FOR THE RECORD | by Charlene Shepherdson and Cheyenne Alexandria Phillips

Meet long-time friends, Ana and Kate. When their cousins marry, they turned from friends to family. But with a new child on the way, Ana’s and Kate’s friendship is tested, especially when they both want to be the Godmother. Obviously, there can be only one.

Watch Kate and Ana bicker their way through what it means to grow up Eurasian in Singapore, the challenges they face and the things they want to change.

For the Record is written and performed by Charlene Shepherdson and Cheyenne Phillips using elements of spoken word, poetry and ethnodrama. Come join us for an evening of stories: of family, culture and history.

For the Record is a three-part documentation project comprising a spoken-word performance, an exhibition, and a manuscript. The project explores the Eurasian identity in a time of great flux and online instances of xenophobia. How do Eurasians fit into the future of Singapore when their day-to-day experiences are met with questions such as “What’s a Eurasian?”, “Where are you from?” and “If you are Singaporean, then why do you look like that?” 

Phase 1:
The performance is envisioned as a one-hour show combining spoken word with ethno-drama techniques. Also titled For the Record, the performance is based on personal stories, historical transcripts, academic research and interviews with Eurasians living in Singapore. The narrative revolves around the contributions of pioneer Eurasians in pre-and post-independence eras and discusses the aspirations of Gen X Millennial Eurasians. The performance will take place on Feb 17 & 18 at The Arts House Play Den.

Phase 2:
(pre)position focuses on how identity is at times forged by a sense of place. Hidden in old enclaves and stomping grounds of Singapore Eurasians is a mountain of memories of family, friends and the occasional party. Learn about the history of these places – such as Waterloo Street, Katong/Joo Chiat areas, Selegie Road and Serangoon – and relive these memories with us.

Phase 3:
A final manuscript of the project will also be published, to serve as a record of contemporary Eurasian identity in present-day Singapore.

Performer – Charlene Shepherdson
Charlene Shepherdson is a performance poet and dramaturg interested in the intersection where heritage, technology and environment meet. She uses language in written, performative and visual forms to build communities and grow voices. Her words have been published in the Straits Times and in poetry anthologies by Math Paper Press, Ethos Books and Pillow Book Media.

As ⅓ of the spacer.gif collective, she runs destination: INK, a monthly open openmic. She is also a founding member of spoken word troupe, Party Action People and cofacilitates spoken word collective, Ministry of Noise.

Charlene’s day job as a Senior Learning Designer is an added advantage for this project as it has equipped her with the facilitation, technical and interactive narrative skills needed for the devising of the show.

Performer – Cheyenne Alexandria Phillips
Cheyenne Alexandria Phillips is an environmentalist by day, performance poet by night and on occasion she hangs out in the control rooms of black boxes, lighting various stages. She is a founder and editor at Coffee Stained Press and has been published in their first anthology Words: Lost and Found (2016). She has performed at destination: INK and SPEAK. as a feature and was part of the production team for (Mono)play (2014) by Yellow Chair Productions and Why Do We Do What We Do (2014) and Bi(cara) (2016) by Pink Gajah Theatre.

Cheyenne believes in using her writing and creative instincts to bring to light different perspectives of a particular issue. While her writing typically focuses around her interest in the environment and her personal experiences, other social issues have made their way into her work. With anything, Cheyenne hopes to be the line in the story that makes you reconsider your views on the world.