{Review} Catch A Taste of The Forbidden |Forbidden City: Portrait of an Empress

I’ve heard so much about this wonderful Dick Lee musical Forbidden City : Portrait of an Empress starring Kit Chan but each time it was staged before, I was out stationed. No wonder then that the hubs and I were really looking forward to finally go to the Esplanade Theatres to catch this well-loved classic and of course to see Kit Chan on stage!


Local theatre goers must have this epic musical as their 2017 Must Do, Must Watch musical and who could challenge that? Forbidden City: Portrait of an Empress first commissioned by Esplanade- Theatres on the Bay for Esplanade’s Opening Festival in October 2002 has had a sell-out season at each restaging (in Sept 2003 and 2006).

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Forbidden City: Portrait of an Empress is the story of Empress Dowager Ci Xi (played by Kit Chan), her love story, betrayals and struggles, rise to absolute power, even as China was increasingly being ravaged by foreign powers as the Qing Dynasty struggled to retain control of China.

As the musical opened, I could feel the excitement and anticipation rising in the hushed audience. It was almost unbelievable that I was finally watching this epic musical at the Esplanade. The little one who has a love for history was equally in awe, this being his first ‘adult’ musical! Plus, he was eagerly anticipating watching Kit Chan, the singer of his favourite National Day song – Home! What a treat!

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The Empress Dowager CiXi played by Cheryl Tan, Kit Chan and Sheila Francisco depicting different stages of her life.

The musical wasted no time in introducing the Dragon Lady and very soon we were transported into an unfamiliar time when the Emperor’s rule was absolute and his wants were insatiable (including his harem of concubines). As the older Empress CiXi (played by Sheila Francisco ) recounted her life’s hopes, joys, love, disappointments, struggles we were also given a running history of the ebbs and flows of the Qing Dynasty.

Empress CIxi

Forbidden City was a musical treat from the very start. Dick Lee’s beautiful music was equally matched with the excellent vocals of the 2017 cast.

With big shoes to fill, credit must be given to Cheryl Tan who plays the young Yehenara this time instead of Kit Chan. Her voice crystal clear as always, was powerful and captivating. We’ve watched her as Juliet in SRT’s Shakespeare in the Park Romeo & Juliet, as Ivy in Dick Lee’s Beauty World and even as Little Bo Frilly in SRT’s The Three Billy Goats Gruff, and I think this is by far her best musical performance ever. She was calm yet vibrant, playing a more matured heroine this time, putting away her usual more animated and girlish characterisations.

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The young Yehenara (Cheryl Tan) with her hopes so high of finding true love with the Emperor.

Cheryl Tan lifted and refreshed us with her stunning vocals throughout Act One. I think the audience could feel Yehenara’s disappointment and betrayal when the Emperor quite quickly forgot about her after three months of what seemed like a fairy tale love affair. (I was amazed that when one got pregnant by the Emperor, he shelves you!!)

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My favourite has got to be the really entertaining Record Keepers played by Sebastian Tan (Singapore’s favourite Broadway Beng) and Dwayne Lau (SRT’s Treasure Island). They were just the perfect amount of humour and wit! The Record Keepers were brilliant and everyone in the audience adored them… maybe because they added the light-hearted fun in an otherwise depressing storyline perhaps? haha…

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I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t disappointed that we had to wait till Act Two before Kit Chan came on. Although every part of Act One was enjoyable, I still wished that the talented Kit Chan was on stage earlier and sang more… for she did not disappoint. Her well trained vocals was not only emotive, she commanded the presence only a star like her could. Everyone just could not get enough of her, I know that for a fact.

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Kit made us all feel the deep sorrows a mother (even a Dragon Lady) must have felt for the passing of her child. If there were doubts that Empress Dowager ever cared for anyone, she removed it. How her heart must have broke when Emperor Tung Chih’s life was wasted. I teared as I watched and listened.

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The stage sets were a awesome. Beautiful. Simple yet effective. I especially loved the funeral scene where the stage was opened up to reveal the depth of the really amazing theatre stage of the Esplanade! I had no idea it was so deep… other times when I’ve been to the Esplanade theatres, the productions had never used this to their visual advantage.

Forbidden City is Wey’s first ‘adult’ musical and I was half wondering if he would be able to sit through the 2 hour musical. As it turns out, I needn’t have worried because my 8 year old was totally absorbed throughout. So if you are wondering if your not-so young children will enjoy the musical, I would think so. He was intrigued by the larger than life characters and the story unfolding onstage, the beautiful stage sets and costumes and quite simply the awesome music. In fact, when the musical ended, he actually let out a cry of dismay “Oh?! That’s the end?!!?”; much to the amusement of the people seated around us. Of course, be prepared to answer questions along the lines of : ” Mama, what’s a brothel? Why did the Emperor go there?” ” What disease did he get from the brothel and why?” haha… I took it as a good teaching point moment although I did not quite go into too much details. 🙂

Not all musicals are created equal. It has been more than a decade since Singapore last watched this highly acclaimed iconic made-in Singapore musical and for me, Forbidden City: Portrait of an Empress is still as stunning and magical as ever. When you go to see this musical, you will come away in awe at not just the entire production, but an amazement at our local talents.

Don’t miss this amazing timeless musical by local theatre big names or you may have to wait yet another decade for its restaging. Also this may very well be the last time to catch Kit Chan in the role as Empress Ci Xi! If you haven’t already booked tickets, be sure not to be stingy on the tickets, get the best seats for a better view, it’s worth every dollar! I promise! 

Forbidden City: Portrait of an Empress plays at the Esplanade Theatre from 8 -27 August 2017. Book Early for the best Category Seats to enjoy the epic musical fully. Tickets available from Esplanade Box Office at https://www.esplanade.com/events/2017/forbidden-city-portrait-of-an-empress, more details at end of post.

