Interview by Music Maxout

Incubating New Musicals

Music Maxout September 2005

Singapore's Musical Theater

Musical theater in Singapore is 17 years old. The first musicals by Singaporeans, Makan Place and Beauty World, were written in 1988, which is surprisingly recent. Although there have been productions in Singapore way before that, they have been imported musicals. Since 1988, there has been a trickle of new musicals, averaging about 3 per year. Generally the styles of the musicals imitated the more melodic Broadway and West End composers, rather than the lyric-intelligent style of Stephen Sondheim.

Perhaps the most prominent composer of Singapore musicals is singer-songwriter Dick Lee. His portfolio includes Beauty World (1988), Sing to the Dawn (1996), A Twist of Fate (1997), and Forbidden City (2004). Currently the longest-running and most traveled musical is Chang and Eng (1997), with music composed by Ken Low. Since its premiere in Singapore, this musical has been to Malaysia, Thailand, and China. Ken Lyen has been one of the most prolific composers for musical theatre in Singapore, and has written such musicals as Big Bang! (1995), Yum Sing! (1999), Temptations (2000), and Sayang (2001). As for bookwriters, among the more prominent are Ming Wong who wrote Chang and Eng, and Michael Chiang who wrote Beauty World and Mortal Sins. Dick Lee and Ken Low write their own lyrics. The more well established choreographers include Najip Ali who choreographed Beauty World and Mortal Sins, and Gani Abdul Karim choreographed Sing to the Dawn and Song of the Whale.

Collaborative Art

Musical theater is one of the most difficult art forms. Unlike movies where the director might be the most powerful person in the team, musical theater is truly a collaboration among equals. The creators, director, choreographer, performers, designers, technical staff, stage manager, and others, all play important roles in creating a musical. If all these elements work, you may have a little masterpiece. Failure in any one area may drag the musical down.

Because the team is so large, the production cost starts off at a high level. Add to that the cost of theater rental, the cost of sets, sound and lighting, and the total expenditure can be awesome.

The main source of income for a musical comes from ticket sales. Failure to achieve substantial sales will result in a negative bottom line. Unfortunately most musicals lose money. Were it not from sponsors, theater companies cannot survive this loss. Therefore investment in musicals is a high-risk venture. This has resulted in very few new musicals being performed.

Five Foot Broadway

To redress the problem of the paucity of new musicals being staged in Singapore, I came up with the idea of incubating new musicals. Called Five Foot Broadway, this became a collaboration between the Musical Theatre Society, UAN, and The Next Stage. The aim was to ignite the creation of new musicals and to nurture them until they could be presented to the public. We matched writers with composers to write a musical. Then we added a director to each team. Singers and actors were auditioned, and gradually the teams grew until they reached their full complement. To keep production costs low, no-frills performances were given. This meant no sets, no costumes, and minimal props. It was back to basics, where the music, story, singing and acting were paramount.

The Shows

We started off incubating seven musicals, and five managed to meet our deadlines for completion. They were of quite different genres. Heartstrings, written by Jack Tan with music by Sean Wong, is a heartwarming story about a elderly violinist and his young protégé. Don’t Say I Do is a story of a wedding planner who is asked to plan the wedding for her ex, with music and words by Justin Kan. Dragon Tales is a retelling of the Chinese zodiac race by Ng Swee San and Bang Wenfu. Boom Baby Boom is a satirical farce about an unorthodox way of solving Singapore’s baby shortage. Lost In Transit is an emotional drama about a kampong girl experiencing the tribulations of big city life.

Results

The shows were presented as part of the Singapore Festival of Arts fringe 2005, and was an astounding success. All the shows were sold out, and 150 people were on the waiting list. Critical response was generally very favorable. A CD recording of selected songs was produced. Two shows were selected by other theater groups for further development and staged performances.

Discovering New Talents

One of the major achievements of Five Foot Broadway is the discovery of new talents. We uncovered new writing and composing talents, new directors, new producers, new designers for our website and program brochure, and of course, new performers.

How Did We Succeed?

The secret of success of Five Foot Broadway is the teamwork. We were able to achieve the right balance of writers, composers, directors, and performers, so that the interactions became synergistic and culminated in a powerful creative force. The more experienced members of our team mentored the newcomers. Musical theater was being created and forged in real time, with creative inputs from not only the writers and composers, but also the directors and actors. The musicals were presented to each other, and helpful comments were made. This gave a sense that the musicals belong to everyone.

Where Do We Go From Here?

Five Foot Broadway has been highly successful in generating new musicals. The response by creative team, the performers, and the audience have all been tremendously enthusiastic. We believe it will be of fundamental importance in stimulating more and higher quality works, culminating in a flowering of musical theater in Singapore. We intend to make it an annual event. Our vision is that one day our musicals will make it to Broadway!

Website: http://www.musicals.org.sg/

Interview by The Edge

The Sound of Music

The Edge, Singapore 30 May 2005

The Musical Theatre Society talks to Lai Ee Na about growing the art form in Singapore.

What do a lawyer, a gift-shop creative director, a postgraduate student, a paediatrician, a boss of a multimedia production company and an engineer have in common? A passion for musical theatre.

As committee members of the Musical Theatre Society (MTS), they want to see the art form vibrantly and professionally showcased in Singapore. To MTS president, Grace Ng (a legal assistant), and its committee member Desmond Moey (executive director at Seagate Technology), the local musical theatre scene has a long way to go. The others on the committee are Sean Wong, creative director at Ig’s Heaven; Gavin Low, literature undergraduate at National University of Singapore; and Philip Sim, managing director of Gecko Media.

Moey, 46, says “Singapore’s culture in musical theatre is not as rooted as in the US and the UK, where the client base is large enough to support the industry. The language medium there is English.

“With our multicultural background, it limits the audience size. The financial returns in investing in musical theatre are low. It costs at least $200,000 per show and that figure is already at the low end.” Moey has composed more than 200 published songs, including musical theatre, gospel numbers, and pieces for the 1997 National Day Parade.

Ng, 26, says “You always see the same actors on stage. Maybe the directors are comfortable working with the same people.

“In the US and the UK, there are individuals who can act, sing and dance, the triple threat. In Singapore, you’ll be lucky to find an actor who can sing, let along [do the] triple threat. To even touch Broadway level will take 20 to 30 years more.”

Supporting original works

In its effort to develop its members’ skills in songwriting, scriptwriting, lyric writing, acting, singing and dancing, this year, MTS has lined up courses on composition using software, writing a musical and singing in musical theatre. Classes will be conducted by practitioners.

“We help the amateur performer better their skills and gain confidence through performances. In 10 years, we might get a critical mass of skilled performers,” Ng says. Evidently, she knows the value of training. She is adept at playing the piano, and took dance and singing classes as an undergraduate before forming MTS in 2003.

Between 2003 and last year, she produced and performed in revues that wove songs by Rodgers and Hammerstein and Stephen Sondheim into new story lines. The free shows were staged at the YMCA Orchard, Toa Payoh Ampitheatre and Lot 1 Shoppers’ Mall.

