Ep 5: “Championing the Multicultural” feat. Wong Han Juan
About
How did the notions of multiculturalism and multidisciplinarity emerge in Singapore theatre, and what challenges did they present to the arts manager? Host Serene Chen speaks with arts manager Wong Han Juan, tracing the past and present challenges of nurturing an arts ecosystem that is supportive of diverse and experimental practices, by way of her experiences working as an arts manager with legendary arts pioneer Kuo Pao Kun and The Theatre Practice. They also discuss the joys and struggles of nurturing multidisciplinary and multicultural collaborations, and Han Juan’s role in fundraising and liaising with artists during the early years of The Substation.
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[00:01:23] The Theatre Practice (TTP): Founded in 1965, The Theatre Practice is Singapore’s longest-standing professional bilingual theatre institution. The founders are the late theatre playwright/director Kuo Pao Kun and dancer/choreographer Goh Lay Kuan. Originally known as Singapore Performing Arts School, it was renamed to The Theatre Practice in 1997
[00:01:28] Practice Performing Arts School (PPAS): The former name of The Theatre Practice. When TTP first began as a school, it aimed to integrate creative performance with arts education through the teaching of dance, theatre and music
[00:01:29] The Substation: Founded by Kuo Pao Kun, The Substation is a contemporary arts centre that officially opened on 16 September 1990 and is known for being a supporter of new artistic work and experimental practices. It was located at 45 Armenian Street till July 2021.
[00:02:11] Action Theatre: A former non-profit theatre company that was founded in 1987 by artistic director Ekachai Uekrongtham. It was known for its refreshing approach in creating new works, as well as nurturing new talent. It was in operation til the 2000s.
[00:02:14] The Necessary Stage (TNS): A non-profit local theatre company established in 1987, known for breaking new ground in original local content, its devising methodology and intercultural exploration. Check out Backlogues Episode 4 for more information.
[00:02:18] Asia-in-Theatre Research Circus: Asia-in-Theatre Research Circus (ATRC) was founded in 1987 by the late William Teo. For 15 years, the theatre company, with Teo as the artistic director, created and produced some of Singapore’s most unique and visually-arresting English-language productions. ATRC was in search of a new theatrical expression, experimenting with merging various Asian performing arts traditions with English-language contemporary theatre.
[00:02:21] Theatreworks: A non-profit English-language theatre company established in 1985, by Lim Siauw Chong, Lim Kay Tong and Justin Hill. It was renamed T:>Works as of 2020. Check out Backlogues Episode 3 for more information.
[00:04:02] Practice Theatre Ensemble (PTE): Formed in 1986 as part of TTP, the bilingual semi-professional theatre troupe allowed company members to train and further develop their artistic skills. Under Kuo Pao Kun’s artistic direction, it aimed to give balanced emphasis to creating new plays reflecting contemporary Singapore and drawing freely from the repertoire of world theatre.
[00:07:46] National Arts Council (NAC): The National Arts Council is a statutory board established on 15 October 1991 to oversee the development of arts in Singapore. It is currently under the purview of the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth
[00:07:50] Singapore Arts Festival: Started in 1977 as a national arts festival. Check out Backlogues Episode 1 for more information.
[00:15:26] Singapore Conference Hall: The Singapore Conference Hall is a multipurpose building located in the heart of the financial district of Shenton Way in Downtown Core of Singapore. The first building to be constructed along Shenton Way, it was a place for conferences, exhibitions and performances in the 1960s and 1970s. Today, it is refurbished and modernised into a concert hall, home to the Singapore Chinese Orchestra since 2001.
[00:22:27] Victoria Theatre: Singapore’s oldest performing arts venue. First built as a Town Hall in 1862, it was redesigned and renamed Victoria Theatre in 1909.
[00:22:35] Singapore Amateur Players: Founded by the alumni of the drama societies of several Chinese schools, including Chung Cheng High School, Hwa Chong High School and Nan Qiao High School in 1955. Renamed to The Arts Theatre of Singapore [新加坡艺术剧场] in 1955.