Thanks for joining us on SAys! Happy Mums.  If you liked what you read on our blog, please follow us on Facebook for the latest updates.  We hope to see you back again soon.

~ SAys! Audrey

We are grateful for the opportunity to attend Forbidden City – Portrait of an Empress, for the purposes of this review. We were not remunerated monetarily for the review, all opinions and experiences remain our own alone. All photos unless otherwise mentioned are copyright of SRT and were provided for the purposes of this review. All other photos remain the copyright property of SAys! Happy Mums and may not be reproduced without prior notice or written permission given.

About Forbidden City – Portrait of an Empress

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When : 8 to 27 August 2017| Tues – Fri: 8pm | Sat : 3pm & 8pm |  Sunday : 1.30pm & 6pm

Where : Esplanade Theatre 

Duration : Approximately 2hrs (including a 20min intermission)

Ticket Pricing :
Tue–Thu, Evening / Sat, Matinee / Sun, Matinee & Evening
Standard: $58, $78, $98, $118
VIP: $128
Restricted View: $38

Fri & Sat, Evening
Standard: $68, $88, $108, $128
VIP: $138
Restricted View: $38

{Review} The Curious Adventures of Pinocchio | 25 July – 6 Aug 2017

We had such an amazing time last year with Lyngo Theatre at Jack and The Beanstalk, (read our review here) that we were looking forward to this year’s The Curious Adventures of Pinocchio.

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The Curious Adventures of Pinocchio is an excellent retelling of the story of Pinocchio. Artistic Director, Patrick Lynch doesn’t disappoint with his unique style of story telling. This master storyteller was able to put together the entire production on his own. The children were captivated from the minute he appeared onstage and started the narration.  At every corner of the theatre, I could hear children laughing or asking when would Pinocchio’s nose grow longer haha…

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As expected, the props that accompanied his master retelling of the story were simple yet effective. Amidst dusty old books, the magic starts and the story of Pinocchio comes alive on stage. Patrick was able not only to hold the attention of the young audience, he made them laugh gleefully at his playful antics and his curious magical props.

My favourite part must have been when Pinocchio crushes all those ice cream cones (oops! I mean Pinocchio’s long nose) bit by bit by bit after he learns not to lie again.

Wey was spellbound throughout the entire hour. Although there were no actors, and many of the characters in the story that Patrick spoke of were left to imagination only, I could see he was truly absorbed in the story unfolding onstage. At one point, he even exclaimed out loud, “Oh no, this story is tragic…” I was quite surprised at his choice of words because it showed that he was emotionally invested and had empathy for the characters of the story. Therein lies the mastery of Lyngo Theatre’s story telling.

Catch a glimpse of what’s in the show at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5XHqO6sOxc&feature=youtu.be and I’m sure you will be clicking on the SISTIC http://www.sistic.com.sg/events/cpino0817   link to get hold of tickets. There is only one more weekend to catch this production at the Drama Centre Black Box, before the run ends on 6 August 2017. Details at end of post.

It’s a pity though that this time, there is no Backstage Workshop Tour special like in Jack and the Beanstalk but Patrick was kind enough to have a short question and answer session that left the children wanting more! haha…. I do so wish that there will be a rerun of Jack and the Beanstalk next year.

Expect a magical experience through interesting props that seem alive eg. a book that grows, a book with a bottomless hole, a log that apparently moves on its own! Wey could not help himself but to ask how this was done during the Q&A session but alas, a secret it must stay hahaha! We need that Backstage Tour again! haha…

It would do well for parents to heed the age advisory of 5 years old and above as the style and attention span and maturity required for this production would not be suitable for any child younger than the recommended. Also, get there early as it is free seating and queues to enter the theatre forms even 10-15mins before show time.

Thank you for joining us on SAys! Happy Mums.  If you liked what you read on our blog, please follow us on Facebook for the latest updates.  We hope to see you back again soon.

SAys! Audrey :) 

We are grateful for the opportunity to attend The Curious Adventures of Pinocchio, for the purposes of this review. We were not remunerated monetarily for the review, all opinions and experiences remain our own alone. All photos unless otherwise mentioned are copyright of Act 3 International and were provided for the purposes of this review. All other photos remain the copyright property of SAys! Happy Mums and may not be reproduced without prior notice or written permission given.

About The Curious Adventures of Pinocchio

Act3 Pinnochio

When: 25 July to 6 August 2017| Mon – Fri: 9am | Sat & Sunday : 10.30am & 2.30pm

Where: Drama Centre Black Box

 

Who: 5 years and above and their families

Ticket Pricing : Standard $28 Weekdays, $38 Weekends (Excludes Booking Fee)

Duration: Approximately 60 minutes no interval

Tickets available through:
SISTIC Website

SISTIC Hotline (65) 6348 5555
SISTIC Authorised Agents islandwide


*For School Group Bookings, please call ACT 3 International at 6735 9986

{Review} Poultry Tales |’Pokei Pokei’ Good Ole Family Fun Day

Over the long Labour Day weekend, we had a treat to go watch I Theatre’s Poultry Tales at the Drama Centre Theatre, despite the pending exams coming up. Seeing how my almost 8 year old (and his classmate plus 5 year old sister) laughed and squealed, I was assured that it was a well worth 1 hour spent away from mugging. The books can wait for a wee bit of fun.

I Theatre’s Poultry Tales runs at the Drama Centre Theatre from 27 April to 14 May 2017. Book your tickets quickly for the remaining available dates at http://www.sistic.com.sg/events/cpoultry0517

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Poultry Tales was warmly familiar, with all-time favourite stories coming to live on stage. The children enjoyed every bit of the goings-on onstage and laughed wildly at almost every moment.

