I have zero experience in theatre, unless you count the Speech and Drama classes I took in Primary School (holla at me 90s kids! Who remembers the Speech and Drama classes?) It was compulsory for all students to take Speech and Drama and put up a play at the end of the year for our parents.
That was my first taste of the stage — those three humiliating seconds I stood in front of the microphone, spotlight glaring at me and my momentarily blank mind. My shivering legs were clad in spandex decorated with black feathers as I croaked out a feeble “caw, caw” (It was the correct line, I swear. I was playing a crow.).
The crowd responded with polite applause, an “ok you clearly have zero talent. Now when is my child going to steal the stage?” kind of applause. Of course, save for my parents who cheered enthusiastically, armed with a camcorder.
That was the worst three seconds of my life.
Fast forward to literature class in Secondary school. We were required to read The Monkey’s Paw play by W. W. Jacobs. I shuddered, triggered by a mini-PTSD moment when my teacher said the noun “play“. However, during that lesson, we were instructed to write up a short play just for fun and I’d actually stayed back in class, skipping recess to think about who my heroine should be and how she should enter the stage:
[HEROINE steps out of the limousine and waves it off.] Heroine (nonchalantly to chauffeur): I'll give you a call when school ends.
Or
[HEROINE shuffles to class, head bowed meekly.]?
Thus, I am here to debunk…
Misconception number 1: Theatre only involves the onstage acting.
It does not. A wide variety of talents are required in a Theatre troupe. Besides the actors, we need scriptwriters and individuals who are proficient in prop and costume making and handling stage sound and lights. Hence, saying that you are not made for theatre just because you can’t act is not a good enough excuse to not try theatre this summer.
With the rise in the number of theatre companies in Singapore, there are plenty of opportunities for one to pick up scriptwriting and stage-managing skills. One example is buds Theatre Company, a relatively new theatre company catering to theatre enthusiasts or those who are simply curious about this multi-sensory art form. They conduct camps and weekly lessons coaching students according to their interests in the various aspects of theatre.
Misconception number 2: The Singapore government does not care about Singapore’s theatre scene.
This could not be more untrue. The National Arts Council has put in place numerous grants and residency programmes to help nurture this highly communicative art form. Theatre companies such as The Necessary Stage and TheatreWorks have benefitted from these grants.
Misconception number 3: Only ang mors do theatre.
Debunked! Local Mediacorp artists have also ventured into this art form. One great example would be Adrian Pang, who started his own theatre company, Pangdemonium, under the Major Grant scheme offered by NAC.
Preceding him was Selena Tan. You might remember her from the Jack Neo film I Not Stupid (2002) and an older generation’s favourite comedy show Pua Chu Kang Pte Ltd (2002). She’s now making waves in theatre with her other two Dim Sum Dollies, Pamela Oei and Denise Tan and in her upcoming play Happy Ever Laughter in July.
Following in their footsteps will surely be tedious as training and exposure are crucial in order to make it big in a competitive and niche department such as theatre. However, Singapore has, without a doubt, opened abundant doors of opportunity for young aspiring theatre junkies to explore their interest in this area. If you’re new but interested this theatre business as it sounds like something you would like to try out during the summer holidays, don’t hesitate to sign up for beginner courses in any of the growing groups of theatre companies in Singapore.
Better get into the scene when it’s at its peak!
By The Crow aka Rachel Lim
