new collective Akulah BIMBO SAKTI revisits&nbsp;Si Ti Kay, this time with a focus on exposing the intimate and the private through performance. Be enticed into Si Ti Kay's world—one that is familiar yet claustrophobic—and delve into the sexual and political tensions within the domestic realm. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Featuring John Cheah, M. Haja and Siti Z, this physical theatre performance promises to challenge

SI TI KAY (2017)

W!LD RICE brings the Year of the Monkey to a happy climax with its 13th holiday musical extravaganza for the whole family! Winner of ‘Production of the Year’ at the 2015 Straits Times Life Theatre Awards,&nbsp;Monkey Goes West&nbsp;is an affectionate and cheeky retelling of the beloved Chinese fantasy classic. Join us for this epic thrill ride that will take you from Haw Par Villa to Jurong West – by way of a colourful world filled with mythical monsters and naughty fairies!

When orphan Ah Tang runs away

Monkey Goes West (2016)

Rosnah is a young Malay Muslim woman who leaves home for the first time to study in London. As she navigates her new environment with determination, she forges new connections with friends who differ from her in all respects - personality, race and religion.

Is she able to balance tradition and liberal ideas without losing her identity?&nbsp;

One of The Necessary Stage's well-loved early plays by Resident Playwright and Cultural Medallion recipient Haresh Sharma,&nbsp;Rosnah&nbsp;is a monodrama about 

Rosnah (2016)

A hotel in Singapore is opened at the turn of the century, when the island is still a jewel in the British Crown. It serves as an exotic pit stop for travelers who wish to explore the glittering expanse of the British Empire.&nbsp;

Each day, new faces appear and swiftly disappear – guests and staff alike. Every ten years, we check into the hotel and meet its residents. As Singapore morphs from British colony to Malaysian state to sovereign nation, its denizens experience profound and dramatic changes. We

HOTEL (2016)

Dream Academy presents a brand new show,&nbsp;MEENAH AND CHEENAH!&nbsp;Catch two of Singapore’s funniest ladies,&nbsp;Siti Khalijah&nbsp;(Best Of, The Noose, Model Citizens) and&nbsp;Judee Tan&nbsp;(Dr. Teo Chew Moi, The Noose), in their criss cross multicultural teh tarik bubble tea champalang nonsense! The hysterical duo will take on a slew of instantly-recognisable Singaporean characters – a pair of secondary-school delinquents, the Makcik and her Ah Soh best friend and more!&nbsp;MEENAH AND CHEENAH&nbsp

Meenah and Cheenah (2016)

1963. A young painter is forced to abandon his family and his art when he is embroiled in the tumultuous politics of the era.

1987. Three writers are detained by the Internal Security Bureau, each making different choices that will leave indelible marks on their lives.

2016. Artists occupy a derelict building in a bid to present their works free from state intervention, but find themselves entangled in market and personal politics instead.

2024. Successors of a theatre company discover that it has 

Manifesto (2016)

Creator

Once upon a time, in a kingdom not so far away, ruled a vain and pompous Emperor who was crazy about his clothes, himself and little else. So obsessed with fashion was he that he decreed that the 50th&nbsp;anniversary of his reign be celebrated with the most extravagant National Dress Parade of all time. But, as he primped and preened, he neglected his music-loving citizens, who could only get his attention by complimenting him on his appearance.

One day, two cheeky tailors discover a dark secret in the 

The Emperor's New Clothes (2015)

HOTEL (2015)

50 years ago, Singapore and Malaysia divorced after a brief marriage of two years. But, doomed lovers that we are, we just can’t stay away from each other, no matter how often we squabble over water, airspace and food. We toil in each other’s cities, relax on each other’s islands and get fined on each other’s roads. We laugh at each other’s laws but envy each other’s liberties; separated by history, we are united by our dreams for a better home.

Directed by Singapore’s Ivan Heng and Malaysia’s Jo Kukatha

Another Country (2015)

"...the more I discover, the more I am convinced that we were related, that I had to be a descendant of the Eunuch Admiral."A powerful work about castration and politics,&nbsp;Descendants of the Eunuch Admiralrecounts the legacy of the man responsible for China’s most extensive maritime expeditions in the 15th century, the legendary eunuch, Admiral Zheng He. Using the metaphor of castration, parallels are drawn between the power struggles of court eunuchs and the displacement of modern beings who make sacri

Descendants of the Eunuch Admiral (2015)

Voiceover

Written by Haresh Sharma,&nbsp;Off Centre&nbsp;(1993) focuses on the relationship between two young schizophrenics, both of whom face stigma from people in their lives while trying to reintegrate into society.

