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2024
Participatory Theatre
The Lesson
Presented under Feed Your Imagination 2024 by Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay
17-19 & 23-25 July 2024
Production for Schools
In this participatory theatre production, facilitators will take students through a series of activities as they learn about the costs, risks, stakes, and sacrifices that come with creating a community.
Air
12-14 July 2024
Production for Public
Air is a verbatim play, intimately sharing the authentic voices of the Orang Seletar, an indigenous coastal community that once lived in Singapore. First staged in 2019 as part of the well-received double bill, Tanah•Air: A Play in Two Parts, this new iteration of Air is a further development of the threads presented in the play’s original staging.
Work In Progress
18 & 19 May 2024
Production for Public
Work In Progress is an artistic exploration and response to questions surrounding the role of work in our society. How are our lives organised around work? How does it affect the way we behave, interact, feel and think?
Drama Box and the Social Theatre of Singapore: Cultural Intervention and Artistic Autonomy 1990-2006
Book Launch & Panel
9 March 2024
Events
Published 13 years ago in Chinese, Drama Box and the Social Theatre of Singapore: Cultural Intervention and Artistic Autonomy 1990-2006 by Ng How Wee has been updated, edited and translated to English for a wider readership. To commemorate its publication, we have invited speakers working in theatre, education and academia to explore the nexus between theatre and crisis.
The Dog Who Wasn’t Useful
16-18 Feb 2024
Production for Public
Adapted from the story of the same title by Daniel Hinds, The Dog Who Wasn't Useful is a funny and interactive tale about one’s journey in discovering their gift, and a reminder that we are all unique and “useful” in our own ways.
2023
Camp-O
27 Nov - 1 Dec 2023
Workshops for Students
Drama Box’s inaugural camp where youths aged 14 to 20 gather, connect and play!
Breaking the Silence
Level 1
14 - 17 Nov 2023 (9am - 6pm)
18 Nov 2023 (1 - 10pm)
Level 2
21 - 24 Nov 2023 (9am - 6pm)
25 Nov 2023 (1 - 10pm)
Workshops for Practitioners
This workshop is for those who want to learn how to use Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed techniques in their work. Forum Theatre is one of these techniques. Participants have included educators, social or community workers and others who want to cultivate reflexivity and develop critical thinking, analytical skills and a proactive approach to problem-solving.
Workshop for Critical Facilitation
6 - 7 Sep 2023
Workshops for Practitioners
Using drama techniques, this workshop teaches the essentials of critical facilitation, from listening, to questioning, to critical thinking and problem-solving. Similarly, participants have included educators and social and community workers, and others whose work requires moderating discussions among people with diverse values and backgrounds, and unpacking layers of social and cultural constructs that influence how issues unfold.
Re: Assembly
12-14 & 17-21 July 2023
Production for Schools
Haunted corridors and toilet cubicles... every school has its fair share of urban myths and ghost stories, passed down carefully over generations. Re: Assembly is an update of the successful immersive theatrical experience in 2022. Based on the premise of a haunted school, it depicts the struggles that students face.
Re: Assembly
15 July 2023
Production for Public
Haunted corridors and toilet cubicles... every school has its fair share of urban myths and ghost stories, passed down carefully over generations. Re: Assembly is an update of the successful immersive theatrical experience in 2022. Based on the premise of a haunted school, it depicts the struggles that students face.
When cloud catches colours
3 - 5 Mar 2023
Production for Public
A verbatim theatre based on true accounts that highlights how the sense of safety changes for a queer person as they get older. With much of the queer discourse in Singapore largely focused on the youths, what lies ahead of someone who has lived most of their life in the margins?
Changing Places: Drama Box and the Politics of Space
Book Launch & Panel
11 Feb 2023
Events
Published by the Centre for Performance Research (UK) and jointly edited by Charlene Rajendran and Richard Gough, the book examines how Drama Box negotiates the changing dynamics of space and place to produce art that is responsive to people’s needs and reflective of socio-political issues.
To celebrate the launch of the book in Singapore, we are inviting the editors and writers to speak at panel discussion When Space Becomes Place.
International Community Arts Festival (ICAF) 2023 Singapore Hub
Jan - Mar 2023
Int'l Collaboration & Exchange
Drama Box is returning to the International Community Arts Festival (ICAF) 2023 and presenting a series of online conversations that explore and give depth and nuance to the community arts field in the contexts of Asia.
2022
Both Sides, Now: Mengukir Harapan
2021 - 2022
Production for Public
Both Sides, Now: Mengukir Harapan is a community engagement project exploring what it means to live well, and leave well. What are our wishes and hopes while our hearts are still beating? How do we prepare for our final exit without losing our dignity?
Breaking The Silence (Level 1)
15 - 19 Nov 2022
Workshops for Practitioners
A Theatre of the Oppressed workshop for anyone looking to cultivate reflexivity and develop critical thinking, analytical skills and a proactive approach to problem-solving.
Workshop for Critical Facilitation
10 - 11 Nov 2022
Workshops for Practitioners
In today's increasingly polarised and fragmented world, an effective facilitator must possess self-reflexivity in order to moderate discussions among people with diverse values and backgrounds. Using drama techniques, this workshop teaches the essentials of critical facilitation, from listening, to questioning, to critical thinking and problem-solving.
Assembly
23 July & 30 July 2022
Production for Public
Haunted corridors and toilet cubicles... every school has its fair share of urban myths and ghost stories, passed down carefully over generations. Beyond the paranormal, what are some other visible and invisible ways in which fear is being manifested within the school compounds?
Assembly
20 - 22 July & 25 - 29 July 2022
Production for Schools
Haunted corridors and toilet cubicles... every school has its fair share of urban myths and ghost stories, passed down carefully over generations. Beyond the paranormal, what are some other visible and invisible ways in which fear is being manifested within the school compounds?
ubin
25 May - 5 June 2022
Production for Public
Part theatre, part collective experience, ubin invites you to an immersive walking tour uncovering the stories and sites of Pulau Ubin - and share in a moment to reimagine the island's future.
