Boiler Room 2014 Timeline

Boiler Room 2014 is the inaugural cycle that was launched in April 2014. As a pilot programme, the process is continually under refinement to ensure that a robust yet valuable framework is provided to guide playwrights in developing their ideas/text.

The timeline below documents the Boiler Room 2014 process:

BR2014 was launched on 7 April 2014

07 Apr 2014
BR2014: Open Call for Playwrights
The pilot 2014 cycle of the Boiler Room is a 9-12 months project-specific content creation incubation programme.

This cycle focuses on ideas/scripts/texts written in English that are in development or intending to be developed for theatre. The intended outcome of the programme is the completion of read-ready drafts of the projects.

The process begins with an open call for playwrights from 7 April 2014 to 7 June 2014. All successful idea/scripts/texts invited will go through:
• 3 month Research Phase (7 July 2014 – 7 Oct 2014)
• 3 month Construction Phase (7 Oct 2014 – 7 Jan 2015)
• 4-week Writing Period ( 7 Jan 2015 – 7 Feb 2015)

Read more about the Open Call application process and FAQ here.
07 Jun 2014
BR2014: End of Open Call
After a 2-month open call period, Boiler Room (Cycle 2014) received 28 applications.
08 Jun 2014
BR2014: Evaluation, Shortlist and Interviews
The selection panel comprised of Dr KK Seet, Nelson Chia (of Nine Years Theatre), Casey Lim (our resident director), Dr Robin Loon (our resident dramaturg). Over the period of one month, the panel reviewed all submissions and interviewed shortlisted applicants.
07 Jul 2014
BR2014: Playwrights Selected
On 7 July 2014, we announced and welcomed our inaugural group of Boiler Room Playwrights:

[L-R]: Suzanne, Bryan, Daniel
Daniel Chan Yee An for “Inside the Box”
Suzanne Choo for“Working Spaces” (working title)
Bryan Tan for “Paper Tigers”

Special thanks goes out to Dr KK Seet and Nelson Chia (Nine Years Theatre) for their valuable feedback and contributions as part of the selection panel alongside our resident director Casey Lim and resident dramaturg Dr Robin Loon.

Read more about the Boiler Room 2014 Playwrights and their ideas here.
15 Jul 2014
BR2014: Research Phase Begins
BR playwrights commenced the 1st phase of the programme – a 3-month long Research period – where they investigate and research on plays, writing techniques and the subject material of their ideas. Weekly meetings are held with our programme stewards Casey Lim and Dr Robin Loon to discuss the playwrights’ reflections on their progress and assignments.
07 Oct 2014
BR2014: Research Phase Ends
The playwrights’ last assignment for the Research Phase was to reflect upon the 3 months past and pen down those thoughts.

Personal reflections about the process:
from Daniel Chan
from Bryan Tan
from Suzanne Choo

They take a short break before continuing on to the next phase of the journey.
28 Oct 2014
BR2014: Construction Phase
The 2nd phase of the BR play-writing journey – the Construction period – is 3 months long. In this period, BRplaywrights will look into developing characters, and compose the structure of their plays.

This phase is ongoing until early January 2015.
07 Jan 2015
BR2014: Writing Phase
The actual writing begins here. BRplaywrights dedicate 4 weeks of putting pen to paper to complete the draft(s) of their scripts. Their final drafts were submitted on 7 Feb 2015, and reviewed with the help of external assessor Haresh Sharma, resident playwright of The Necessary Stage.
07 Feb 2015
BR2014: Review Phase Begins
The review phase evaluates the first drafts of the scripts from perspectives and expertise of an established playwright, a practicing director and experienced actor(s).

For the 2014 cycle, playwright Haresh Sharma will provide his critique to all three BRplaywrights’ scripts. Directors involved are identified and invited by the two Boiler Room stewards. In this phase, each BRplaywright’s script will be scrutinized by a different director. The directors will then recommend and cast the actors required for the script.

A test-read is conducted for each script. The test-read serves as a platform for the director and actors to investigate the text, without the direct involvement of the script’s playwright. During the session, the playwright and invited observers will first be immersed in the dramatized reading as audience, then participate in a critical discussion on the script.

After receiving separate sets of feedback – one from Haresh, one from the test-read director and actors – the BRplaywright and Centre 42 team will then decide if the script will go on to be prepared for a trial presentation for content producers, or to be further worked on in the review stage.
- Edith Podesta will be directing BRplaywright Daniel Chan’s test-read on 28 March 2015.
- Nelson Chia will be directing BRplaywright Suzanne Choo’s test-read on 18 April 2015.
- BRplaywright Bryan Tan is on a parallel review track that requires additional drafting time, due to the complexity of the material.
More information about the test-reads to follow. Stay tuned!
28 Mar 2015
BR2014: Test-Read of Daniel Chan's "Reprieve"
The test-read of the script written by Daniel Chan, titled “Reprieve”, was directed by Edith Podesta and read by actors Crispian Chan, Chng Xin Xuan, Siti Nur Shafiqhah and Timothy Nga.

