About

JEFFREY TAN

An experienced Theatre Director, Drama Educator and Creative Producer, Jeffrey has worked full time as Resident Director with The Theatre Practice (1997), Drama Lecturer and Acting Head of Drama with LASALLE SIA (1999) and as Associate Artistic Director with TheatreWorks (S) Ltd (From 2002 – 2006).

 

Jeffrey was Assistant Director (Festivals) with the National Arts Council from 2007 to 2009 and Head, Commune: Participation with the Singapore Arts Festival from 2010 to 2012.  Jeffrey spearheaded the Kids Advisory Panel with nine chidlren to present the Kids Arts Village, conceptualized the Teachers Symposium and World of Stories – A Community arts Project with the National Library Board and 24 schools and community organizations.

 

From 2012 to 2015, Jeffrey was Assistant Director, Community Arts and Culture Division, People’s Association.  He ran three PAssionArts Festivals that brought Festival Villages and large Format visual Arts to over 40 locations in the 86 Constituencies.  Jeffrey also conceptualized and produced OPEN HOMES – between nine theatre mentors and 25 homes, to create their own 30 min performances in their living rooms In 2015.  The mega project was commissioned again by the Singapore International Festival of Arts in 2017 with 30 homes.  From 2016, Jeffrey became an independent artist and producer.

 

Jeffrey was Festival Director for #Engage2.0 a virtual youth arts festival showcasing the Doodles, Manga, Caricatures, K Pop, Hip Hp and Vocal creation by 300 primary and secondary students creted during the Home Based Learning (HBL) Covid 19 circuit breaker in May/June 2020.

 

Some productions Jeffrey conceptualized and directed include ‘Open Business @ Ji Xiang’ and ‘Open Business @ Tea Chapter’ as part of the Singapore Heritage Festival 2020,  ‘The Snail Who Didn’t Want his Shell’ as part ofthe BuySInglit 2020, ‘Sui Dai’ as part of Textures at the Arts House ‘s BuySInglit weekend 2020.

 

‘OPEN HOMES’ in Brisbane at 15 homes with La Boite and Backbone (2019), ‘MY Bridge of Light’ (2019) a bicentennial community play for Marsiling Yew Tee GRC, ‘It’s Not Romeo and Juliat’ (2019) for Ageless Theatre,  ‘Legend of Bukit Merah’, an intergenerational theatre for BUYSINGLIT 2019, ‘Remember When Remix’ for Arts House’s Textures festival as part of BuySingLit 2019,  ‘It’s Happy Happy World’ (2018) for the National Arts Council’s Silver Arts Festival, ‘Into the Blue Forest’ (2018) for the Artground’s inaugural ‘100 &100 more Festival’, ‘Women of Wings’ (2017), Wings.sg; ‘The Kitchen’ (2017), Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts; ‘Open Homes’ (2017), National Arts Council’s Silver Arts Festival; ‘Open Homes’ (2017), Singapore International Festival of Arts; ‘Island Stories’ (2017), National Heritage Festival; ‘Crossroads. You. Terrorist!’ (2016), Association of Muslim Professionals (2016); ‘Yesteryears CC’ (2015), People’s Association; ‘Open Homes’ (2015), Singapore International Festival of Arts and People’s Association; ‘Madcap –a competition of wit and humour (2014), Singapore Writer’s Festival; ‘Anak Mak Satu, My Only Son’ (2014), Peranakan Siblings, ‘Poetic Interventions’ (2013), Singapore Writers Festival, Singapore Biennale 2013, ‘Encore IV: Love Life – the Familiar Story, the Familiar Stranger (2013), Theatre for Seniors, The Necessary Stage and ‘Sisters- the Untold Stories of Sisters Island (2013), Arts House’s 9^th Anniversary.

 

Jeffrey has also directed ‘Makanplace’ for the Republic Polytechnic’s tenth Anniversary (2012), ‘Between Us: the Untold Stories of Sisters Island’ (2011, Simplyworks), ‘Poetry with Musee D-Orsay Readings’ at the National Museum (2011, Singapore Writers Festival), ‘Imelda’s Boys’ (2009, Action Theatre), ‘The Enchantment of Sangkuriang’ (2008, Simplyworks), ‘Salsa Salsa Salsa’ (2006, Theatreworks/Wild Rice Singapore Theatre Festival), ‘Play On Earth’ (2006, TheatreWorks/Singapore Arts Festival), ‘A Beautiful Companion’ (2006, Theatreworks), ‘Lovepuke’ (2005, Theatreworks for Esplanade’s Flipside), ‘When Hearts Meet’ (2005, Theatreworks), Jeffrey was also involved in training the Royal Ballet Theatre of Luang Phrabang to mount and educational tour of “The Golden Deer” episode from Ramayana in 2004.