Opposition
17 Mar - 3 Apr 2022
Production for Public
Opposition revolves around the story of Production Manager Ramlah Zee and Director Jackie Oh who begin a new chapter of their lives by establishing their own theatre company, Zero Theatre, whilst concurrently beginning a personal relationship. Written by Haresh Sharma and co-directed by Alvin Tan and Kok Heng Leun, Opposition follows the critically acclaimed productions of Manifesto (2016) and Underclass (2018), and caps the trilogy of collaborations between Drama Box and The Necessary Stage.
Drama Box 30 Keywords Book Launch & Panel
26 Feb 2022
Events
To celebrate the launch of Drama Box 30 Keywords, six speakers who have been integral parts of Drama Box at different junctures will be speaking on a panel about their journey with the theatre group, each based on a keyword from the book, and their imagination of Drama Box’s future.
2021
With Time
27 – 29 Oct 2021
Production for Public
With Time is a verbatim theatre performance that asks, explores and unpacks: how do we overcome suicidal tendencies or attempts?
Dancing with Fish in the Midnight Zone
24 & 25 June 2021, 8pm
26 June 2021, 3pm & 7pm
30 & 31 July 2021, 8pm
Production for Public
Written by the third & graduating batch of ARTivate, this original play brings you along the grieving and healing journey of a mother, a sister and a friend after losing someone dear to suicide. What does it take to heal?
[CANCELLED]
Breaking The Silence (Level 1)
A Theatre of the Oppressed Workshop
7 – 11 June 2021
Workshops for Practitioners
This is the workshop for you if you want to cultivate reflexivity and develop critical thinking, analytical skills and a proactive approach towards problem-solving.
MINI-ICAF 2021 ROTTERDAM & SINGAPORE
26 & 27 Feb 2021
Int'l Collaboration & Exchange
Take a virtual trip to the streets of Highland Park in LA, follow a live drawing session with children from Boon Lay in Singapore or join a virtual story circle, all from the comfort of your own home. From in-depth conversations and dance & film workshops to a community arts performance fully created on ZOOM: prepare yourself for a digital experience that invites you to come closer.
2020
SCENES: Participatory Practices
7 – 13 Sept 2020
Production for Public
SCENES: Participatory Practices is a virtual gathering of socially-engaged arts practitioners from Asia Pacific, and a practice of participation in shared solitudes.
[CANCELLED]
Forum Theatre
Wouldn't It Be Nice?
19 – 22 May 2020
Production for Schools
It is 2030 in Singapore. First the floods came, followed by a prolonged period of drought and contamination to our water supply. There is a shortage of clean water and an energy crunch. How will water be distributed? In times of crisis, how do we organise ourselves? Will we, as a nation, survive the fallout from this crisis?
2019
The Lesson: A Workshop
A Coordinates Project of Singapore Biennale 2019
29 Nov 2019, 6 Dec 2019, 13 Mar 2020, 20 Mar 2020
Event
'The Lesson: A Workshop' begins with an experiential encounter of The Lesson, a participatory theatre piece that explores land issues and democratic processes in Singapore.
Tanah•Air 水•土：A Play In Two Parts
16 – 20 Oct 2019
Production for Public
Tanah•Air 水•土：A Play In Two Parts looks at the dispossession and loss of the indigenous Malays and Orang Seletar of Singapore.
Both Sides, Now
2017 – 2019
Production for Public
Both Sides, Now is back and we are embarking on a new phase of this project, with a multi-year presence in two communities (Chong Pang and Telok Blangah).
Chinatown Crossings 2019
6 Jun – 13 July 2019
Production for Public
Written by award-winning playwright Jean Tay, Chinatown Crossings is a Promenade Theatre performance based on stories collected from the Chinatown community.
The Lesson
21 – 24 May 2019
Production for Schools
A new train station is planned for the estate, but there is little space left and something must be demolished. What should stay and what should go?
FLOWERS
1 – 5 May 2019
Production for Public
FLOWERS is an experiential installation that investigates the patriarchal violence around and within us. How does it seek to control and violate, and how might we resist and hope?
The Lesson • Macau
2 – 3 Mar 2019
Int'l Collaboration & Exchange
This is a city where people from all walks of life live. A piece of land in the city will be requisitioned for the construction of a new transportation hub. However, every facility has its function, value, history and significance. If you were one of the residents, which facility would you choose to let go of?
2018
The barter games: gaming the economic meltdown
17 Nov 2018
Workshops for Practitioners
A one-day workshop tailored for art practitioners who are invited to delve into the realm of pvi collectives' mixed reality artwork, blackmarket.
Talk: gaming the revolution
16 Nov 2018
Int'l Collaboration & Exchange
A special opportunity to hear from co-founders of pvi collective Kelli McCluskey and Steve Bull as they give insights into their working process, interest in game theory and key driving forces behind the company's performance, video and intervention art practice.
Chinatown Crossings
22 June – 18 Aug 2018
Production for Public
Chinatown Crossings is a unique promenade theatre that will take you through a journey of time, and into the streets of Kreta Ayer.
UNDERCLASS
16 May – 3 June 2018
Production for Public
Drama Box and The Necessary Stage collaborate once again after the groundbreaking sold-out production Manifesto in 2016. Underclass looks at important issues in Singapore such as poverty, inequality and human dignity!
Trick or Threat!
21 – 24 May 2018
Production for Schools
Drama Box’s longest running Forum Theatre performance is back! This time it is given a new lease of life and made “youthful” for a youth audience.
MISSING: The City Of Lost Things
Every Saturday and Sunday of Jan 2018
Production for Public
Is there a connection you've lost whose absence still looms over you?
Are you willing to step away from your routine to go on a personal journey to re-encounter that lost connection?
ARTivate Recruitment
1 Oct 2017 – 31 Jan 2018
Event
We are looking for young folks to join our youth training programme! Applicants should be between the ages of 15 and 22, bilingual, and possess an interest in socially-engaged theatre and a desire to learn relevant theatre-making skills.
2017
GoLi – The Moving Theatre at International Community Arts Festival in Rotterdam
29 Mar – 2 Apr 2017
Int'l Collaboration & Exchange
Drama Box has been invited to participate in the International Community Arts Festival (ICAF) in Rotterdam. The festival, which premiered in 2001, has been at the forefront of bringing together community arts practitioners from all over the world.
