There are a few things that make good theatre and live performance so uniquely powerful, but perhaps the greatest factor that leads to us appreciating it that much more lies in how it is quite simply, temporal. No two nights are the same, whether it is due to a difference in the audience members present, a change in actors’ delivery, or even something that seems so minute, it may or may not make a discernible difference. But it is precisely that idea that we experience a singular moment together in the theatre, for a brief two hours of our lives that we will never again experience, to feel that high of genuine emotion wrought live onstage, that makes it so appealing.

Of course, knowing how short theatrical runs tend to be in Singapore, with most productions playing for a week or less, missing out on that moment can be devastating. And with theatre companies steadily building a repertoire of work for themselves, it makes sense that years on, when the time is right, it makes sense for a good production to receive a second coming, and a revival that only the original theatre company does right. This year we’ve seen plenty of that happening – Pangdemonium’s Falling, Teater Ekamatra’s Geng Rebut Cabinet, SRT’s Disgraced, while we’ve also seen productions take on new life with refreshed visions, from Wild Rice’s adoption of The Death of Singapore Theatre to the new version of Drama Box’s AIR. It is perhaps a sign of hope and an arts scene that is indeed flourishing, with enough confidence in our audiences to revisit these works, and a clear canon of our own that can and will remain a key part of our arts history for years.

That being said, the future always looms large, and just as we have veterans going strong, we also see rapid change, whether from grooming a new generation of theatremakers as they take on prime opportunities, or mid-career artists beginning to establish themselves as forces to be reckoned with. This was a year that gave us a peek into what the years ahead might look like, with new names and new scripts that made an impact. It was a particularly good year for women in theatre, with The Necessary Stage’s Associate Artists A Yagnya and Deonn Yang each producing and directing a new script penned by them, while the Esplanade concluded their first edition of TRIP, with emerging directors Renee Yeong and Sim Yan Ying “YY” returning to each direct a work of their choice. Checkpoint Theatre showcased three brand new scripts penned by women, with weish’s Secondary The Musical, Cheyenne Alexandria Phillips’ Playing With Fire, and Faith Ng making a triumphant return with new play Hard Mode, in turn introducing a spunky ensemble of young actors to the general public. And even in the independent scene, we saw risks and ventures made, such as Shannen Tan and Miriam Cheong’s meta, experimental reimagining of their show Lotus Root Support Group heading up to the Melbourne Fringe, while the year ended off with Dream Academy’s iconic Dim Sum Dollies assembling once more, possibly for the last time, with a festive edition of The History of Singapore.

As much as it sometimes feels like there isn’t space in the arts, with support and grants a constant obstacle to overcome, it is a year that does feel like we’re making progress. The arts scene is thriving amidst fierce competition, and as we approach SG60, we need to perhaps be reminded that it requires consistent and continued effort to allow it to survive, from direct donations such as helping The Necessary Stage’s Singapore Fringe Festival, to simply choosing to watch a theatre show over the weekend. The arts matter because it changes you. It matters because it speaks of our society, of our identity, and of our empathy as fellow human beings. And so without further ado, we once again highlight and platform some of our favourite artists and works that have emerged this year in the theatre scene, at the Bakchormeeboy Awards 2024:

Best Costume Nominees
Tan Jia Hui – Everything For You (Nine Years Theatre)
Max Tan – Secondary The Musical (Checkpoint Theatre)
Theresa Chan – Little Shop of Horrors (Sing’theatre)
Leonard Augustine Choo – Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Pangdemonium)
Leonard Augustine Choo – Dear Evan Hansen (Pangdemonium)

Theatre is often known for its big, over the top costumes, primarily for visibility for all audiences for however far they are from the stage. But in recent years, costumes aren’t just big – they’re also filled with details for those who look closer, with symbolism and fit an important part of any costumier’s thought process that adds depth to character. This year, we’ve had a range of costume designs across every show, but there’s been a surprising trend of combining fashion and costume – where it’s about the subtle aura and vibes given off by each article of clothing rather than necessarily being in your face. And so it was that we saw plenty of suits, plenty of clothes that looked typical of teens in the USA, or even school uniforms, and quintessential Singaporean attire during a Chinese New Year gathering, all to represent class, or in the case of more old school costumes – camp.