 

‘No Parking on Odd Days’ (2004, Theatreworks for The Arts House Official opening festival), ‘Marriage of Inconvenience’ (2004, Theatreworks), ‘Arty Party Plays’ (2001, 2002, 2003 TheatreWorks for Central Singapore’s Community Development Council’s Arts Festival), ‘Ah Boy’ (2001, Esplanade’s Community Tour), ‘Sex Education Party’ (2001, The Necessary Stage MI Youth Connection),  ‘1+1=3’ (2000, TNS Marine Parade Theatre Festival), ‘True Deep Blue’ (2000, Tri Arts for the Singapore Arts Festival’s ‘Late Night Series’), ‘Lovepuke’ (1999, Toy Factory Ensemble), ‘Looking Back Stepping Forward’ (1999, Touch Arts Community for the Singapore Arts Festival), ‘Oleanna’ (1998, Dramaplus Arts), ‘Just a Hug for the Trees’ (1998, The Finger Players), ‘Monkey Business’ (1996, The Theatre Practice), ‘Touch of A Glowing Curse’ (1996, Act 3), ‘The Next Generations’ (1995, Brisbane, La Boite Theatre’s ‘Shock of the New Festival’), ‘A River of Dreams – Brisbane River’ (1994, La Boite Theatre’s ‘Shock of the New festival’), ‘Merchant of Venice for Children’ (1993, Act 3), ‘The House of Sixty Fathers’ (1990, Act 3) and ‘School’ (1989, 1990, Act 3).

 

Jeffrey has conceptualized the following Applied theatre corporate training  – ‘Leadership Through Festivals’ (2016); Nanyang Polytechnic, ‘Intergenerational Creative Writing’ (2014) for Agelessness Conference, ‘Team Bonding Through Theatre – The Sweetest Fig’ (2011); South East Community Development Council,  ‘The Sweetest Fig’ (2008) & ‘The Selfish Giant’ (2008), ‘From Pictures to Stories’, ‘Journaling and Experiential Learning Workshop’, and ‘Beyond Grief Workshop’, (2007); National Cancer Centre, ‘Teamwork Corporate Training’ (2005); DHL Asia, ‘Philips Design Corporate Training’ (2005); Philips Design, ‘Families as Volunteers Camp’ (2004) for the National Volunteers and Philanthropy Centre, ‘Aspiration Pathfinder; NLB Corporate Training’ (2004), ‘Aspiration Pathfinder- Redhill’ (2003), ‘Creating Stories’, ‘Seal Wife’ (2003), ‘RedHill’ (2003), ‘Process Drama Creation Workshop’ (2002); National Library Board, CNB Drama Retreat (2004) for the Central Narcotics Bureau and 3 day Internet Safety Camp for PAGI (2002).

 

Jeffrey is the founder President of the Singapore Drama Educators Association.  In 2005, Jeffrey was appointed to be part of the International Advisory panel for the International ‘Research in Drama In Education’ Publication.  In 2006, Jeffrey won the NAC Arts Professional Scholarship to pursue his Masters in Drama and Theatre Education at University of Warwick.

 

In 2011, Jeffrey was invited by the United States of America to be a part of the International Visitors Leadership Programme (IVLP) to visit four states over three weeks to explore ‘Promoting Social Change Through the Arts’.  In 2012, Jeffrey won the Outstanding Alumnus Award 2012, from the Queensland University of Technology.  Jeffrey was also invited by Tainan University to conduct two workshops (Playwriting and Theatre in Education) and a Keynote (Applied Theatre) at the drama department’s tenth Anniversary.

 

Jeffrey was on the National Arts Council’s Arts Advisory Panel (2016 to 2018).  He continues to be a NAC External Assessor since 2016.

 

Jeffrey continues to lecture part time at the National University of Singapore and Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts and Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

 

For 2022, Jeffrey presented FOOD MEMORIES papers at IDEA, Iceland and IDIERI, Warwick.  He also pressented his Teaching Artists Asia Project at ITAC6 at Oslo, Norway.

 

More information @ www.theatretodaysg.com