The Lesson (Re-run)
Featuring GoLi – The Moving Theatre
5 - 8, 12 - 15, 19 - 22 July 2017, 8pm
Production for Public
The Lesson was first performed at the Singapore International Festival of Arts 2015 to critical acclaimed. Together as part of the trilogy of It Won’t Be Too Long, the impactful participatory performance was lauded by local media as one of the productions of the year in 2015.
In any place where land is limited, space – both physical and psychological – comes at a premium. The Lesson asks questions about what forces are at work in shaping our space, and whether there is enough space for a shared heterotopia.
Back by popular demand!
Girl in the White Sand Box (Re-run)
Co-produced by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay & Drama Box
With support from National Arts Council
22 - 25 May 2017, 2.30pm & 5pm
Production for Schools
A little girl is digging a hole in the ground, waiting to bury her head once the hole is deep enough.
In today’s fast-paced and competitive society, more and more of our youths, who are still finding their way in life, are suffering from stress related disorders. Girl in the White Sand Box is a theatre performance that encourages the audience to discuss the difficult topic of adolescent depression.
2016
Forum Theatre twentythirty
Presented by Singapore Kindness Movement and *SCAPE
Produced by Drama Box
26 - 28 October 2016, 2.30pm & 5pm
Production for Public
Singapore is now a more diverse place than ever before. It is becoming increasingly more common to have classmates, neighbours and colleagues who come from different parts of the world.
twentythirty is a forum theatre performance that allows audiences to examine the figure of “others” in their life and the prejudices they may have. It is a platform for audiences to question and discover for themselves the role that the “I” can play in accepting difference and embracing diversity.
IgnorLAND of its Loss
Featuring GoLi – The Moving Theatre
5 - 10 July 2016, 7.30pm
Production for Public
Development brings along something new, yet it also takes something from us. How do we cope with this loss? Are there other possibilities? Community-engaged arts project IgnorLAND of its Loss invites you to imagine alternatives and have a dialogue about the decision-making process regarding our land.
Kopitiam
Co-produced by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay & Drama Box, featuring ARTivate
26 May 2016, 8pm
Production for Public
A traditional kopi tiam, rich in memories and heritage, is at risk of becoming irrelevant when faced with rapid changes in our society. How should the elderly owner of the kopi tiam and his grandson deal with these external changes and pressures, and negotiate their differing views?
Kopitiam
Co-produced by Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay & Drama Box, featuring ARTivate
24 - 26 May 2016, 2.30pm & 5pm
Production for Schools
A traditional kopi tiam, rich in memories and heritage, is at risk of becoming irrelevant when faced with rapid changes in our society. How should the elderly owner of the kopi tiam and his grandson deal with these external changes and pressures, and negotiate their differing views?
Manifesto
Co-presented by Drama Box and The Necessary Stage
9 - 12 & 16 - 19 March 2016, 8pm
12, 13, 19 & 20 March 2016, 3pm
Production for Public
Through the lens of events stretching across 70 years, Manifesto, a brand new multilingual collaboration by Drama Box and The Necessary Stage, investigates the role of artists in history and politics:
Can Artists be alternative voices for the marginalized or will they be silenced, subdued and ultimately, erased?
2015
PLAY Creation (Forum Theatre)
Workshops for Students
Aid students, be it during curriculum time or CCA sessions, in learning the skills to create an original piece of Theatre...
Introduction to Directing/Playwriting/Acting
Workshops for Students
Students will be introduced to the art of directing, playwriting and acting.
Blanc Space Playwright Series IV
"Dummy's Guide to Playwrighting 101" Workshop
10, 17, 24 and 31 Jan 2015
Workshops for Practitioners
What is drama? What constitutes a script?
Ideas are nothing without application, and vice versa.
"Dummy's Guide to Playwrighting 101" is a foundation workshop that looks at the basic skills needed to write plays and how to do it with ease.
Ideas are nothing without application, and vice versa.
"Dummy's Guide to Playwrighting 101" is a foundation workshop that looks at the basic skills needed to write plays and how to do it with ease.
Talk: "The Anatomy of a Play"
As part of Blanc Space Playwright Series IV
Every first Wednesday of the month, starting Mar 2015
Event
Beginning March 2015, (every 1st Wednesday of the month for 12 sessions), Nelson Chia (Artistic Director, Nine Years Theatre) or Kok Heng Leun (Artistic Director, Drama Box) will take you through the years: from the classic Greek tragedies and unmissable Shakespeare and other masters to the more modern Postdramatic genres, including a segment on local plays.
Forum Theatre sixpointnine
9 - 13 Mar 2015
Production for Schools
sixpointnine is a forum theatre performance that allows students to examine their definition of those labelled as "others" and the prejudices they may have. It is a platform for students to question and discover for themselves the role that the "I" can play in re-defining mindsets and embracing diversity.
PLAY Creation: Inter-School Forum Theatre Camp
As part of SCENES: FORUM THEATRE'S Young Can Change the World
16 - 18 Mar 2015 (Mandarin)
19 - 21 Mar 2015 (English)
Workshops for Students
The Inter-School Forum Theatre Camp brings together youths with diverse backgrounds from all over Singapore and creates a safe space for them to discover and learn more about one another through the process. The youth will also engage in a conversation about different social issues their peers face and the possible actions they can take.
Blanc Space Playwright
Series IV
Play Clinic
29 May - 1 Jun 2015
Workshops for Practitioners
Have you spent countless sleepless nights trying to finish writing a play, yet you’re not completely satisfied with it, and you can’t quite understand why? Drama Box has invited veteran playwright, Professor Wei-Jan Chi from Taiwan, to provide consultation for your play writing process.
Talk: "Rethinking Critical Art and Its Efficacy"
As part of Blanc Space Playwright Series IV
1 Jun 2015
Event
From two contemporary plays - the Irish play The Beauty Queen of Leenane and the American play August: Osage County, the talk discusses the “tragic style” of Western drama in the past two decades, and its relation with contemporary political and cultural context. The talk is led by veteran playwright, Professor Wei-Jan Chi from Taiwan.
SCENES: FORUM THEATRE
The official launch programme for GoLi – The Moving Theatre
3 - 10 Jul 2015
Production for Public
Drama Box is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a festival on Forum Theatre. SCENES: FORUM THEATRE is a consolidation of Drama Box's work and beliefs from the beginning. This is a major milestone for us, and is especially significant is that SCENES should be the official launch programme for GoLi – The Moving Theatre, the FIRST inflatable theatre in Singapore.