Even Mozart’s popular compositions were not spared. In Operation Opera presented at the Esplanade, Ng wanted to prove how similar opera is to musical theatre.

“Operation Opera was full house, with the Singapore Lyric Opera coming to watch us. At Lot 1, one retailer said [our show] was better than the foreign ones that had performed previously,” says Ng.

With new committee members on board, MTS plans to stage new works that can be readily packaged at market rates for corporations, schools or country clubs. Corporations might want to consider sponsoring shows. “Sponsoring musicals is a good opportunity to raise a corporation’s profile,” says Ng.

MTS is developing a full-scale jazz musical with the Tanglin Community Club, where it is based. The show will be staged early next year. In addition, Five Foot Broadway, a festival of new musicals, is being planned for this year.

The society’s main thrust is to support original works. Under its inaugural incubations programme (Five Foot Broadway), works by local writers will be showcased. Performers and writers will not be paid market rates as this enables the volunteer scheme to cut costs.

Should corporations, schools or country clubs decide to commission or buy the shows, MTS will have the funds to pay the cast and crew. Remaining funds will go toward administration and running the courses, say Moey.

MTS’s offering under the incubations programme can be sampled in Five Foot Broadway, which is sponsored and produced by United Artistes Network and the Next Stage Performing Arts Academy. It is a Singapore Festival of Arts fringe event as well.

New works by composer and arranger Bang Wenfu and playwrights Stella Kon (Emily of Emerald Hill) and Ng Swee San will be staged at The Arts House from June 24-26. A cast of 20 will be performing five abridged musicals over the three days. Moey says the society would mount full versions of the Five Foot Broadway show when there is financial backing.

Ng and Moey are aware that the pool of skilled theatre practitioners and amateurs from the Association of Singapore Actors (ASA) can be tapped into for the society’s shows.

However, Moey stresses that MTS members will be given priority to audition for the society’s shows. Membership is free this year, but it will cost $10 per person next year. “The interests of subscription paying members have to be taken care of,” he says, adding that if a role cannot be filled by any MTS member, the audition will be open to all.

Another privilege for MTS members is discounted tickets for shows produced by the society.

Apart from composers, playwrights, choreographers, actors, dancers, set designers and lighting designers, the society would also like to see marketers, public relations practitioners, journalists, caterers, and IT professionals among its target of 50 members this year.

A few barriers

MTS’s vision for the local musical theatre scene, though passionate, faces a few barriers. First, although talents can get jobs in shows here, they receive low fees, says Ng. Second the arts are not seen as a contributor to the economy. “Until the mind set changes, you can’t have a vibrant local theatre scene,” Ng says.

Still, MTS urges the uninitiated to watch videos of well-known shows like The Sound of Music or Lion King, and encourages lovers of the art form to go beyond Andrew Lloyd Webber’s compositions to Stephen Sondheim’s or Cole Porter’s.

Another hurdle is the mentality that foreign acts are of better quality than local ones.

Ng says, “I hate Mamma Mia! because it’s too commercial. It proves the point that local audiences are suckers for marketing. I wish for once they would go for locally produced shows such as Madama Butterfly, which was very good. The foreign shows are usually staged by the touring companies whose cast is worse than the permanently located ones.”

Although Five Foot Broadway has received little funding, volunteers have given the project a boost. Dr Kenneth Lyen, MTS’s committee member, says, “We wrote to a number of people and organisations, including the National Arts Council. We got nothing. Only two individuals gave a small amount, barely enough to cover the rental of the theatre. However, we believe that if we wait until funds arrive, we will never to anything worthwhile.

“Therefore, all we have is passion and faith. When we explained this to everyone, I was amazed by so many Singaporeans had the same vision that we have, and readily volunteered their time and talent! This is what makes me so optimistic that musical theatre is not dead in Singapore, and has a very hopeful future.”

Lai Ee Na is a freelance writer whose works have appeared in local and foreign publications.

Interview by Business Times

MUSICAL THEATRE IN THE RAW

Pioneering production shows the way for local musical theatre

by Aaron Lye, Business Times 18 June 2005

What do you do if you lament the state of the local musical scene, but don’t necessarily have the funds that would be needed to make a difference? Well if you’re composer Ken Lyen, you get together with a group of like-minded people and do something about it.

The result is a joint production called Five Foot Broadway - A Festival of New Musicals by UAN, The Next Stage Performing Arts Academy, and The Musical Theatre Society. It is an unorthodox “grassroots, no-frills approach to musicals” that seems to be part of a growing trend around the world.

Said Ken Lyen, “We were discussing the poverty of Singapore musicals, and we felt we needed to jumpstart the creation of new productions. The idea for a mini-festival of musicals came about because it’s been done in New York, London, and Cardiff. We felt that Singapore could do the same.

“It’s something that has appeared suddenly in the world. It’s becoming impossible to finance larger musicals, and that has killed off new musicals in a sense. People, instead, do revivals of the ‘safe’ musicals. We want to provide a wider choice.”

And a wider choice there certainly is. Five Foot Broadway incorporates five new, locally-produced musicals that resulted from an equally unusual creative process. Without the funding usually required for such productions, Ken Lyen got in touch with a team of scriptwriters, mostly through a contact who had participated in Theatreworks’ Writer’s Lab, and “married” them to a circle of composers he was acquainted with.

The musicals that eventually made it through the process come from names both familiar and unfamiliar in local theatre circles.

Among the productions is Lost in Transit (by Stella Kon, Desmond Moey, Adrian Tan and Sara Wee) - a production about a country girl lured to the city by dreams of becoming a singer, only to become ensnared in the underworld of vice. Boom Baby Boom, a comedy (by Andrew Leong, Ken Lyen, Lynn Yang, Peggy Ferroa and August Lum) about the “ultimate” weapon to solve the nation’s woes of falling birth rates.

For younger audiences, there’s also Dragon Tales (by Ng Swee San, Bang Wenfu, and Peggy Ferroa), which retells the story of the Chinese zodiac, with the animals unhappy over the outcome of the race and demanding a rematch.

Those looking for something a little more romantic have Heartstrings (Jack Tan, Sean Wong, Paul Hannon and August Lum) and Don’t Say I Do (Justin Kan, Paul Hannon, Kevin Fok) to look forward to.

Said Ken Lyen: “People coming to this production will see musical theatre produced in the raw. They’ll be seeing the creative process, and I think what I would like them to take away is that there’s a lot of talent in Singapore, and that there’s volunteerism - no one’s getting paid for this - and wonderful camaraderie among a lot of selfless people who are passionate about musical theatre.”

Five Foot Broadway: June 24-26, 2005, at 8 pm at the Play Den. For limited free tickets, please call 97907545 or email admin@uanworld.com to reserve.

Sara Wee in “Lost in Transit”, The Arts House, June 2005.

Interview by Front

Interview by Front

17 November 2007

- Are Singapore musicals a 'copy' of Broadway/West End musicals?

Yes, there is a very strong Broadway/West End influence in Singapore musicals in English. Most of our musicals are fashioned after the Western model.

