22 OCT – 7 NOV 2021
VICTORIA THEATRE
SEASON SPONSOR
STARRING
JANICE KOH
MEHR DUDEJA
JAMIL SCHULZE
AND
ADRIAN PANG ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
SET DESIGNER
TIMOTHY KOH
LIGHTING DESIGNER
EUCIEN CHIA
SOUND ARTIST & COMPOSER
JING NG (Ctrl Fre@k)
JAMES TAN COSTUME DESIGNER
LEONARD AUGUSTINE CHOO
DIRECTED BY
TRACIE PANG PRODUCED BY
TRACIE PANG & ADRIAN PANG
VICTORIA THEATRE | 22 OCT – 7 NOV 2021 LA MERE in its original French production was first presented at the Théâtre de Paris, Paris, on 4 November 2010, starring Catherine Hiegel, directed by Marcial di Fonzo Bo and revived at Theatre Herbertot, Paris, on 4 November 2014. THE MOTHER was first performed in the Ustinov Studio at the Theatre Royal Bath on the 21st May 2015. The production subsequently transferred to London’s Tricycle Theatre. THE MOTHER was then produced in New York, at the Atlantic Theatre, starring Isabelle Huppert, directed by Trip Cullman, opening on 20 February 2019. The duration of this performance is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes, with no interval ADVISORY 16 (MATURE CONTENT & COARSE LANGUAGE)
Mama, Mama you’re the queen of my heart Your love is like tears from the stars Mama I just want you to know Lovin’ you is like food to my soul Never gonna go a day without you Fills me up just thinkin’ about you I’ll never go a day without my mama…” These lyrics are from 1997’s “A Song for Mama” by Boyz II Men. Remember it? Nor do we. So, have a listen here… Lovely song, if a little forgettable. Ironic, seeing as the existential identity of the Mother in this play you’ve come to see, seems to have become forgotten – to her family, and most disturbingly, to herself. In fact, the sentiments expressed in the above love song to Mother are the polar opposite of the those laid bare in The Mother. If this play is a love song, it would be about being lovesick, because it is about a love infected with a sickness. In Florian Zeller’s The Father, the word “dementia” is never uttered, but it is unequivocally clear that this is what the old man is living with. In The Son, also by Zeller, “depression” is casually and callously mentioned, and yet we are in no doubt that this is what is plaguing the young man. But in this third part of Zeller’s family trilogy, it is unclear what “sickness” the Mother is suffering from. At first glance, she is exhibiting a classic case of “empty nest syndrome”: a mum yearning for her younglings who have flown the coop. But it soon becomes evident that hers is a torment of the psyche, and that something much more insidious and sinister is lurking beneath the surface… Theatre is meant to excite, enthral, and entertain, and this play ticks all those boxes as a drama, as a
thriller, and as, well, whatever “entertainment” means to each one of us. But as theatre makers, we also want to explore this thing called empathy. So this is an opportunity for us to climb inside the uncomfortable skin of this woman, and see her crumbling world from her fragmented perspective. It is a chance for us to reflect on ourselves, on our own lives, on our relationships with loved ones – yes, especially mothers - whom we so easily take for granted. It is also a timely wake-up call for us all to take mental health a little more seriously. Seriously. We want to thank our wonderful cast, crew, creative/production/ technical/stage management team on this production – for telling this challenging story in the midst of these still challenging times. Big thanks to the Community Foundation of Singapore for helping make this production possible, and for believing in our shared cause of mental health awareness. Much appreciation to our Season Sponsor DBS for your steadfast friendship and support. As always, love and strength to the Pangdemonium family – for the love and strength you give us. And thank YOU for your continued belief in the power of theatre, and for your faith in Pangdemonium.
Finally, thank you Mum, for everything. Here’s a lyric from “A Song for Mama” that is specially dedicated to you:
“You’ll always be, you will always be The girl in my life…”
Artistic Directors’ Message
“Mama, Mama You know I love you
The Tale of Two Mothers Director Tracie Pang (left) and actor Janice Koh (right) share their thoughts about their most important role in life.
Have you always wanted to be a mother? Tracie: Subconsciously yes, but it wasn’t a burning desire; I had no affinity for or desire to play with little ones I came into contact with. In fact, I was a little averse to them, but I did always know that I would want my own kids. Janice: Not really. It took a while for my hubby and I to get round to the idea of becoming parents.
What were your expectations of being a mother? T: When you become pregnant, you don’t really think past the baby stage. I didn’t have expectations of being Mrs Perfect with a baby on the hip, baking bread and going jogging with the baby in a pram. I was expecting it to be messy and fun and fulfilling. It was all of those things, but it was also tiring and difficult and stressful and overwhelming at times in those early stages in ways you really don’t expect. #TheMother
J: I’m a control freak. If there’s one thing that will make you realise that you can’t control everything is to become a parent! Here’s a story. Before my older son was born, I read so many books about babies that on our first visit to the paediatrician, she thought I was a doctor. It took me many years to learn to let go, and to realise there’s no right or wrong way, just a mindful and loving way.