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Impromptu Chicken Licken anyone?

Poultry Tales achieves quite a lot in just 1 hour. We were given 3 stories, namely, Chicken-Licken,  The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs and The Little Red Hen. All well loved Aesop Fables that are so enjoyable. I liked the clever scene changes between the 3 stories which cleverly reused props as the young audience were transported from being ‘backstage’ to being on  2 farms later on.

Although the stories are familiar, I Theatre cleverly engages the audience from a different perspective. What I liked most for this rather unusual production is that it really gave the young audience a glimpse of the backstage.

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The show opens with a backstage scene, and you immediately wonder why… But this clever opening means the children get to learn so much more about what goes on in a ‘real life’ backstage. “What is a prop?” “What’s a costume? What’s a scenery?” “What does a Stage Manager do?” Go to Poultry Tales and find out what is a ‘Fly-bar’ or what are ‘Legs’ in theatre lingo! All the endless whys and whats from your curious little buddies about theatre, is QED within half an hour 🙂

Wey also particularly liked to point out that the ‘stage crew’ were actually actors and they were acting out the backstage for us… Somewhat proud of himself that he knew that. Oops! haha.

Bravo to the actors who made everything just so funny! Simply loved the ‘interns’ Zebedee and Charlotte, who gave us stitches from all the laughter!

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“This is my hand, I have a prop … erh! A hand-prop”

My soon to be 8 year old, so got this joke…”This is my hand, I have a prop … erh! A Hand-prop”. It’s been his thing at school… He comes back from school everyday with some combination of this, eg.”I have a hand, I have a phone… Handphone!!” (Roll eyes? hahha)

If I thought anything was slapstick humour, my son loved it and so did his friend. At their age, funny is just funny, so I am happy to savour every moment of Wey’s innocent glee at the humour onstage. We laughed together, along with the entire theatre. Such happy moments at the theatre with my little boy! Good family fun together. 🙂

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Oh wow! someone conquered the swing doors and found … … Those eggs!!! GOLD GOLD GOLD! 🙂

I could tell that Wey absolutely loved the production, not just because he was laughing out loud almost all the time, but because as the cast was finishing the presentation of  The Little Red Hen (the last story), he kept pestering me to ask if this was the end and refused to believe me when I said yes it was. There was genuine dismay on the boy’s face awww…. LOL!

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Little Red Hen and her very helpful friends 😛

As usual, stay on for a little while after the show and get a nice family photo at the Meet and Greet that is absolutely free for everyone at the show. Unfortunately, we missed out on this Meet and Greet photo opportunity as I was caught up in conversation with Director Brian Seward.

If you haven’t gotten tickets to I Theatre’s Poultry Tales yet, please do so now (Click http://www.sistic.com.sg/events/cpoultry0517), as this may very well be the last I Theatre production for the entire 2017 unless there is somehow an angel sponsor stepping up to fill the shoes of I Theatre’s long time sponsor. 😦

Yes, I was totally shocked at the end of the 1 hour production, to hear from Director Brian Seward, that all planned productions for the second half of the year have been put on hold. Quite sadly, I Theatre will no longer benefit from the National Arts Council’s Major Grant this year!!

This is such a sad day for Children’s theatre in Singapore! My son has grown up with I Theatre productions since he was a wee boy of 3, which have undoubtedly sealed his love for the arts and theatre. It is such a major loss not only for I Theatre, but for our children who will most definitely miss the wonderful fun and educational experience of local theatre! 😦

I hope that in the months to come, some thing might be worked out for I Theatre and its wonderful team of people, so that its loyal little fans can continue to enjoy great local theatre again.

If you are able, do spread the word #SupportITheatre #SupportLocal #ChildrenTheatre #NeedSponsor and maybe there will be an angel sponsor coming in to help soon so that I Theatre may make a comeback next year!

If not, perhaps we all can chip in to support this wonderful theatre company that has kept ticket prices low with affordability for all kept in mind. Donate at http://itheatre.org/index.php/donate_sponsor/ . 

We at SAys! Happy Mums would really like to say a big “Thank You” to the people of I Theatre for the many years of wonderful drama for the children. Thank you Brian and team!

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Thank you for joining us on SAys! Happy Mums.  If you liked what you read on our blog, please follow us on Facebook for the latest updates.  We hope to see you back again soon.

~ SAys! Audrey :) 

We are grateful for the opportunity to attend ITheatre’s Poultry Tales for the purposes of this review. We were not remunerated for the review, all opinions and experiences remain our own alone. All photos unless otherwise mentioned are copyright of I Theatre and were provided for the purposes of this review. All other photos remain the copyright property of SAys! Happy Mums and may not be reproduced without prior notice or written permission given.

About I Theatre’s Poultry Tales

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When: 29 Apr – 14 May 2017 | Saturdays & Sundays : 10.30am & 2pm

Where: Drama Centre Theatre (Map)

Who: 4 years and above and their families

Ticket Pricing : Standard $32 (excludes SISTIC booking fees)

Duration: Approximately 60 minutes

Tickets available through:
SISTIC Website
SISTIC Hotline (65) 6348 5555
SISTIC Authorised Agents islandwide

TICKET PRICES (Not including SISTIC Fees):      

  Standard Ticket
Adult/Child $32.00
Family Package (4 Persons) $121.60
Big Family Package (5 Persons) $144.00
Corporate Groups (min 20 persons) 25.60

15% DISCOUNT         

Friends of I Theatre Ikea Smales and Family Members
OCBC Baby Bonus Card Holders NTUC Card Members
OCBC Platinum & Arts Platinum Card Members eXplorerKid Members
OCBC Credit & Debit Card Members Toys’R’Us Star Card Members
Bank of China Card Members Civil Service Club Members
PAssion Card Members LITTLE STAR Ticket Stub Holder

10% DISCOUNT

Students (Local & International)

Senior Citizens (above 55 years old)

GROUP DISCOUNTS

Purchase a minimum of 20 tickets and get 20% discount

GROUP/SCHOOL BOOKINGS

Contact team@itheatre.org or 6341 5960 for group/corporate/school bookings.