- Singapore musicals are still in their infancy. Do you agree?

Musicals in the West have been evolving over the course of 100 years, whereas Singapore's first musicals were staged in 1988, only 19 years ago. We have on average had about 2 or 3 original musicals publicly performed in these 19 years. This is in contrast to the 40 or more musicals produced annually in Broadway and West End, of which in good years, some 10-20 are newly written musicals.

- What is lacking and what are the strengths of Singapore musicals?

Because of the relative poverty of musicals staged by local theatre companies, it has not been possible to sustain a thriving musical theatre industry. There are too few opportunities for writers and composers to have their works staged. This results in directors not getting the opportunity to direct, performers getting the opportunity to perform, and technical crew getting the opportunity to develop their expertise. Furthermore, this affects the quality of musicals because we do not have a strong base of outstanding directors and performers. When the public watches a Singapore musical, they are often disappointed, and they may not return to watch another made-in-Singapore musical. Hence the audience base for local musicals is very small.

On the other hand, we do have our own Singapore stories to tell. We are situated in SouthEast Asia and we are influenced by many Asian musical and theatre styles. Hence out potential for creating a genuine Singapore musical style is not only possible, but given time, is very likely.

- Why do kids seem to love musicals, and how can we foster and turn them into a loyal audience base?

Musical theatre is telling a story through a combination of acting, singing, and dancing. It is a very entertaining art form, and with the aid of music, can be very powerful emotionally. Provided we produce quality musicals that can speak and touch our audiences, we will find a very large and loyal audience. Families love musicals, and children are often enthralled by the experience. It is good to start young, and introduce musicals into schools.

- Why aren't we developing our own brand of musicals?

Producing musicals is relatively expensive compared to straight plays and concerts. We do not have sufficient support from either government or private companies giving financial support to musical theatre on a long-term basis. Writers and composers have little opportunities to see their works staged, and therefore they will eventually stop writing. Without a flurry of new works, we go not have the opportunity to evolve our own brand of musicals.

We are strongly influenced by Western musicals, and the big megamusicals like Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables have made their mark in Singapore. Audiences like to watch these large scale spectacular musicals, and they in turn influence the style of musicals written.

- What does it take to make our own world-class musicals?

We need to tell our own unique Singapore stories in a way that engages our audience. To be world-class the quality of the musicals must be of the highest level, with world-class performers and staging. This requires courage, and a leap of faith, not only to write ground-breakingly original musicals but also to give them the best possible staging.

- What elements would go into it?

We should be more willing to explore Asian music and theatre. On the one hand we can explore the fusion of Western and Eastern styles, and on the other hand we should write about ourselves, and let our imagination soar. We need to explore developing our musicals with film, television, puppetry, multimedia, animation, and computer games. There is considerable creative synergism when different media meet.

In general, we need to stage more original musicals, and lower ticket prices so that we can develop our own new audience base.

- What about turning local stories into huge stage musicals?

We have a wealth of local stories, myths, and folk tales. This is a huge reservoir of untapped stories, to be told in our own unique way. Huge stage musicals are expensive and the risk of failure is high.

Therefore, to start off, we should do small-to-medium-scale musicals, until we are confident in producing quality musicals.

- Do you think we can export our musicals around the world?

Yes, I believe there is a hunger for new musicals. A local story with universal themes can be exported internationally. We need to concentrate on creating a large number of original works because it is unpredictable which ones can be exported.

- What stories/material are worth turning into stage musicals?

Personal stories, historical stories, myths, and folk tales are eminently suitable for turning into stage musicals. But in essence, we are only limited by our own imagination. It used to be said that horror, action, and extremely sad stories are not suitable for musical theatre. However, this is being disproven, as musicals in these genres are being produced and gaining popularity. In short, the sky's the limit!

Interview by JI Hae Gu

Interview by JI Hae Gu

21 June 2007

1. How and when did Singapore musical industry start?

Until 1988 there were no Singapore musicals written. Then in that year, two original musicals were staged, Makan Place and Beauty World.

2. The latest production of Beauty World is amazing. Can you recall the first production of Beauty World? What is the difference between the first production and new production, if any?

I did not watch the first production of Beauty World, only the second production, which I understand is very similar to the first. The current production differs in the following ways:

a) The production values are much higher, with a more elaborate set, costumes, and a large band placed on stage

b) More songs are written

c) The singing and dancing are better

Despite all these improvements, I prefer the older version because there was a rawness which was more authentic to Singapore of the 1950s. While the lead, Elena Wang, is an excellent singer, she does not have the innocence and vulnerability that the role requires (compare Lea Salonga and her portrayal of Kim in Miss Saigon); furthermore she has a trace of an Australian accent, which makes her portrayal as a girl from Batu Pahat quite unbelievable. Daren Tan is miscast as Ah Hock... the role requires a more naive, more bumbling character... more brawn than brains.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XLpO7bqXB2o

3. There is some significance of the first local musical, Makan place. Can you tell me about Makan place?

Makan Place is a light-hearted piece set in a hawker center, with relatively simple bouncing music.

4. What are the average age and gender of the audience in Singapore? How do Singapore audiences define a good musical?

I do not have this information, but my impression is that the crowd is relatively young, in their 20s to 30s, and evenly balanced male and female.

There are at least three types of audiences. The first group looks for good acting: this type of audience usually likes to have a good story; in other words they are the more intellectual. The second category of audience goes for songs with hummable melodies; they are usually more musically inclined. The third category goes for dance, and they look for a lot of movement, and are less critical about the plot.

There have been three Stephen Sondheim variety shows staged in Singapore, all of whom have been commercial failures: audience support was minimal. Cleverness and intellectual prowess is therefore not in the Singapore audience’s definition of a good musical.

5. So far, which of the Western musicals had performed in Singapore and what was the most successful production?

a) IMPORTED (TOURING) PRODUCTIONS WHERE CAST IS PREDOMINANTLY NON-SINGAPOREAN

By far the most commercially successful musicals performed in Singapore are the Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals, especially Phantom of the Opera (which has come twice), Cats, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Evita. Schonberg and Boublil’s Les Miserables (has also come twice) and Miss Saigon have also been very successful. Larson’s Rent, Lerner and Loewe’s My Fair Lady, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Sound of Music, The King and I, South Pacific, Kander and Ebb’s Cabaret and Chicago, Kleban and Hamlisch’s A Chorus Line (come twice), Cole Porter’s Anything Goes, Bernstein and Sondheim’s West Side Story, Singin’ in the Rain, Fame, 42nd Street, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Oliver, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Grease, Snow Wolf Lake (I know this last musical is not a Western production in the strict definition of Western, but it is a lavish Hong Kong import).

b) SINGAPORE PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTIONS WHERE CAST IS PREDOMINANTLY SINGAPOREAN

There have been productions produced and staged by a Singapore cast, and these include Fiddler on the Roof, Guys and Dolls, Honk, Godspell, Little Shop of Horrors, Children’s Letters to God.

c) SINGAPORE STUDENT AMATEUR PRODUCTIONS

If you include student productions, they are quite adventurous and have staged shows like I Love You You’re Perfect Now Change, Urinetown, Chess, Sweeney Todd, Bugsy Malone, and many others.