It Won't Be Too Long: The Lesson
9 & 11 Sept 2015 (in Mandarin)
10 & 12 Sept 2015 (in English)
It Won't Be Too Long: The Cemetery
18 & 19 Sept 2015
Production for Public
In a country as small as Singapore, space – both physically and psychologically – comes at a premium. Drama Box explores the dynamics of space in Singapore in It Won't Be Too Long, which blends performance and participation in two arts projects, The Lesson and The Cemetery.
Blanc Space Playwright Series V
Calling for new Chinese scripts submission
Submit script by 30 Sept 2015
Event
Playwright Series V will provide playwrights writing scripts in Chinese, and residing in Singapore, an opportunity to stage their scripts.
2014
Fundraising Campaign
"GoLi – The Moving Theatre"
The First Inflatable Pop-Up Theatre in Singapore
07 Nov 2013 - 30 Apr 2014
Event
Bringing socially relevant, artistically and aesthetically intriguing works right to your door step.
Senang
15 - 25 May 2014
Production for Public
Senang is inspired by a forgotten tale from Singapore’s past - the bloody prison riots that took place on Pulau Senang, located 15 miles south of Singapore. This is the story of one man’s attempt to create a utopian penal colony, which tragically led to his violent end.
IgnorLAND of its Time
24 Jul - 2 Aug 2014
Production for Public
IgnorLAND is back and this time we are taking you to the Bukit Ho Swee estate! From the infamous fire in 1961 to the present, how much has changed in Bukit Ho Swee, and what has stayed the same?
Community Theatre Training Programme
Leading up to Community Theatre Festival 2015
Between 05 Jul - 15 Sep 2014
Workshops for Practitioners
Calling all theatre practitioners, educators, community workers or anyone who wants to be part of Drama Box's inaugural Community Theatre Festival and/or apply Theatre or Forum Theatre techniques to your work in communities.
Breaking The Silence
Forum Theatre workshops by Kok Heng Leun, Level 1 & 2
10 - 15 Sep 2014
Workshops for Practitioners
This workshop is recommended for social/community workers, arts educators, theatre practitioners or anyone who wants to know how to use Forum Theatre techniques in their works.
BOTH SIDES, NOW - Living With Dying
An Immersive Arts Experience
19 - 28 Sep 2014
Production for Public
We all share the common fate that one day we will die. Though death is a natural part of life, many fear discussing it. Welcome to BOTH SIDES, NOW - a fair on Living with Dying.
Blanc Space Playwright Series IV
30 Sep 2014
Workshops for Practitioners
Anyone who resides in Singapore, is writing scripts in Chinese and looking for an opportunity to stage it, regardless of nationality, age, gender and experience.
Theatre for Youth: The Silly Little Girl and The Funny Old Tree
20 - 31 Oct 2014
Production for Schools
Written by renowned Singaporean theatre practitioner Kuo Pao Kun, this play tells of the story about a strange attachment that a girl develops with an old, funny-looking tree in her school.
Forum Theatre Movement in Schools
As part of Drama Box's Community Theatre Festival 2015: The Young Can Change the World
Workshops for Students
It is our belief that youth have a major role to play in shaping the world and given the opportunity, they will want to have their voices heard, especially on issues concerning them.
2013
A Play Read of Senang
30 - 31 Jan 2013
Event
Senang is inspired by a forgotten tale from Singapore's past - the bloody prison riots that took place on Pulau Senang.
Farewell: The Body in 16 Chapters at Macao Arts Festival 2013
18 - 19 May 2013
Int'l Collaboration & Exchange
Jintong is a senior-level civil servant. She longs to commit herself unreservedly to her same-sex relationship with new Chinese immigrant Jackie, but is hampered by fears she refuses to admit. When beautiful memories of her teenage years return to haunt her, how can her sassy mother help?
Forum Theatre - Just a Bad Day
22 Jun 2013
Production for Public
1 in 10 women in Singapore experiences physical violence in her lifetime.
6 in 10 women suffer repeated victimisation.
More than 1 case a week reaches AWARE's Sexual Assault Befrienders Service.
51% of the respondents polled in a survey believed that violence in the family 'is a private affair'.
6 in 10 women suffer repeated victimisation.
More than 1 case a week reaches AWARE's Sexual Assault Befrienders Service.
51% of the respondents polled in a survey believed that violence in the family 'is a private affair'.
Forum Theatre - 40 Strokes
29 Jul - 02 Aug 2013
For Schools
A group of students are accused of committing a serious offence that no one wants to take responsibility for. Consequently, the entire group ends up being punished by the school.
"News Busters!" is back!
15 - 17 Aug 2013
Production for Public
News Busters! is making a comeback to the community, with its signature dose of satirical humour!
Public Forum and Panel Discussion
All the Rage on the Singapore Stage: Transcultural Representations in Performance
17 Aug 2013
Event
Chinese language theatre in Singapore has a long history of engagement with society and politics. Since the early 20th century, Chinese language theatre has been responding to the changing political and social landscape by producing works that depict the lives of the times, and in turn, these works are calls by the artists to the public to respond to.
Breaking the Silence Level 1 & 2
09 - 14 Sep 2013
Workshops for Practitioners
Attend this workshop if you want to learn to analyse issues that affect you and try out different strategies to deal with them, cultivate self-reflectivity as well as develop an active outlook towards dealing with problems in life.
BOTH SIDES, NOW - An Immersive Arts Experience
16 Nov - 08 Dec 2013
Event
Living and Dying.
Both sides of a continuum,
Perceived through multiple perspectives.
BOTH SIDES, NOW is a multi-disciplinary immersive art experience that invites audiences to engage, reflect and share their thoughts and stories on what it means to live well, and leave well.
Both sides of a continuum,
Perceived through multiple perspectives.
BOTH SIDES, NOW is a multi-disciplinary immersive art experience that invites audiences to engage, reflect and share their thoughts and stories on what it means to live well, and leave well.
Book Launch-cum-Forum Discussion
Singapore Chinese Language Theatre: Engagement, Observation and Reflection
30 Nov 2013
Event
In 2010, as part of Drama Box's 20th anniversary celebrations, Drama Box co-presented SCENES: Singapore's Chinese Language Theatre with Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay.