[00:22:36] Singapore I-Lien Dramatic Society [新加坡艺联剧团]: Formed in 1957, an amateur Chinese Drama Society that aims to promote cultural and drama activities through presenting classic and local plays.
[00:22:40] Life Drama Society: A Chinese language drama group that was part of the collaborative productions: The Little White Sailing Boat and Kopitiam.
[00:22:42] Chuen-Lei Literature and Arts Association: A Chinese language drama group that was part of the collaborative productions: The Little White Sailing Boat and Kopitiam.
[00:23:52] Channel 8: Singaporean free-to-air television channel, airing in Mandarin Chinese. It was created by Television Singapura on 31 August 1963 with experimental broadcasts, before going official on 23 November that year.
[00:25:19] Toy Factory: Founded in 1990, Toy Factory is a non-profit theatre company. It was founded after the end of the world premiere of Lao Jiu by The Theatre Practice for the Singapore Arts Festival 1990, where the 12 ensemble members of that show made the brave decision to form what was then known as Toy Factory Theatre Ensemble. Today, the company is an advocate for creating a legacy of original Asian stories and quality adaptations on stage – often toggling between vastly different languages, dialects and styles in order to present the purest form of theatrical storytelling onto Singapore’s main stage
[00:25:20] Drama Box [戏剧盒]: Founded in 1990, Drama Box is a socially-engaged theatre company known for creating works that inspire dialogue, reflection and change. By shining a spotlight on marginalised narratives and making space for the communal contemplation of complex issues, it seeks to tell stories that provoke a deeper understanding of Singapore's culture, history and identity.
[00:26:09] I Have A Date With Spring [我跟春天有个约会]: Staged in 1995 by Toy Factory, as a remake of the original Hong Kong stage musical by Raymond To. It was presented at the Drama Centre from 31 August–9 September 1995.
[00:28:30] TicketCharge: One of the pioneering ticketing companies in Singapore, for both large-scale and small-scale events.
[00:32:46] Hokkien Huay Kuan: Founded in 1840 within Thian Hock Keng, it aims to promote goodwill and fellowship among ethnic Chinese Singapore citizens who belong to the Hokkien dialect group.
[00:32:54] Singapore Broadway Playhouse: a former theatre company in Singapore.
[00:32:57] The Land Of The Forgotten Soul: A Chinese language play staged by SIngapore Broadway Playhouse in 1995.
[00:33:00] The Arts Theatre of Singapore: Previously known as Singapore Amateur Players, it was started by a group of theatre enthusiasts from Chung Cheng High School in 1955. It started with a play entitled “Sun Rise'' and followed by an average of two to three plays annually.
[00:33:39] ECNAD: Singapore’s first full-time contemporary dance company, which was founded in 2001 by Lim Chin Huat and the late Tan How Choon. ECNAD closed down in 2013 after 17 years due to financial woes and the imminent closure of its arts housing space, the Telok Ayer Performing Arts Centre.
[00:33:41] The Finger Players: First started in 1996 by Tan Beng Tian and Ong Kian Sin originally as a children division unit specialising in traditional Chinese hand puppetry under The Theatre Practice. It branched out into a separate puppet theatre company in 1999. Today, it is considered as one of Singapore’s leading theatre companies, best known being a strong advocate of puppetry and for fusing puppetry elements into visually-arresting productions.
[00:33:45] Paper Monkey Theatre: Founded in April 2008, by well-known puppeteer/playwright in Singapore, Benjamin Ho. The non-profit theatre company creates theatre productions and workshops infused with puppetry for children and family entertainment.
[00:34:58] Stamford Arts Centre: A repurposed arts housing space, originally opened in 1988 under the former Ministry of Community Development's Arts Housing Scheme. In 2016, the original tenants - including The Theatre Practice and Bhaskar’s Arts Academy - had to move out to allow for the redevelopment of the arts centre. In 2018, it reopened as a multi-disciplinary arts centre with a focus on traditional arts.
