March On 2021 Esplanade Presents

Esplanade Presents
March On 2021
10 – 14 Mar 2021
www.esplanade.com/marchon

We are excited to launch Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay’s brand new annual festival for
children—March On—which will take place this year from 10 – 14 Mar 2021.

The festival presents arts experiences criss-crossing music, theatre and dance for children
below 12 and their families to participate in. The specially curated programmes at March On
delve into relevant issues facing the young of today and place children squarely at the centre
of the creative process. This children-centric festival not only adds to the range of programmes
at Esplanade for young audiences, it is also committed to collaborations and the sharing of
thought leadership. The festival will bring together arts practitioners to create new work for
young audiences, as well as in panel discussions and talks.

While conceptualising the inaugural edition of the multi-disciplinary, participatory festival, we
asked ourselves: How is the pandemic transforming childhood? How do we engage with our
young audiences meaningfully while masked up and safe-distanced? How can we share the
beauty of being in a theatre space with one’s peers? To uncover the answers to these
questions, we sought to actively involve children and young adults in the process of planning
and creating live, digital and hybrid works for the festival.

The young will take the driver's seat in our first-ever children-led programme – SEEDLINGS.
Facilitated by arts practitioners Chong Gua Khee and Faye Lim, a panel made up of children
7 to 12 years old will watch and participate in selected programmes and workshops at the
festival. They will have exclusive behind the scenes access and this will culminate in a final
presentation where they will share their unique perspectives on topics close to their hearts.

In The Feelings Farm we invite children to navigate the shifting planes of their emotions, both
big and small. Led by Director Edith Podesta and written by Amanda Chong with music
composed by Julian Wong, this multi-disciplinary production features works informed by
children of diverse needs and backgrounds over the course of six workshops.

Students from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts’ Arts Management programme have helped to
curate a series of pop-up free performances just for the young. Three young artists between
13 and 16 years old will also lead dance, tabla and visual arts workshops for children as they
grow to be leaders in their own genre of practice.

The line-up of workshops and interactive performances offers opportunities for families to
immerse themselves in the arts and play together! In Reimagine a Character! parents and
children get the opportunity to step into a costume designer’s shoes and learn character
devising and costume design with noted Singapore designers Anthony Tan and Max Tan. In
Robot House Party, we encourage everyone to put on their dancing shoes for this family-
friendly dance party with internationally acclaimed DJ Kid Koala who will join us remotely via
Zoom from Canada.

We are thrilled to work with artists and creatives to design critical, thought-provoking and
reflective works for children. Striding on to the March On stage with their festival debut is Rattle
King, a giant puppet performance created by Danny Yeo, Phang Kok Jun and Oliver Chong.
An Esplanade Commission, this work explores the awareness of sound in our environment.
And Alice’s Topsy Turvy Tea Party, a co-production with The Kueh Tutus, gets families to
explore how they interact and bond through the language of dance.

In these challenging times when so much of what was once familiar is now new and not yet
quite normal, the festival offers new ways for children, families and artists to be inspired and
engage in meaningful conversations.

And for the future, in the years to come, we hope that the festival contributes to memories of
a wonderful childhood surrounded by the joy of the arts at #mydurian.

Let’s March On!

Rachel Lim
Producer, The Esplanade Co Ltd

About Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay

Esplanade is Singapore’s national performing arts centre. It hosts a year-round line-up of
about 3,500 live performances and activities presented by Esplanade, its partners and hirers.
Esplanade also brings the arts virtually to audiences in Singapore and beyond, through its
diverse range of digital programmes on Esplanade Offstage, an all-access backstage pass to
the performing arts and guide to Singapore and Asian arts and culture, with videos, podcasts,
articles, quizzes and resources.

As an arts centre for everyone, Esplanade also creates opportunities for seniors, youth,
children and underserved communities to experience the arts. More than 70% of the shows
that take place each year at the centre are non-ticketed.

The centre works in close partnership with local, regional and international artists to develop
artistic capabilities and content, push artistic boundaries and engage audiences. Esplanade
supports the creation of artistic content by commissioning and producing new Singapore and
Asian work for the international stage. It also develops technical capabilities for the industry
nationally.

