.....Since its inception in 2008, Keelat Theatre Ensemble has remained autonomous and progressive.....It continues to give Islam a voice in theatre, delving into issues pertinent and relevant to all audiences with productions that have been described as insightful yet accessible, open-ended yet well-grounded, and opinionated yet thought-provoking, and in-so-doing bridge differences of ethnicity,
economic status, intellectual capacity, culture and spirituality.....Its commitment is to "proclaim in the name of thy Lord and Cherisher who created", while bearing in mind "and thy Lord do thou magnify".....Along with its main Keelat Season for the discerning audience, under its wings are
Halilintar Project - interactive theatre for youth,
Pelangi Project - participatory theatre for families and especially children,
Awan Project - education and outreach,
and
Taufan Project - international touring season.
~Keelat Season~
....Keelat Theatre Ensemble first broke new ground with the 2009 mosque premiere of “AL-IKHLAS (SINCERITY) - a monologue in seven acts re-introducing God”. It was re-staged in 2010 as part of the event-based exhibition Berita Harian - Utusan Melayu curated by President’s Young Artist Award recipient Zack Razak, and has thus far toured seven mosques around Singapore. In 2011, under Taufan Project, it had its international theatrical premiere in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.....In 2012, Keelat Theatre Ensemble again broke new ground with the madrasah premiere of “twOOceans - an Experiential Caravan Theatre of the story of Moses at the Junction of the Two Oceans”. It also has since toured seven mosques.....In 2013, Keelat Theatre Ensemble scored another first with the launch of the “Women of” Series - theatre productions about women, for women and by women. “WOMEN OF PEACE - from the Qur’an” toured five mosques and was also performed at The Arts House’s Literally 9 Festival to all-female audiences. The series continued in 2014 with “WOMEN OF SUCCESS - from the Hadith” which toured five mosques and in 2015 with "WOMEN OF HONOUR - Mothers of Scholars" which toured three mosques.....2014 saw the launch of the “t & t” Series. “theatre & tazkirah: NOT THIS GARDEN - True Success in Islam” was performed in two mosques and its Malay version “theatre & tazkirah: BUKAN KEBUN YANG INI - Kejayaan Hakiki dalam Islam” was performed at another.....In early 2015, after a four-month long devising process with its Artistic Director, Keelat Theatre Ensemble debuted its all-male performing ensemble - made up entirely of alumni of LIVING IQRAA - with “3 or 5 or 7 and their Dog”. Incidentally, this was the third production inspired by Surah al-Kahf from the Qur'an.....Marking its seventh Anniversary, Keelat Theatre Ensemble staged "ABANG SAED", for the first time written in Malay, performed by a mixed ensemble and presented as part of a mosque event at Al-Taqua Mosque's Ma'al Hijrah 1437 celebrations.
~Halilintar Project~
....In 2011, Halilintar Project began conducting LIVING IQRAA - a Youth Leadership Theatre Immersion programme, and embarked on the ambitious “N.A.M.E. - Noah, Abraham, Mary & mE”. Spread over fifteen months between 2011 and 2012, with the major support from MENDAKI’s CLF LABS, it produced four presentations by participants aged thirteen to twenty-three: “Stories of Mary” on 24th December 2011 at En-Naeem Mosque, “Stories of Abraham” on 30th December 2011 at Jamiyah Ar-Rabitah Mosque, “Hanya Mampu Berdoa” on 4th March 2012 at Jamiyah Ar-Rabitah Mosque and “Stories of Noah” on 9th June 2012 at The Kahf.....Halilintar Project rounded off 2012 with the completion of LIVING IQRAA Season 2.1 - “Stories of Moses” and LIVING IQRAA Season 2.2 - “Stories of Moses: The Women”, again with the support of MENDAKI’s CLF LABS. In 2013, LIVING IQRAA Season 2.3 and LIVING IQRAA 2.4 were conducted, and in 2014, with the support of Pwee Foundation, participants aged thirteen to seventeen from PERTAPIS Centre for Women and Girls presented “Stories of the Family of Imran”.
~Pelangi Project~
....Pelangi Project’s “SINGAPORE MALAY HISTORICAL LEGENDS” began its mysterious magical journey with the premiere of “UTAMA PARAMESWARA Sya'ir” at the World Islamic Economic Forum’s Marketplace of Creative Arts in 2011.....Immediately following that, “UTAMA PARAMESWARA Sya'ir”, “RADEN MAS AYU Sya'ir” and “HAJJAH FATIMAH Sya'ir” were commissioned by Malay Heritage Centre as part of “ter-ba-BOM!” in conjunction with National Heritage Board's “Children's Season”.....In 2012, “HAJJAH FATIMAH Sya'ir” and “HANG NADIM Sya'ir” were commissioned as part of Malay Heritage Centre’s “Neighbourhood Sketches” and later that year, “RADEN MAS AYU Sya'ir” and “HAJJAH FATIMAH Sya'ir” were commissioned by Majlis Pusat as part of “Hari Raya Light Up”.....This journey has come almost full circle with the performance of "UTAMA PARAMESWARA Sya'ir" at The Arts Open House at the Arts House in 2015.
~Awan Project~
....Since 2008, Awan Project’s growing list of clients has included
Abdul Hamid Kampung Pasiran Mosque,
Al-Mawaddah Mosque,
Central North Mosque Cluster,
En-Naeem Mosque,
Intercultural Theatre Institute,
Jamiyah Ar-Rabitah Mosque,
LASALLE College of the Arts,
Majlis Pusat,
Malay Heritage Centre,
MENDAKI,
Muhammadiyah Welfare Home,
PERTAPIS Centre for Women and Girls,
PPIS (Singapore Muslim Women’s Association),
Pwee Foundation,
Singapore Art Museum,
South East Mosque Cluster,
The Substation,
University of Buffalo, New York,
and
Young AMP (Association of Muslim Professionals).