ARTivate Recruitment
10 Oct 2013 - 28 Feb 2014
Event
We are looking for enthusiastic, passionate young people between the ages of 15 and 22 to join our youth wing.
2012
One Hundred Years of Solitude 10.0 - Cultural Revolution
01 Feb 2012
Int'l Collaboration & Exchange
As part of a series inspired by the Nobel prize-winning novel by Gabriel García Márquez, One Hundred Years of Solitude 10.0 - Cultural Revolution is a spellbinding examination of social history, following multiple generations of Cultural evolution and uprisings.
Bus Stop
15 - 17 Mar 2012
Production for Public
A group of people come to a bus stop, a routine fixed within their everyday life.
They wait for a bus that will take them to their destination, an ephemeral place that without fail, they must arrive.
They wait for a bus that will take them to their destination, an ephemeral place that without fail, they must arrive.
Parallel Cities - Factory
18 May - 02 Jun 2012
Int'l Collaboration & Exchange
In the old days, cities were built around factories. Today, the factories are built far outside the city boundaries. The laws of modern labour were once dictated by the factory; now the laws of the market stipulate the products as well as the production rates and values.
《十一》Our 11th Brother: Lim Bo Seng’s Formative Years
30 Jul - 03 Aug 2012
Production for Schools
Much has been said about the great work of Lim Bo Seng, one of Singapore’s most well-known war heroes during World War II. But have you ever wondered what he was like as a child, and what made him the person he came to be—a passionate and patriotic man?
Afar
23 - 25 Aug 2012
Production for Public
Trapped in an unknown time, in an unknown corner afar, the only things five unknown souls can recall are the great uncertainties of their correlations.
Project Mending Sky: US - Man, The Forest, The Monkey Man, The Tigers and The Elephants
31 Aug - 29 Sep 2012
Production for Public
Project Mending Sky: US is the final installment of Drama Box's Community Art Project on Environment. In the finale, we come together as a commnity and go through an experiential journey to discover/re-discover our connection with the environment.
David the Best 2.0 - Kucing Kuraps FTW
11 - 20 Oct 2012
Production for Public
David the Best 2.0 - Kucing Kuraps FTW is a talk show about the power of the little! Helmed by the affable and witty Huang Wen Hong (黄文鸿), it not only features well-known personalities on stage, but also the ordinary Singaporeans, new immigrants, uncles, aunties and maybe your neighbour!
Girl in the White Sand Box (Re-run)
29 Oct - 02 Nov 2012
Production for Schools
A little girl is digging a hole in the ground, waiting to bury her head in it when the hole is deep enough.
IPS Prism
08 - 14 Nov 2012
Production for Public
IPS Prism is a project that looks at how Singapore will govern itself over the next 10 years. Imagine how your choices today can shape your life, community and country tomorrow. Presented by the Institute of Policy Studies, this immersive arts experience is produced by Drama Box.
Asian Cultural Vision Journey Festival 2012
11 - 15 Dec 2012
Int'l Collaboration & Exchange
Initiated by Peng Hao Theatre (Beijing), Zuni Icosahedron (Hong Kong), Drama Box (Singapore) and Performing Arts Alliance (Taipei), and organised by Peng Hao Theatre, Asian Cultural Vision Journey Festival serves as a platform for cross-regional and cross-cultural exchange.
2011
HERstory
28 - 29 May 2011
Production for Public
While history often celebrates men, HERstoryis a tribute to Singapore's forgotten women in the 50s and 60s. Inspired by the women of that generation, Otto Fong tells the story of a tenacious woman with an unfulfilled dream.
Girl in the white sand box
06 - 08 Jul 2011
Production for Schools
The girl dug a hole in the ground... and is preparing to bury her head when the hole is deep enough.
This is home?
12 - 14 Aug 2011
Workshops for Practitioners
What does "Home" mean to you? Do you consider singapore your Home? What better way to explore an issue than to be involved in a brand new devised performance, performed by you!
How Much?
03 - 04 Sep 2011
Production for Public
Is sex work work? If so, could sex workers enjoy the same legal entitlements and emplyee benefits as the rest of us? Do they deserve dignity?
The Jade Bangle
01 - 04 Dec 2011
Production for Public
A mother asked her eldest daughter to get a jade bangle back from her cousin on the day of her aunt's funeral. The jade bangle had been left behind by their grandmother. And the story begins here. The mother and her two daughters, when put together, bricker, cry, laugh, and share tales of self-pity and sometimes of an ambiguous past.
Dramatised Reading - Who Will Stage My Play
03 Dec, 10 Dec 2011
Events
The Departure is collection of stories about departure, drawn from conversations between three Chinese students who have just finished the studies abroad. These conversations intersect with three broader stories, taking us to the beginning of the Qing dynasty, the 1930s and the 1960s respectively.
Old Maid
08 - 11 Dec 2011
Production for Public
Who is considered a virgin? Does an ntact hymen constitute to being a virgin? Even if it were reconstructed? What about those who just indulge in tongue action? Masturbating without intercourse? Victims of sexual harassment without intercourse? What about those with wild fantasies? Are lesbians considered virgins? Who is considered an old maid? At what age are you considered an old maid?
2010
Intro to Forum Theatre
Workshops for Students
Here is a workshop that stimulates interactive learning, and through the use of Forum Theatre, allows your students to become critical thinkers and active learners!
The Dramatised Readings
30 Jan, 06 Feb 2010
Events
Get a taste of plays written from the pre-war era to the present time. Featuring read excerpts from seminal local Chinese language plays from the decades, SCENES: The Dramatised Readings, curated by Nelson Chia and Koh Wan Ching, give a sense of how Singapore's Chinese language theatre has developed over the years. Each dramatised reading will be followed y a discussion that will enable all to consider the rich history of our cultural landscape with fresh eyes.
The Exhibition
02 - 28 Feb 2010
Events
Experience the world of Singapore's Chinese language theatre from the early 1920s to the present with this exhibition that takes you into scenes of the past with a tactile blend of material, space, light, sound and text. Curated by established theatre academic and playwright Quah Sy Ren, and designed by Singapore's leading architect Tan Kay Ngee and his team, SCENES: The Exhibition provides a thought-provoking overview on the history and development of our national Chinese language theatre.
