2525 – Three Humans, Figuring It Out

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Arts, Community, Community Theatre, Community Theatre

Written by Rachel, Beyond Editorial Team It was 20 minutes to show time. The crowd was settling in – a restless sea of chatter and expectation. The mic crackled sharply. You could feel the energy thrumming through the hall. For 10 months, youths and volunteers from The Community Theatre (TCT) had poured themselves into this moment. They’d gathered week after week to conceptualize a performance around a message close to their hearts – the confusing, and often, overwhelming experience of growing up. Then, right before the show, I heard that Jamie*, one of our volunteers, had stepped outside. The noise, …

2522 – The Chair at the Front

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Children and youth, Community, Community Theatre, Community Theatre

Written by Jie Min, Community Worker Nenek* is a familiar and beloved presence at our office whenever The Community Theatre holds its weekly rehearsals. She’s there not for the theatre, but for her granddaughter, Sam** – one of the main actors in this year’s production. While the other youth bustle about in preparation, Nenek waits quietly in her chair, eyes on her phone, taking a brief moment to rest before the journey home. She never watches the rehearsals. Never intrudes. But her presence anchors the space. And over time, she’s become Nenek to everyone. A few hours before the big …

Another Week Beyond – 2001

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Children and youth, Community, Community Theatre

Dear Friends, Several greetings that I received the past couple of days alluded to 2020 being a year of vision and so before I go on, I wish you a clear, purposeful and Happy New Year. In collaboration with the Kampong Kapor Family Service Centre, we engaged 21 youth in a drama workshop over the past 2 months. “Youth Stories” created a safe space for these young people to share their day-to-day experiences as well as their challenges, fears and concerns.  Last Thursday, they put together a short performance for their caregivers to highlight the risk of getting entangled with …

Another Week Beyond – 1951

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Children and youth, Community Theatre

Dear Friends, In August this year, youth from our Community Theatre programme presented “The Block Party” at the Esplanade as part of the M1 Peer Pleasure Festival. This   play showcased vignettes of poverty as experienced by those residing in a public rental housing neighbourhood.  This week, as a follow-up activity, we hosted a conversation about poverty involving 37 persons, comprising mainly youth from different strata in society. The aim was to hold a safe space where   questions and perspectives about poverty   deemed to be offensive or insensitive can be discussed authentically in the spirit of mutual understanding and respect. To …

Another Week Beyond – 1931

Comms Team Another Week Beyond, Children and youth, Community Theatre

Dear Friends, 6 years ago, to get young people into a meaningful discussion about teenage pregnancy, we cooperated with Babes Pregnancy Crisis Support to run a series of forum theatre performances. Together with the support of volunteers trained in drama, a colleague put together a play that got both adults and young people in a difficult but meaningful conversation.  The following year, more volunteers with drama training created other plays to surface shared concerns within our neighbourhoods.  On the third year, a young person from one of these neighbourhoods got involved with the programme and ended up being a lead …