In short, there is quite a good exposure to a wide variety of Western musicals in Singapore.

6. What is the difference between Singapore musicals and musicals from other countries? What is the average budget of each production?

There is a world of difference between Singapore musicals, both the Western musicals produced and performed by Singaporeans, as well as original Singapore musicals, and musicals imported (touring) from other countries where the cast is predominantly non-Singaporean. Every aspect is better in the overseas non-Singaporean production: better performers, better staging, higher production values... in other words, a standard approaching that of Broadway and the West End. Local productions are generally less satisfactory, especially in the quality of the singers and actors. I do not know the budget of imported overseas productions, but I am pretty sure they are several times more expensive than local shows. For local Singapore shows written by Singaporeans, the budget for a professional production is in the order of Singapore $500,000 to $800,000.

7. How many musical theater company, choreographer, composers, writers and actors etc… work in Singapore musical industry? Who are the main players in the field?

Sing Avenue Productions is the only theater company that only produces musicals. However, it is a new company, barely one year old. Dim Sum Dollies do mostly musical cabarets and revues, but they have also put on Little Shop of Horrors. Nearly all the other theater companies do predominantly non-musicals plays, and only occasionally put on a musical. Probably the theater company with the most consistently high standard is Singapore Repertory Theatre.

The number of Singapore composers writing for musical theater is under 20. The main composers are Dick Lee, Ken Low, Iskandar Ismail, and yours truly. As for bookwriters and lyricists, there are even less 20. Prominent writers include Michael Chiang, Ming Wong, Stella Kon. Actors cannot survive doing musical theater alone. Professional actors involved in musical theatre are less than 50.

8. What are some of the challenges in getting musicals produced in Singapore?

a) QUALITY OF THE WRITING

The quality of most original Singapore musicals is not up to international standards. The musicals have not had enough time devoted to developing the product, having it workshopped and critiqued until it reaches a professional standard. For example, the current version of Beauty World is worse than the previous version because there are far too many ballads following one after another. This mistake could easily have been rectified if it was workshopped. Substandard quality musicals garner bad reviews, and this equates with poor attendance, and results in commercial failures. It is very difficult to persuade theater companies to put on Singapore musicals, because they realize that the product is not up to par.

b) COST OF PRODUCTION

While the cost of production in Singapore (Sing$500,000 to $800,000) is relatively low compared to Broadway and West End, because of the small audience size, it is almost impossible to recoup one’s production cost. Virtually all Singapore musicals lose money, or barely break even.

c) SHORTAGE OF GOOD PERFORMERS

There is a dearth of good performers in Singapore. This often means that one has to select average performers, and this will affect the quality of the show. Fortunately we can import good performers from Malaysia, the Philippines, and Australia.

d) SMALL AUDIENCE SIZE

Singaporeans tend not to support Singapore musicals. It is the “Prophet-not-recognized-in-own-country Syndrome”. The often pitiful audience size guarantees that a Singapore musical will lose money.

e) MINIMAL GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

The Singapore Government has traditionally given minimal monetary support for the arts. Unfortunately even big companies are also not very supportive.

9. Why does Singapore musical could not be staged for more than 2 or 3 weeks?

Singaporeans are not supportive of Singaporean shows. The quality of the shows is not up to international standards. The performers are generally not very good, and one often sees the same performers in every musical. Lack of Government and big business support leads to increasing ticket prices. The average ticket price for watching a musical is Sing$40, with top ticket prices around $150. Compare this with a cinema ticket of about $10, and most Singaporeans will prefer to watch a movie. Most musicals in Singapore are staged for under 2 weeks.

10. What sort of training is needed for musical theater in Singapore?

Most performers that audition for roles in musical theater are untrained. There is only one tertiary institution in Singapore, LaSalle College of the Arts, that has a program for musical theater. Some of the performers are trained overseas, but they are the exceptions.

11. How are Singapore musicals received abroad?

We really do not have a good gauge, because Singapore shows that have gone overseas usually only have a few performances. The reviews that the production companies inform us, are generally good. As for overseas visitors who happen to be Singapore and watch a Singapore show, we are not sure how impartial their comments are.

12. What are the challenges for touring musicals abroad?

It is very difficult to organize an overseas tour for a Singapore musical. Until we have made connections with overseas production groups, everything has to be done from scratch. To date, only Beauty World and Chang and Eng have had performances overseas.

13. Why are there no local musicals being produced in DVD? Why are O.S.T not commonly marketed or available in music stores?

Singaporeans do not support Singapore art. For example, DVDs of Singapore films lose money as they remain unsold in shops. Nobody is prepared to invest in a money-losing venture.

14. I saw an impressionist painting in art museum. In this painting, artist draws himself the life in Singapore is like a life in the cage. What do you think about Singaporean censorship of politics and culture? How does censorship affect the popular art especially musical theater?

Singapore censorship is very heavy and distorts the art form. For example, political shows, shows that deal with religious issues, are banned. If a musical is to be aired or advertised on television, it will be denied broadcasting if it dealt with homosexual themes, or if it criticizes the government. Hence, the musicals that are written are generally very bland, politically correct, and lacking in any controversy.

15. What is the Singaporean identity? And how does local musical represent Singaporean identity?

The typical Singaporean is a pragmatic apolitical uncritical person, who tries to please everyone, afraid to rock the boat, and is prepared to compromise principles so as to maintain peace and harmony. The Singapore musical reflects this blandness very well.

16. Can you tell us about your Five Foot Broadway musical showcase and its purpose?

I started Five Foot Broadway in the hope that I can persuade Singaporeans to be more adventurous, more provocative, more daring. I goad them to write musicals that are controversial, thought-provoking, and intelligent. Slowly this is happening, but it is an uphill struggle. What I am pleased is that there is great diversity in the musicals being written. Some of the new works are very good. It is my objective to help the creative team develop and workshop these musicals, and to give them a no-frills demo production. This allows them to see exactly what they have written, and therefore they can gauge whether or not they have succeeded in achieving what they had intended.

17. What do you think about the prospect of Singapore musical?

I am an optimist. The prospects are extremely favorable. We have come a very long way since 1988. The quality of our shows has improved considerably. There are far more people trained in musical theater than two decades ago. The audience size continues to grow, and we are cultivating a loyal following. Government and big corporations are starting to give a little bit more financial support. I think in the next two decades, we will make it to the international stage!

Sensory Magazine Interview

Sensory Magazine Interview

28 October 2007

1. Please tell us more about the short musicals you're planning by mid 2008.

Our project is called Five Foot Broadway, and we are showcasing the best six “mini” musicals, each one lasting only 15 minutes, during the Singapore Festival of the Arts 2008.