[00:35:00] Arts Housing Scheme: An artist assistance scheme initiated by the former Ministry of Community Development in 1985. In recognition of scarcity and cost of land in Singapore, the objective of the scheme was to secure space and provide subsidised rental spaces to arts groups. For more, see Hoe (2020).
[00:39:41] Ping-Fong Acting Troupe [屏風表演班]: A Taiwanese theatre troupe that was founded by Hugh Lee in 1986. The Troupe closed after Lee’s death in 2013.
[00:42:05]: Nine Years Theatre [九年剧场]: Founded in 2012, Nine Years Theatre is a Mandarin theatre company co-founded by Nelson Chia and Mia Chee. It focusses on the re-imagination of classic work and the creation of new work.
[00:44:24] Seng Yew Book Store: One of the oldest stationery shops in Bras Basah Complex
[00:44:57] Youth Book Co. [青年书局]: Established in 1995, Youth Book Co. began to publish books by mainly local writers in 1958, with the content including literary and artistic creations, local customs, Nanyang history and geography, etc.
[00:52:38] Anti-Yellow Culture Campaign: Campaign launched by the Singapore government in 1959 to eradicate decadent behaviour such as gambling, opium-smoking, pornography, prostitution, corruption and nepotism that plagued much of China in the 19th century.
[01:10:51] Wong Kan Seng: Wong Kan Seng, a former People’s Action Party (PAP) cabinet minister. He was given the duo portfolios of Minister of State for Home Affairs and Community Development in January 1985
[01:13:14] Bumboat!: Staged in June 1984 as part of the Singapore Arts Festival 1984. Directed by Tzi Ma and Lim Siauw Chong (Theatreworks), the play about contemporary Singapore was created through inviting a number of Singapore writers to dramatise a few personal perspectives of the world around them. The contributing writers included Kuo Pao Kun, Gopal Barathn, Michael Chiang, Stella Kon and Catherine Lim.
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[00:04:06] Lei Yu [雷雨 / Thunderstorm]: A classical play written by China's well-known playwright Cao Yu. This classic tragedy was staged by PTE, and restaged by TTP in 2006. Interestingly it was staged in Malay in 1990 by Teater Kami under the title Ribut.
[00:14:46] Mama Looking For Her Cat [寻找小猫的妈妈]: Written by Kuo Pao Kun in 1988, it is a play about the communication differences and the estranged relationship between a mother and her children. The play is noted for being multilingual with no English Subtitles (mix of English, Malay, Mandarin, Punjabi, Hokkien, Cantonese and Teochew).
[00:20:00] Little White Sailing Boat [小白船]: Written and directed by Kuo Pao Kun, the production was a collaboration between 14 Chinese theatre groups and was presented at the SIngapore Arts Festival in the Victoria Theatre from 19 December 1982 to 21 December 1982.
[00:22:22] Kopitiam: Written by veteran drama practitioner Low Ing Sing. First directed by Kuo Pao Kun, Lin Jinxiong and Lim Jen Erh at the Victoria Theatre on 6 June 1986, as part of the SIngapore Arts Festival 1986. It was produced on behalf of 23 Chinese language drama groups including Singapore Amateur Players, Singapore I-Lien Dramatic Society, Life Drama Society, Chuen-Lei Literature and Arts Association etc.
[00:25:04] Fire Raisers [纵火犯]: First performed by The Theatre Practice in 1987 as a Mandarin adaptation of the original by Max Frish. Translated and directed by Kuo Pao Kun. Noted for being the first public performance of PTE. A surreal comedy following the fate of a town, which is suddenly overrun by arsonists.
[00:30:00] 天冷就回来 [Come Back When It Gets Cold]: Musical first staged in 2007, restaged in 2009 and 2014. Known for featuring a series of classic Xinyao songs written by local music master Liang Wenfu.
[00:35:21] Day I Met The Prince [我要上天的那一晚]: Stage adaptation of the beloved French classic fable, The Little Prince, written by Kuo Pao Kun. First staged in 1988.