To bring even more of the arts to a wider audience and provide more platforms to support
Singapore’s next generation of artists, Esplanade is building a new theatre along its busy
waterfront. Named Singtel Waterfront Theatre, the 550-seat venue will open in 2022.

Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay is operated by The Esplanade Co Ltd (TECL), which is a
notfor-profit organisation, a registered Charity and an Institution of a Public Character. The
Charity Council awarded TECL the Charity Governance Award – Special Commendation for
Clarity of Strategy in 2016, and the Charity Transparency Award for four consecutive years
since 2016.

TECL receives funding support from Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth and its
Community Programmes are supported by Tote Board Family, comprising Tote Board,
Singapore Pools and Singapore Turf Club.

Visit Esplanade.com for more information.

For more information, please contact:

Gina Koh
Manager, Marketing (Communications & Content)
The Esplanade Co Ltd
Email: kgina@esplanade.com

Florence Tan
Manager, Marketing
The Esplanade Co Ltd
Email: tflorence@esplanade.com

Annexe
Esplanade Presents
March On 2021
10 – 14 Mar 2021
www.esplanade.com/marchon

March On is Esplanade’s new annual children’s festival that explores relevant issues for the
young through multi-disciplinary programmes and participatory arts experiences.

[Theatre]
An Esplanade Production
The Feelings Farm
11 Mar, Thu, 10.30am & 3pm (For schools only)
12 Mar, Fri, 10.30am
13 & 14 Mar, Sat & Sun, 3pm
Esplanade Theatre

Welcome to the Feelings Farm
where feelings bloom and grow.
Pay attention to their whispers,
they’ll show you where to go...

On a field trip to Kranji, three children find themselves lost on the Feelings Farm where
emotions are shifting landscapes they must learn to journey through both together and alone.
Guided by a mysterious Cloud, they tumble through the Jungle of Joy, brave the Field of Fear,
sail across the Swamp of Sadness, and explore other familiar feelings. Come along for a
magical adventure that will surprise and move you.

The Feelings Farm is a play which uses music, movement, poetry and multimedia to help
children name and understand emotions with compassion. Recommended for ages 6 and up,
the play draws from real experiences of children in Singapore and hopes to give children and
adults alike the language to have honest conversations about our feelings.

Produced by: Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay
Written by: Amanda Chong
Music by: Julian Wong
Directed by: Edith Podesta

(75min, no intermission. Performed in English)

Recommended Age: 6 & up
^$30 per ticket, $25 (For schools only shows)

[Dance]
Alice’s Topsy Turvy Tea Party
A co-production with The Kueh Tutus
12 Mar 2021, Fri, 10.30am & 4.30pm
13 &14 Mar 2021, Sat & Sun, 10.30am, 2pm & 4.30pm
Esplanade Annexe Studio

“ We are all mad here.” – Mad Hatter, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Welcome to our little party, where everything’s exciting,
Take a seat and have some tea, our picnic is inviting.
Is it a twist or is it a turn? You have a part to play,
Help Hatter, Rabbit and dear Alice, on this wonderful day.

Alice’s Topsy Turvy Tea Party is a picnic-style interactive dance experience, designed for
children aged 4 – 9 years old and their families, that explores questions of friendship and
belonging. Come dressed in your party best and be part of wonderland! Created by Melissa
Quek, with Marcus Foo, Yarra Ileto and Zhuo Zihao.

About The Kueh Tutus
The Kueh Tutus is a collective that creates dance performances and experiences for the young
and very young, unlocking the imagination of all ages. Formed by a collaborative team of
creatives, each individual has spent hours extensively creating dances with, teaching, and
playing with children. Brought together by choreographer Melissa Quek, they combined their
superpowers of productive curiosity to enter the Singapore young audience scene in 2017,
and their playful engagement with music and movement captured the hearts of parents and
children alike. They were soon invited to present their work at festivals such as Octoburst! at
Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay, Got to Move and Singapore Writers’ Festival.

They also began to workshop and develop new dance works at The Artground as part of the
Groundbreakers Incubation Programme in 2019 and 2019. They have been lauded as having
the ability to unlock the imagination and feed a desire for discovery. Some of their works
include In Search of You, Grow with Me, Fold Crinkle Roll, Here, There! Where?, Babes in the
Forest, Just Teddy and more.

