The ACT 3 Theatrics Story
40 years of theatre magic...
In July 1984, 3 friends (R Chandran, Ruby Lim-Yang and Jasmin S Simon) came together to form Singapore's first professional theatre company; ACT 3 Theatrics. At a time when professional actors were hard to come by and the idea of a children's theatre company was unimaginable to most, the 3 founders were determined to provide a space for young ones to experience the wonders of drama.
Starting with singing telegrams (in offices and homes) and birthday party performances (in living rooms and parks), ACT 3 Theatrics grew in size and prominence, eventually having their own premises and staging original plays in Singapore's biggest theatres. Most notable was 'Makanplace', Singapore's first locally produced musical which was staged at the Victoria Theatre in 1988. School assembly performances and collaborations with large corporations meant that adults and children all over Singapore got to experience their storytelling magic.
For the next 40 years, ACT 3 Theatrics paved the way for children's drama education and theatre, and has left their mark on both the theatre industry and the hearts of many Singaporeans. Many of the country's top actors and arts practitioners began their own journeys here and future generations of actors are emerging. Now into its fourth decade, ACT 3 Theatrics continues putting children first and introduces drama to new generations in evolved ways. Swipe through our photo gallery to see snapshots of the ACT 3 journey.
Click here to view our company milestones
The Team
R. Chandran
Founder - Director
As one of the founders of
ACT 3 Theatrics, R Chandran is a revered theatre practitioner in Singapore. A professional writer, actor and director, he has written more than 150 full-length and short plays, animation & TV scripts. He also authored "I have touched the moon", "The world on her knees" and other books for children and teenagers. As an educator, he has created and facilitated numerous programmes for pre-school, special education and primary school children. Chandran is a member of the National Arts Council's 'Arts Creation Fund' panel, and mentors BA graduate students from Lasalle College of the Arts. A working TV and theatre actor till today, he is known for his role on Mediacorp Channel 5's 'Meet the MP', and was recently featured as the main storyteller at the 2016 National Day Parade.
Amy J Cheng
Creative Director
Amy is a prominent actress in Singapore and co-owner of ACT 3 Theatrics. She has a Graduate Diploma in Primary Education (High Distinction) from Murdoch University and has been nominated for both Television and Theatre Awards. As ACT 3 Theatrics' primary programme developer, she has conceptualised and taught many drama programmes for mainstream and special needs schools, welfare homes and collaborated with corporations and government agencies. She is also the author and illustrator for two children's books ('Silly Snigger Stripe Riper' & 'The World on Her Knees'). A working actress till today, Amy is most known for her role in Singapore's classic TV series 'Growing Up' and the recent Hollywood Blockbuster Hit 'Crazy Rich Asians' (2018).