And the winner is…

Leonard Augustine Choo – Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? is the kind of show that requires a clear knowledge of class, dressing actors for the period and understanding the power of a suit, and the differences between a waistcoat and a full suit. Everything down to the way dresses move or the mobility they afford actors is thought of, complementing their characters and the amount of power each of them hold. It is this attention to detail that makes Leonard Augustine Choo the deserving winner of this year’s Best Costume, and the clothes donned in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? a feast for the eyes in all their detail.

Best Multimedia Nominees
Genevieve Peck – Grounded (Singapore Repertory Theatre)
Lynette Quek – The Death of Singapore Theatre as Scripted by The Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore (Wild Rice)
Genevieve Peck – pass·ages (Sim Yan Ying ‘YY’ and Esplanade)
Genevieve Peck – Dear Evan Hansen (Pangdemonium)
Shannen Tan and Miriam Cheong – Lotus Root Support Group (Impromptu Meetings)

Multimedia isn’t always a necessity, but when used well, it has the potential to elevate a play further. There are times this can expand the play’s world beyond its four walls, bringing in the skies or the seas, or simply allowing its atmosphere to wash over us. Then there are times it can even bring the dead back to life, inspired by social media to create an archive and remembrance, or simply a more abstract form of expression, anger that gets stirred up by carefully curated images, or a good laugh from low-tech multimedia, humour that pushes past limitations and can make a fringe show feel like coming home.

And the winner is…

Genevieve Peck – pass·ages 

Often poetic and even a little abstract, Genevieve Peck’s multimedia is the perfect accompaniment to Sim Yan Ying’s devised, movement-heavy pass·ages, with a multitude of media forms and formats that are tailored for each character to bring out their psyche and thoughts, all playing across an unusual screen set-up that makes it tough to design for, yet always finds its purpose. It washes over characters at times, but never drowning them, instead offering them pause or to show how overwhelmed they are, finding both the chaos and the calm at different ages.

Best Sound Design Nominees
Jing Ng – pass·ages (Sim Yan Ying ‘YY’ and Esplanade)
Tini Aliman – Air (Drama Box and Esplanade)
Daniel Lim – Disgraced (Singapore Repertory Theatre)
Safuan Johari – White, All White (The Necessary Stage)

Good sound design can make you stop to listen, but more often than not, is subtly brilliant, finding a perfect match to the action that is happening onstage. This year’s nominees are familiar, all of them at the top of their game when it comes to theatrical sound design, contributing their own signature sound to a range of genres and plotlines, whether offshore islands and a simpler life, or abstract sound that matches movement. There is sound that serves to bring up the emotions, while there is also sound that is so intrinsically linked with the play’s themes, you marvel at the idea behind it.

And the winner is…

Jing Ng – pass·ages

Jing Ng’s sound design is subtle but necessary, underscoring the primary emotion and helping with the storytelling of each character. Often allowing the characters to speak first, it instead comes in in the silent reflections after, filling us with the requisite emotion as we are left deep in thought. Towards the end of this show, it rises and soars, and shows that age is indeed just a number, as the ensemble moves along to it, and fills us with the assurance that we can indeed, be at our best, no matter where we are in life.

Best Lighting Design Nominees
Gabriel Chan – pass·ages (Sim Yan Ying ‘YY’ and Esplanade)
Emanorwatty Saleh – Air (Drama Box)
Emanorwatty Saleh – White, All White (The Necessary Stage)
Andy Lim – One Day We’ll Understand (Sim Chi Yin and Esplanade)
Yo Shao An – Disgraced (Singapore Repertory Theatre)

Fantastic lighting isn’t just making sure you can see actors’ faces (that’s necessary of course). But there are times the lighting itself becomes a character. For most designers this year, lighting went back to basics and focused on illumination – but that was always done well. The devil is in the details, and it is the degree of illumination that often mattered, in terms of how soft the lighting could be, or how harsh it would go.