Featuring a strong ensemble including Neo Swee Lin and Siti Khalijah, Oliver Chong helms this production to tell a resonating and personal story of friendship and societal and familial pressures in a Singaporean context.

Off Centre&nbsp;is The Necessary Stage’s landmark play. First staged to cri

Off Centre (2015)

W!LD RICE looks East for its 11th holiday musical extravaganza for the whole family!&nbsp;In&nbsp;an affectionate and cheeky retelling of the beloved Chinese fantasy classic,&nbsp;Monkey Goes West is an&nbsp;epic thrill ride that will take you from Haw Par Villa to Jurong West – by way of a colourful world filled with mythical monsters and naughty fairies.

When orphan Ah Tang runs away from home after quarrelling with his adoptive family, he finds himself transported to a new, strange land. There, he bef

Monkey Goes West (2014)

Pangdemonium

The Rise &amp; Fall of Little Voice&nbsp;tells the story of a shy, reclusive girl named LV – or Little Voice (played by the extraordinary Mina Kaye) – and her larger than life, boozy, out-of-control mother Mari (Denise Tan). Desperately missing her dead father, LV spends her time locked in her bedroom listening to his old record collection and perfecting astonishing impersonations of famous divas including Shirley Bassey, Marilyn Monroe, Barbra Streisand, Edith Piaf, and Judy Garland…

When Mari starts da

The Rise & Fall of Little Voice (2014)

The Necessary Stage's latest production by Alvin Tan and Haresh Sharma grapples with the issue of road rage.&nbsp;

A unique production involving social media interaction,&nbsp;Poor Thing&nbsp;will invite audiences to watch a video clip of an accident before they enter the theatre to catch the 'live' action on stage.

During the performance, more clips will be posted online which audiences can view and comment on.

Poor Thing&nbsp;challenges you to explore what drives road rage in Singapore.&nbsp;


Poor Thing (2014)

Devisor

Award-winning actress Siti Khalijah Zainal takes centre-stage in this one-woman show specially created for her by Alvin Tan and Haresh Sharma.&nbsp;

Back by popular demand!

First staged at the Fringe in 2013 and subsequently at Causeway EXchange in Penang, both to rave reviews,&nbsp;Best Of&nbsp;looks at issues of the day through collective stories and personal reflection.&nbsp;

(Source: The Necessary Stage Programme)


Best Of (2014)

Life’s a drag for Jack and his poor mother Widow Neo – the cupboard is bare, there are bills to pay and the loan sharks are circling. With the writing literally on the void-deck walls, they finally resort to selling Ah Kow, their beloved pet cow. But when Jack only gets a handful of green beans instead of cold hard cash for their pet, disaster looms…

That is, until a gigantic bean-sprout springs up in Marina Bay! It reaches high up beyond the clouds, to a mystical land where a man-eating Giant is rumoure

Jack & the Bean-Sprout! (2013)

Singapore’s beloved Broadway singing, “Hokkien-Spiaking”, “Hamsum” Ah Beng – Broadway Beng a.k.a Sebastian Tan.

With his unique brand of humour, our Broadway Beng has been charming the stage since 2006 and most recently performed to almost sell-out crowd at the Drama Centre Theatre.


Broadway Beng: Benging You Back to Basics (2013)

SimplyWorks

Playwright Michael Chiang is back with an all-new original theatre production called High Class.

Inspired by the ditzy rom-coms of the ‘50s and ‘60s where aspiring young girls tried their darnedest to snare a filthy-rich husband, High Class&nbsp;is set in modern-day Singapore and revolves around five unexpected Cinderellas and the fairy godmother who hands them a ticket to tai-tai-dom.

This new production by the brains behind much-loved pieces such as Army Daze, Beauty World&nbsp;and Private Parts&nbs

High Class (2013)

The Theatre Practice

The story begins on a day just like any other, in a house just like any other.

In the house, there is a door that is never locked, and contains a group of women who come from different moments in history, each with her own secret. Time comes to a standstill as soon as these women enter the house. They become oblivious to the relentless passing of time outside.&nbsp;

One day, there is a knock on the door and a runaway bride bursts in, invading the peace and tranquility of the house, kicking off a serie

The Bride Always Knocks Twice (2013)

Award-winning actress Siti Khalijah Zainal takes centre-stage in this brand new one-woman show specially created for her by Alvin Tan and Haresh Sharma.&nbsp;

Best Of&nbsp;looks at issues of the day through collective stories and personal reflection.&nbsp;

"We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate o

Best Of (2013)

Poor Hansel and Gretel. Their new pop-star-wannabe stepmother thinks that the family budget is too tiny to support a household of four, so she’s decided to let them go. Their henpecked father doesn’t quite agree, but even he’s feeling the pinch in this new economy!