Invisibility/Breathing
19 - 20 Feb 2010
Production for Public
Invisibility/Breathing is director Natalie Hennedige's theatrical response to Quah Sy Ren's Invisibility (1996), examining the hope and futility of restless people in a restless world.
K
20 - 21 Feb 2010
Production for Public
An elegy of dehumanization. A game of torment that never ends.
Fresh Takes
20 - 21 Feb 2010
Workshops for Students
Fresh Takes is showcase of Chinese language theatre productions put up by Singapore schools, curated by theatre director-performer Peter Sau. Get a glimpse of the creativity of our young talent in this selection of plays.
The Coffin is Too Big for the Hole
23 - 24 Feb 2010
Production for Public
Beyond life and death, the most absurd funeral feud between the powerful and the powerless begins.
The Next Generation
27 - 28 Feb 2010
Production for Public
The Next Generation is about the unfulfilled sentiments of three women from two generations who are trapped by the fact that there is only one male from the younger generation. It explores the status of the traditional versus the contemporary female in a male-oriented society.
The Symposium
28 Feb 2010
Events
This symposium is a thought-provoking end to the two-week SCENES programme, and is made up of three parts.
Run Run Run!
17 - 19 May 2010
Production for Schools
Kindness is not just about giving up your seat to an elderly or a pregnant woman. It is about putting yourself in somebody else's shoes and being considerate. No man is an island, but in this hectic and stressful society, people tend to be self-centred, impatient and indifferent to the people around them.
Shh... a date with the community
03 - 04 Sep & 10 - 11 Sep 2010
Production for Public
A three-part project celebrating Drama Box's 20th Anniversary and 10 Years of Community Theatre.
The Magnanimous Cuckold
16 - 19 Dec 2010
Production for Public
A simple marriage, an ambiguous affair; a tormenting suspicion, a burden to bear. How far would a man go, to prove himself a cuckold?
2009
News Busters! 《 大歹纪! 》
19 - 22 Feb 2009
Production for Public
News Busters! or Dua Dai Ji, is the first "Mockumentary Theatre" ever created and performed in Singapore, combining Italian Commedia dell'arte, variety shows and family soap opera. The play pokes fun of news headlines and satirises current events which affect everyone in Singapore.
IgnorLAND and its Desires
27 Mar, 02 - 04 Apr 2009
Production for Public
IgnorLAND is a community project that brings audiences to places and spaces with stories to tell. The second instalment, IgnorLAND and its Desire, will look at the place where carnal and the spiritual meets: GEYLANG. The three segments of the play performance will focus on: Sex, Food, Gods/ Religion. We are also planning for a Food Map, charting the food eateries around Geylang.
Drift - Macao Arts Festival
21 - 22 May 2009
Int'l Collaboration & Exchange
Hui Ying, a middle-aged woman, finds out her husband is having an affair while working abroad; this news shatters the home she has tried hard to maintain for years.
Lot No.8
30 Jul - 02 Aug 2009
Production for Public
In the beginning, is there an end?
And when the end dawns, is the wait justified?
In Waiting, silence grows, patience wears thin.
Treading, lingering, drifting...
How do we feel? Why do we fear? What do we remember?
And when the end dawns, is the wait justified?
In Waiting, silence grows, patience wears thin.
Treading, lingering, drifting...
How do we feel? Why do we fear? What do we remember?
Inter|v!ew
30 Jul - 02 Aug 2009
Production for Public
If the process of understanding another human being is analogous to an interview, how much painstaking excavation and questioning would be needed to fully understand the person?
Bondage
06 - 09 Aug 2009
Production for Public
Do you know the Goddess of Mercy? Have you ever thought that the Goddess may be an Indian prince in disguise? A sadomasochist policeman attracted an anonymous teenage girl, and provoked two hooligans who were sniffing drugs in a hotel room.
Who Cares About Me?
24 - 26 Aug 2009
Production for Schools
A growing number of Singaporean children are alienated by the school or their families, facing pressures such as parental, examinations, peer pressure, Internet and media influence, and often result in runaways, delinquency or even suicide.
Project Mending Sky: YOU
11 - 12 Sep, 18 - 19 Sep 2009
Production for Public
This is the second instalment of our community performance project on the Environment in the heartlands. In 2009, expanding on what we have built on in 2008, the project will shift from "ME" to "YOU"; ie what you can do for others.
2008
House of Sins
13 - 16 Mar 2008
Production for Public
House of Sins unveils the sins that had been lurking deep within people through a perfect family that is chosen on a sacred night to participate in a holy project. To save the sinners from hell, they are prepared to sacrifice themselves.
Drift
05 - 07 Jun 2008
Int'l Collaboration & Exchange
Drift - a co-commission by Singapore Season in China 2007 and Singapore Arts Festival 2008. In June, the play was brought from Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre to Singapore, Drama Centre Theatre.
What Matters?
02 - 04 Jul 2008
Production for Schools
What Matters? 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 Koh Hui Ling and Rei Poh and also a series of 3 fringe activities.
Angelism
06 - 10 Aug 2008
Production for Public
This performance is part of Singapore Theatre Festival, and is a collaboration with Malay Theatre Company Panggung ARTS, that crosses the boundaries of races and language.
Playread Session by Blanc Space
Aug 2008
Events
The Playread session was held as part of the OCBC Theatre Festival, which also served as a showcase for the new scripts in progress.
Project Mending Sky: ME
29 - 31 Aug 2008
Production for Public
Project Mending Sky is a 3-year project undertaken by Drama Box to promote environmental awareness in the community. Through a short play, a demonstration of using recycled cooking oil to make soap by Raffles Girls' School (SEC) and several green activities, Project Mending Sky: ME aims to develop an appreciation of how 'life' evolves with one's action, just like how 'lives' are destroyed with one's action too.
David the Best
19 - 22 Nov 2008
Production for Public
Explore the psyche of being small through stories shared by different Davids in this tongue-in-cheek theatre-talk show. See and feel how our Davids find small ways to live as the BEST in this BIG BIG world of ours.
2007
MOMO
16 - 18 May 2007
Production for Schools
Momo is a mysterious orphan who appears in a city one day. People soon drawn to her for her extraordinary ability to listen and she made many wonderful friends. She would spend afternoons just listening to their problem or playing with the children. However, things changed when a group of Men in Grey appears.