How different a person do you think you are now, compared to before being a mother? T: Being a mother really taught me the meaning of multi-tasking and patience! Being responsible for another life really changes you, that animal instinct that kicks in to protect and nurture never goes away and I think that it eventually bled into how I communicate with my team at work, and my approach to running a company.
J: Having children made me more empathetic, and to love without fear, without expectations, and to give of yourself unconditionally. It’s such a difficult thing to do the same for anyone else - even for myself - but for my child, it feels natural.
Has being a mother changed your life goals? T: It is a continuously evolving journey. Your life goals at 20 are naturally going to be different to your life goals at 50, whether if you have children or not. But motherhood does force other new factors into your life goals, like moulding a well-rounded, decent human being as part of the community. J: No. It is important to me that I pursue my life goals, so that my children can also be inspired to pursue theirs.
How has being a mother shaped your view of the world? T: It has changed my view on how individual responsibility has a direct effect on communal responsibility. As a parent I have a responsibility to teach my child how to behave socially, morally and individually. It has also taught me that humans are individuals who eventually need to take responsibility for themselves. Nature will shape a person, but we are responsible for the nurture, and you hope for the best with the job you have done over the years. J: It has made me sensitive to the suffering of children and the plight of parents who struggle to raise them. It made me much more aware of single parents in Singapore and the support they require, as well as foreign female domestic workers who leave their families in order to put food on the table. Being a mother certainly gave me and my co-founders the impetus to start Pasar Glamour, a social initiative that raises funds for women and children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
How much has your relationship with your own mum influenced your role as a mother? T: Very much so. My mum was often the sole caregiver because my father was in the Navy and away on deployment a lot. She became the nurturer and the disciplinarian. She wouldn’t baby you or indulge you. If you fell over she would pick you up and brush you down, but wouldn’t tolerate floods of tears. She was strict about dinner time, bed time, manners, and writing thank-you letters! I think a lot of that influenced the way I parented my boys.
J: In many ways, my mother lives in me, and the way I parent my children. My mother shows her love through action and acts of love, including cooking for us, feeding us, taking care of us when we are ill. In a lot of ways, I do the same. Except cook. Hahaha.
You have sons - how different do you think it would be being a mother to daughters? T: I really struggle to imagine having girls now, but I suspect it would be different. I had always said that I wouldn’t have “feminized” a daughter and I still stand by that. I was given the opportunity to climb trees and play with my brother’s toys, and I feel that it’s important to not compartmentalise girls from a young age. But I would have loved to do “girly things” together, go shopping etc - no one in my house ever wants to do that! I think girls can be just as difficult as boys, but in a different way and at different points in their life. J: As a mother to my sons, I feel a great responsibility to make sure they are respectful of girls and their female friends, and also aware of issues around consent, personal space and gender equality.
themselves, to speak up for what they believe in, and encourage them to break through gender stereotypes and ceilings. But most importantly, if I had daughters, yes, I could do girly things with them, like shopping and facials and manicures!
The Tale of Two Mothers
However, being a mother does mean expanding my life goals to include new ones that involve my children in the picture.
Tell us one funny incident as a mother. T: Well, we had gotten to that point when your child wants to know how babies are made. We had always been very honest with our boys, albeit with age-appropriate language. So when our older boy Zack was six, we had “the talk” with him. This information had obviously continued to percolate in my older son Zack’s head, because a couple of days later, we were in a lift with another family, when Zack suddenly blurted out “Mummy, when the man puts his willy into the woman’s vagina, does it hurt? And how long does he need to keep it there for?” Needless to say, it was a quite an embarrassing moment for me, and I just said ‘I’ll explain later”. I don’t think the other family had had “the talk” yet, but they were sure going to have it now! J: When I was pregnant with my first child, I was anxious about being a new mom and all the horror stories about breastfeeding. I used to have recurring nightmares about it.
I hug and hold my sons a lot, and I tell them I love them every day. It is important to me that, as young men, they are not afraid of being soft, showing vulnerability, and expressing love and emotion.
I once had a dream that right after my son was born, as I was trying to breastfeed him, he opened his eyes and said to me, “Please call in the lactation consultant.”
I would be the same with daughters, except I’m sure I would be much more protective of them, and more afraid of what could happen to them physically. If I had daughters, I would be more sensitive to body image issues and the impact of social media on their lives. It would become especially vital to teach them to love
How are you preparing for your kids “leaving the nest”? T: I think it is a slow acceptance, as they go through their late teens; accepting that they have a social life outside of you is really important, and helping them and you navigate a balance between home life and social life is the first Page 3 – 4
step to allowing them to become independent.
Have your sons taught you any valuable lessons?
I also think that part of it is the psychological approach to it too.