So the brother and sister pair&nbsp;are abandoned in the jungles of Mandai, to fend for themselves. There are strange cries in the dark, and eyes glowing in the bushes. Will they ever make their way back home?

To their surprise, they stumbl

Hansel & Gretel (2012)

The Finger Players

Artists, past and present theatre reviewers and different personalities from the arts scene “convene” in discussions that retrace the seminal events in Singapore theatre history. Rant and Rave dramatises some of the most memorable debates pertaining to the development of Singapore theatre from as far back as the 80s, re-enacting some of the most fiery dialogues about the arts in the last 30 years. Archival materials culled from various newspaper publications are used to create these discussions on art and s

Rant & Rave (2012)

I Theatre

Have you ever wondered how and why the camel got his hump? How did the leopard get his spots? How did the elephant get his trunk? How did the Rhinoceros get his skin? How exactly did the Armadillo happen?

Rudyard Kipling's lively, hilarious stories, collected from all over the world are intertwined with pearls of wisdom about the pitfalls of arrogance and pride and the importance of curiosity, imagination, and inventiveness. We bring these stories - filled with mischievously clever creatures - to tuneful

Just So? (2012)

Centre 42 currently has limited information on this archive entry. If you possess any relevant information and/or archival material, please contact us at&nbsp;archive@centre42.sg.


Trainstopping (2012)

Fight For Your Dream!

Kampung life, drama and song meet in this classic and timeless story of a girl and her fight for justice, against the odds.

In a small village in the heart of Southeast Asia, Dawan competes with her brother Kwai for the coveted single scholarship for the City High School. Kwai just wants to further his own ambitions, but Dawan has bigger dreams in mind. When Dawan wins, she becomes the object of her father's anger and frustration, and her brother's bitter enemy.

Confronted wit

Sing to the Dawn (2012)

Ensemble

Singapore. Singapura. Temasek. Where does a name begin? When does a country begin? The Necessary Stage examines present-day Singapore by bringing historical characters to life. Factual and fictional characters merge with real and imagined events to create a theatre that makes the impossible possible.&nbsp;

Looking at themes of Migration, Harmony and Identity,&nbsp;SINGAPORE&nbsp;probes deeply into a country's history and along the way, the psyche of the people occupying it. Featuring a very politically-c

SINGAPORE (2012)

Kartini and Juliana are not your typical mother-daughter pair - one loud and overbearing, the other straitlaced and on the threshold of entering politics. Together, they are Gemuk Girls and proud of it. When they receive shocking news that Kartini's father had been detained in the 1960s, the floodgates of the family's past are thrown open. Can a family survive as they struggle to reconcile the past with the present? Will Kartini and Juliana continue to be Gemuk Girls?&nbsp;


Gemuk Girls (2011)

Nadirah is the popular and articulate Vice-President of her university's Muslim Society. She convenes inter-faith meetings where students talk about how they should respect on another's spaces.

Nadirah is also the product of a mixed marriage. Her father is a Malaysian Malay and her mother a Singaporean Chinese who had converted to Islam.&nbsp;

One day, Nadirah's mother tells her that she's going to re-marry. To a man who's not Muslim. Nadirah's best friend Maznah believes that everyone has a right to 

Nadirah (2011)

A long way out in the deep blue sea swims a shoal of the most beautiful fish in the entire ocean. Their scales are every shade of blue, green or purple and ONE has a sparkling silver scale… Based on Marcus Pfister’s award winning storybook, I Theatre is again proud to present this marvellous hit musical for the whole family in Singapore — reimagined for the BIG stage!

Meet proud and pretty Rainbow Fish, and her friends, Starfish, Small Blue, Big Violet and Little Green. Rainbow Fish learns some very valu

The Rainbow Fish (2011)

Examine contemporary Singapore with The Necessary Stage as the company revisits historical characters, merges fact and faction, and have them interact in real and imagined events. Looking at the themes of migration, harmony and identity,&nbsp;SINGAPORE&nbsp;probes deeply into a country's past and the psyche of the people. Featuring a 'politically correct' multi-racial cast, the play is seriously funny and deceitfully truthful.


SINGAPORE (2011)

Desire works at the checkout counter of a supermarket. Day in and out she scans and beeps, trapped in total, utter dead-end boredom. In her imagination she is free, living many glorious lives as lover, heroine, rebel, rogue. In reality, she scans and beeps, scan and beeps in retail hell.