Dua Dai Ji / News Busters!
Jul 2007
Production for Public
Part one of Drama Box's popular community performance tours in 2007. A satire that relieved headline news created by Li Xie and co-devised with Tay Kong Hui, Koh Huiling and Goh Seok Ai.
Trick or Threat!
Forum Theatre
28 Jul 2007
Production for Public
Part 2 of Drama Box's TOUR'07 in July. A forum theatre that discussed racial and terrorism issues in Singapore.
IgnorLand of its Name
31 Aug - 08 Sep 2007
Production for Public
The first time Drama Box took audiences on a literal tour around Singapore in buses. Lost memories of Dragon Teeth Gate and Old Nanyang University Arch were uncovered in this journey through time.
Drift - Shanghai Drama Arts Centre
01 - 10 Nov 2007
Int'l Collaboration & Exchange
A co-commissioned production by the Singapore Season in China 2007 and Singapore Arts Festival 2008 and co-produced by Drama Box and the Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre.
Trick or Threat!
12 - 16 Dec 2007
Production for Public
Trick Or Threat! Describes a MRT train travelling towards the north. The train stopped suddenly and 5 passengers of different races were trapped inside. One of them received an SMS stating that there were rumours that a bomb was found. Everybody panicked and suspicions aroused.
2006
Forum Theatre on Problem Gambling
05 - 09 Apr 2006
Production for Public
Part of the community performance TOUR'06 series, the piece had the public joining in the dialogue by going onstage to enact their suggestions/solutions to problems surfaced in the play. This particular piece focused on issues with regards to problem gambling.
A Stranger at Home
08 - 10 Jun 2006
Production for Public
Adapted and directed by Young Artist Award recipient (2000) Kok Heng Leun, it is based on an original play by National Youth Award winner and academic Dr Quah Sy Ren. It is similarly inspired by Dr Quah's book with playwright and Teacher of the Year 2005 Ng How Wee.
Trash
31 Aug - 03 Sep 2006
Production for Public
A prequel to Shithole, Thrash is a thought-provoking and humourous look at what revolution means - ideology, power, greed and bloodshed.
Forum Theatre - Soil
04 - 12 Nov 2006
Production for Public
A young Singaporean considered the world his home. A mother wanted her child by her side. A foreigner longed to feel at home in a foreign land. What is HOME to them?
2005
Blindmen & the Elephant
Workshops for Teachers
Teachers Training Programme - Boundless Imagination through Drama-In-Education
Happy
05 - 15 May 2005
Production for Public
Adapted from Oscar Wilde's love letters, The Happy Prince and Salome, Happy explores the manipulations and emotional turmoil in the search for love and happiness.
Happy
Shanghai Drama Arts Centre
08 - 09 Sept 2005
Int'l Collaboration & Exchange
Second performance as part of Shanghai Asia Arts Festival.
Furnitur
25 - 28 Aug 2005
Production for Public
Fei has moved so many times in her life that she can't remember all the details of her houses and the people who lived in them.
Double Bill:
Dua Dai Ji & Tomorrow
23 - 27 Nov 2005
Production for Public
A double bill performance as part of the Community performance series.
2004
Liao Zhai
23 - 24 Jan 2004
Production for Public
Adapted from the famous Chinese collection of stories about ghosts and spirits. The play is set in today's global context and explores the prejudices faced by women, Muslims and foreign talents by comparing them with the spirits. Like the spirits, these groups have been shunned and looked down upon by the dominant group.
Constant Constipation
Mar 2004
Production for Public
A black comedy. An urban fable. A friendship begins with 2 persons without knowing who each other really is - gender, age, appearance... A wedding photographer was given a mission by the 2 persons. One is to capture the past memories for one person and the other the future relationship for the other person.
Shithole
Aug 2004
Production for Public
Based on a true story from a village in Indonesia, Shithole examines the consequences of our disregard for lost history and tradition. The satire grapples with issues of survival, delving into the core of human nature.
2003
Searching for Spring II
23 - 24 Jan 2003
Production for Public
Comprising mask work, a short play and forum performance; this piece is a miniature performance in celebration of the Chinese Lunar New Year. The forum theatre play depicts a Chinese man who brought his Malay girlfriend back home for dinner during the New Year and faced rejections from his mother.
Cloud Nine
Mar 2003
Production for Public
Explores the lustful, perhaps bizarre, relationships amongst the members of a Chinese businessman's family in colonial and modern Singapore.
SARS
08 - 11 May 2003
Production for Public
An interactive performance at community venues exploring how the community perceives SARS and relationships in the community after the outbreak of the disease.
Prison
17 - 18 May 2003
Production for Public
A forum performance. Based on real-life stories created by inmates of Selarang Park drug rehabilitation centre that discusses the stress and problems faced by a previous drug addict when trying to quit drug.
The vaginaLOGUE
Aug 2003
Production for Public
A re-run of the sold out season in year 2000. New elements and the use of mask work was added.
2002
Beautiful Day
30 Jan - 03 Feb 2002
Production for Public
Two good friends, after going through an earthquake in Singapore and searching for Yamaguchi Momoe in Japan respectively, make some discoveries about themselves and their surroundings.
Have You Beaten?
Apr 2002
Production for Public
A part of the Living Theatre Project, Have You Beaten? explores the issue of family violence and various relationships in a family. Also an interactive performance brought to community venues.
White Songs
14 - 17 Jun 2002
Production for Public
Final presentation of The Blanc Space in Singapore Arts Festival 2002.
Boner
24 - 28 Jul, 31 Jul - 04 Aug 2002
Production for Public
A delicious chamber performance about violence, memory, regret, love, suspense, murder and a tinge of tenderness.
Spider & Tiger
Oct 2002
Production for Public
A funny yet disturbing revelation of hot topics such as retrenchment and inflation etc, at the time of the play.
Fugitives
20 - 23 Nov 2002
Production for Public
An intimate study of the contemporary Singaporean nuclear family. Examines communication breakdowns, unspoken longings and love-hate relationships.
Private Room
Dec 2002
Production for Public
Reflects problems that every family faces, like adolescent and elderly problems. Based on true stories and also a part of the Living Theatre Project 2002.
