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Emerging from the challenges of the global pandemic, Toy Factory Productions has continued to showcase resilience and innovation in its artistic pursuits, reinvigorating Singapore’s theatre scene and bringing audiences back to the magic of live performances. As the world reopens, Toy Factory remains dedicated to presenting bold, imaginative, and culturally resonant stories that bridge the past and future.
In 2021, Toy Factory proudly contributed to reconnecting audiences with All the World is One’s Stage, a reflective production that honoured the resilience of theatre and celebrated the shared experience of art and performance. This was followed by Master of Comedy 2, offering much-needed laughter to uplift spirits and bring communities together after months of isolation.
The crowning achievement of the year was A Dream Under The Southern Bough: Existence, the final chapter in the epic trilogy under the Singapore International Festival of the Arts. This conclusion to the multi-year adaptation of Tang Xianzu’s classic work received critical acclaim for its ambitious narrative and stunning stagecraft, solidifying its place as one of Toy Factory’s most remarkable and sophisticated productions.
Adding to the local cultural fabric, Old Songs of Redhill Market transported audiences into the heart of Singapore’s history with its evocative storytelling and connections to cherished memories. Meanwhile, The Wright Stuff Festival 2021 nurtured the next wave of Singaporean playwrights, continuing Toy Factory’s mission to develop and empower fresh voices in theatre-making.
In 2022, Toy Factory took a step towards bringing the arts closer to the community by collaborating with Festive Arts Theatre for Roar Talent. This dynamic production highlighted the company’s dedication to keeping Singapore’s theatre scene vibrant and diverse.
The year also saw the return of the beloved classic The Crab Flower Club, a production that beautifully blended literary richness with theatrical elegance. Its intricate portrayal of relationships, combined with visually stunning designs, earned rave reviews and captivated audiences.
Perhaps the most anticipated production of 2022 was Kwa Geok Choo – Singapore and the Story of Mrs Lee Kwan Yew. This heartfelt and inspiring production, highlighting Mrs. Lee’s contributions to Singapore’s growth, received widespread acclaim for its historical depth, emotional resonance, and powerful portrayal of one of the nation’s most influential women. Audiences praised the production for its ability to evoke national pride and showcase the strength of women in Singaporean history.
Closing the year was For My Highness, an original English play spotlighting the issues of substance abuse. The play presents itself with unfiltered emotions and piercing truths behind the pains of societal-rejections. It pieces together real-life stories to portray the unflattering reality of one’s loneliness trapped within the whirlpool of addiction. A plight that is silently sweeping the LGBT community in Singapore.
Quest – The White Hare was a standout in 2023, blending mythology with contemporary storytelling to create a visually stunning and imaginative theatrical experience. This production showcased Toy Factory’s ability to reimagine folklore while staying true to its cultural roots, drawing praise for its immersive and captivating presentation.
Ignite The Sun further showcased the company’s versatility, offering an uplifting exploration of personal growth, self-discovery, and transformation. Its radiant storytelling and engaging performances inspired audiences, making it one of the highlights of the year.
Once again, The Wright Stuff Festival 2023 provided a platform for emerging playwrights, shining a spotlight on the next generation of creative talent. The festival proved to be a crucial space for innovation, with several new voices making their mark on the local theatre scene.
Looking ahead, 2024 promises to be another landmark year for Toy Factory. The year begins with Sang Sinxay, part of the inaugural season of plotSEA, a groundbreaking international initiative designed to foster collaboration across Southeast Asia. This contemporary reimagining of the Lao epic will spotlight Southeast Asian artistry, bridging cultures and pushing the boundaries of storytelling.
The year also marked the grand celebration of Singapore’s iconic and monumental show, Titoudao – The 30th Anniversary Staging. As one of Toy Factory’s most beloved and iconic productions, Titoudao has captivated audiences for decades with its heartwarming tale of Chinese street opera. The anniversary staging will offer a fresh perspective while honouring the legacy of this cultural masterpiece.
To discuss sponsorship packages or simply to make an enquiry, please do not hesitate to contact us!
Toy Factory Productions Ltd
15A Smith Street
Singapore 058929
Tel: +65 6222 1526
Fax: +65 6221 6285
Email: [email protected]
Copyright © 2019 Toy Factory Productions Ltd
Reyn is a graduate of the LASALLE College of the Arts Diploma course in Theatre Production and Management.
Specialising in scenography and technical production, Reyn is a scenic and experiential designer with experience in long form television and visual merchandising. Their focus on immersive experiences and world building has driven their design style as a form of storytelling across various platforms.
TITOUDAO has been an incredible chance to be part of the collaborative effort in relating the heritage of the Wayang stage to new audiences.