2. How can one contribute to these short musicals?

The Five Foot Broadway project is open to everyone and anyone with a desire to try their hand in writing, composing, acting, singing and dancing in a musical. They can form teams of writers and composers to write the short musical for the stage or for video. When that is completed, they can form teams to perform their musicals.

3. How much time commitment is involved?

This will depend on each individual in the team. Some bookwriters and lyricists can write a short musical in one evening, while others may take a few weeks. Typically there are 3-5 songs in the short stage musical, and each song can take anywhere between 10 minutes to several weeks to compose. As for the performance, it depends on the complexity of the musical and the cast size. Depending on the complexity of the musical and the professional background of the performers, the number of rehearsals can range from 4 to 12, each lasting about 2-3 hours.

4. Will you ever work on a production that is about your experience as a doctor?

Possible. I certainly hope that some of the submissions will be about Singapore's healthcare professionals and their patients. Telling your own personal story often makes the best material for a musical.

5 Are your musicals mainly nostalgic or progressive in nature? Please name some examples.

The 22 musicals that we have staged to date are mostly traditional Broadway-style musicals, mostly of contemporary setting (Roses & Hello), but some are set in the past (Rickshaw Boy), and a few are avant garde (The Swami, the Cow, and the Spaceman).

6. What is the greatest satisfaction you derive from contributing to a production?

Discovering new talent. Finding new writers and new performers to tell their own stories is the greatest satisfaction, not just for me, but for everyone involved in this creative process.

Interview by Overseas Singaporean

Interview by Overseas Singaporean

November 2006

1. We know writing musicals has been your hobby and passion. With your profession as a Consultant Pediatrician, have you faced any problems/ issues in pursuing this interest? i.e. lack of time/ support etc.

If you really enjoy what you do, you find time for it. I become very efficient in time management, and learn how to delegate effectively. Thus, pursuing my career and musical theater jointly has not been a problem for me. As a creative person, I find that having financial independence extremely valuable. Many artists either starve, literally, or succumb to commercial pressures, and compromise their art. As I do not depend on my art to earn a living, I think I can be true to my artistic integrity.

2. How many years have you been involved in the local theater scene?

I wrote my first musical, Big Bang! in 1992, and that was staged at the Kallang Theatre in 1995. Since then I have composed the music and staged over a dozen musicals in Singapore. Thus, altogether I have been actively involved in musical theater for over 12 years.

3. Do you see any distinct difference in local and foreign musical productions?

Yes it is still fairly easy to differentiate a foreign from a local. Foreign musicals are usually better marketed, and tend to have higher ticket prices. Singaporeans, in general, generally have a higher opinion of overseas productions compared to local ones.

With a few exceptions, most locally produced musicals are not as polished or as lavish as foreign productions. The more conspicuous foreign productions that have come to Singapore, like Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, Cats, etc., cost millions of US dollars. In contrast, most local productions are way under one million Sing dollars. With a budget of millions, one can attract world class singers, directors, designers, beautiful costumes, stunning sets, etc.

Of course a high budget does not guarantee quality. But a high budget usually results in better production values, and more effective marketing. Unfortunately it is a vicious cycle. Local shows are strapped for finances. As a result corners are cut, compromises made, resulting in most performances lacking the pizzaz and wow factor. Audiences come home disappointed, and their opinion of local shows being of inferior quality becomes increasingly ingrained in their psyche.

4. How has the local Singapore arts scene developed over the past few years?

The arts scene has improved dramatically (sorry for the lame choice of word) over the past few decades. Before the mid 1988 there were no locally written musicals. Nowadays we can look forward to several new made-in-Singapore musicals each year. Overall, production values have improved, with better singers, actors, dancers, sets, sound, and lighting. Audience size has expanded, and there is a larger core group of supporters. There are more venues for staging shows, but the price of rental is still too high.

5. Where will Singapore go in the next ten years?

Development in the arts needs to expand in all directions. At the high end, we need to create high quality shows that can travel internationally. This can only be done if attention is given to the developmental process. Incubation of new works is a high priority in this regard, and funding should be given for this. Training singers, actors, dancers, directors, choreographers, and technical staff, etc., need to be enhanced. More courses should be made available, and subsidies given to allow more people to attend these classes. Production costs for world-class musicals is high, and therefore a system of selecting the best for financial support should be set up.

At the community, schools and tertiary educational institution level, encouragement should be given, not only for the writing of new works, but also in having more opportunities to showcase the works and talents. This is where young and promising talent can be spotted and nurtured. Also, those who have been involved in musical theater productions, then to be the most ardent supporters. Therefore, schools, tertiary institutions, and community centers need to have an active program that is focused on the promotion of musical theater.

6. Singapore has seen a rise in the staging of local musical plays like Beauty World, Dim Sum Dollies, Forbidden City, Man of Letters etc. In your opinion, what could have contributed to this? (i.e. more appreciate audience? Esplanade?)

Every production of a new musical is important. It encourages the creative process, it helps discover new talent, and it widens the audience base. Also, for the creators of new musicals, each time one is staged, something is learnt. This is absolutely essential for the evolution of musical theater, and in time, we will find our own unique Singapore artistic voice.

The Esplanade has been actively encouraging the incubation of new works, and they should be applauded for this. Our audience size is expanding, but it is still relatively small. Local shows can barely last more than a couple of months at best. We could market our shows better to the region, and tap on the tourist market. Our Singapore Tourist Promotion Board could be more active in this.

7. Your views on the local theatre scene/ market for musicals: Is Singapore ready or do we have to stick to certain formulas i.e. stick to mass appeal, adopt Broadway scripts to succeed?

The best time to develop and market our musicals is now. We need a multi-pronged approach. There is value in producing well-known musicals, like Cabaret and Little Shop of Horrors. We get to see what the international standard is, and this allows us to benchmark ourselves.

However, we must develop our own Singapore musical. While considerable latitude should be given to the writing-composing teams, this does not mean there is a free-for-all. Sadly, some artists tend to forget there is an audience, and become a little too self-indulgent. The result is that their works may either be incomprehensible or somewhat boring. Hence the need for intelligent reviews, especially by the critics writing for the mass media.

The problem of nurturing our own creative works is made more difficult by the relative lack of support by our institutions. For example, there have been no Singapore musicals in the main program of the Singapore Festival of Arts for the past 10 years.

8. With large productions being staged here, can Singapore be the 'Broadway of the East'? Hollywood for musical performance? Or do we have a long way to go?

Yes, Singapore can indeed be the Broadway of Asia. We have several unique attributes. Firstly, there is a wealth of stories waiting to be told in the genre of musical theater. We also have a fascinating variety of Asian music, with different rhythms and different instruments. Our talent pool is immense, and largely untapped. We have not reached the stage where musical theater prohibitively expensive to stage.

We have a long way to go. Funding Singapore shows is immensely difficult, and attracting large audiences to watch our local shows is an uphill struggle. Our talent is still not quite world-class in ability, but we are reaching international standards very rapidly. We are at a critical level of development, for we have the creative talents, but limited opportunities to stage the musicals that have been written. If we are truly to become a major tourist attraction, integrated resorts notwithstanding, we need to have a more vibrant arts scene, and our institutions should take a more proactive role.