T: They have taught me the value of unconditional love. 2. Always think before you jump, and 3. Things that are hard work are usually worth it in the end.
Coming from the UK, it is seen as successful parenting when your child eventually leaves home. You have taught them the final stage to being an adult, how to survive on your own and be self-sufficient. Be proud of this new self-sufficient adult you have helped to create and not see it as a failing that this adult wants to leave the protective confines of the family home. It doesn’t mean I won’t miss them though. J: My husband and I have been preparing for this since Day One. I’m not kidding. From the beginning, we’ve tried to make it a point to nurture our partnership - to have our date nights, or travel without the kids every year - as a way of helping our relationship grow, outside of our role as parents. It was also why we wanted to continue pursuing our careers and individual interests, despite the challenges of raising young children in the earlier years.
What is one piece of advice to your younger self about motherhood? T: You hear it so many times, but it is so true: treasure them whilst they are little, they don’t stay little for very long. Those wonderful butterfly kisses and baby hugs turn into man hugs before you know it.
A Tale of Two Mothers
J: The days are long, but the years are short. Quantity time IS quality time. Enjoy your children and who they are in those precious first 10 years as much as you can.
#TheMother
J: I grew up in a typical Asian family, where the culture of upbringing is very much about showing respect for authority, no matter what. But I’ve learnt that being the parent in the relationship doesn’t mean I am always right. I, too, make mistakes with my kids, speak out of turn, and act out of anger. And I have learnt that I have to apologise to them when I do, if I want to have a long term, loving relationship with them as they mature.
Something you want to tell your sons. T: I love you to the moon and back. J: You are enough. There is nothing to prove with us. We love you for being you, and there’s nothing you can do to stop us from loving you, or wanting to help you, or being there for you.
“My son, my darling, my joy... and I’m about to lose him…” In The Mother we see a woman unravelling. But exactly what is going on in her head? The “easy” diagnosis is that she has an extreme case of Empty Nest Syndrome: a feeling of grief and loneliness parents may feel when their children leave home for the first time, such as to live on their own or to attend a college or university. It is not a clinical condition. Since young adults moving out from their families’ house is generally a normal event, the symptoms of empty nest syndrome often go unrecognized. This can result in depression and a loss of purpose for parents, feelings of rejection, or worry, stress, and anxiety over the child’s welfare, since the departure of their children from “the nest” leads to adjustments in parents’ lives. Mothers, often the primary caregivers, are more likely to experience empty nest syndrome. Research has shown them expressing feelings that they were unprepared for the emotional transition that comes with their child leaving home. Others have stated feelings of guilt over lost opportunities to be more involved in their children’s lives before they left home. However, this Mother’s “empty nest” seems to have opened a Pandora’s Box, unleashing one or more of the following mental conditions…
3. Schizophrenia 1. Depression Depression is classified as a mood disorder. It may be described as feelings of sadness, loss, or anger that interfere with a person’s everyday activities. People experience depression in different ways. It may interfere with your daily work, resulting in lost time and lower productivity. It can also influence relationships and some chronic health conditions. Depression is considered a serious medical condition that can get worse without proper treatment. It can be more than a constant state of sadness or feeling “blue.” Major depression can cause a variety of symptoms. Some affect your mood, and others affect your body. Symptoms may be ongoing, or come and go.
2. Bipolar Disorder This is a mental illness marked by extreme shifts in mood. Symptoms can include an extremely elevated mood called mania. They can also include episodes of depression. Bipolar disorder is also known as bipolar disease or manic depression. People with bipolar disorder may have trouble managing everyday life tasks, or maintaining relationships. There’s no cure, but there are many treatment options available that can help to manage the symptoms.
Schizophrenia is a chronic psychiatric disorder. People with this disorder experience distortions of reality, often experiencing delusions or hallucinations. Misconceptions are common. For example, some people think schizophrenia creates a “split personality.” In fact, schizophrenia and split personality - properly termed dissociative identity disorder - are two different disorders.
4. Psychosis Psychosis is characterized by an impaired relationship with reality. It’s a symptom of serious mental disorders. People who are experiencing psychosis may have either hallucinations or delusions. Hallucinations are sensory experiences in the absence of an actual stimulus. For example, a person having an auditory hallucination may hear their mother yelling when their mother isn’t around. Or someone having a visual hallucination may see something, like a person in front of them, who isn’t actually there. The person experiencing psychosis may also have thoughts that are contrary to actual evidence. These thoughts are known as delusions. Some people with psychosis may also experience loss of motivation and social withdrawal. -
For more in-depth reading of these mental conditions, please click here.