And the winner is…

Emanorwatty Saleh – Air

With a difficult, elevated set to work with, what was most impressive about Emanorwatty Saleh’s set-up for Air was the way both the Singtel Waterfront Theatre’s main rigs were used, alongside other powerful lighting features on the set itself. The set alone was suggestive of an island, but it is the lighting that helped immerse audiences in the experience, and made us believe in the realities of these islanders, and more often than not, to empathise with their plight, to appreciate their way of living, and imagine the pain of losing all of that forever.

Best Production Design Nominees
Eucien Chia – Falling (Pangdemonium)
Petrina Dawn Tan – Secondary The Musical (Checkpoint Theatre)
Francis O’Connor – Disgraced (Singapore Repertory Theatre)
Wong Chee Wai – White, All White (The Necessary Stage)
Wong Chee Wai – Everything For You (Nine Years Theatre)

Set design – the first thing you see the moment you step into the theatre, before any of the actors are even on. Leaving a first impression is essential, and can easily lend to the audience’s willingness to invest in the world of a show. Some of the strongest set design this year was characterised by realism, with the designers dedicated to crafting spaces that felt lived-in, alongside the wonder of a showflat meant to wow. At times, there were also opportunities for more abstract spaces, allowing audiences to let their imagination run wild, filling in the gaps and simply allowing their mind to suspend disbelief and let the action speak for itself.

And the winner is…

Everything For You – Wong Chee Wai

Combining both realistic sets (the central house, representing the three sisters’ childhood and upbringing) alongside more minimalist set pieces (such as the more abstract columbarium), Wong Chee Wai spares nothing in allowing the world of Everything For You to come to life, capturing the feeling of a lived-in space and the familiarity of home, never the main character – always allowing the dialogue to come first, but always appropriate, allowing audiences to recall and remember their own families during festive occasions, both the joy and the stresses that it brings.

Best New Script Nominees
Oo-Woo – Raimi Safari (The Necessary Stage)
Everything For You – Nelson Chia (Nine Years Theatre)
Secondary The Musical – weish (Checkpoint Theatre)
Hard Mode – Faith Ng (Checkpoint Theatre)
White, All White – Deonn Yang (The Necessary Stage)

While there were a large number of restagings this year, there were also a fair amount of adaptations and original works that came to fruition, with multiple works from The Necessary Stage’s Playwright’s Cove programme coming to life, ranging from A Yagnya’s Hi, Can You Hear Me? to Raimi Safari’s Oo-Woo, and Deonn Yang’s White, All White, the latter two of which we thought emerged as some of the strongest, most heartfelt new works to arise this year. Nelson Chia’s Everything For You hit the same emotional notes as its predecessor, expanding on an already strong base to continue the story of a Singaporean Chinese family encountering new problems, while Checkpoint Theatre impressed with their line-up of three original works, with indie musician weish’s musical debut Secondary The Musical capturing the plight of both students and teachers in the education system accompanied by a very unique soundtrack, and the return of Faith Ng with Hard Mode, about Gen Alpha growing up in Singapore today.

And the winner is…

Hard Mode – Faith Ng

Adults may look at the kids these days and become completely flummoxed by their language, but Faith Ng has done the impossible, embracing the cringe and spinning poetry out of it. Anchored by her ability to focus on the humanity within all of us, Faith juggles character backstories and provides enough depth to each and every one of her young protagonists with understanding and empathy. Along with a healthy dose of the catchiest BTS songs and teenage angst and awkwardness, Hard Mode emerges as one of the freshest new scripts of the year, and a triumphant return to form for Faith that takes us through the roller coaster of adolescence, and does the most difficult thing of all – ending on a thoroughly satisfactory note.

