WILD RICE, Singapore Videos

Jo Kukathas on writing & directing Accidental Death of an Activist | Runs till 19 Oct 2024
Accidental Death of an Activist opens TODAY! 🎉 We sat down with co-director and script adapter Jo Kukathas for a chat, where she tells us what the show is about, and what you can expect from this hilarious political comedy that runs till 19 October 2024. Tickets are available now: https://bit.ly/activistdeath-fb @followers

Laura Hayes on the process of getting Dive staged | Wild Rice's New & Now
Writing and staging a play is a risky and challenging process. It takes time and resources to develop a script until it's ready to meet an audience. Laura Hayes shares how Wild Rice has helped her nurture 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐞 over the years — from when she first wrote it in 2018, to its premiere staging in 2024 at our Studio in Funan. New & Now is Wild Rice's new initiative to discover and develop the theatre classics of tomorrow. By investing in playwrights like Laura and plays like 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐞, we intend to create a pipeline of new works that will move audiences for generations to come. For more information on how you can help, click here: https://www.wildrice.com.sg/how-you-can-help/new-and-now/. For donations of $5,000 or more, enjoy invitations to get you closer to the drama, including special previews and sneak peeks into our creative and developmental process. New & Now is proudly supported by the Tote Board Enhanced Fundraising Programme. Donations made between 13 July 2024 and 12 July 2025 will be matched dollar-for-dollar! (More info here: https://www.toteboard.gov.sg/grants/fund-raising-programme) @followers

Laura Hayes on Dive
“𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙤 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙮 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙤𝙣 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙞𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩, 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙪𝙨, 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙖𝙮𝙗𝙚 𝙬𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙣’𝙩 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜.” As we close 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐞 tomorrow, here’s a short clip from our interview with playwright Laura Hayes as she talks about the play, and on what inspired her to write it. 💙 If you’d like to learn more about how to be a supportive bystander when encountering domestic violence or coercive control in relationships, AWARE Singapore is holding an Active Bystander Workshop at our Studio on 27 Sep 2024 from 7pm to 9pm. This workshop is open to all — more details and how to register here: https://www.eventbrite.sg/e/aware-presents-an-active-bystander-workshop-tickets-1000560141317 @followers

Developing The Theatre Classics of Tomorrow | Wild Rice's New & Now
We’re so excited to introduce New & Now, a new initiative at Wild Rice dedicated to developing new and original writing for the Singapore stage in a structured, sustainable way. 🎭 We are so grateful to the pioneering batch of New & Now donors, who provided the seed funding when we soft-launched the initiative earlier this year. Because of their generosity, we were able to present Dive — a new play by Laura Hayes, and the first production supported by New & Now. 🌊 New plays are the lifeblood of our theatre industry, but they need time and a safe, nurturing environment to grow. New & Now will help us provide resources, guidance, and a platform for these playwrights to create a pipeline of exciting new shows for audiences in Singapore, and generations to come. Support New & Now and help Wild Rice discover and develop the theatre classics of tomorrow! For donations of $5,000 or more, enjoy invitations to get you closer to the drama, including special previews and sneak peeks into our creative and developmental process. Click here: https://www.wildrice.com.sg/how-you-can-help/new-and-now/ New & Now is proudly supported by the Tote Board Enhanced Fundraising Programme. Donations made between 13 July 2024 and 12 July 2025 will be matched dollar-for-dollar. (More info here: https://www.toteboard.gov.sg/grants/fund-raising-programme) @followers

Semoga Bahagia (May You Be Happy & Blessed) From the final performance of Don’t Call Him Mr. Mari Kita 31 August 2024

Julian Wong's Thank You Speech | Don't Call Him Mr. Mari Kita
When we say "It takes a village to stage a production", we really mean it! 🥹 Sharing Julian's incredible thank you speech from our final show at Don't Call Him Mr. Mari Kita last night. A production like this is only possible because of the sheer amount of people working tirelessly not just on stage, but backstage, in the office, in the bump-ins and bump-outs, and the organisations, companies, and individuals who have stepped up and supported us. We are so grateful to each and every one of you. THANK YOU! 🙏