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Cast of The Mother Janice Koh Actress Janice Koh is a respected stage and screen actor, and a graduate of the National University of Singapore’s Theatre Studies programme. She received her Masters with Distinction in Theatre Administration from Goldsmith’s College, under a Public Service Commission scholarship. Janice won the Life! Theatre Award for Best Actress in 2003 for Proof and received Best Actress nominations for Loo Zihan’s With/Out, Wild Rice’s Optic Trilogy, Pangdemonium’s Rabbit Hole, and Ovidia Yu’s Hitting (On) Women. Recent theatre credits include Lifespan of a Fact by the Singapore Repertory Theatre, Pangdemonium’s Late Company, and The Father, Theatrework’s The Reunification of the Two Koreas, SRT’s Hand to God, Ong Keng Sen’s Sandaime Richard, Wild Rice’s Supervision, and Finger Player’s Poop! and Rant & Rave. Her work has toured to international festivals and venues across the world, including the Edinburgh International Festival and the Shizuoka World Theatre Festival. Film credits include Crazy Rich Asians, Hitman Agent 47, Mister John and Unlucky Plaza. Recent television credits include Vidsee’s Sleep With Me, and Mediacorp’s Code of Law, The Teenage Textbook and C.L.I.F. Her performance in The Pupil earned her an Asian Television Awards 2010 nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role.
Cast and Creative Bio #TheMother
Janice served as a Nominated Member of Parliament from 2012 to 2014. She is one of the co-founders of non-profit social enterprise, Pasar Glamour.
Jamil Schulze Actor Jamil is an actor, writer, and occasional #bedroommusian (@jamil.s.schulze). An acting graduate from LASALLE, selected theatre credits include; Dragonflies and This Is What Happens to Pretty Girls (Pangdemonium); Permanence (Toy Factory); and most recently Lifespan of a Fact (Singapore Repertory Theatre). Jamil can also be seen in recent drama series Reunion streaming on MeWatch and in upcoming series, Nightwatchers. He is also a core member of Nusantara Theatrical Combat (@nusantaratheatricalcombat), serving as consultant and creativecollaborator; and is closely involved with TableMinis (@tableminis), where he explores story-telling, immersion, and transformation through roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons.
Cast and Creative Bio
Cast of The Mother
Adrian Pang Actor
Mehr Dudeja Actress Mehr Dudeja is an actor, theatremaker, and voiceover artist currently based in Singapore. Some of her select theatre credits include: ‘The Feelings Farm’ directed by Edith Podesta, ‘A Doll’s House’ presented at the Yale Cabaret, ‘This Is Not SITI Company’ devised with the SITI Conservatory ensemble (‘18-‘19), and ‘Temple’ directed by Natalie Hennedige. Mehr holds a BA(Hons) in Acting from LASALLE College of the Arts. Mehr furthered her training in the Suzuki Method and Viewpoints under SITI Company in New York, as a member of their 2018-2019 conservatory ensemble.
Adrian’s UK theatre credits include Hair; A Midsummer Night’s Dream; The Comedy of Errors; The Magic Fundoshi; The Mens Womb; A Christmas Carol; Tormented; The Circles of Paradise; One for The Road; Sleeping Beauty; New Territories; Take Away and Privates on Parade. Singapore stage work includes the title roles in Hamlet and Macbeth; Twelfth Night; Forbidden City; Into the Woods; The Glass Menagerie; Little Shop of Horrors; They’re Playing Our Song; Barefoot in the Park; A Twist of Fate; Boeing Boeing; The God of Carnage; The Weight of Silk on Skin. For Pangdemonium: The Full Monty; Closer; Dealer’s Choice; Spring Awakening; Swimming with Sharks; Next to Normal; The Rise & Fall of Little Voice; Frozen; Circle Mirror Transformation; Tribes; Chinglish; The Effect; Falling; Rent; The Pillowman; Fun Home; Dragonflies; Peter and the Starcatcher; Late Company; This is What Happens to Pretty Girl; Urinetown: The Musical, The Son. At the Straits Times Life Theatre Awards Adrian has won the Best Actor Award four times, for The Dresser; Much Ado About Nothing; Rabbit Hole and The LKY Musical. The productions he is most proud of are his two sons Zack and Xander.
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Creative Team of The Mother Tracie Pang Director Tracie trained at Croydon College, London, and has clocked up more than 25 years working in theatre throughout the UK and Asia. In Singapore, she set up The Little Company, for whom she wrote and directed numerous productions for children aged 3–14. She was Associate Artistic Director for Singapore Repertory Theatre from 2006-2010. In 2010 Tracie founded Pangdemonium Theatre Company with her husband Adrian. At the Straits Times Life Theatre Awards, she won the Best Director Award for Pangdemonium’s Falling, and received nominations for Pangdemonium’s The Full Monty; Dealer’s Choice; Rabbit Hole; Next to Normal; Fat Pig; Tribes and Dragonflies, and also for SRT’s The Dresser; The Snow Queen and The Pillowman. Other productions she has directed for Pangdemonium include Closer; Spring Awakening; Swimming with Sharks; Gruesome Playground Injuries; The Rise & Fall of Little Voice; Frozen; Circle Mirror Transformation; Chinglish; The Effect; Rent, The Pillowman, Tango, Fun Home, The Father, Peter and the Starcatcher, Late Company, This is What Happens to Pretty Girls, Urinetown: The Musical, The Son. Tracie was awarded the 2015 AWA International Woman of the Year for The Arts, and the 2017 Women’s Weekly “Great Women of our Time” Award for Media and the Arts.