9. What do you think is the formula for success for theater productions in Singapore? i.e. adopt Broadway productions, scripts, engage world class directors, train local talents, etc.

Musical theater is a collaborative art form. Every element must work for a show to be successful. The corollary is that failure in any one of its components, can result in failure of the entire show. Thus, the main elements of success are:

a) Teamwork: collaborative creativity is one of the most difficult and yet the most vital skill that we must learn in Singapore. Choosing the right team is critical for success.

b) Attention to detail: it is said that a musical is not written, but rewritten. One needs to adopt a perfectionist attitude. The book, the lyrics, the music, the choreography, arrangement, performance, etc., needs to be perfect. This can only be achieved by paying attention to detail, and polishing until the performance sparkles.

c) Training: we should learn from the best, and therefore going overseas for training in musical theater is important. Inviting foreign directors, choreographers, are part of the learning process, but it is important that there is transfer of technology. It is sometimes far too easy to invite a famous overseas person for the sake of selling a show, but if there is no attempt to have the person give workshops, tutorials, masterclasses, it is an effort that goes to waste.

d) Flexible mind set: we should not have any rigid mind set about musical theater. Often I encounter people who tell me that they do not support musicals because it is too expensive, too old-fashioned, too plebeian, too superficial, too western. Of course, musical theater can be all of the above, and also, none of the above. It is up to us to create our own unique and distinct art form. Thus, we should all keep our minds open and flexible.

10. You have been known to advocate musical theater in Singapore, being the brain child of Five Foot Broadway, a program that staged 5 locally produced musicals. Why the initiative and how has it helped?

Actually we have already staged 17 new Singapore musicals under this initiative, and next year we are incubating another 20. We have discovered that Singapore has a large pool of tremendously talented individuals in the creative as well as in the performance side. All these people need are encouragement and opportunities to showcase their works.

The spinoffs are important and wide-ranging. These include the creation of a wide range of new musicals. Collaboration with filmmakers, animation and games creators, television, puppetry, and the music industry, is already under way, and it underscores the centrality of musical theater in media and entertainment. Musical theater is an important art form in its own right, and there is cross-fertilization with other creative industries.

It deserves greater support from our institutions, than is currently available. My hope is that this will come in the near future.

Kenneth Lyen

Interview by The Straits Times

The Rise of Singapore’s New

Creative Class: Beat-by-Beat

by Leong Phei Phei

The Straits Times, August 9, 2007

Medical practice and music composition may seem strange bedfellows but they found a perfect match in Dr Kenneth Lyen.

Along with his hectic full-time job as a paediatrician, the self-professed musical fanatic found time to start Beat-by-Beat, a musical incubation programme involving workshops, playreading and courses.The group was conceptualised during a regular tennis session with three good friends - one a singer-songwriter, another an accomplished musical composer, and the third, a designer. All passionate about musicals, they decided to do something for the music scene in Singapore.

Dr Lyen recalls: "Although all of us have full-time jobs, we have never given up our love for musicals. As we felt strongly that there was a dearth of Made-in-Singapore musicals, we decided to do something about it."

And so Beat-by-Beat was born.

While response from the public was overwhelming, support was less than encouraging. Dr Lyen says: "During our first year, we knocked on all doors to ask for funding to no avail. We had the people, but we lacked the support to be given an opportunity to prove our talents to the world."

When he broke the news to members, half expecting them to withdraw, the exact opposite happened. "It was incredible. Nobody withdrew. Everybody was so passionate and all they wanted was to still put on a good performance," says Dr Lyen, with a tinge of pride.

As it was, for every night the no-frills musical was staged, it was sold out to an audience which gave it their two-thumbs up.

A year later, thanks to much-needed funding and support from the Creative Community Singapore, Dr Lyen and his team were able to se many more projects come to fruition. More importantly, they were able to provide a platform for many more individuals to see their dreams come true.

Dr Lyen says: "I am so glad that we pressed on despite the initial hurdle. There is a lot of talent in Singapore - what they need is training and opportunity."

Today, Beat-by-Beat has grown from strength-to-strength, and has also seen the birth of several spin-offs that have self-sustaining business models. For instance, its "Adapt a Baby Musical" programme encourages corporate sponsors to support the development of these musicals. Its "Sing Avenue", on the other hand, aims to produce and market musicals internationally.

Dr Lyen says: "Given the opportunity and training, and very importantly, with the support of Creative Community Singapore, our productions can be as good as others anywhere in the world!"

Interview by Singapore Tatler

Doctor Do-Much

by Low Yit Leng

Singapore Tatler July 1995

He is known in the community as the founder of the Margaret Drive Special School for handicapped and autistic children. This month, however, another side of Dr. Kenneth Lyen will emerge. Lyen’s passion for composing music bears fruit in the form of a new musical, Big Bang! which will open at Kallang Theatre on Saturday July 8 1995. To be directed by Broadway veteran Bob Turoff, who has steered more than 500 musicals, the lead role is based on the life of British physicist Stephen Hawking and will feature Reed Armstrong, who also starred in the 1992 production of Ken Hill’s Phantom of the Opera.

Lyen’s introduction to music started early - both his parents are musically inclined. His father Dr. David Lyen, a general practitioner, sings and plays the saxophone, and his mother not only sings but is also a pianist. Young Lyen began playing the piano when he was three and was instructed on the violin by one of Singapore’s best known music teachers, Goh Soon Tioe.

Born in Hong Kong, Lyen and his family emigrated to Singapore when he was seven. After his education at Anglo-Chinese School, Lyen studied medicine at Oxford University and did his specialist training in children’s diseases in London and Philadelphia. He then returned to Singapore to teach at the National University Hospital before starting his own practice.

During his first year in Oxford, one of his teachers influenced him profoundly. “My tutor in medicine, Dr. O’Brien, made my thinking more critical and analytical and certainly made me more aware of people and things around me,” says Lyen. “He was the type of tutor who didn’t just teach medicine, but a whole philosophical outlook - he taught me to think.”

Lyen rates being a caring person as one of the most important characteristics any individual can have. “While values such as integrity and honesty are important, I feel that if you don’t have a heart, then you don’t have the commitment to help your fellow man.”

Help can come in may forms. “When I was in the budget allocation committee of the Community Chest, we found that nearly every agency serving the handicapped wanted to implement an early intervention programme. We decided it was better to pull all the resources together to start an independent programme of early intervention for handicapped children with multiple disabilities.”

Lyen was made chairman of the pilot project in 1987 - the progenitor of the Margaret Drive Special School. “At first there was some reluctance to implement it in a big way as the staff to student ratio was very low - it started out one-to-one and so was a very expensive programme,” he says. “Fortunately, Dr. Ee Peng Liang, the late chairman of the Community Chest, was very supportive and helpful in this regard. The biggest struggle was sourcing staff. We couldn’t find any expertise in Singapore - there was no one who knew how to look after the very young with multiple handicaps. Finally, we got some overseas staff who later provided local training with the help of the National Institute of Education.”