Desire at the Melancholic String Concert&nbsp;is an exploration of freedom beyond the unbending lines of power and oppression. Breaking free from tepid, gutless existence into wild unpredictability and heroic adventure. 

Desire at the Melancholic String Concert (2011)

A foreign journalist is taken to task after writing some objectionable articles. A university exchange student tries to organise a forum on campus and encounters obstacles.&nbsp;

The lives of these unlikely individuals meet and intertwine in The Necessary Stage's latest production. Characters clash, tensions run high, and truth is questioned. Can we turn back time and return to a harmonious past?

Who is allowed to speak out for what they believe? Do we welcome the views of foreigners? Or should they '

Balek Kampong (2011)

A man stabs an MP at a Meet the People Session. But this is not their story. It is the story of the man's girlfriend, an Indonesian maid who wants to get married and become a Singapore citizen. It is the story of the MP's wife, who tries to cope with her husband's injury and the media spotlight. It is the story of the maid's employer, who is also struggling with her own tragedy.&nbsp;

These 3 women may mean nothing to each other, but they need one another to survive.&nbsp;


Model Citizens (2011)

Poor Cindy lives in a crowded HDB flat with her Evil Casino-Obsessed Step-Mother and two Ugly Step-Sisters, Precious and Treasure. All she dreams about is going to The Grand Fish Ball where Prince Char Mee will choose a bride. Fairy God Makcik appears, and Cindy is transformed from “no taste” to “fashion ace” and off to The Ball she goes! But will the Prince recognise her? Will the shoe fit? And will true love find a way?

With an imaginative local spin on the world’s favourite fairy-tale, CINDEREL-LAH!, 

Cinderel-LAH! (2010)

The art of living in the in-between&nbsp;is a collaborative art project featuring installation, film, performance, workshops and gigs that uncover the inspirations and fantasies that have catalyzed 5 years of works by Cake.

Over 5 days, a shophouse is transformed into a hotbed of images, words, sound, strange movement, magnetic encounters and unexpected happenings sometimes way into the night! Wander through the rooms, each flowing and ebbing with exquisite strangeness or come especially for the performa

The Art of Living in the In-Between (2010)

It's a bachelor's dream come true: three beautiful air stewardesses, each taking her turn as a girlfriend, each happily unaware of the others' existence. Impossible? Then come and see how Bernard, our modern-day Casanova, does it. And find out just how long, really, he can keep it all up...

Celebrating 10 W!LD YEARS,&nbsp;BOEING BOEING, W!LD RICE'S phenomenally successful smash-hit comedy returns! Directed by the inimitable Glen Goei, with a First Class cast led by Adrian Pang, a spanking new set and rav

Boeing Boeing (2010)

Those Who Can’t, Teach is a classic of The Necessary&nbsp;Stage, first staged in 1990 as part of the Opening of&nbsp;The Substation.&nbsp;20 years later, the original creative team of director Alvin&nbsp;Tan and playwright Haresh Sharma, will revisit, revive and&nbsp;revamp the play into a contemporary classic.&nbsp;Set in the backdrop of a secondary school, the play&nbsp;looks at the madcap lives of teachers and students,&nbsp;with often hilarious results.&nbsp;As the teachers struggle daily to ‘nurture an

Those Who Can't, Teach (2010)

spell#7

Combining traditional storytelling with theatrical experiment,&nbsp;Epic Poem of Malaya&nbsp;presents a kaleidoscopic vision of a society in flux. In a constantly shifting stage environment, a multi-generational cast unfolds an expansive, big-hearted story of Singapore seen from the sea.

A boy leaves Singapore for life on the South China Sea. He loves it, but history has other ideas. In a 1956 painting by the artist Chua Mia Tee, a passionate young man is declaiming a vision of the future; and there isn’

Epic Poem of Malaya (2010)

It is the story of the man's girlfriend, an Indonesian maid who wants to get married and become a Singapore citizen. It is the story of the MP's wife, who tries to cope with her husband's injury and the media spotlight. It is the story of the maid's employer, who is also struggling with her own tragedy.