Giveaway | Faber-Castell Art Festival Launches Artistic Adventures, Inspiring Workshops and a Local Art Exhibition at Marina Square

Faber-Castell, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-quality products for writing, colouring and creative designs, is proud to present the inaugural ‘Faber-Castell Art Festival’ taking place from 27 May to 4 June 2017 at the Marina Square Central Atrium. Held on a grand scale in a ‘castle’ setting and encompassing 4758 square feet of space, the festival welcomes all to be inspired by the possibilities of art in its many facets, and even try their hand at creating a form of art – regardless of age or experience.

Over nine days that include two weekends, the public can look forward to a wide variety of activities that revolve around the brand’s quality products – ranging from two Singapore record-breaking events, interactive workshops with local and overseas art makers, an art exhibition by local emerging artists and a colouring competition for families. Most of the activities will be held on the weekend.

In addition, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of artworks will be donated to Children’s Cancer Foundation in Singapore. There will also be a wide selection of Faber-Castell products that range from materials for artists, hobby artists, kids, the office, technical drawings and even writing implements on sale, to complement the store on level 2 of Marina Square.

We have put together the entire list of events that will be happening during the festival for your reference.  For more details on respective events & workshop information, scroll down beyond this table.

Faber-Castell Art Festival
Schedule for weekend workshops and free activities

All prices quoted are nett. Workshop details are correct at time of release, for updates, the public can visit Faber-Castell Singapore’s Facebook page.

Free activities

Schedule for weekend workshops and free activities are listed below for your convenience.  For more details on respective workshops/free activities, pls refer to information below this schedule.

Saturday
27/5/17
Sunday
28/5/17
Saturday
3/6/17
Sunday
4/6/17
  11am-1pm

Tiffany Yao
‘Cupcake Fantasy’ Illustration

11.30am
Family Bonding Art Competition with Hans Art
10.30am -12.30pm
Lucinda Law
Brand Ambassador
Botanical Illustration
11am to 12pm (free)
Peter Draw
Creative Drawing11am-1pm

The Lettering Workbook
Watercolour Floral Wreath

12-3pm
Fringe activity (free)
Puffingmuffin

Badge Making

 

11am-1pm (free demonstration)

Mr Thum Cheng Cheong

Creative Mind-mapping

 

1.30pm
Family Bonding Art Competition with Hans Art
1-3pm
Clayrene
Fashion Illustration
1-4pm
Abbey Sy

Watercolour Lettering

1-4pm
Abbey Sy
Creative Journaling
1.30-3pm
The Lettering Workbook
Brush Lettering
3.30-4.30pm
The Lettering Workbook
Sticker Making
4.30-7.30pm
Neh Oh Mee
Brush Calligraphy
4.30-5.30pm
The Lettering Workbook
Sticker Making
4.30-6pm
The Lettering Workbook
Watercolour Floral Wreath
4.30-6pm
The Lettering Workbook
Brush Lettering
5.30-7pm
The Lettering Workbook
Brush Lettering
6.30-8pm
The Lettering Workbook
Watercolour Lettering
6-7.30pm
The Lettering Workbook
Watercolour Lettering
8-9pm
Neh Oh Mee
Watercolour Foiling
7-8.30pm
The Lettering Workbook
Watercolour Lettering
7.30-9pm
The Lettering Workbook
Watercolour Floral Wreath

 Family Bonding Art Competition with Hans Art
27 May, Saturday 130pm and 3 June, Saturday 1130am

Open to families and free to enter (with any purchase of colouring materials), contestants with the use of Faber-Castell products will engage in a friendly competition to create a unique masterpiece in a bid to win attractive prizes. It is the perfect opportunity for bonding over a hands-on activity.  Participants who pre-register at workshops@faber-castell.com.sg will receive extra perks.

 Badge Making with Puffingmuffin
27 May, Saturday, 12pm-3pm, free with purchase of any Faber-Castell products

Candice Phang, better known as Puffingmuffin, is an illustrator and character designer based in Singapore. She expresses through her work, which is characterised by cheerful characters clad in pop colours and textures from various media, both digital and traditional. For this session, participants will have the opportunity take home a badge of her work, or design their own badge.

www.puffingmuffin.com | @puffingmuffin

From 28 May to 4 June, the public can design their own badge with any purchase of $30 and above in a single receipt.

 Creative Mind Mapping by Mr Thum Cheng Cheong
28 May, Sunday, 11am to 1pm

Using the brand’s versatile PITT Artist Pens, the public will be treated to a demonstration of how to represent ideas and concepts in a ‘mind map’. Mr Thum is currently teaching at the Singapore Institute of Management and has conducted Mind Mapping and Visual Thinking workshops for a diverse group of professionals in Singapore and overseas.

Creative Workshops by Local and Overseas Artists

Encompassing a wide range of genres from brush lettering, watercolour painting, fashion illustration to botanical illustration, the workshops are a wonderland of discovery. They are led by passionate art makers who encourage all to release their inhibitions through creating and let the process guide one through the moment. Faber-Castell products will be used in all workshops and beginners are welcome.