[00:38:04] Where Love Abides [人间有情]: First staged in 1994. The script was written by Raymond To and was directed by Tan Beng KIang.
[00:39:39] Taiping Tianguo [太平天國]: First staged in 1995, about a man travelling back in time to the Taiping Revolution (1850-64) when one of the largest peasant uprisings in modern Chinese history took place. Presented at ACS (Independent) Centre for Performing Arts, Dover Road, where Wong Han Juan was the project coordinator.
[00:41:37] Lao Jiu [老九]: Written and first staged in 1990 by Kuo Pao Kun, this play has been considered as one of Singapore’s classic plays. The story is about a boy’s dilemma between his dreams and responsibilities. It was adapted into a musical by The Theatre Practice in 2005.
[00:43:16] The Silly Little Girl and the Funny Old Tree [傻姑娘和怪老树]: First written by Kuo Pao Kun in 1987. It was first staged in English language at the Victoria Theatre, 12 August 1989, as part of the 1989 Drama Festival. The play tells of the story about a strange attachment that a girl develops with an old, funny-looking tree in her school.
[01:12:57] The Coffin Is Too Big For The Hole: Written in 1984 by Kuo Pao Kun, it was first staged in Marine Parade Library, 16 November 1985. A story pitting man against the establishment, Kuo’s first English work is a satirical monologue about a man’s struggle with government bureaucracy as he attempts to fulfil his grandfather’s final wishes.
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[00:01:44] Kuo Pao Kun: A playwright, theatre director, and arts activist in Singapore who wrote and directed both Mandarin and English plays. He founded three arts and drama centres in Singapore, conducted and organised a number of drama seminars and workshops, and mentored Singaporean and foreign directors and artists. He is also the co-founder of Intercultural Theatre Institute (ITI) and The Substation.
[00:02:13] Ekachai Uekrongtham: Founding artistic director of Action Theatre and film-maker.
[00:02:20] William Teo: Founder and director of Asia In Theatre Research Circus. Known for his in-depth research methodology and pan-Asian works that drew from both Eastern and Western theatre traditions.
[00:02:22] Ong Keng Sen: The current Artistic Director of T:>Works. He is an artist-curator and a scholar of performance. His approach to traditional arts of Asia in contemporary arts is grounded in his studies of transcultural performance with the Performance Studies Department at Tisch School of the Arts, New York University, where he graduated with a Ph.D. in 2019.
[00:02:39] Arun Mahizhnan: A Special Research Adviser at the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS). Before joining IPS in 1991, he had worked in both the public and private sectors for 20 years, mostly in public communication fields. During his time at Mobil Oil Singapore, he played a critical role in the growth and strategic direction of the Singapore Arts Festival. For more information, check out Episode 1 of Backlogues.
[00:04:54] Lin Shu Fen: former arts manager with the Theatre Practice.
[00:06:03] Tan Beng Luan: Principal and teacher of Creative O Preschoolers’ Bay, she has 15 years of experience working with children. Her previous portfolio includes being the Principal of Practice Performing Arts School, founding manager of The Substation and Deputy Director II of the National Archives.
[00:08:01] Chua Ai Liang: retired arts manager. She started as an Assistant Organiser at the Ministry of Culture, which was the start of a 40-year career as an arts manager in the civil service.
[00:10:58] Eddie Kuo: Professor Eddie Kuo is an academic advisor at Singapore University of Social Sciences. Known for his research on cultural policy, new media and globalisation.
[00:11:46] Patrick Wong: Wong Han Juan’s brother, who worked at The Substation as a technical manager.
[00:12:00] Tina Chen: former arts manager at The Substation.
[00:14:06] Goh Lay Kuan: Co-founder of The Theatre Practice, along with husband Kuo Pao Kun, becoming the principal, dance teacher and choreographer of The Theatre Practice.
[00:14:59] T. Sasitharan: Thirunalan Sasitharan is a Singaporean theatre educator and the co-founder and director of Intercultural Theatre Institute (ITI). In 1996, Sasitharan succeeded Kuo Pao Kun as the artistic director of The Substation.