Cast and Creative Bio #TheMother
Timothy Koh Assistant Director Timothy Koh has most recently worked in New York City, where he has Assistant Directed at Lincoln Center Theatre, held a Fellowship at Playwrights Horizons, as well as directed and developed thesis plays at New York University’s Graduate Department of Dramatic Writing. Other US experience includes work with Scott Rudin Productions, the Lucille Lortel Awards, Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, and Stay Awake! Theatre. He is currently the director of Pangdemonium’s Very Youthful Company. Training: New York University (BFA Theatre, BA English and American Literature).
Florian Zeller Playwright Florian Zeller is a French novelist and playwright. He is, according to The Independent, ‘one of the hottest literary talents in France’. He won the Prix Interallié in 2004 for his novel Fascination of Evil, and several Molière Awards (the highest theatrical honour in France) for La Mère and Le Père. Le Père (The Father) in the English translation by Christopher Hampton has been nominated for Best Play at the Olivier Awards and the Tony Awards. Zeller’s plays, which have been produced in many countries, include: L’Autre, Le Manège, Si tu mourais (Prix Jeune Théâtre Académie Française), Elle t’attend, La Mère, La Vérité, Le Père, Une Heure de Tranquillité (translation Jeremy Sams), Le Mensonge, L’Envers du décor, Avant de s’envoler. Novels include: Neiges artificielles (Artificial Snow), Les Amants du n’importe quoi (Lovers or Something Like It), La Fascination du pire (Fascination of Evil), Julien Parme, La Jouissance.
Christopher Hampton Translator Christopher Hampton’s works for theatre include original plays (Appomattox, The Talking Cure, White Chameleon, Tales from Hollywood, Treats, Savages, The Philanthropist, Total Eclipse and When Did You Last See My Mother?); plays adapted from novels (Youth Without God, Embers, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, The Portage to San Cristobal of A.H.); musicals (Sunset Boulevard, Dracula: The Musical and Stephen Ward); and many translations (Chekhov, Ibsen, Molière, von Horváth, Yasmina Reza, Florian Zeller and a German musical based on Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca). His screenplays include Perfect Mothers, A Dangerous Method (based on his play The Talking Cure), Chéri, Atonement, Imagining Argentina (which he also directed), The Quiet American, The Secret Agent (which he also directed), Mary Reilly, Total Eclipse (from his play of the same name, and in which he also performed), Carrington, Dangerous Liaisons (based on his play Les Liaisons Dangereuses), The Good Father, The Honorary Consul, Tales from the Vienna Woods and A Doll’s House (based on his translation of the play by Ibsen). His plays, musicals and translations have garnered four Tony Awards, three Olivier Awards, four Evening Standard Awards and the New York Theatre Critics’ Circle Award; prizes for his film and television work include an Oscar, two BAFTAs, and a Writers’ Guild of America Award.
Cast and Creative Bio
James Tan Lighting Designer
Eucien Chia Set Designer The Mother is Eucien’s twelfth production with Pangdemonium, following his recent set designs for Urinetown, This is What Happens to Pretty Girls, and The Father. Previous collaborations with Pangdemonium include The Pillowman, RENT, Fat Pig, Frozen, and Chinglish. His work on Pangdemonium’s musicals Little Voice and Spring Awakening both received nominations for Best Set Design at the ST Life! Theatre Awards. Selected productions: The Commission (SIFA); La Cage Aux Folles (2017), Boeing Boeing (2017), A $ingapore Carol, The Emperor’s New Clothes (Wild Rice); A Good Death (Esplanade Studios); Normal (Checkpoint); H is for Hantu (STAGES); Sing To The Dawn (I Theatre); Awards: ST Life! Theatre Awards Best Set Design winner for Company (Dream Academy); December Rains (Toy Factory); and Dealer’s Choice (Pangdemonium) Eucien thanks God for his amazing family.
Jing Ng (Ctrl Fre@k) Sound Artist & Composer Awarded the National Arts Council Scholarship, Jing graduated with first class honours from Rose Bruford College (UK) specialising in Performance Sound. Having designed for various companies and productions over 10 years of practice, he aspires to provide a wholesome sonic experience for the audience - what, why and how you listen through a live performance. Nominated for Best Sound Design in the 2018 Singapore Straits Times Life Theatre Awards for Dragonflies (Pangdemonium Theatre Company Ltd).