These three women may mean nothing to each other, but they need one another to survive.&nbsp;

The maid, the employer and the MP's wife. Are they all model citizens?&nbsp;


Model Citizens (2010)

Translator

Today we're talking about change. Some people may think that change can be good or bad. We believe that we have it in us to change for the better.&nbsp;

We would like to distinguish between right and wrong behaviours. Basic values must be upheld and must stand as the cornerstone of any modern society we live in. For example, we need to create social stability, harmony and security. We need to value traditional families and the importance of marriage. Socially irresponsible behaviours such as racism, reli

_____ Can Change (2010)

Anyone growing up in Singapore will be familiar with her story - that of a Dutch girl who was raised by a Javanese Muslim foster mother, and whose Catholic biological parents petitioned the Singapore courts to claim her back. The ensuing custody battle, set against a backdrop of increasing anti-colonial sentiments in 1950, resulted in one of the worst riots in Singapore's history. The girl had two names: Maria Hertogh, as well as Nadra bte Ma'arof.&nbsp;

In Singapore, it has been drummed into our psyche 

Nadirah (2009)

A Singaporean woman and a Russian man fall in love, where do they settle down? Two lonely women form a deep bond. What happens when tragedy strikes? A dying man and his confidant exchange stories of love and sacrifice.

What is it like to be caught in a rut when the world around you is moving at such high speed?

Poignant, humorous and provocative, SOFAMAN celebrates the humanity of difference.

A ground-breaking intercultural and multilingual collaboration incorporating soundscape and multimedia.


Sofaman (2009)

Spend an evening with a family of three - an aging, dying mother and her two conflicted adult sons, as they reveal to one another their deepest desires and frustrations whilst they await the final breath of the mother. Tensions and failures begin to surface with every revelation as the family is reduced to a state of aggression that threatens the calm.


Ziarah (2009)

In Search of Wonderland brings home closer to our hearts as it plays on the absurdity of familial ties and our attitudes towards those whom we love. Through its subtlety, it offers a reflection into familial relationships and through its escape into wonderland, this absurd play will, hopefully, pull us closer to the reality of our homes and bring families closer together.


In Search of Wonderland (2009)

Inspired by the title of a poem by Australian writer Henry Lawson, Past Caring is an interdisciplinary theatrical collaboration involving artists from Singapore and Australia. Urgent issues of adoption, displacement, family, land and journey will be weaved together into a complex and contemporary presentation of text, music, multimedia and movement. In a year-long process, the project involved artists making field trips, conducting interviews and creating and presenting nascent works in Singapore and Melbou

Past Caring (2009)

As the world advances its research on life sciences, stem cell and artificial intelligence, what impact is there on human life and relationships? What does the future hold? Can life be built from scratch?

Directed by Alvin Tan, written by Haresh Sharma and first staged during the National University of Singapore Arts Festival in March 2008, Frozen Angels is a thought-provoking performance exploring current issues of science using digital media and theatrical performance.


Frozen Angels (2009)

panggung ARTS

Hero (2009)

The Necessary Stage celebrates the award-winning collaboration of Director Alvin Tan and Playwright Haresh Sharma with a provocative new work.

Kartini and Juliana are not your typical mother-daughter pair - one loud and overbearing, the other straitlaced and on the threshold of entering politics. Together, they are Gemuk Girls and proud of it.

One day, they receive shocking news about Kartini's father who has been arrested and detained in the 1960s. Suddenly the floodgates of the family's emotional pa

Gemuk Girls (2008)

Centre 42 currently has limited information on this archive entry. If you possess any relevant information and/or archival material, please contact us at&nbsp;archive@centre42.sg.&nbsp;


Bilik Ahmad (2008)

What Matters?&nbsp;was produced by under Esplanade's F.Y.I programme and NAC's Arts Excursion initiative. It featured a forum theatre play co-directed by Artistic Director of NeNeMas&nbsp;Koh Hui Ling&nbsp;and Rei Poh and also a series of 3 fringe activities. The cast of the play includes Kalaiselvi d/o Piramayan, Renee Chua, Siti Khalijah Bte Zaina and Rei Poh.

What Matters?&nbsp;aims to provide a whole new perspective on racial harmony locally and globally.


What Matters? (2008)

Set in a hospice,&nbsp;Good People&nbsp;is about the ups and downs of the relationship between 3 people: Miguel, the new Medical Director trying to run a tight ship; Yati, a jaded nurse making the best of a 'dead-end' job and Radha, the terminally-ill patient addicted to marijuana to relieve her pain.

As the three get to know each other, complications arise. If Radha gets caught, will she be given the death penalty when she has only a few months to live?

Moving, humorous and evocative,&nbsp;Good Peopl

Siti Khalijah Zainal

PARTICIPATION IN C42

WORKS DOCUMENTED IN THE ARCHIVE

Siti Khalijah Zainal

PARTICIPATION IN C42

WORKS DOCUMENTED IN THE ARCHIVE

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