(1hr, no intermission. Performed in English)

Recommended Age: 4 & up
^$20 per ticket (Sold in packages of 2 to 5 tickets)

Ticketed Workshops

Doodle Caboodle Workshop (For school bookings only)
By Rizman Putra & Ian Loy
10 & 11 Mar 2021, Wed & Thu
10am – 12pm (for 7 – 9 years old)
3pm – 5pm (for 10 – 12 years old)
Esplanade Rehearsal Studio

This is a story of a boy named Lan, his DOODLES and his plan to save his neighbourhood,
told through theatrical storytelling and movement. Be part of the whole CABOODLE, where
you can listen, imagine, watch, and play.

*Participants will be provided with drawing materials.

About Rizman Putra
Since Rizman Putra graduated with a Master of Arts (Fine Arts) from Lasalle College of the
Arts in 2007, he has been actively straddling between performance, visual arts and music for
the last decade. Rizman is the winner of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry
(JCCI) Singapore Foundation Arts Award 2005 (as part of artist initiative Kill Your Television
[KYTV], co-founder of the now-dissolved arts collective, Kill Your Television (KYTV), as well
as frontman for the indie music group, Tiramisu. Rizman has also performed and exhibited his
works in Australia, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, USA, Taiwan, United Kingdom
and Vietnam. In 2005, Rizman was one of four artists selected for the President’s Young
Talents Exhibition and was also selected to be part of the Fukuoka Triennale. He received the
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology's (RMIT) Most Outstanding Award 2002-2003. He
has exhibited his works at the inaugural Singapore Biennale 2006. Rizman is currently an
Associate Artist with Cake Theatrical Productions.

About Ian Loy
Ian Loy is a theatre-maker based in Singapore since 1999. He graduated from Lasalle-SIA
College of the Arts in 2002 with a Diploma in Drama with Distinction and was also a recipient
of the NAC Georgette Chen Arts Scholarship. Since then, he has used his forte in theatre arts
as a performer and director in school projects and theatre, both independently and with
established theatre companies. Ian Loy founded MySuperFuture Theatrical Productions in
2009. Through the company, he involves himself with many community outreach and theatre
projects with people of all ages and abilities, coaching or creating theatre art for them,

especially for young audiences. Ian Loy was also invited to be an Associate Artist with
Esplanade from 2018 to 2020. He has been creating theatre for our young audiences since
2009.

He was awarded the Singapore Young Artist Award in 2014 for his series of accomplished
work in theatre for young audiences (TYA). It represents Singapore’s highest award for young
arts practitioners, aged 35 years and below in the year of award, whose artistic achievements
and commitment have distinguished them among their peers. It encourages him to continue
pursuing excellence in the arts, and to look towards inspiring others. In 2016, Ian was
nominated Best Director by LIFE! Theatre Awards for his work in Grandpa Cherry Blossoms
presented as part of Esplanade’s SUPER JAPAN Festival. This nomination in itself is unique
as he was the only TYA director that is mentioned in its category ever. This serves as an
affirmation for him to continue serving brilliant work in theatres for the young.

(2hrs, no intermission)
$20 per ticket

Kinder's Garden Walk & Workshop
By Edible Garden City
13 & 14 Mar 2021, Sat & Sun,10am
Esplanade Theatre Foyer (with Forecourt Garden Tour)

A garden tour and a gardening workshop? That’s right!

Traverse the Esplanade Forecourt Garden and explore its lush flora with a guided tour. In the
latter part of the session, get your hands dirty with Edible Garden city’s Make Your Own Self-
Watering Planter Workshop.

Through this workshop, you will learn to upcycle forgotten plastic bottles into self-watering
pots to grow beautiful herbs and edible flowers. Participants are required to bring their own
used plastic drink bottle.

(1hr 30mins, no intermission)

Recommended Age: 7 & up
$20 per ticket, Parent-Child pair or 1 parent with 2 children.