Don't Call Him Mr. Mari Kita: Julian's Teachers
Happy Teachers' Day to all our amazing educators out there! Sharing this beautiful video from Julian Wong, where he talks about the two incredible teachers who had a profound impact on his life. 🥹 They both truly exemplify the spirit of Semoga Bahagia. Don't Call Him Mr. Mari Kita has always been a tribute not just to Zubir Said, but to all the teachers who have made a difference in our lives. ❤️ Read Julian's post here: "Happy Teachers’ Day! Last Saturday’s show was extra special as I had the chance to acknowledge two remarkable women who shaped my life: Ms. Sylvia Khoo, my very first music teacher 🎻, and Ms. Nabilah Rahim, my Primary 5 form teacher. 📚 I gave them both so much grief when I was a child. Sometimes, Aunty Sylvia would dismiss me from class before I even took out my violin: “if you don’t know how to show some respect, don’t bother playing a note.” Her tough love still resonates with me. During the show, she nodded and smiled when I talked about knuckles being caned and ears being pulled 😂 As an impudent child, I drove Ms. Nabilah — then fresh out of NIE — to tears. She punished me by sending me for a semester-long detention under her supervision. That was a turning point. I saw that she just wanted to understand me. When she found out I loved music, she made me perform in school and took me to watch Fantasia 2000. I realised that she was a person with feelings — just like me — and from then on, I promised to treat my teachers with respect and kindness. I’m grateful I learned that lesson when I was 11. It’s one of the hardest things for us to learn — our teachers are human, too. So many students leave school without ever understanding that. In a beautiful coincidence, both Sylvia and Nabilah attended the same show, and both sat in the first row! Seeing their beaming faces filled me with joy and deep gratitude. I hope they felt proud, knowing their efforts paid off — after so many years, I think this bo

Audiences adore Wild Rice's Don't Call Him Mr. Mari Kita! | Must End 31 August 2024
"𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆... 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗺𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘂𝘁𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗮𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗮 𝗠𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘆𝘂/𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗮." — Yunita Ong “𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗳𝘂𝗹, 𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹, 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗵. 𝗜 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗣𝗮𝗸 𝗭𝘂𝗯𝗶𝗿’𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻’𝘀 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝘆 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 – 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝘆 𝗱𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗼. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗻.” — Datuk Ramli Sarip “𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂, 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗼𝗼𝘁𝘀, 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲.” — Charmaine Seah-Ong Thank you to everyone who’s joined us

The last time we staged 𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐇𝐢𝐦 𝐌𝐫. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢 𝐊𝐢𝐭𝐚 in 2022, we were completely floored by all the love from audiences and the moving standing ovations every night. 🥹 Many of you asked for it to be brought back, and some even asked if we could time it to the National Day celebrations — so we did! 🇸🇬 Just like we talked about in 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞, the Singapore story is not just 𝙤𝙣𝙚 single story. It’s made up of many stories, and Zubir Said’s story is a very important one that we’d like to share with you. We hope you’ll be able to join us this month and hear it. ❤️ Returning for one final hurrah — no more extensions or re-stagings — is 𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐇𝐢𝐦 𝐌𝐫. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢 𝐊𝐢𝐭𝐚 presented by New Bahru, running till 31 August 2024! Tickets here: https://bit.ly/dchmmk-fb @followers

Director Ivan Heng on Bringing Zubir Said's Legacy To Life | Don’t Call Him Mr. Mari Kita
Director Ivan Heng was so moved by Julian’s 35-minute concert at the National Gallery back in 2019 — spurring him to work with Julian to bring this incredible show to the Wild Rice theatre. Five years and a critically acclaimed sell-out run later, we have 𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐇𝐢𝐦 𝐌𝐫. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢 𝐊𝐢𝐭𝐚 — a full-length production with a songbook of Zubir Said’s long-lost work, complete with the style and glamour of a 1960s television variety show and archival footage of Singapore’s golden age of cinema. Watch this video interview with Ivan to find out more! 🎶 The final season of 𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐇𝐢𝐦 𝐌𝐫. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐢 𝐊𝐢𝐭𝐚, presented by New Bahru, opens TOMORROW and runs till 31 August. Book your tickets now: https://bit.ly/dchmmk-fb @followers