Zennie Casann is the Founder of Zen Makeup Team. Zennie has been a Makeup Artist and Hairstylist for 20 years. She is highly experienced for stage, screen and TV productions as well as editorial, commercial and bridal. She is also known for her capability in makeup design and wig styling.
Zennie is the first Makeup Artist in Singapore who has worked for Luc Petit Creation for a major project – “8 Immortals” – in China. The show was broadcasted at the Oriental Movie Metropolis in Qingdao, China. She also worked for the British Theatre Playhouse’s production – “The Vortex” – starring Hollywood actress Jane Seymour.
Max started his eponymous label MAX.TAN upon his breakout collection at the Singapore Fashion Designers Contest in 2007, where he received an award recognition. What began as creating capsule collections to meet increasing interest, then became a full-fledged debut, with the S/S 2010 collection being featured as one of the top ten collections globally on premier trend forecasting report – Stylesight.com, alongside fashion powerhouses such as Alexander McQueen and Valentino.
Over the past decade, Max has been recognized for his innovative designs that challenge fashion trends while incorporating his Asian roots. Max also lectures at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (Singapore), and enjoys partnering with theatre groups in Singapore to design costumes for their main stage productions.
MAX.TAN is represented by Boon showroom (Paris), and has started making inroads onto the international fashion design scene.
Vick, a Singapore-based sound designer, artist, and cellist, stands at the forefront of the contemporary intersection of technology and artistic expression. Graduating from Lasalle College of the Arts in 2015 with a specialization in Music Technology, Vick has since carved a unique niche for himself in the realm of sound design, earning accolades and praise for his innovative work.
In 2019, Vick was nominated for Best Sound Design at The Straits Times Life Theatre Awards for his contribution to Toy Factory Productions’ “The Watching.” This marked a significant milestone in his career, underlining his ability to weave sonic landscapes that enhance and elevate theatrical experiences.
Beyond his prowess in sound design, Vick is a classically trained cellist who seamlessly integrates his musical background into Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) productions. His journey as a performing musician has seen him collaborate with renowned entities such as The Kueh Tutus, MySuperFuture Theatrical Productions, and Sensorium Theatre in Perth. His contributions to these collaborations have added depth and richness to the artistic tapestry, demonstrating his versatility and commitment to pushing creative boundaries.
Some of his recent sound design works include Kwa Geok Choo (Toy Factory Productions), Everything For You (Nine Years Theatre), Windward Side Of The Mountain, a site-specific performance co-created by SAtheCollective, Nine Years Theatre and T.H.E Dance Company, Immortal Variables (Nine Years Theatre and Hsing Legend Youth Theatre from Taiwan) and Do Rhinos Feel Their Horns or Can They Not See Them Like How We Can’t See Our Noses (Gangguan! Theatre), which was presented at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023.
Tommy obtained his Master of Fine Arts degree in Lighting Design from Purchase College, State University of New York. He is the lecturer in Theatre & Production Management, LASALLE College of the Arts
Tommy was the production manager and the lighting designer for the Singapore Dance Theatre’s “Reminiscing the Moon” at Esplanade’s Opening Festival 2002. He designed lighting for Jackie Cheung’s Musical “ Snow, Wolf, Lake”, CCTV 4 Musical “ Song of the Light & Shadow”, Tan Dun’s Opera “ Tea” in the China National Theatre, and Contemporary Legend Theatre “King Lear”.
Tommy received the “Wen Hua Award” from the China Ministry of Culture for the set design of the dance-drama “Shenzhen Story” by the Shenzhen Song & Dance Troupe in 2000, and the best lighting design in “Hong Kong Dance Award 2001& 2008” for the Hong Kong Dance Company productions “ Yellow Earth, Yellow Earth” & “ Desperately Seeking Miss Blossom”
He worked with Toy Factory Productions on set and lighting design: “White Sail in the Blue Blue Sea”, “Titoudao”, “I have a date with Spring”, “Spirits”, “Mad Phoenix”.
As a theatre maker who differentiates himself as a trained marketer, Justin is an accomplished theatre producer with over decades worth of experience in producing musicals, plays, and creative works for local and overseas audiences.
With his extensive experience in project management in the conference and convention industry, he is groomed to be a firm believer that every project and theatrical production he oversees deserves proper packaging and publicity.
His experience has led him to have undertaken projects in China, Korea, India, Vietnam, and Taiwan. Recent international tour projects include: Spirits (Russia), The Crab Flower Club (Beijing), K (Shanghai), Glass Anatomy (Shanghai), and Innamorati Two (Beijing).
Clement Yeo is an actor that believes in the power of story-telling. Juggling his acting career with academic pursuits, Clement is also a psychology student at Nanyang Technological University infusing his roles with a distinctive perspective. His recent works include Sang Sinxay (Toy Factory), Who Are You? (Migrant Writers Of Singapore), My Invisible Life (Gateway Arts) and The Monster In The Mirror (Bitesize Productions). He is convinced that the arts can educate, provoke and spread fun; and he hopes to be part of that creation in the future.