PIP’s Club Specials: 10%
Sign up for free at www.esplanade.com/pipsclub

Re-imagine A Character! Costume Making Workshop
By Anthony Tan & Max Tan
13 & 14 Mar 2021, Sat & Sun,10am
Esplanade Rehearsal Studio

Have fun with character-devising and costume making! Led by costume designers Anthony
Tan and Max Tan, devise a character and create an imaginative costume based on storybook
excerpts. Each parent-child pair will be provided with the necessary materials. Children will be
able to put on their creation and even have a costume parade!

About Anthony Tan
Anthony has worked extensively as a costume designer with various performing arts
companies in Singapore since 1993 and holds a Master of Arts in Costume Design for
Performance from London College of Fashion, UK. He is currently an educator at a local arts
institution.

About Max Tan
Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts alumnus Max Tan launched his eponymous label in 2010.
Besides working on his seasonal collections, he also serves as a costume designer for various
theatre performances in Singapore. More recently, he graduated with B.A (hons) In Fashion
Design from Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and is now helping to groom the next generation
of designers as an adjunct lecturer in the institution.

(2hr 30mins, no intermission)

Recommended Age: 7 & up
$20 per ticket, Parent-Child pair or 1 parent with 2 children.

PIP’s Club Specials: 10%
Sign up for free at www.esplanade.com/pipsclub

Robot House Party @Esplanade & Robot House Party @Home
13 & 14 Mar 2021, Sat & Sun,11am
Esplanade Recital Studio (with Zoom Party)

Robot House Party @Esplanade
Join internationally acclaimed DJ Kid Koala and guests for a one-hour, family-friendly Robot
House Party @Esplanade. While Kid Koala spins a live DJ set online via Zoom, let your
creativity loose and build your own robot suits.

Every parent-child pair participating in the Robot House Party @Esplanade will be given all
the robot costume materials needed to make a brand-new robot suit! There will also be hosts
on-site to guide you as you listen to great music and learn how to make the robot costume via
a live Zoom session. When the robot costume is ready, suit up into your robot self as Kid Koala
turns up the volume and we turn down the lights for a Robot House Party right here at
Esplanade!

Robot House Party @Home
Can’t join us at Esplanade? Fret not! You can still join in the fun in real-time! Join DJ Kid Koala
and guests live during the robot making and dance party sessions. Prior to the show, a list will
be sent to grown-ups to purchase the materials needed to make the robot costume. Then, dial

in and make your robot costume together with Kid Koala, the participants at Esplanade and
others at home before suiting up and doing the robot in your living room, or bedroom or
kitchen...or anywhere you want to! All you need is the internet, your newly built robot suit and
your moves.

Musician and Composer: Kid Koala
MC and Dancer: Adira Amram
Dancer: Maresa D’amore Morrisson, Jessi Erian
Visuals and Live Editor: Corinne Merrell
Assistant Editor and Tech Support: Brian Neuman

(1hr 15mins, no intermission)

Recommended Age: 4 & up
Robot Dance Party @Esplanade: $20 per ticket (Parent-Child pair or 1 parent with 2
children.)
Robot House Party @Home: $10 per ticket

PIP’s Club: 10% savings
Sign up for free at www.esplanade.com/pipsclub

Free Programme Highlights

An Esplanade Commission
The Rattle King
12 – 14 Mar 2021, Fri – Sun, 5.30pm & 7pm
Venue to be confirmed

Standing at 4.5m tall, the Rattle King is a regal and lonely king who is clothed in rattlers.
Despite being a giant rattler himself, the Rattle King ironically hates noise and sound, and is
constantly finding ways to escape the noise that surrounds him! Instead of finding solace in
his search for silence, he encounters different noisy soundscapes. The Rattle King eventually
realises that he cannot escape from sound and noise, but he can co-exist with them and turn
them into music.

An Esplanade Commission, The Rattle King is directed by Danny Yeo with music composed
by Phang Kok Jun and puppet designed and built by Oliver Chong.

(30mins, no intermission. Non-verbal.)

BOOK NOW! www.esplanade.com/marchon
SISTIC Hotline: 6348 5555
School/Group Booking: 6828 8389 or email boxoffice@esplanade.com
Minimum admission age varies.
Ticket prices exclude SISTIC fees. Tickets are required for all patrons.
Terms and conditions apply.