 Creative Drawing with Peter Draw, Singapore
3 Jun, Saturday, 11am to 12pm, free

Peter Draw, born Peter Zhuo Ying Wei, is a Singaporean artist who uses his first love – drawing – to remind the world to “First, Love” (begin with love). He is also a four-time Guinness World Record holder – Largest Caricature (2007), Largest Art Lesson (2010), Longest Drawing (2014) and Longest Drawing by Individual (2014). He will be using Connector Pens for this workshop.

http://www.peterdraw.com | @peterdraw

 Art Experiences with The Lettering Workbook, Singapore

Taught by Kai Yun, these fun and breezy workshops encompass a variety of styles and media. Brush Lettering and Watercolor workshops are priced at $85 each, with a special price of $150 if participants sign up for both. Sticker making is priced at $50 per person.

@theletteringworkbook

Date/ Time 27 May, Saturday 28 May, Sunday 3 June, Saturday 4 June, Sunday
11am to 1pm Watercolour floral wreath
1.30pm to 3pm Brush lettering
3.30pm to 4.30pm Sticker making
4.30pm to 5.30pm Brush lettering Sticker making
4.30pm to 6pm Watercolour floral wreath
5.30pm to 7pm Brush lettering
6pm to 7.30pm Watercolour lettering
6.30pm to 8pm Watercolour lettering
7pm to 8.30pm Watercolour lettering
7.30pm to 9pm Watercolour floral wreath

 Fashion Illustration with Clayrene, Singapore
28 May, Sunday, 1pm to 3pm, $130 per person

Chan Clayrene is a Singapore-based fashion artist and illustrator. Also the founder of Artclaytion, she is best known for illustrating her works with nail polish. With a background in fine arts, Clayrene’s works are delicately artistic and have made waves in the art circuit with features on designtaxi.com; and mymodernmet.com to name a few. She has also collaborated with renowned brands such as Christian Louboutin, Carolina Herrera, Longchamp, Harper’s Bazaar, Diane von Furstenberg and Clinique. In this exclusive session, she will be using Faber-Castell’s watercolour pencils and nail polish.

http://www.artclaytion.com | @artclaytion

 Colour Pencil Illustration with Tiffany Yao, Singapore
28 May, Sunday, 11am to 1pm, $30 per person

Artist, designer and illustrator Tiffany gained attention with her last solo art show – 行 Yao – held at Detention Barracks in February 2017, where her coloured pencil drawings of Singapore, Hong Kong and Swatow showcased a mix of contemporary and tradition; realism and surrealism. For this workshop, she will be working around the subject of ‘Cupcake Fantasy’, allowing participants to learn basic drawing and colouring skills, while letting their creativity go wild as they decorate the pastry of their dreams.

www.facebook.com/tiffyyao.art | @tiffanyyaoqi

 Art Experiences with Neh Oh Mee, Singapore

Participants will explore the art of brush calligraphy and discover how therapeutic the writing of ‘abc’ can be!

Brush Calligraphy

3 June, Saturday

4.30pm to 7.30pm, $100 per person

The class includes three hours of hands-on practice and is prefect for beginners. Participants will be armed with the basic techniques, and thereafter a brush pen and one’s imagination is all that is needed.

Let’s Foil!
3 June, Saturday
8pm to 9pm
, $70 per person

The visual appeal of foiling and understated beauty of watercolours will be the focus of this workshop. Each participant will take home at least four foiled and watercoloured pieces as well as inspiration for future gifting or personal scrapbooking.

www.nehohmee.com | @nehohmee

 Creative Classes with Abbey Sy, Philippines

Watercolour Lettering

3 June, Saturday

1pm to 4pm, $120 per person

Creative Journaling

4 June, Sunday

1pm to 4pm, $120 per person

An artist, designer and author based in the Philippines, Abbey also manages her own brand Abbey Sy as freelance artist and designer, workshop instructor and creative entrepreneur.

Passionate about both art and travel, she is best known for her hand-lettering work and travel illustrations. She has written books on lettering and journaling, and continues to explore ways to make art and share stories through her own eyes. Working as a full-time creative entrepreneur, Abbey manages freelance work, writes and illustrates books, conducts art classes and produces her own merchandise —all this while discovering herself on #theroadtoabc. In turn, she hopes to inspire others to chase their dreams, to make things happen, and to Always Be Creating.

www.artistic-dreams.com | @abbeysy

 Floral & Foliage Illustration & Mixed Media Workshop with Lucinda Law, Brand Ambassador of Faber-Castell, Singapore
4 June, Sunday, 10.30am to 12.30pm, $85 per person

Partake in the wonder of nature on the canvas, as Lucinda introduces the beauty of watercolours in this flora and foliage-inspired session. A watercolour artist and teacher who has had more than 13 years of experience, she has also accomplished commissioned works and designed bespoke nature-led creative workshops for clients such as Chanel, Bentley, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Harper’s Bazaar Singapore and India, Kate Spade, Melissa, Uniqlo and Clinique. In 2017, she became the first artist in Singapore to be appointed as the Faber-Castell Singapore Art & Graphic Ambassador.

http://lucindalaw.co | @lucinda.law

‘Singapore Book of Records’ milestones

 Biggest Mosaic by Colour Markers

The festival will open with a proud moment as Faber-Castell will aim for the ‘Biggest Mosaic by Colour Markers’ accolade with a gorgeous installation depicting the Singapore skyline that spans 5 metres in length, 1.5 metres in width and 85 cm in height. To be constructed by hand over two days by a Faber-Castell artist, this multi-coloured structure will be made entirely with an estimated number of 25,000 Faber-Castell Connector Pens. Requiring approximately two months of planning, this feat will mark the brand’s first entry into the Singapore Book of Records. The award ceremony is scheduled to take place on 27 May, Saturday at 11am.

 Longest Banner of Human Figurine Sketches

Faber-Castell will aim to complete another feat by the end of the festival that will feature a 10-metre long canvas of sketches made with the brand’s iconic Castell 9000 pencils. The sketching will begin on 27 May, Saturday at 12.30pm.