James Tan (Pangdemonium’s Associate Artist/ Independent Lighting Designer) was conferred The Young Artist Award and awarded Arts Professional Scholarship by The National Arts Council of Singapore. He was recipient of Arena Stage - The Allen Lee Hughes Lighting Design Fellowship, United States Institute for Theatre Technology (USITT) YD&T Lighting Design Award, USITT Commissioners Grant & International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) - Education Trust for IALD Enlighten Americas and The Straits Times Life Theatre Awards - Best Lighting Design 2017/2018. Master of Fine Arts in Lighting Design, UC San Diego. Selected Theatre Lighting Design Credits: Dragonflies & Next to Normal (Pangdemonium), Merdeka & Public Enemy (W!ld Rice), Disgraced & Hello Goodbye (Singapore Repertory Theatre), Red (Blank Space Theatre in collaboration with Esplanade – Theatres On The Bay) and Lord of the Flies (Blank Space Theatre with Sightline Productions). Selected Events Lighting Design: From Singapore to Singaporean: The Bicentennial Experience (Singapore Bicentennial Office), OCBC Garden Rhapsody: Rainforest Orchestra – Asia & Australia Edition (Gardens By The Bay) & The Art of the Brick® Exhibition by Nathan Sawaya (MBS ArtScience Museum). International & Regional Tour: Relatively Speaking (The British Theatre Playhouse) & God of Carnage (Singapore Repertory Theatre). Selected Public Artwork: Yellow @ Lorong Halus Bridge (Commissioned by Public Art Trust for Rewritten: The World Ahead of Us).
Leonard Augustine Choo Costume Designer Leonard Augustine Choo is an international costume designer, fashion consultant, educator, and bespoke maker currently based in Singapore. He designs costumes for dance, opera, theatre, and film, and was the principal fabric shopper for the costume department of the New York City Ballet for 12 seasons, working on over 75 unique ballets. Design credits include: The Son, Urinetown, This is What Happens to Pretty Girls, Late Company (Pangdemonium); Guards at the Taj, Gretel & Hansel, The Truth (Singapore Repertory); iSing International Opera Festival (Suzhou, China); American Ballet Theatre Fall 2018 Campaign Video, Moulin Rouge Commercial Spot (Ezra Hurwitz); Forest Boy (NY Musical Theatre Festival); Imagining Madoff, Pattern of Life (New Repertory Theater), Don Giovanni (BU Opera Institute and Huntington Theatre), and House (Boston Center for American Performance). Leonard done work for the Juilliard School, the television shows Gotham (FOX) and Crashing (HBO), TransSiberian Orchestra, Ballet Academy East (New York), Barrington Stage Company, and Opera Omaha, and has lectured at the Arkansas Arts Center, National Library, and teaches at Lasalle College of the Arts. Holding a Master in Fine Arts from Boston University, Leonard was the first and only costume designer awarded the Singapore National Arts Council Overseas Arts Scholarship in 2011. He is currently Director of Industry Development & Engagement at Textile and Fashion Federation Singapore.
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The Mother Production Team Cast JANICE KOH The Mother ADRIAN PANG The Father JAMIL SCHULZE The Son MEHR DUDEJA The Girl
Creative Team TRACIE PANG Director TIMOTHY KOH Assistant Director FLORIAN ZELLER Playwright CHRISTOPHER HAMPTON Translator EUCIEN CHIA Set Designer JAMES TAN Lighting Designer JING NG (CTRL FRE@K) Sound Artist & Composer CTRL FRE@K Production Sound Design LEONARD AUGUSTINE CHOO Costume Designer
The Mother Team #TheMother
Production & Stage Management Team CAT ANDRADE Stage Manager RUTH CHEE Assistant Stage Manager NURLIANA HARON Assistant Stage Manager CHONG JEANNETTE Rehearsal Assistant Stage Manager TEO LI LIN Rehearsal Assistant Stage Manager GILLIAN ONG Rehearsal Assistant Stage Manager OOPS Technical Manager CHAN LEE LEE Props Master NOORASMIDAH RASHID Costume Coordinator NURHIDAYAH MAHADI Dresser TAUFIQ SAWAL (CTRL FRE@K) Sound Operator TAI ZI FENG Lighting Apprentice ENQI CHEE (ROADIE PTE LTD) Lighting Board Programmer
Pangdemonium Board RAEZA IBRAHIM AUN KOH TAN KHENG HUA JOHN CURRIE DEBBIE ANDRADE TRACIE PANG ADRIAN PANG
Pangdemonium Team TRACIE PANG Artistic Director/ Managing Director ADRIAN PANG Artistic Director/ Producer KIMBERLY WONG Company Manager CRISPIAN CHAN Creative Director/IT MARK WAITE Head of Education WONG ZI JIN Director of Development and Partnerships CLARISSA TAN Fundraising Manager KRISTAL ZHOU Marketing Manager JASPER LIM Creative Designer LEAH SIM Production Manager SUNITHA NAYAR Production Manager CAT ANDRADE Company Stage Manager KUSUM SANDHU Sales & Ticketing Manager GUILLAUME VAUTRIN Accounting Manager GUINEVIERE LOW Company Administrator NIKHITA GANESH Production Apprentice GLADYS SOO Production Apprentice IZZAH KHAIRINA Sales & Ticketing Assistant BRIAN NAI Education Assistant JAMES TAN Associate Artist
The Mother
“ BE PREPARED TO HAVE
THE BREATH KNOCKED OUT OF YOU.” – The New York Times
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Technical Apprenticeships Our Technical Apprenticeship programme offers a full-time, production-long, professional experience for highly motivated and committed individuals who are looking to bridge the gap between their academic experience and a professional career in theatre. We offer apprenticeships in Stage Management, Production Management, Arts Management, as well as an exclusive programme in Lighting Design.