[00:15:00] Yang Shi Bin: Veteran Singaporean actor who has been involved in Chinese-language theatre since the 1960s. Known for his work with Kuo Pao Kun, as well as for receiving a Golden Horse nomination in 2019 for his role in Anthony Chen’s film Wet Season.
[00:15:03] Ang Gey Pin: Singapore artist best known for her title role in the late dramatist Kuo Pao Kun's Chinese version of Silly Little Girl and the Funny Old Tree (1987) and for being the Artistic Director of Theatre OX. She began her theatre apprenticeship with Practice Theatre Ensemble in 1986 (now The Theatre Practice).
[00:15:05] Kuo Jian Hong: Daughter of Kuo Pao Kun, and currently the Artistic DIrector of The Theatre Practice. Also an award winning veteran director, designer, storyteller, filmmaker and facilitator. She also worked as set and costume designer for plays such as The Silly Little Girl And The Funny Old Tree.
[00:15:11] Neo Swee Lin: A Singaporean actress of the stage and screen. Since the 1990s, she has appeared in numerous plays, including Three Children (1987) and M Butterfly (1989).
[00:20:11] Tay Bin Wee: Prominent actor and director in the Mandarin theatre scene in Singapore between the 1950s and 1980s. He co-founded the Singapore Amateur Players (now known as the Arts Theatre of Singapore), a Mandarin theatre group, in 1955. In the 1980s, Tay was a prime mover in bringing together all the local Mandarin drama groups for major productions staged during the Festival of Arts. For his contributions to local Mandarin theatre, Tay was awarded the Cultural Medallion for Theatre in 1988.
[00:20:12] Low Ing Sing: One of Singapore Chinese language theatre's founding fathers. For about 60 years, he worked both on and offstage as a playwright, director, actor, instructor, critic and advocate. Besides performing in hundreds of plays across Malaya, he also founded the Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan's arts and cultural troupes and the Singapore Amateur Players (now known as the Arts Theatre of Singapore), directed and staged many acclaimed productions, published three full-length and six short plays, published a collection of poems, trained generations of Chinese-language dramatists and actors, and wrote numerous essays on local Chinese theatre. He was awarded the Cultural Medallion in 1985 and the Literary Appreciation Award in 1990.
[00:22:25]: Lim Kim Hiong, Lin Jin Xiong: Co-directors with Kuo Pao Kun for the play Kopitiam in 1986.
[00:22:27] Lim Jen Erh: One of the owners of Grassroots Book Room, Lim is a former journalist and editor in charge of the literary supplement of newspapers. He studied directing at the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Australia, and worked as a director and playwright for several years.
[00:23:49] Zhu Xiu Feng [朱秀凤]: Veteran Sigaporean actress, known more for her Channel 8 drama serials and appearances in Hong Kong cinema.
[00:24:14] Goh Guat Kian: Veteran Singaporean actress and teacher. Known as one of the most experienced and well-known actresses in local Chinese language theatre. She has appeared in more than 70 plays, including Kuo Pao Kun’s Mama Looking for her Cat and Sunset Rise. Also known for her screen work, including Solos (2007) and Tiong Bahru Social Club (2020).
[00:24:29] Johnny Ng, Huang Jia Qiang: Johnny Ng is the current chairman of Sin Feng Xiang Sheng Society and disciple of renowned crosstalk master Jiang Kun. He started doing crosstalk in 1976 and won the first Singapore Cross Talk Contest in 1990 and two Best Actor awards within the local theatre industry.
[00:25:04] Max Frish: Swiss dramatist and novelist, noted for his depictions of the moral dilemmas of 20th-century life.
[00:25:31] Goh Boon Teck: Director, playwright and designer Goh Boon Teck is currently the Chief Artistic Director of Singapore’s leading bilingual theatre company, Toy Factory Productions Ltd.
[00:25:35] Jeffrey Low: TV Presenter/ Senior Producer at MediaCorp.