Art Exhibition

24 works by local artists such as Aaron Gan, Artclaytion, Limzy, Joseph Ng, Julie Zhu, Lucinda Law, KY Huang, Tee Bee Tin, and Tiffany Yao will also be exhibited throughout the festival. 5-100% of the proceeds from the sale of artworks will be donated to Children’s Cancer Foundation in Singapore.


GIVEAWAY

Thanks to our sponsors, we have a Faber-Castell Hamper worth $50, for our readers. Do follow ALL the instructions below to take part for your chance to win!

faber castell

To take part and qualify, please make sure all the following steps are completed:

1) COMMENT on this blog post telling us which free activity or paid workshop from the above appeals to you.  Let us know your Facebook Name and your email address in your comment.

2) LIKE SAys! Happy Mums  and Faber-Castell SG on Facebook.

3) LIKE and SHARE this Facebook post with the caption below :

“Faber-Castell Art Festival is happening from 27 May to 4 Jun 2017 at Marina Square!”

DO set your post to PUBLIC so that we are able to verify your entry.

Terms and Conditions:

  • Giveaway ends 12 May 2017, Friday at 2359 hrs.
  • Prizes are non-refundable and non-exchangeable.

  • Collection of prize will only be at Faber-Castell, 18 Tannery Lane, #02-01/02, Lian Tong Building, Singapore 347780, anytime from 9am to 6pm

  • Winner will need to produce their NRIC and a print out of our email to claim your tickets.  If the winner would like to appoint a representative to pick up the prize, then a photo of the winner’s NRIC will be required.
  • The Winner will be notified by the email provided under the blog comments and must reply within 24 hours, failing which, a new winner will be drawn, without notice.
  • This giveaway is open to Singapore residents only.
  • The Sponsor reserves the right to request for a redraw if the drawn winner on our blog has also won the same prize from another giveaway host.
  • Incomplete / Half-completed entries will be disqualified without notice. Decisions are final and no changes/disputes will be entertained.
  • All information is solely collected for the purpose of this giveaway and we will not send unsolicited emails to your inbox unless you have opted to subscribe to us (on the right of this page!).
  • This giveaway is in no manner associated with any social media accounts except our blog.

Best of luck!

Thank you for joining us on SAys! Happy Mums.  If you liked what you read on our blog, please follow us on Facebook for the latest updates.  We hope to see you back again soon.

~ SAys! Shirley :) 


ABOUT FABER-CASTELL ART FESTIVAL

Marina Square Central Atrium, 6 Raffles Boulevard, Singapore 039594
27 May to 4 June 2017
11am to 9pm daily

Admission : Free; Individual workshop prices apply

WebsiteInstagramFacebook

Hashtag #fabercastell; #fabercastellsg

Stores

Marina Square
#02-190A, 6 Raffles Boulevard, Singapore 039594
Tel: 6252 2203

ION Orchard (Flagship Boutique)
#04-13, 2 Orchard Turn, Singapore 238801
Tel: 6509 3798

”””””’”””””’”””””’”””””’”””””’”””””’”””””’”””””

[Updated 18 May ’17]

WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT

Congratulations to our winner!  We will be getting in touch via email very soon.

Going Mad about Music with Sid Bowfin |25Feb- 12Mar 2017

This was the very first time we’ve gone to the theatres not for a drama but for a musical treat and the kids loved every minute of Crazy Classics with Sid Bowfin at the Drama Centre Black Box last Sunday.

 

You may be thinking, really? Can classical music really be fun… and for kids?? Well, I had my doubts before going this weekend and the children were the best judges. Every little one was enjoying Sid’s fun easy going way with the Classical pieces. He fiddled on his violin to the delight of the small audience who were clapping ,tapping along and having pure 60minutes of fun.

I liked that the show  was held at the Blackbox Theatre, a small cosy setting that made it all the more intimate and interactive. It didn’t feel intimidating (even though it was classical music haha)! Before midway, Sid Bowfin had already gotten the children on their feet and dancing to the classics he was belting out.


Sid Bowfin seemed to make classical music accessible even for the littlest one or the most clueless one that had zero musical background. He talked to his audience, interacted and told us stories of each piece he was about to play. He made everyone laugh easily with his funny expressions, crazy antics and jokes. The audience participation was unending and there was no lack of volunteers as hands waved up and down to be picked.

I was happy to see Wey very enthusiastic throughout the performance. He was trying his best to be picked as a volunteer. LOL! It has always been a big regret for me when Wey stopped music lessons last year because we just couldn’t quite find the time; with him being in the afternoon session in Primary school. Although I’ve heard him tell me that he wants to restart music once he gets to morning session, I was not sure that he meant it. And yet last weekend, I saw the twinkle in his eyes as the music played on, and yes perhaps, next year, he will go back to music again, when time permits. 🙂 In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if many of the children at the show are already asking for violin lessons, thanks to Sid Bowfin (aka Adrian Garratt).

Even though the theatre is small, do note that it is free seating so get there early to get better seats. In any case, Sid does make an extra effort to go to his audience, even those seated behind got to be up close and personal with him so no one gets left out. Also, if you care to stay on after the performance, you can have family pictures taken with Sid Bowfin for that precious keepsake.

If you have a budding musician at home or just want to introduce and inspire the little ones, Sid Bowfin will certainly be a fun way to do it. Crazy Classics with Sid Bowfin is presented by Act 3 International and runs at The Drama Centre Black Box Theatre from 25February – 12 March 2017. Tickets are available from SISTIC, http://www.sistic.com.sg/events/ccrazy0317  more details at the end of the post.

 

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Thank you for joining us on SAys! Happy Mums.  If you liked what you read on our blog, please follow us on Facebook for the latest updates.  We hope to see you back again soon.

