About BRIDGING THE GAP (BTG) Collective
BRIDGING THE GAP (BTG) is an initiative started by renowned Singapore industry professionals Alvin Tan, Rebekah Sangeetha Dorai and A Yagnya. BTG is a new platform where students graduating from theatre institutions are given the opportunities to interact and work with established theatre practitioners and designers, as they transition into the industry proper.
Presently, there are very few platforms that facilitate this interface, and most fresh graduates face the industry very squarely without much aid. Being inexperienced and vulnerable, some are exposed to being exploited, and although trained, are usually not industry-ready.
OUR MISSION
BTG provides a safe space for graduates to practise and hone their skills by working with experienced practitioners. By so doing, skills and invaluable information as to how to navigate the industry gets transferred. This platform also enables a rich exchange of talents, in turn contributing to research and development for new innovative works that can stand in both local and international arenas.
OUR VISION
Part of its vision is to invite experienced industry-based theatre practitioners; including but not limited to set, lighting, sound, multimedia and costume designers to work with performers, and to have interns shadow these professionals in their respective disciplines/fields. Through this approach, it provides a gradual and meaningful transition from theatre-training institutions into the industry, especially since we would be working hand in hand with professional theatre venues.
As we progress as a collective, we also hope to address pressing issues in our local theatre scene, such as cross-cultural gaps and interdisciplinary gaps. In that way, we hope to constantly evolve and morph as a collective to constantly answer to the calls of “Today’s Needs”.
Under the mentorship guidance of Cultural Medallion recipient (2014) and Founder/Artistic Director of The Necessary Stage, Alvin Tan, the core group of three people will facilitate the BTG collective. In the long run, we hope to welcome members who are keen to lend their strengths to BTG’s mission and vision
Hence, this is why we need your help!
It is instrumental for this project and subsequent festivals to be supported by ardent sponsors and partners in order to ensure its sustainability. We believe that through our generous support in line with our focus on Development for the Arts and Education, we will be able to provides an excellent ground for the germination and development of a larger festival annually that provides access to graduates to 1) create productions that reflect their unique growth and voice, 2) explore and investigate their growth or limitations via workshops, and 3) develop meaningful connections that is based on friendship and nurturement, as opposed to the current climate of fear.
Through your generous support, funds raised in this campaign will go towards cover our project expenses such as venue rental , production materials (set, props, costumes), and honorarium fees for professional and emerging artists etc, required to run our programs to bridge the gap today!
Meet the Core Team
(From left to right: A Yagnya, Rebekah Sangeetha Dorai, Alvin Tan, and Charlinda Pereira)
ALVIN TAN
Alvin is the Founder and Artistic Director of The Necessary Stage. He was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship, and in 1998, was conferred the Young Artist Award. In 2010, Alvin was conferred the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres. In 2014, he was conferred the Cultural Medallion.
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A YAGNYA
A Yagnya is a theatre maker and Japanese translator.
Yagnya has directed (Pistachios and Whipped Cream, and Red Shoes and Raichos), written her own play (Between 5 Cows and the Deep Blue Sea...), co-written for GroundZ_0 (Prism of Truth), interpreted for ITI’s Noh theatre module, and acted in Grace Kalaiselvi’s Goddesses of Words: Angry Indian Women. Yagnya is also in The Necessary Stage’s Playwright Cove 2020, led by Haresh Sharma where she has developed a new play (Hi, Can You Hear Me?).
Come Kaypoh her IG @iggyeggieggyagnya
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REBEKAH SANGEETHA DORAI
Rebekah Sangeetha Dorai is an actor, singer and voiceover artist. Speaking up on issues of race, sexuality and faith, her show Building A Character was sold out at the Singapore Theatre Festival (2018), and featured as The Business Time’s Top 3 Theatre picks of the Year. She also scored a Best Supporting Actress nomination at the Life! Theatre Awards Singapore for her multi-character turn in Three Fat Virgins (2019). Other credits include the 2020 National Day Parade, “Who’s There?” (The Transit Ensemble), Merdeka (Wild Rice), Miss British (Art of Strangers, Esplanade), and Eloquence (Theatreworks).
Following Sangeetha Sings Sinatra - Live at the Esplanade, her next solo concert, Sangeetha and Simone, is slated for 2021. She was recently seen in 7cm (directed by K. Rajagopal) and will next be starring in Moonrise Sunset, set to premiere globally in spring 2022.
Follow her work @ms.dorai,
and reels at www.msdorai.com.
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CHARLINDA PEREIRA
Charlyn Linda Pereira (aka Charlinda Pereira) is a producer, production manager and stage manager with experiences in commercial and community projects in Singapore.
Her recent works includes 7cm Short Film by K.Rajagopal (2020); Being Mrs Gandhi by HuM Theatre (2019); Acting Mad by The Necessary Stage (2019); Don't Let the Sun Go Down Me by Pantheon Media & National Council of Social Service (2019).
Trained in Events Management (ITE), Arts Management (Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts & Lasalle College of the Arts), and Technical Theatre (Esplanade), she continues to actively contribute to the arts and entertainment scene - building many strong positive relationships in the scene as a young entrepreneur and budding arts practitioner.
Connect with her on LinkedIn!
Our Upcoming Production
New Dates to be Announced
Register your Interest to Enjoy Early Bird Offer HERE !
Synopsis
“Cyril & Michael” explores the rich histories which intersect upon a chance encounter between two strangers. Over the course of one night as souls struggle to find ways to meaningfully connect, stories of their pasts are swapped, vulnerabilities laid bare, and secrets unveiled. As they spar about race, sexuality, love and heartbreak, they grow to understand each other more deeply, opening up the potential for a profound relationship between them.
RATING TO BE ADVISED
Written by
Theo Chen
Directed by
Rebekah Sangeetha Dorai
Performed By
Peter Zazzali as Michael
Ezra Kamal as Cyril
*Live Performance subjected to Covid-19 regulations,
in event of cancellation, all tickets will be refunded.
Our Past Productions
Synopsis
3 women, and 1 man’s hanging for drug trafficking.
Prem, a criminal lawyer who chose not to defend the accused.
Liting, an intern at an arts company who witnessed the crime.
Priya, an activist and daughter of the accused.
subTITLED 1.0 explores the intertwining stories of these 3 women.
Could things have ended differently? What are the choices these women need to grapple with? Was there ever a right path to take? The play presents you with no answers; Simply an intricate web of 3 women’s stories to give you more moral dilemmas to contend with.
Advisory 16 (Mature Content and Coarse Language)
Performed by
Rebekah Sangeetha Dorai
Indumathi Tamilselvan
Melva Lee Ke Ying
Directed by Alvin Tan
Written by A Yagnya
Performance Details
17 - 20 Feb 2021 at The Substation, Singapore
Press Coverage
https://bakchormeeboy.com/2021/02/24/review-subtitled-1-0-by-bridging-the-gap/
https://www.straitstimes.com/life/arts/embracing-the-unknown
https://artsequator.com/cakap-cakap-subtitled-1-0-charlinda-pereira-rebekah-sangeetha-dorai/
Available on Video On Demand NOW!