Ong Keng Sen

ONG KENG SEN

Ong Keng Sen is credited with creating some ofSingapore's most memorable productions and for influencing a generation of young theatre practitioners.

Artistic Director ofTheatreWorks since 1988, Ong created seminal musicals and comedies such as "Beauty World", ''Army Daze - The Movie" and "Private Parts". He paved the way for unique site-specific productions, with performances such as "Trojan Women" held in Bukit Timah quarry. Ong also explored new forms, integrating the aesthetics and styles of Chinese Opera into the 1988 production "Three Children". Ong's "Writers' Laboratory" has fostered playwrights such as Eleanor Wong and Chay Yew. Ong was also the pioneer adjunct lecturer at the National University ofSingapore for the Theatre Studies programme, and helped to devise a module for the programme.

Through The Flying Circus Project, Ong has brought together Asian practitioners in contemporary and traditional arts to create works which express the multiple realities and hybridism within Asia. "Lear" and "The Global Soul The Buddha Project" emerged through these processes and have toured to cities in Asia, Europe and Australia to critical acclaim.

Ong has placed Singapore on the world map with productions like "Madame Mao's Memories", "Beauty World", "The Spirits Play" and "The Continuum: Beyond the Killing Fields". He is the first Southeast Asian director to be presented at the prestigious Lincoln Centre in New York City. His production "Search: Hamlet" was made specifically for world renowned Kronburg Castle in Denmark, the original home of Hamlet. In 2001, Ong was invited to create and curate "In Transit", a multi­ disciplinary, transcultural arts festival in Berlin.

A Fulbright scholar, Ong is the holder of several foundation fellowships, including those from the Japan Foundation, British Council and German Academic Exchange.

Ong received the Young Artist Award in 1992 and was presented with the Singapore Youth Award in 2000. He also received the Excellence for Singapore Award (Arts) in 2003. In June of the same year, Ong was conferred the Distinguished Artist Award by the International Society for the Performing Arts.

ONG KENG SEN

Ong Keng Sen is credited with creating some ofSingapore's most memorable productions and for influencing a generation of young theatre practitioners.

Artistic Director ofTheatreWorks since 1988, Ong created seminal musicals and comedies such as "Beauty World", ''Army Daze - The Movie" and "Private Parts". He paved the way for unique site-specific productions, with performances such as "Trojan Women" held in Bukit Timah quarry. Ong also explored new forms, integrating the aesthetics and styles of Chinese Opera into the 1988 production "Three Children". Ong's "Writers' Laboratory" has fostered playwrights such as Eleanor Wong and Chay Yew. Ong was also the pioneer adjunct lecturer at the National University ofSingapore for the Theatre Studies programme, and helped to devise a module for the programme.

Through The Flying Circus Project, Ong has brought together Asian practitioners in contemporary and traditional arts to create works which express the multiple realities and hybridism within Asia. "Lear" and "The Global Soul The Buddha Project" emerged through these processes and have toured to cities in Asia, Europe and Australia to critical acclaim.

Ong has placed Singapore on the world map with productions like "Madame Mao's Memories", "Beauty World", "The Spirits Play" and "The Continuum: Beyond the Killing Fields". He is the first Southeast Asian director to be presented at the prestigious Lincoln Centre in New York City. His production "Search: Hamlet" was made specifically for world renowned Kronburg Castle in Denmark, the original home of Hamlet. In 2001, Ong was invited to create and curate "In Transit", a multi­ disciplinary, transcultural arts festival in Berlin.

A Fulbright scholar, Ong is the holder of several foundation fellowships, including those from the Japan Foundation, British Council and German Academic Exchange.

Ong received the Young Artist Award in 1992 and was presented with the Singapore Youth Award in 2000. He also received the Excellence for Singapore Award (Arts) in 2003. In June of the same year, Ong was conferred the Distinguished Artist Award by the International Society for the Performing Arts.