SAys! Audrey :) 

About Act3 International presents Crazy Classics with Sid Bowfin

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When: 25 February to 12 March 2017| Mon – Fri: 9am | Sat & Sunday : 10.30am & 2.30pm

Where: Drama Centre Black Box

 

Who: 4 years and above and their families

Ticket Pricing : Standard $28 Weekdays, $38 Weekends (Excludes Booking Fee)

Duration: Approximately 60 minutes

Tickets available through:
SISTIC Website

SISTIC Hotline (65) 6348 5555
SISTIC Authorised Agents islandwide


*For School Group Bookings, please call ACT 3 International at 6735 9986

The Stage is Calling ~ Casting Calls for Little Ones | 29 Dec 2016

If you have a talented little one with a dream to take the stage and be a star, here’s an opportunity to do it with a stellar theatre company, Pangdemonium!

Pangdemonium is casting for their production FUN HOME!
Pangdemonium’s “FUN HOME” is holding auditions on 29 December 2016 for three child roles.

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Getting cast in this Tony-winning Broadway musical could be a dream come true for any young musical theatre actor!

The casting call includes protagonist Alison Bechdel’s youngest stage incarnation and her two child brothers: Christian and John.
For those unfamiliar with this coming-of-age hit…

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CHRISTIAN is the oldest Bechdel child. Young male actor aged 10–12.  JOHN is the youngest (age 7–9), and described as being full of energy and having a quirky imagination.

Both roles call for a young singer-actor with a natural sound, good sense of harmony, and pitch.

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YOUNG ALISON (age 9-11) holds much more heft in the show than her two stage brothers—original cast member Sydney Lucas earned a Tony nomination for the role, after all! She’s “on the cusp of finding herself and forming her own views on how a girl her age should behave and dress”. We are looking for a young girl who is both confident and intelligent. The right candidate’s singing abilities will require moving “seamlessly in vocal quality from speech to song” and a range of B to B.

* Please note that in the story, SMALL ALISON is considered a “tomboy”, and becomes aware that she is not like most other girls her age. She sings a song “Ring of Keys” (https://youtu.be/pMAuesRJm1E) about this growing awareness, but otherwise does not understand, much less know how to act upon, what she is sensing. It is not until she reaches her late teens (MEDIUM ALISON) that she dares to come out as gay.  With this in mind, auditionees (and their parents/guardians) have to be comfortable with the subject matter of the story.

Performers of all ethnic and racial background are encouraged to attend.

AUDITION DETAILS

Auditions  29 December  2016
Call Backs  30 December 2016
Preparation
Please bring sheet music for ONE short contemporary musical theatre song, OR choose one song from the suggested list:
○ “Ben” – Michael Jackson
○ “Rockin’ Robin” – Michael Jackson
○ “I’ll Be There” – Jackson 5
○ “Who’s Lovin’ You” – Jackson 5
Please note that we will NOT transpose on the spot. Minus-1 will NOT be accepted.
Prepare a short monologue (memorized) in an American accent
Bring picture and resume

Other Dates

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FUN HOME Boot Camp (learning songs) – 12 – 16 June 2017
First Rehearsal – 28 August 2017
First Performance  – 29 September 2017
Last Performance – 15 October 2017
To book an audition slot please email – auditions@pangdemonium.com

{Review} I Theatre’s The Magic Paintbrush | An Amazing Full Circle

If you haven’t booked your tickets to The Magic Paintbrush yet, please do! This is a most amazing production by I Theatre as it is the finale production for their 15th year Anniversary Celebrations!

Super happy Trio – They love the theatres!

We went to the Drama Centre Theatre on Saturday with no clue what it would be like since it was an entirely new remake, redesigned play from its first staging. And we were totally blown away by the scale of the production!

The Magic Paintbrush was first performed 16 years ago in 2000 and was the inspiration for creating I Theatre as a theatre production company. How apt it is for this year’s 15th Anniversary celebrations to end on a high note with a reworked version of The Magic Paintbrush– I Theatre has come full circle and continues to bring so much joy and inspiration for local children’s theatre.

The play opens with what every parent and school going child would be able to relate to. A young girl preparing for exams and told to study hard, and not just do her best but “Be the Best”!

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Shocking revelations indeed for every Singaporean parent to see themselves on stage perhaps? And then the magical journey begins …. when the girl Toni wishes she was someone else, wishes she was Ma Liang who is a poor but talented orphan. She thinks it’s way better not to have parents… and the inexplicable Magic Paintbrush grants her wish…

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From there the audience is transported to another world in ancient China, where Toni is now (as she wished) Ma Liang, and she has to fend for herself, to work hard in order to survive and yet having no opportunities to explore her talent in painting because she has no money.

But Ma Liang is given an opportunity of a lifetime to do good, when he is given a Magic Paintbrush ~ Whatever he paints comes to life! Will he use this power to do good or to bring selfish benefits?

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Wonderful lively cast that kept the audience excited!

What will he do when faced with personal danger? Will Ma Liang succumb to the threats of the greedy Emperor and his wicked schemes? What happens to Ma Liang?

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Loved the beautiful costumes!

The new Magic Paintbrush is extravagant and grand, it is so big scale that even the adults will be captivated. The sets were beautifully designed and so impressive that you may not think it was for children’s theatre. I loved the upbeat music, the beautiful life-sized sets and the amazingly detailed costumes! WOW!!

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Impressive stage set

Expect a visual treat from colourful sets and intricate costumes, to puppets and even a segment with black light theatre (which is always a hit with the children).

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We enjoyed every bit of the 1.5hours at the Drama Centre Theatre and I think everyone in the audience would agree with me that I Theatre has outdone itself this time! The theatre was lit with laughter through out the play!

