LIFE / Art
Ittookeightattempts(andmany
missedchanceswithsuchlocationsas
CapitolTheatre)beforeWildRicefinally
foundahometocallitsownatFunan
mall—theresultofwhatexecutivedirector
TonyTrickettcalls“anaudaciousproposal”
todeveloperCapitaLandforathree-storey,
20,000sqftspacecomprisinga358-seat
theatre,a60-seatperformancestudio,
rehearsalroomsandthetheatrecompany’s
administrativeoffice.
Trickettmanagestherunningofthe
companyand,forthepastthreeyears,
wastheprojectdirectorforthebuilding
ofthe$15mtheatre,alongsidefounding
artisticdirectorIvanHeng,Singapore
architecturestudio,ZarchCollaboratives,
andinternationaltheatredesignconsultancy,
Charcoalblue.“Asaproducingtheatre
company,it’simportantforWildRiceto
haveourownspace,asitgivesusmore
flexibilityonhowmanyshowswecan
produceinayear,”Trickettexplained.
Headdedthatthiswouldalsoallow
theteamtogettoknowthespacemore
intimatelyandtakecreativitytoanother
level.“Wehaveshowscomingupthat
arequitetechnicallyadvanced.For
example,someofthecastofPeterPan
inSerangoonGardenswillbeflyingfrom
thegridlevel—that’sgoingtobequite
extraordinaryforaudiences.”
Itisthankstothegeneroussupportofits
patronsthatWildRicehasseenitsdream
ofbuildingahomeforSingaporetheatre
becomereality.However,itisstill$1.5m
shortofitstarget,andisthusmakinga
publicappealtoraisetheremainingamount.
Ticketsalesaside,thebulkofthecompany’s
incomecomesthroughfundraisingaswellas
governmentgrants.
AccordingtoTrickett,ensuringthe
viabilityandsustainabilityofthecompany
is“goingtobeourbiggestchallengemoving
forwardasweputoutthebestworkpossible
andkeepraisingthestandardsoftheartand
artists.Alotofworkwillgointoeducation,
notjustforyouths,butalsoartists.We
wouldliketoraisethegameandcontinue
togrow,notnecessarilyinnumbers,but
thetypeofworkthatwedoandreach
thatwehave.”THE CAPTAIN
TONY TRICKETT, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR210 singapore tatler. october 2019