Isabella Chiam is an actor & theatre-maker.
Trained at Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts with a Masters in Theatre, Isabella’s recent acting credits include Oo-woo (The Necessary Stage), Four Horse Road (Practice) and The Fourth Trimester (Checkpoint). She has performed in international productions across UK & Asia and was twice-nominated and won for ‘Best Ensemble’ at the Life! Theatre Awards.
Isabella also has an interest in actor training & collaborative theatre-making. She is an adjunct lecturer at NAFA & Lasalle, and her most recent creations include The Dog Who Wasn’t Useful (Dramabox) , The Last Gardener (Practice) and A Collection of Things: Serangoon (Issy x Cher). Isabella is an Associate Artist with The Theatre Practice, and a founding member of theatre collective Five Stones Theatre.
Xuan Ong is a screen and stage actor.
She graduated from LASALLE College of the Arts with a First Class Honours in Acting. She is perhaps most fondly known for her leading role as Mui Ee in Teenage Textbook: The Series (August Pictures), her debut TV Series. Her other notable screen credits include If They Can’t Be Loved (Hattie Lee) which won her a best actress award, Kisses From Death (August Pictures), Titoudao Season 2 (Oak3), Soul Detective/灵探 ( MediaCorp), One Take the Webseries (NSFTV). She most notably had her feature film debut in 7 days (七天), which was also the opening film for Singapore Chinese Film Festival 2023.
Her notable stage credits include A Dream Under The Southern Bough – Existence (SIFA, Toy Factory), I Have Something To Say (March On Children’s Festival at the Esplanade), Fika and Fishy (Patch and Punnet), CATalysts (SRT), The Singapore Trilogy (The Secondbreakfast Company). In a world so fractured, she remains unabashedly hopeful at the heart of her art-making. Xuan believes in being a fiercely unapologetic conduit for all lives whom she is tasked to represent onstage and onscreen.
Tan Rui Shan is an actress, choreographer, and theatre-maker. Her portfolio includes a range of noteworthy productions, but she is perhaps best known for her outstanding performance as Mrs Lee Kuan Yew in “Kwa Geok Choo” by Toy Factory Productions (dir. Goh Boon Teck). She has also starred in several other theatre productions and events, such as the Flower Fairy in 2024’s “Chingay: Blossom” (dir. Fan Dong Kai), “The Amazing Celestial Race” by Wild Rice (dir. Glen Goei) and “Three Years in the Life and Death of Land” by The Necessary Stage (dir. Haresh Sharma).
In addition to her acting career, Rui Shan’s choreography has also been featured in numerous productions, including “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” by Singapore Repertory Theatre, and in the upcoming “The Wizard of Oz” by Wild Rice. Rui Shan is also a co-founder of Bitesize Theatre Productions, a young and exciting theatre collective. During Covid, they created their first original musical film titled “The Monster in the Mirror Musical” in collaboration with Gateway Arts, that has reached more than 11,500 students and youths-at-risk at Singapore Girls’ Home and Trybe. Rui Shan believes in the power of theatre and hopes to continue using her craft to heal and inspire.
Alvin Chiam has been actively involved in the Singapore theatre scene for more than 25 years.
A recipient of both the NAC Grant and the NAC Arts Scholarship, Alvin took on many different roles in the theatre scene after training with the master Philippe Gaulier in Paris.
Alvin’s theatre productions, performances, and training travelled to many different places, including cities in Europe, the United Kingdom, China, Macau, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
Alvin is currently full-time lecturing at Lasalle College of the Arts.
Sharon is a bilingual actor, singer and dancer who graduated with a BA(First Class Honours) degree in Musical Theatre from LASALLE College of the Arts and has since performed in various musicals and theatre productions. Some of her theatre credits include W!ld Rice’s Momotaro and the Magnificent Peach; Toy Factory’s Crab Flower Club and A Dream Under the Southern Bough: Existence; Bitesize Theatre Production’s The Monster in the Mirror Musical; Esplanade’s PLAYtime! Fatimah and her Magic Socks; Singapore Chinese Orchestra’s Infinite Island; Singapore Repertory Theatre’s Goldilocks & the Three Bears, Gretel & Hansel, Fantastic Mr Fox and Red Riding Hood; The Theatre Practice’s Liao Zhai Rocks! and Four Horse Road; Tiny Feat’s Annie Ting and the Dragon; and Dream Academy’s Detention Katong.
She has also lent her voice to productions such as Double Confirm Production’s Hossan-AH 50! and sung for The Theatre Practice’s Nursery Rhymes Project. She enjoys how theatre has allowed her to expand the human experience and looks to bring that experience to her audience.