Best Ensemble Nominees
Everything For You – Nine Years Theatre
pass·ages – Sim Yan Ying ‘YY’ and Esplanade
Geng Rebut Cabinet – Teater Ekamatra
White, All White – The Necessary Stage
Hard Mode – Checkpoint Theatre

In 2024, there is without a doubt an outpouring of strong actors in the scene, where almost every production features a cast that puts in their all and works their heart out to make sure a script is done justice. From diverse cast members in race and age, to newcomers and veterans who feel like blood family and found family, this was a good year for actors as a whole when it came to the performances put out, in part thanks to the directors that led them to this point, and plenty of care that went into the rehearsal process, allowing strong onstage chemistry and motivation.

And the winner is…

White, All White – The Necessary Stage

Coco Chen, Goh Guat Kian, Jodi Chan and Koh Wan Ching form a multi-generational family of women, and you believe every single one of them in all their interactions, their ups and their downs. You find yourself tearing up at parts precisely because of how real it all feels, familiar conversations come to life, with the power to heal through their words and the choice to forgive. You fall in love with this family for all their flaws, and know that at the end of the day, they are there to help each other through no matter how far they’ve fallen – kudos to writer-director Deonn Yang for leading this fantastic cast to the five star performance put on by every single one of them, holding space for each other, and ultimately, producing one of the strongest, most moving shows of the year.

Best Actor Nominees
Andrew Marko – Falling (Pangdemonium)
Ghafir Akbar – Disgraced (Singapore Repertory Theatre)
Sani Hussin – Geng Rebut Cabinet (Teater Ekamatra)
Daniel Jenkins – Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Pangdemonium)
Chaney Chia – Hard Mode (Checkpoint Theatre)

In an industry dominated by women in acting, there was an interesting set of male actors that shone this year, in both the smaller and bigger productions. Reprising his role as a teen with severe autism, Andrew Marko shone in Pangdemonium’s Falling, while Ghafir Akbar did an incredible job of rising to the occasion as the tortured lead in SRT’s Disgraced. Sani Hussin, despite being the only one not to reprise his role among the cast in Geng Rebut Cabinet, commanded the stage as leader of his GRC while bringing perfect comic timing. Daniel Jenkins is a perfect storm Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and in Checkpoint Theatre’s Hard Mode, the young Chaney Chia proved his acting chops as a relatable, winsome lead who makes mistakes but always just wants the best for his friends.

And the winner is…

Ghafir Akbar – Disgraced

There is no denying that Ghafir Akbar being onstage is an immediate selling point for any show he becomes involved with, and with Disgraced, Ghafir shows off his intensity as a man who begins to break down at the hands of an inherently racist system, going from suave, confident and even invulnerable at the beginning to completely losing his cool and becoming the very thing he despises by the end. It is a tortured, difficult role to play that Ghafir takes on with gusto, dark and deeply disturbing, yet all too real as we understand how anyone can fall when pushed to their limits, making this our favourite male performance of the year.

Best Actress Nominees
Dalifah Shahril – Oo-Woo (The Necessary Stage)
Karen Tan – Falling (Pangdemonium)
Serene Chen – Geng Rebut Cabinet (Teater Ekamatra)
Rebekah Sangeetha Dorai – Dear Evan Hansen (Pangdemonium)
Jodi Chan – White, All White (The Necessary Stage)

Amidst the female actors, this was a year for powerhouse actresses to show what they were capable of, with the most outstanding roles as mothers of all kind. Dalifah Shahril’s role as a mother undergoing dementia in Oo-Woo at the start of the year remained a clear standout even months after her performance, while Karen Tan, as the mother of an autistic child in Falling, required immense physical exertion and emotional outpouring. Also in the role of a mother, Rebekah Sangeetha Dorai excelled as Heidi Hansen in Dear Evan Hansen, and despite not having as much time onstage as some of the others, made every scene count, her voice soaring in some of the most emotional numbers of the night. Finally, Serene Chen plays innocence and naivete well as the minority GRC candidate in Geng Rebut Cabinet, fiery in her delivery and belief until her inevitable failure, while Jodi Chan in. White, All White juggles a multitude of roles that allowed her to show off her more humorous side with different accents, while her main role as estranged sister brings her back to what got eyes on her as an actress to watch – pure sincerity in every moment she has onstage.