Lyen is still chairman of the school. It started with about 20 children and today has an intake of 300. A second school using the former Balestier Primary School building opened in March 1995. “The best thing about being involved in this area is meeting other people. Most go into it because they want to help and are the nicest people you’ll ever meet,” says Lyen.

Interestingly, Lyen also looks after the other end of the spectrum - he is at the forefront in promoting Junior Mensa, a social club for children who have high IQs. “The club organises a series of programmes through which we try to stretch the imagination of these gifted children, some of whom can read from two years of age or are very talented in mathematics,” he says. The club counsels parents on how to enhance the talent of their gifted offspring while helping them adjust to the school system.

Lyen starts his daily routine at 7:30 a.m. and goes home when the hospital rounds are completed, usually after 7:00 p.m. “After playing with the kids and some recreational activities such as tennis or squash, which I try to play at least twice a week, I am usually off to attend meetings and rehearsals for the musical.” It is not unusual for Lyen to work until 2:00 a.m., often completing a musical score. Lyen has coauthored two books on childcare. A third book, specifically on childcare practices in Asia, will be published soon.

To truly relax, however, Lyen returns to his music. “It is very different from writing a book,” he says. “The tune comes to me at the most unexpected times. I cannot sit and say that I am going to write now. I have to be in the right frame of mind. The music or an idea strikes me suddenly - I could be doing anything, having a shower or walking along the road. After I get the idea, I orchestrate it in the evening when everyone is asleep.”

Lyen finds multimedia computers and music synthesizers a great boost. “Now I can get the whole orchestra - violin, cellos, trumpets, drums - and instantly find out whether I have written the right harmony and instrumentation. It makes a great difference because I can see the notes on the computer screen and change them - like a word processor, I can cut and paste, repeat segments and transpose the notes. It saves so much time.” Indeed, Lyen, who wrote musicals even during his school days, is quite prolific - he estimates that it takes him about three to five minutes to get a tune right and another hour to get the orchestration. He leaves the writing of lyrics to a colleague.

His future plans include several more musicals. “Writing a musical is different from just writing music. You need a story line and collaboration with others. It requires a lot of interaction with fellow composers and writers, and that is a great joy.

One of my secret aims is to modernize the traditional Chinese opera and giving them new rhythms, beats and harmonies. But I think a lot of old people will object to this.”

“The other day at my house there was a wayang. I saw only one lady who must be in her 80s or 90s watching it. The whole art will die unless the young get interested. Although I cannot follow the plot and have to read the synopsis, I like Chinese opera’s spectacle and movement. What I want is to convert it to an art form which will be more acceptable to young ears. Just like European opera, Chinese opera is no longer appealing to the very young. Something radical must be done, otherwise we will lose the entire art form and all the old stories will be forgotten.”

Interview By Project Eyeball

A Dose of Music

by Edwin Lim

Project Eyeball, July 2000

He treats children by day and writes musicals by night. He has coauthored 11 books on childcare, first-aid and even cartoons. His genuine interest in helping others earned him the Community Chest's Special Volunteer Award in 1990 and the Public Service Medal (PBM) three years ago. Meet Dr. Kenneth Lyen, paediatrician, author and accomplished musical producer. Eyeball reporter Edwin Lim caught up with Dr. Lyen at his children's clinic in Mount Elizabeth Hospital to find out more about the man behind the inspiring public figure.

From treating ill babies to writing books and producing musicals, Dr. Kenneth Lyen, otherwise known as Ken, has been there and done it all. The shy Ken, who declined to reveal his age (but says he's 'forever young'), is an established child specialist who greets about 20 children a day at his Mount Elizabeth Hospital clinic.

His love for children led him to embrace a career in paediatrics. After graduating with a Master of Arts degree in Physiology, and a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from Oxford University, Ken went on to work at children's hospitals in London and Philadelphia. He was a senior lecturer and consultant at the National University Hospital, before taking up his current position as consultant paediatrician at Mount Elizabeth Hospital.

Ken is passionate about his work and it shows when he speaks with much enthusiasm, about being a kid doctor. “I love working with kids. Kids are always great--they keep me young. That's why I enjoy the work I do,” he laughed.

On a more serious note, he added, “It's also very challenging because kids sometimes don't tell you everything. Whether it's a headache or a pain, I have to work things out indirectly. It's a far greater challenge diagnosing and treating kids.”

When he's not tending to his patients, Ken spends much of his time pursuing his interest in an entirely different field altogether--musical productions. His passion for drama, which started during his schooldays in the UK, underwent a revival about 10 years ago, and has since resulted in several successful musical productions.

Since 1995, Ken has initiated and produced musicals such as Big Bang!, Orchard Square, Catch The Rainbow, Yum Sing! and Temptations. His latest, The Magic Paintbrush, was staged at the Drama Centre in May 2000.

He wrote the music for The Magic Paintbrush, a children's story adapted from the Chinese folklore of a young boy Ma Liang and a magic paintbrush that enables what he paints to come to life. Ken relished every moment that he and his colleagues put into that production.

"It's more fun I guess, to write for kids and to see them in the audience."

"'They're such an appreciative audience and they're so much fun to write for, " he laughed.

The rewards of his 'second' career may be fulfilling, but they haven't come without any hard work from Ken and the rest of the stage crew. Because of his heavy workload and family commitments, he is only able to work on his productions late at night.

"One has to be very disciplined," he said, of juggling between writing his musicals and keeping his medical practice in order.

“The only time I can write is when my family is fast asleep, so I usually don't start till midnight and I don't finish till three or four a.m.,” he said.

Although he has so far been involved only in production work and writing music, Ken dabbles in script writing as well. He wrote the script for Yum Sing! last year and for that, nabbed the first prize in the United Television (UTV) International Screenplay Writing Competition.

As if his professional and musical commitments are not enough to keep him busy, Ken still finds time to do his bit for charity. In 1986, he was invited by the late Dr. Ee Peng Liang, then the President of the Community Chest of Singapore, to chair the committee that established the Margaret Drive Special School and the Balestier Special School, both of which cater for young disabled, handicapped and autistic children. His efforts were recognised when he was given the Community Chest Special Volunteer Award in 1990, and the Public Service Medal in 1997.

Kenneth though, is modest about his achievements. ''I felt very honoured but it's teamwork. I always feel I'm one of many people who together work toward the common goal, so although I got the award, I think it's actually shared between many people.''

Ken's modesty belies the real person that he is. In our hour-long interview, his magnanimity shone through and after speaking with him, it became evident that his love and enthusiasm for children, drama and volunteer work keep him going.

So what more can we expect from a man who has already given so much? Another musical of course. Ken is presently working on his next musical slated for 2001 called Sayang. It will be staged in May 2001.

Interview With Education and Creativity

Education and Creativity

by Guan Libing

Education and Creativity 1997, updated

Looking at Ken Lyen’s schedule of commitments, one would hardly think that he has the time to breathe. He works an eight-hour day at his clinic, and he squeezes time to attend various meetings. In between his tight schedule, Ken also finds time to write books and musicals. Ken who holds a medical degree from Oxford University, has co-written twelve books mostly on some aspect of child care and education, and thirteen musicals.

