A non-profit professional theatre company that focuses on developing and presenting original new works, ACTION Theatre is known for its refreshing approach in creating stage plays that explore topical and contemporary issues in an imaginative manner. Its past productions include thought-provoking plays about singlehood (Confessions Of Three Unmarried Women), loneliness (Six Lonely Oysters), obsession with property ownership (Block Sale), racial identities (How Do You Know You’re Chinese?) and internet match-making (Mail Order Brides & Other Oriental Take-Aways - the first Singapore play to be staged in New York). Also acclaimed for its popular musicals, ACTION Theatre has had a string of notable successes such as Chang & Eng - The Musical (Singapore’s longest running homegrown musical and the first English-language musical to be staged in China), Corporate Animals (Best Musical 1995) and Ka-Ra-you-Ok? (Best Musical 1998). Founded in 1987 by its artistic director Ekachai Uekrongtham, ACTION Theatre now operates from its new home at 42 Waterloo Street, a recently restored pre-war bungalow which houses an intimate studio theatre, outdoor performance stages, classrooms, a book & CD shop and a Thai restaurant. A greenhouse for the future of Singapore theatre, 42 Waterloo Street is where ACTION Theatre presents an on-going season of new works and new talents in addition to its main season of plays and musicals at major theatres around Singapore. To help discover and nurture new talents, ACTION Theatre regularly organizes theatre classes and playwriting competitions. It also periodically presents local productions of important international works as part of its repertoire. ACTION Theatre was the recipient of “Excellence for Singapore Award” in 1999. The award was set up by Singapore Totalisator Board to “recognise and honour organisations that bring credit to Singapore by being among the best in their area of activity in Asia or in the world”. The company’s productions of Desmond Sim’s Autumn Tomyam and David Auburn’s Proof were named Play of the Year at DBS Life! Theatre Awards in 2002 and 2003 respectively. In 2004, Karen Tan won the Life! Theatre Award for Best Actress for her performance in ACTION Theatre's production of Iron, written by Rona Munro and directed by Krishen Jit. View from the gallery “ACTION Theatre could never be
accused of being behind the times. “We need to bring more people
into theatre so Ekachai’s “ACTION Theatre’s expansive
well-spring of creative ideas “The company pays more than lip
service to the idea of developing and ACTION Theatre Ltd is a Singapore Registered Charity (No.1773).
Patron MRS GOH CHOK TONG
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