And the winner is…

Dalifah Shahril – Oo-Woo (The Necessary Stage)

Roles that involve any kind of ailing health seem like easy ones to root for, but Dalifah Shahril manages to do all that and more in her turn in Oo-Woo. The way she interacts with her family, her earnestness in every scene or stubbornness, and her pained cries when she loses her pet bird, Dalifah is a master of the mother role (and shows range as well in her performances in both Air and Geng Rebut Cabinet), and remains one of the finest actresses of her generation, absolutely deserving of the praise she’s racked up in every performance she’s been in and imbuing all her roles with heart.

Best Musical Nominees
Little Shop of Horrors – Sing’theatre
Secondary the Musical – Checkpoint Theatre
tick, tick…boom! – Sight Lines Productions
Dear Evan Hansen – Pangdemonium

There are never any shortage of musicals in Singapore, from the many top-tier productions Base Entertainment Asia brings in, to the hard work from Sing’theatre, such as this year’s Little Shop of Horrors presenting us with a camp old time that highlighted talents such as Vanessa Kee and Andrew Marko, and surprise star Benjamin Koh. Checkpoint Theatre’s Secondary The Musical was a refreshing production with a very original soundtrack and script by weish, with emotionally-grounded performances and an introduction to rising star Genevieve Tan. Sight Lines Productions’ presented Jonathan Larson’s tick, tick…boom!, with Vanessa Kee and Beatrice Jaymes Pung the highlight as they nailed showstopper ‘Come To Your Senses’. Finally, Pangdemonium did the impossible – Southeast Asia’s first production of smash hit Dear Evan Hansen, finding a cast that hit all the right notes and proved that Singapore did indeed have the talent to pull off a Broadway level show, if only we give the support they need.

And the winner is…

Dear Evan Hansen – Pangdemonium

Choosing from hundreds of international auditionees and finally landing on newcomer Angelo Martinez to take on the title role of Evan Hansen was no easy feat, but in his portrayal and his performance, with a little time, Martinez proved that he was exactly the right choice. Coupled with young cast members such as Gaby Rae, Mia Smith, Xander Pang and Zachary Pang, Dear Evan Hansen was a risk but paid off well for all these hopefuls who made their mark with their performances in such an iconic musical, very much making the roles their own. Rebekah Sangeetha Dorai, Gian Magdangal, and Ethel Yap brought up the adult cast, and each one a professional in their own right, performed with aplomb, and under direction of Tracie Pang and the spark that made the show such a hit to begin with, Pangdemonium proves that they are more than capable of taking on some of the biggest shows in the world and doing justice to them, and certainly, made the dreams of many a fan here a reality.

Best Director Nominees
Mohd Fared Jainal – Oo-Woo (The Necessary Stage)
Nelson Chia – Everything For You (Nine Years Theatre)
Sim Yan Ying “YY” – pass·ages (Sim Yan Ying “YY” and Esplanade)
Deonn Yang – White, All White (The Necessary Stage)
Tracie Pang – Dear Evan Hansen (Pangdemonium)

It’s not always easy to see how much work goes into the direction, but essentially, one looks at the show as a whole to see how it all comes together. Whether as a single unit or working together with co-directors and assistant directors, no show is easy to pull off, regardless of the size of the show. Early on in the year, Mohd Fared Jainal showed his hand and ability to do intimate family dramas with Oo-Woo, while Nelson Chia repeated his success on sequel show Everything For You and brought past audiences and new fans into this family he had previously created with Between You and Me. Sim Yan Ying “YY” finished her stint with the Esplanade’s TRIP programme strong with original work pass·ages, devising it alongside her actors and creating it from scratch, while Deonn Yang’s directing experiences came to fruition with White, All White, working well with her cast to bring her original script to life. Tracie Pang, in directing Dear Evan Hansen, makes the show feel fresh in Pangdemonium’s hands, no doubt a nervewracking experience to handle such a renowned script and pulling it off with gusto.