Available Apprenticeships Stage Management Apprentices work with our professional stage management teams from pre-production through final performance. In the process, they will have the opportunity to maintain paperwork, take line notes, be on book, preset and run shows, among other duties. Stage management apprentices are required to attend daytime rehearsals and become an active running crew member during evening performances.
Production Management
Technical Apprenticeships
Apprentices work with our full-time production management staff. Production management has the critical role of keeping a production running smoothly from conceptualisation through rehearsals, set-up, performances and eventually strike and archival.
#TheMother
Apprentices will assist the production management team in coordinating the various production disciplines – scenic, lighting, wardrobe, sound, multimedia projection, stage management. Production management apprentices are required to fulfil office hours in the department as well as attend to the needs of the production during performances.
We’re looking for early-career professionals who meet the following qualifications: •
training and skills. •
qualifications are a plus, but not a requirement). •
Are over 18 years old.
•
Are willing to clock irregular working hours. Can commit for the length of the production (depending on
Lighting Design
James Tan is an established Singaporean Lighting Designer. He holds a Master of Fine Arts in Lighting Design from UC San Diego. James recognizes the significance of mentorship for young aspiring lighting professionals. James was conferred The Young Artist Award and awarded Arts Professional Scholarship by The National Arts Council of Singapore.
Exhibit a strong drive to work in this field (relevant academic
•
This is a twelve month apprenticeship that will give a intermediate-level lightingspecialized individual an exclusive opportunity to further develop their craft under the mentorship of Pangdemonium’s Associate Artist, James Tan. Dates and hours will be determined by the needs of each production.
Have some previous theatre
individual apprenticeships, may be anything from 2 to 6 months). •
Word processing and spreadsheet experience is also required.
Interested applications please send your resume/cv to education@pangdemonium.com.
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Friends of Pangdemonium #TheMother
Champions Abel Teo Adinda Savitri & Erik Christianto Alvin & Christina Liew Andress Goh Anjali G Singh Avalon Shipbrokers Pte. Ltd. Tee Bee Tin Christine Gan Yam Churn Meng David Neo David & Nicola Arms Dianne Hummal Dirk van Motman Dorothy Ng Douglas & Christy Lee-OLoughlin Duncan Kauffman Ang Ee Yee
Elisa Kang & Unsu Lee Elizabeth Oo Lee Eng Hin & Saralee Turner Enterprise Assurance PAC Freddie Corbett Heng Gek Hwah Gerry & Sharon Craggs Gioia & Mark Battistoni Gretchen Liu Dr Irene Lim & Prof David Stringer Jake, Ta & Sasithon Jacobs James Andrade Dr Tan Eng Thye Jason Jupe Tsui Teh Kee Kerstin & Hendrik Kretzer Kevin & Dina Coppel Leslie Lee LEWIS Luke Bradshaw Mahita Geekie Mary Ann Tear Matthew Wong Kang Mei Ling Melanie Tan Michelle & Manish Bhatia Lim Mingcheng Nick & Nikki Weber Novus Ferro Pte Ltd Patricia Eng Rachel Low & Lim Wen Juin Richard Lingner Roopa Dewan Sardool Singh Seow Kim Seng Serene Oh Pang Siu Mei Susan Sim Suzanne Liau Suzanne Lim Dr Beh Swan Gin & Maisy Koh Khoo Teng Seen Tino, Kitch, & Jo Joerger-Ramos Trisha Chan Vivien Chia Winston & Valerie Kwek Pong Xiu Li Chng Yi Ta & Judith von Prockl-Chng Yuen Law LLC Yvonne Tham
Ajit R Nayak Alan F Quadros Alicia Hah Andrew Lim Andrew Maul & Kelly Payfer Andrew Yap Anonymous Antonio Castellano Audrey Chng Audrey Phua Benedict See Toh Brian Selby & Angelina Chang Carla R Forbes-Kelly Catherine Sanger Charinne Char Cherilyn Chia Chang Chia Yi Chiming Ngu Chew Choon Ling Koh Choon Min Christopher Pang Foo Chuan Kit Clara Goh & Vincent Tan Corrine Hoo Cynthia Wong David Thian Dominik von Wantoch-Rekowski Faye Kwan Frog Michaels Geoffrey Baker Grace Chiam Gregory Tan Indra Genevieve Thilainathan Jane Iyer Janet Y.K. Lim Jasmine Wong Javier Redondo & Paula Llamas Jeremy Yeap Ng Joo Kim Jorin Ng Julie Chua Koo Kai Siong Kelvin Loh Kevin Chang Ang Kexin Khalijah Masud Lek Lee Hiah Ng Li Ya Gao Lu Luis Andia