Our take way from the play was more than just the theatre fun. I asked Wey what he thought was the moral of the story… and was amazed that he told me “If you have the power to do good, do it. Make someone else happy. Don’t use it just to get more money or be rich, like the wicked Emperor!” Such valuable life lessons delivered in a beautiful play, I hope he keeps forever.

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The Magic Paintbrush is indeed a fitting climax to a celebratory year for I Theatre! Once again thank you I Theatre and Congratulations! Thank you for bringing beautiful theatre to brighten the lives of the littlest ones and enchanting yet another generation with music and drama!

And don’t forget to stay behind for the special Meet and Greet photography session which is always a highlight at all I Theatre productions! Loving our keepsake photos!

Love these photo keepsakes of our theatre fun together

The Magic Paintbrush runs at the Drama Centre Theatre at the NLB from 27 October – 12 November 2016. Do make your bookings asap before tickets are sold out! Click http://www.sistic.com.sg/events/paint1116?cid=itheatre-HLI-paint1116 and have fun at the theatres with the amazing cast! We hear that there are lots in store coming 2017 and we’re very excited for the new season, do follow I Theatre’s facebook for the latest updates.

Thank you for joining us on SAys! Happy Mums.  If you liked what you read on our blog, please follow us on Facebook for the latest updates.  We hope to see you back again soon.

SAys! Audrey 🙂 

We are grateful for the opportunity to attend ITheatre’s The Rainbow Fish for the purposes of this review. We were not remunerated for the review, all opinions and experiences remain our own alone. All photos unless otherwise mentioned are copyright of I Theatre and were provided for the purposes of this review. All other photos remain the copyright property of SAys! Happy Mums and may not be reproduced without prior notice or written permission given.

About The Magic Paintbrush

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When: 27 October to 12 November 2016| Mon – Fri: 10am | Sat: 10.30am & 2.30pm

Where: Drama Centre Theatre

Who: 3 years and above and their families

Ticket Pricing : Standard $32 (Excludes Booking Fee)

Duration: 75 minutes plus 15 minutes interval

Tickets available through:
SISTIC Website

SISTIC Hotline (65) 6348 5555
SISTIC Authorised Agents islandwide

{Giveaway} Win Tickets to ITheatre’s The Magic Paintbrush Worth Over $192!

We’re all excited to catch I Theatre’s latest 2016 production for their 15th Anniversary Celebrations, The Magic Paintbrush! This latest production will run from 27 October to 12 November 2016 at the Drama Centre Theatre.

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Read all about it in our preview here 🙂 and book your tickets early from SISTIC at http://www.sistic.com.sg/events/paint1116?cid=itheatre-HLI-paint1116 for fun year end treat!

 

Happy Children’s Day and here’s our little surprise just for SAys! Happy Mums’ lovely loyal readers and the kiddos!

GIVEAWAY : WIN 3 pairs of Tickets worth $192!

We’re really excited to have 3 pairs of tickets to I Theatre’s The Magic Paintbrushworth more than $192, for giveaway! That’s right! 3 lucky readers will get a pair of tickets each to go to The Magic Paintbrush on 29 October 2016, Saturday 11am. Wow!!

So, get set and start sharing this post on your Facebook to be one of our lucky winners!!

 

To take part and qualify, please make sure all the following steps are completed:

1) COMMENT on this blog post stating the age of your children, your Facebook Name and Email address.

2) LIKE SAys! Happy Mums  and I Theatre on Facebook.

3) LIKE and SHARE this Facebook post with the caption “Tag @Friend A Tag @Friend B Tag @Friend C Tag @Friend D Tag @Friend E I want to watch I Theatre’s The Magic Paintbrush with @SAys Happy Mums”. DO set your post to PUBLIC so that we are able to verify your entry.

Bonus entry:

  1. Follow us on Instagram {@sayshappymums}
  2. Repost this photo on IG and tag @sayshappymums @itheatresg #TheMagicPaintbrush + 3 Friends

Terms and Conditions:

  • Giveaway ends 22 October 2016, Saturday at 11.59PM.
  • Show date and time is on  29 October 2016, Saturday 11am and cannot be changed to a different day or time.
  • The Winner will be notified by the email provided under the blog comments and must reply within 24 hours, failing which, a new winner will be drawn, without notice.
  • The Sponsor reserves the right to request for a redraw if the drawn winner on our blog has also won tickets to the show from another giveaway.
  • All tickets are to be collected by 28 October 2016, 5pm at I Theatre’s office,  27 Kerbau Road Singapore 219163. Tel: (65)6341 5960.
  • This giveaway is open to Singapore residents only.
  • Incomplete entries will be disqualified without notice. Decisions are final and no changes/disputes will be entertained.
  • All information is solely collected for the purpose of this giveaway and we will not send unsolicited emails to your inbox unless you have opted to subscribe to us (on the right!).
  • This giveaway is in no manner associated with any social media accounts except our blog.
Best of luck and we hope to catch you having fun at the theatres with The Magic Paintbrush very soon! Watch for our review post soon too!

Thank you for joining us on SAys! Happy Mums.  If you liked what you read on our blog, please follow us on Facebook for the latest updates.  We hope to see you back again soon.

                                                                                                                          .

SAys! Audrey 🙂 

All photos unless otherwise stated are copyright of I Theatre.

About The Magic Paintbrush

mpb016-banner-5x15web

 

 

 

 

 

 

When: 27 October to 12 November 2016| Mon – Fri: 10am | Sat: 10.30am & 2.30pm

Where: Drama Centre Theatre

Who: 3 years and above and their families

Ticket Pricing : Standard $32 (Excludes Booking Fee)

Duration: 75 minutes plus 15 minutes interval

Tickets available through:
SISTIC Website

SISTIC Hotline (65) 6348 5555
SISTIC Authorised Agents islandwide