And the winner is…

Sim Yan Ying “YY” – pass·ages

While still considered an emerging director, one thing YY will assure you of in her work is originality. This is a woman who thinks out of the box, always willing to experiment and try new things out, and whether hit or miss, you can be assured of visually interesting moments onstage. In taking charge of an original work from scratch and with the support of the Esplanade, passages shows YY at her best in ensuring every element of a show is thought out, that she understands her cast by taking time to work with them and bring out their strengths, and that her designers are in on her vision as well. All that comes together to feel like a cohesive work that is not only built from the devising of an ensemble, but quintessentially YY, with her signature clearly marked on the work. It is both cerebral and immediate, crushing in its truths and empathetic in its approach, and ultimately, shows how much she understands the concept of femininity and womanhood, and feeds that into her cast and this show.

Best Play Nominees
Everything For You – Nine Years Theatre
Disgraced – Singapore Repertory Theatre
Geng Rebut Cabinet – Teater Ekamatra
Hard Mode – Checkpoint Theatre
White, All White – The Necessary Stage

Ultimately, amidst all the work put out this year, there are quite simply so many shows we wish to highlight. The power of theatre lies in liveness, and whether you love or hate what you see before you, it is very much about provoking a visceral reaction and reflection on the issues and ideas raised. Amongst these, whether it’s about family drama, growing up, race relations or politics, Singapore theatre has proven time and time again its ability to handle these complex affairs with heart, humour and strength, and our choice of best play this year is…

Hard Mode – Checkpoint Theatre

It’s difficult to feel confident about a young cast. It’s difficult to feel excited about a new play. It is all too easy to feel jaded about the future. Hard Mode acknowledges all that and more, at times jumping ahead into the future to glimpse the many adult problems and stresses these characters will face upon growing up. But there is something hopeful about this play, something that Faith Ng has always held in her previous work and brings to this as well. You watch these teenagers in all their troubles growing up – not everything goes their way, and not all of them have it easy, whether it’s dealing with moving away, confessing feelings or dealing with one’s own insecurities. And the thing is, we’ve all been there, and sometimes forget how difficult it can be growing up. Hard Mode is a reminder that no one has it all smooth sailing, and that we all go through our own struggles. But it doesn’t choose to be a downer about it – it promotes empathy, appreciation that each and every life out there is just as complex and beautiful as another, its characters flawed but endearing, and unabashedly, proudly Gen Z, and the hope that we may leave our teen years with regrets, but that eventually, it does get better – exactly the feeling so many of us are looking for in theatre.

And that brings us to our wrap-up on some of our favourite shows of the year, which as always, sees multiple theatre companies excelling, spotlighting both emerging and established artists, and space for both smaller and bigger work. There will always be gripes, room for improvement, and a need to do more, but for now, this is what it is, and it is more than hopeful for all involved. As always, from the team at Bakchormeeboy to all our readers, have a happy new year, and see you all for more theatre, more dance, more music, and more arts as a whole in 2025.

Summary of Awards:

Best Play – Hard Mode (Checkpoint Theatre) Best Musical – Dear Evan Hansen (Pangdemonium) Best Director – Sim Yan Ying “YY” – pass·ages  (Esplanade) Best New Script – Faith Ng – Hard Mode (Checkpoint Theatre) Best Actor – Ghafir Akbar – Disgraced (Singapore Repertory Theatre) Best Actress – Dalifah Shahril – Oo-Woo (The Necessary Stage) Best Ensemble – White, All White (The Necessary Stage) Best Production Design – Wong Chee Wai – Everything For You (Nine Years Theatre) Best Costume – Leonard Augustine Choo – Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Pangdemonium) Best Multimedia – Genevieve Peck – pass·ages (Sim Yan Ying ‘YY’ and Esplanade) Best Sound Design – Jing Ng – pass·ages (Sim Yan Ying ‘YY’ and Esplanade) Best Lighting Design – Emanorwatty Saleh – Air (Drama Box and Esplanade)