[00:25:46] Kok Heng Luen: Kok Heng Leun is a prominent figure in the Singapore arts scene, having built his artistic career as a theatre director, playwright, dramaturg and educator. He was awarded the National Arts Council’s Young Artist Award in 2000 and Cultural Fellowship in 2014. Founder, former co-artistic director and currently adviser of Singaporean theatre company Drama Box.
[00:25:47] Raymond Leong: Actor, currently a TV Presenter/ Senior Producer at MediaCorp Pte Ltd.
[00:25:49] Wong Chee Wai: full-time freelance set designer.
[00:26:13] Sharon Au: Singapore actress and host.
[00:27:45] Zheng Zhan Lun, Ken Tay: Singer behind I Have a Date with Spring [我和春天有个约会].
[00:30:11] Liang Wern Fook: Writer, singer-composer and educator in Chinese literature and the Chinese language. A pioneer of xinyao, a genre of Mandarin songs that is unique to Singapore, Liang’s name is synonymous with the xinyao movement. He has over 200 songs and two Mandarin musicals to his name. For his contributions to the local music scene, Liang was awarded the Cultural Medallion for Music in 2010.
[00:30:18] Raymond To: Writer and director, known for The Mad Phoenix (1997), I Have a Date with Spring (1994) and Forever and Ever (2001).
[00:32:24] Wong Mei Lan: Assistant Artistic Director of PTE in 1995
[00:33:12] Mr. Koh Chong Chiah: Chairman of the Arts Theatre of Singapore in the 1990s
[00:38:46] Tan Pei Hwee: Pei Hwee was a core member of Theatre OX and also one of the four performers during Theatre OX’s residency at the Workcenter of Jerzy Grotowski and Thomas Richards.
[00:39:40] Hugh Lee, Li Guo Xiu: Taiwanese writer, director and actor, who founded Ping-Fong Acting Troupe.
[00:42:02] Nelson Chia: Co-founder and artistic director of Nine Years Theatre.
[00:46:17] Sam Tseng, Zeng Guo Cheng: Taiwanese Host and Actor.
[00:47:49] Tisa Ho-Ng: Former Assistant Director, Cultural Services Division, Ministry of Culture; Artistic Coordinator for Singapore Arts Festival 1990; member of board of directors for The Substation and The Necessary Stage. For more, check out Episode 2 of
[00:48:16] Juliana Lim: Juliana Lim was the deputy director in the Ministry of Community Developments Cultural Affairs Division in 1986. For more, check out Episode 2 of Backlogues.
[00:55:49] Tan Beng Tian: co-founder of The Finger Players in 1996. An independent multi-faceted theatre practitioner, and a disciple of the late renowned traditional hand puppet master Li Bofen. Known for her passion for puppetry as well as making performing arts accessible for all.
[00:55:52] Tan Beng Chiak: Actress, has appeared in seminal plays like Descendants of the Eunuch Admiral and Lao Jiu.
[00:55:58] Benjamin Ho: Puppeteer and founder of Paper Monkey Theatre.
[00:57:00] Lee Wai Ying: Founding member of The Finger Players.
[00:57:01] Ong Kian Sin: Ong Kian Sin is co-founder of The Finger Players. His puppet creations were seen in Furthest North, Deepest South, First Family, Wong Kar Wai Dreams, Twisted, Flare and suitCASES. In 2007, he staged 0501, a site-specific production that won two technical awards (Set and Sound Design) at the 8th Straits Times Life! Theatre Awards, as well as a President’s Design Award.
[01:02:26] Chen Chong Swee: Painter, educator, writer and critic, Chen belonged to the pioneering group of artists of the Nanyang Style. His contemporaries included Liu Kang, Georgette Chen, Cheong Soo Pieng and Chen Wen Hsi. The Nanyang artists combined Western art influences with Asian sensibilities to explore their Southeast Asian identity.