Lutian Family Lyn & Wee Kiat Phng Maryanne Gul Matthew Flaherty Melanie Song Kok Moi Lre Nathan Ong Nicholas Deroose Patrick Sum Paul Ong Ong Pei San Tan Pei Shan Phyllis Tan Pierce Sim Pierre Colignon Kok Pooi-San Rajesh Achanta Rebecca Yeoh Regina Lim Richard Hartung Ronald JJ Wong Sandra Gwee Sangeeta Razu Sehr & Ashnil Dixit Chia Sheng-Kai Shirin Tang Ang Siew Hui Low Siew Kheng Silver Rita Elaine Sharon Tan He Shimei Shuwen Koh Siva Govindasamy & Malini Sitaram Loh Soon Hui Sophial Foo Stephanie Chung Stephen W Uhr Steven Miller & Patricia Meyer
Friends of Pangdemonium
Pangdemaniacs
Chan Swee Chin Tasneem Rehana Haq Violet Huang Teo Wee Hwee Toh Wei Seng Koh Woon Teng & Alan Ng Lee Xin Yi Pao Yah Chow Foo Yee Ling Ng Yichun Wei Yiming Tan Ying Jie Chia Yu Hsien & Linda Lim Yvonne Soh Liew Zhi Hao Yap Zhi Jia Ang Ziqian
– We would like to express our sincere thanks to our new Friends who made their kind donations after this list went online.
Esplanade | The Jam 2017
Page 17 – 18
Become a Friend of Pangdemonium! Join our philanthropic friends and help us tell the stories that are inspiring, relevant and accessible for the young and young-at-heart. At Pangdemonium, we believe in staging productions that have a global resonance and universal significance will help to foster a resilient and compassionate society. Your support will not only go towards bringing stories to the stage, but also giving opportunities to our theatre practitioners as well as nurturing the next generation of artists and audiences.
You will be the first to hear about our latest projects, meet other like-minded patrons at receptions, receive complimentary premium seats, get discounts for all additional purchases, enjoy backstage tours, and much more! It is only with the support of everyone where words can be brought to life, to build a theatre that empowers, stimulates and inspires.
Cast of The Mother 2021
Friends of Pangdemonium #TheMother
– Pangdemonium is a registered charity with IPC status and your cash donation is eligible for 250% tax deduction. Donate today at donate.pangdemonium.com. For more information on joining our Friends of Pangdemonium programme, please contact us at fundraiser@pangdemonium.com.
Support Us
Corporate Giving –
Strengthening Our Community At Pangdemonium, we are able to continue doing the work we do because our corporate partners believe in us. For the past decade, Pangdemonium has shared the power of live storytelling with audiences from all walks of life. Even during unusual and challenging times, we continue to tell these stories. And we are extremely grateful to companies like Alfa Tech and HCS Engineering, for standing with us in solidarity, and coming on this journey with us as corporate donors. Corporate support is crucial in helping Pangdemonium fulfill our mission, by assisting in our day-to-day operations, keeping our high production values, and funding our education and outreach programmes. In appreciation of your generosity, Corporate Donors will get to enjoy exclusive opportunities – from being able to demonstrate your commitment to the arts and the theatre community, to connecting
with clients and as an organization over meaningful experiences, increasing brand engagement, and achieving your organisation’s philanthropic and community outreach goals. Corporate giving strengthens our community, and we welcome your solidarity and support, however great or small.
“We see similarities in our art form of construction and the theatre, so it felt like it was a natural place for us to invest in the community.” Zack Wilson Managing Director Alfa Tech
– Pangdemonium Theatre Company Ltd is a registered charity with IPC status (Registration no.: 201229915M) and all cash donations are eligible for a 250% tax deduction. Consider making an online gift today at donate.pangdemonium.com or contact our Philanthropy team at fundraiser@pangdemonium.com.
Tracie and Adrian would like to say a big thank you to the following for creating further pangdemonium with us on our production of The Mother. SEASON SPONSOR
OFFICIAL STORAGE PARTNER
Pangdemonium Theatre Company is a recipient of support from the National Arts Council’s Major Company Scheme for the period 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2023 Page 19 – 20
It’s banking that’s one-size-fits-you. So intelligent, it gets you like no one else can. Intuitively and invisibly. So your every day is effortless.
Pangdemonium Theatre Company Ltd is a registered charity with IPC status. Registration number: 201229915M Pangdemonium Theatre Company Ltd is a recipient of support from the National Arts Council’s Major Company Scheme for the period 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2023