2001
Family of Cross
17 - 21 Jan 2001
Production for Public
An exploratory and quirky improvised production that consisted of five short plays performed in Mandarin, English and dialects.
Lian Can Cook
May 2001
Production for Public
The company's first community production. Lian is celebrating her birthday and she's cooking a sumptuous dinner for her family. Along comes her out-of-job husband who abused and pushed her down the flat. Funny yet poignant, the play explores domestic violence and oppression through the style of street theatre.
White Songs
26 - 28 Jul 2001
Production for Public
The first work-in-progress presentation by the participants of The Blanc Space, marking the culmination of nine months of theatrical training.
Have You Eaten?
Nov 2001
Production for Public
The company's first interactive community production, about the issue of retrenchment and its aftermath.
2000
Mr Beng - A Trilingual Musical
Jan 2000
Production for Public
A re-run of its sold-out premiere in the Singapore Arts Festival 1999.
The vaginaLOGUE
05 - 18 Apr 2000
Production for Public
A one-woman monodrama based on research, interviews, storytelling and performance; about how women view the vagina as well as how society perceives it.
The Rape
18 - 21 May 2000
Production for Public
A portrayal of the lifestyle of youth and pub culture through events that happened to a group of teenagers on a night out at a pub.
Double Bill: Top of the World & Skin
14 - 17 Jul 2000
Production for Public
A double bill where one play is about the death of a pet dog that changed its owner's life and the other is about the need for human touch.
Steel
09 - 11 Aug 2000
Production for Public
A one-man monologue about a person fighting against an opposing will in the form of technology, machines, the city and the state. Certain scenes are adapted by Kok Heng Leun based on actor Johnny Ng's real life experiences in Performing Arts School during the 1960s and 1970s.
Invisibility
13 - 17 Sep 2000
Production for Public
A modern-day fable about the quest for the art of invisibility in urban society.
News Theatre
25 - 29 Oct 2000
Production for Public
A tongue-in-cheek satire and parody of the happenings in a newsroom.
1999
I Remember '99
28 - 31 Jan 1999
Production for Public
A 'play-within-a-play', about love, waiting and memories.
Searching for Spring
Feb 1999
Production for Public
A small Lunar New Year presentation at Drama Box's studio theatre.
Sour Relationship
13 - 23 May 1999
Production for Public
A monologue, and the first Mandarin play in Singapore to deal with the issue of women and women's bodies in a direct way.
Mr Beng
A Musical Comedy
13 - 14 Jun 1999
Production for Public
A musical about a Mr Beng who learns independence and self-acceptance.
Timeless Kitchen
02 - 19 Sep 1999
Production for Public
A double bill of Borrowed Time, adapted from Paul Monette's novel, which depicts a pair of homosexuals of whom one is facing imminent death, and the play touches on how the pair gets along and deals with such threat. Kitchen is adapted from Banana Yoshimoto's novel.
Banana Blues
02 - 12 Dec 1999
Production for Public
A contemporary play about four characters' search for something elusive in their lives.
1998
Hazy Love 97
25 - 28 Mar 1998
Production for Public
A commercialised, comedic play about the current events and political issues based on international landscape and Singapore social context in 1997.
Leng-Geh-Mng
11 - 15 Nov 1998
Production for Public
Singapore's first full-length pugilistic production that parodied the stereotypical pugilistic movies.
1997
I Do
31 Jul - 03 Aug 1997
Production for Public
Drama Box only production for the year that explores the relationship between men and women today through marriage.
1996
Haruki's World
08 - 10 Mar 1996
Production for Public
Adapted from Japanese write, Haruki Murakami's third novel 《再度袭击面包店》、《国境之南、太阳之西》和《袋鼠通信》。
A New Journey
17 - 18 May 1996
Production for Public
A fable on politics that describes how a small bird is being trapped by the officials. This play incorporates modern pop songs and is a highly commercialised performance by Drama Box.
I Remember '99
20 - 24 Nov 1996
Production for Public
A love story based in the 1950s during political instability with the main plot and characters centered on the youths in the 1990s.
1995
The Parrot Returns
17 - 18 Mar 1995
Production for Public
Drama Box's first attempt in creating a play with youths as the audience at the Youth Drama Exhibition. The play revolves around mythical creatures as the main characters of the play, and explores the issue of external culture influences on Singapore's society.
Legend
May 1995
Production for Public
Under Shell's sponsorship, Drama Box produced a play targeted at the office workers during lunch hours at the central business district. The play talks about a couple who was in the midst of signing the separation letter and a story of reunion with their friends from the university.
An Episode of Twelve Dames
05 - 07 Oct 1995
Production for Public
A collaboration with Radio Station 93.3; with one of it's station DJs as the performing cast.
1994
Double Bill: Cetecea & We Are Family
13 - 15 May 1994
Production for Public
Through personification of whales, Cetecea is the dialogue between a whale and the human and explores the topics of friendships and homosexuality.
1993
Double Bill: Pager & Room Within
12 - 13 Jun 1993
Production for Public
Pager is Drama Box first collaboration with Singapore's experienced senior theatre practitioner, Han Lao Da. The play discusses the mental disturbance that today's technology bring to Singaporeans.
Three Children
22 - 24 Nov 1993
Production for Public
Director Lim Jen Erh adapted Malaysian's playwright, Liao Pei Zhen english play into a multilingual performance (Mandarin, English and Malay) at the Asia's Performing Arts Festival.
1992
小小羊儿要回家
09 Jun 1992
Production for Public
Drama Box's first production on national identity in the Fringe Festival.
Another Tribe
21 - 23 Oct 1992
Production for Public
First production rated to be adult ratings in the Mandarin theatre scene, and is also Singapore's first play that touches on the topic of homosexuality. Considered to be Drama Box's debut production on marginalised and sensitive topics.
1991
Double Bill: The Zoo Story & Singles
29 - 30 Apr 1991
Production for Public
Adapted from US's writer, Edward Albee's Zoo Story. This play is not only Drama Box's maiden production but is also her first translated product that explores the issue of alienation of the city dwellers.
Yi Xin
20 - 22 Dec 1991
Production for Public
Drama Box's first production that critics and reflects upon Singapore's society, which helped to lay down the direction of incorporating local social contexts in all its future productions of the company.
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