[01:02:25] Ho Kah Leong: Former politician who in 1966, he was elected as a member of parliament representing the Jurong constituency, and remained in the position for the next three decades. He also joined the Ministry of Education as a parliamentary secretary and later served in the Ministry of Communications and Information (later renamed Ministry of Information and the Arts) as well as the Ministry of the Environment as a senior parliamentary secretary.4 In December 1996, he retired from politics to join NAFA in 1997 as its principal,5 an appointment he held until 2003.
[01:02:53] 新风相声学会 [Sin Feng Xiang Sheng Society]: Launched in 1986 by a group of cross talk writers and actors, including Han Lauda and Yang Shibin, with the aim of inheriting traditional folk art and developing local creations. "Sin Feng" has multiple meanings: the combination of new styles and old traditions requires a deep understanding of the old traditions.
[01:06:18] Audrey Wong: Co-Artistic Director of The Substation from 2000 to 2009, and first Nominated Member of Parliament for the Arts in Singapore. Currently the Programme Leader of the MA Arts and Cultural Leadership Programme at LASALLE College of the Arts.
[01:06:19] Lee Weng Choy: Co-Artistic Director of The Substation from 2000 to 2009. Currently an independent art critic and consultant based in Kuala Lumpur.
[01:12:22] Tay Tong: Former Managing Director of Theatreworks. After 30 years, he left and is currently working at the National Arts Council, Singapore.
[01:13:36] Tzi Ma: American Director of Bumboat! in 1984.
[01:13:55] Zou Wenxue: Original lead of The Coffin is Too Big for the Hole.
[01:14:00] Lim Kay Tong: Original lead of The Coffin is Too Big for the Hole.
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[00:05:19] Sommerville Walk: Residential estate located in Serangoon Gardens.
[00:14:17] PAP, People’s Action Party: Political party in Singapore.
[00:16:19] Nanyang Girls’ High School: Nanyang Girls' High School is an independent girls' secondary school in Bukit Timah, Singapore. Founded in 1917, it is one of the oldest schools in the country.
[00:32:39] Nanyang Junior College: Junior college in Singapore next to Lorong Chuan MRT station, offering two-year pre-university courses leading up to the GCE Advanced Level examinations.
[00:39:29] Singapore Press Holdings (SPH): SPH’s core business is in the publishing of newspapers, magazines and books in both print and digital editions. It also owns other digital products, online classifieds, radio stations and outdoor media.
[00:44:10] ACS (Independent) Centre for Performing Arts, Dover Road: Performing Centre located in Anglo-Chinese School (Independent).
[01:03:31] Guinness Brewery: With close to 150 years in Singapore, Guinness Brewery is one of the leading breweries in Singapore.
[01:13:00] Marine Parade: planning area and residential estate located between the central and east regions of Singapore. The Necessary Stage used to be located at Marine Parade Community Centre.
[01:14:54] Shell: Shell is an international energy company that aims to meet the world’s growing need for more and cleaner energy solutions in ways that are economically, environmentally and socially responsible.
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[00:27:46] xinyao [新谣]: A genre of music that typically refers to Mandarin ballads composed, written and performed by youths in Singapore. Started in the late 1970s, xinyao was at its peak in the 1980s and propelled many local singers and singer-songwriters to stardom, several of whom successfully transitioned to the commercial sector. Big names often associated with the xinyao movement include Eric Moo (巫启贤), Billy Koh (许环良), Liang Wern Fook (梁文福) and Roy Loi (黎沸挥).
[00:36:11] tahan: To endure.
[00:36:21] sai-gang: Useless work.
[00:40:52] hantam: To hit, just try.
[00:45:58] sensei: Teacher.
[00:58:51] kang tao: Opportunity.
About our Speakers
Serene Chen is a bilingual actress, host, voice artist and lecturer. She spent the first 3 years of her professional career as an Producer-Presenter in Singapore’s first arts radio station, Passion 99.5FM.
Wong Han Juan is a veteran arts manager. She started her multifaceted arts management career with the Practice Performing Arts School (now known as The Theatre Practice) and has since worked with numerous organisations such as The Substation, Grassroots Book Room and the National Arts Council.