The cast rehearsed for 3 days without the involvement of the playwright and presented their interpretation of the play as penned in the playwright’s words on paper. After the read, a lively discussion ensued among the director, actors, playwright and invited observers. Questions were asked by the cast to clarify the playwright’s intention and ideas behind the characters and world he conceived.

Actors (L-R): Timothy Nga, Siti Nur Shafiqhah, Crispian Chan, Chng Xin Xuan

Post-Read Discussion with invited observers

Read about BR playwright Daniel Chan’s reflections post the Test-Read here.

This play-script will undergo revision and will next be staged in a closed-door Trial Presentation in May 2015. Daniel has updated the play’s title to “Go, Going”.
18 Apr 2015
BR2014: Test-Read of Suzanne Choo's "Lost Words"
The test-read of the script written by Suzanne Choo, titled “Lost Words”, was directed by Nelson Chia and read by actors Dwayne Lau, Mia Chee, Hang Qian Chou, Prem John, Nora Samosir and Jean Toh.

[L-R] Nelson Chia, Mia Chee, Hang Qian Chou, Dwayne Lau, Prem John, Jean Toh, Nora Samosir
The cast rehearsed for 3 days without the involvement of the playwright and presented their interpretation of the play as penned in the playwright’s words on paper. A discussion among the director, actors and invited observers followed after the live read. The entire session was recorded for the purposes of review by the playwright as Suzanne was unable to be present during the Test-Read session.

Read about BR playwright Suzanne Choo’s reflections post the Test-Read here.

This play-script will undergo revision by the playwright. Details of its next-stage development will be announced soon.
14 May 2015
BR2014: Trial-Presentation of Daniel Chan's "Go, Going"
2 months after the 1st test-read of his script “Reprieve”, playwright Daniel Chan went on to edit it with inputs received from Haresh Sharma and feedback heard from the 1st test-read.

The updated playscript, with a revised titled “Go, Going” was then presented as a dramatised read-performance in a closed-door Trial Presentation. Directed by Edith Podesta and performed by Eugene Tan, Nur Shafiqhah, Chng Xin Xuan, Dominic Ng, Chanel Chan, Neo Swee Lin and Lian Sutton.

Dramatised Reading directed by Edith Podesta

The trial presentation was attended by invited observers and producers.

Further to this session, feedback was provided to Daniel separately. He then embarked on another phase of revision to the play. With regular consultation sessions with Casey and Robin over the following 8 months, Daniel crystalised his ideas and storytelling into his final draft script, titled “The Pagan’s Progress”.

The Boiler Room journey for Daniel comes to a close at this juncture.

An interview with BR playwright Daniel Chan on his 1.5 year journey will be shared soon.
20 Mar 2016
BR2014: Test-Read of Bryan Tan's "Paper Tigers"
The test-read of the script written by Bryan Tan, titled “Paper Tigers”, was directed by Casey Lim and read by actors Koh Boon Pin, Ian Tan and Ali Khan.

Table Read and Discussion

This was a table read where actors, playwright, director and invited observers sat together at the table listening to the text performed by the actors. After the read, a serious discussion ensued at the table where questions and suggestions were directed to the playwright to clarify his intention in certain scenes and play structure.

The Boiler Room journey for Bryan comes to a close at this juncture. There were invaluable feedback received at this test-read which we hope Bryan will take into consideration when he develops “Paper Tigers” further.

An interview with BR playwright Bryan Tan on his 1.5 year journey will be shared soon.
12 Apr 2016
BR2014: 2nd Test-Read of Suzanne Choo's "Lost Words"
After spending almost another 9 months rewriting her script, Suzanne Choo submitted an updated draft of the play in January 2016. The title remains as “Lost Words”; the premise of the play has changed, the characters all new. This 2nd test-read was directed by Timothy Nga and read by actors Pavan Singh, Erwin Shah Ismail, Karen Tan, Zee Wong and Serene Chen.

[L-R] Serene Chen, Erwin Shah Ismail, Karen Tan
A discussion among the playwright, director, actors and invited observers followed after the live read.

While the Boiler Room journey for Suzanne comes to a close at this juncture, the invaluable feedback received along the way will continue to help her shape this important story about Literature and its impact in our society.

An interview with BR playwright Suzanne Choo on her 1.5 year journey will be shared soon.