His first musical was Big Bang! which was directed by Broadway veteran, Bob Turoff. Big Bang! was staged in July 1995. Since then he has written twelve more musicals.

Ken’s musical interest was probably inherited from his parents. His father, David Lyen, a general practitioner, played the saxophone and was a baritone singer. His late mother, a nurse, played the piano. From the age of three years, Ken began playing the piano, taught by his aunt Esther. At the age of ten he became the protegee of Mr. Goh Soon Tioe, a well-known violin teacher in Singapore.

With his father working in the medical practice, there was little doubt that the youngster would some day follow in his footsteps. Ken said “From young, I had not thought of choosing another profession. Dad is a doctor, and I would be a doctor too.”

Incidentally, Ken was born in Hong Kong and he emigrated to Singapore with his family at the age of seven. After studying at a popular school in Singapore, he continued his studies in England, and went on to Oxford University where he obtained his medical degree. This was followed by postgraduate studies in London and Philadelphia. He lectured at the National University of Singapore before setting up his own practice.

What are his views about Singapore’s educational system? The soft-spoken Ken said: “I feel the current obsession with school ranking based purely on academic results is a misleading assessment of our schools, and distorts the educational system because it focuses too heavily on exam results.

“All of us know that exam scores are not the final verdict in assessing one’s capabilities. I feel that exam results cannot guarantee a school leaver’s emotional and financial success in his life and career. And these results would not necessarily make him a better parent or citizen.”

Ken’s school has left a deep impression on Ken. “I used to be a rather shy child. At school we had sessions where we were urged to stand up and speak. During these sessions, we could talk on any subject, be it something we had read or experienced.

“I remember such sessions very vividly, because it gave every boy a chance to speak and voice his views. I would say that this has cultivated confidence in me. And it also taught me how to present my ideas to a room full of people. Such skills become very important in adulthood.”

Describing himself as an average student, Ken remembers that his classes were filled with fun and creativity. His class was filled with rebels and troublemakers, many of whom are now at the top of their professions.

One classmate, John Tan, commented that Ken was never the type you would find at the basketball court or on the school field. While he was a reluctant sports person, Ken was active in the school orchestra.

School is a good ground for fostering long-lasting friendships. In Ken’s words: “The friends I made at school are possibly the closest to me, compared to friends made in other phases of my life.”

Indeed some of the books he coauthored, and musicals he helped produce, have been in collaboration with former classmates. His school also had a strong culture that encouraged the students to serve society. This spurred him to start the Margaret Drive Special School and the Balestier Special School, both of which are now under the Rainbow Centre.

“I saw the need to start an independent program that helps intellectually disabled children, children with autistic spectrum disorder, and children with multiple disabilities. Fortunately we managed to get some experienced overseas staff to train our local teachers.”

Ironically, Ken also sits on the opposite camp. He was the former coordinator for Junior Mensa, a club for people with high IQs.

With so many commitments up his sleeves, Ken remains basically very much a family man. He plays tennis twice a week.

He starts the day from 6:30 a.m., sends his youngest child to school, and he does not sleep until the early hours of the morning - those are devoted to writing books, articles, and music.

His hope is that society will become more liberal and tolerant of minority groups. Singapore’s educational system has an important role to play in this regard.

Interview by Dawn Magazine

Multiple Personality

by Eng Xin Hui

Dawn February 2005

Seven months (and counting) of interviewing doctors and writing the Feature Story has led me to a few personal conclusions about doctors. I shall let out one breakthrough discovery from my bursting library.

I realize, all (Most / Some / 6 out of 7) doctors need more than one blank to fully answer the “Occupation” query. Considering the number of doctors we have, my statistics could very soon be representative. The dictionary will tell you that an occupation can either be a vocation - activity that serves one’s regular source of livelihood, or an avocation - activity engaged in especially as a means of passing time. Sure, at any point, we are at least five occupations rolled into one - doctor, insomniac, massage therapist, nappy changer and chauffeur. If you think that is interesting, I have met doctors who are simultaneously national sportsmen, avid watch collectors, photographers, entrepreneurs and painters. In many cases, considering the amount of time spent on the extra-doctor activities and the fulfilment to be gleaned from it, it is a wonder which the real sideline is.

Dr. Kenneth Lyen is a dedicated pediatrician, an accomplished composer of musicals, a distinguished screenplay writer, an online inspiration, the founder of two schools and a prolific author on creativity, education and parenting. His large involvement in the local theater scene composes (pun intended) a considerable percentage of my bold conclusion.

For Dr. Lyen, writing music and musicals is a hobby that has become his passion. This musical interest is hereditary as Dr. Lyen tells us his father played the saxophone, his mother played the piano, and both loved to sing. Dr. Lyen recalls his first music lesson was with his aunt at the piano. Subsequently, he took up formal piano and violin lessons. From playing in the orchestra to singing in the choir to directing musicals, Dr. Lyen soon did them all. At 10, he wrote his first piano piece. Nonetheless, he remembers he had little time to address this musical inclination for 15 years when he started his housejobs and postgraduate medical training. It was not until he moved into private practice that he found that he needed an outlet to express himself. This time, he did not just want to play music, he wanted to write music.

Most definitely, Dr. Lyen does not do it for the money. He gets paid little if at all as there are usually small budgets for such productions. Moreover, most of his projects are what he deems “his way of raising funds for charity”. According to him, it’s more than just a way to explore his artistic side. More so, this involvement in music is his way of “preserving and keeping a check on his sanity... Medicine can be very intense and at times very sad”, he says. Now he gives composing his full leisure-time attention. He goes on to elaborate on what writing music does for him. “Writing music allows me to relax, and it acts as a safety valve to release my emotional tensions. It also enables me to explore feelings that cannot be expressed by any other art form.”

When asked what inspires him, Dr. Lyen shrugs and tells us that his musical compositions are unpredictable. He draws motivation from the musicals of Rogers and Hammerstein, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Claude-Michel Schonberg and Alain Boublil, Stephen Sondheim, Marvin Hamlisch, and Stephen Schwartz. He admits to having a fondness for melodic music. So “rap music”, he says, is not in his blood even though he listens to music of all sorts. However, his inspirations come from nowhere at all. He could be walking along the streets, driving, taking a shower, or even dozing off. He jots his ideas down in a notebook lest they are lost forever. His creative process really begins after dark when his wife and kids are asleep. He can write an entire song in less than ten minutes although arranging it may take several hours more. Sometimes, the songs do not even “see the light of day” as his harshest critic, himself, puts it. Nevertheless, the lack of sleep does not bother this passionate composer. In his words, “the creative process is a passionate one. Creative activities can consume you entirely. It becomes an obsession. You need it to live and to breathe. Once I get started, I cannot stop.”

By day, he runs his practice. By night, he liberates his creativity. It will probably shock you that this doctor cum composer is also the founder fo the Margaret Drive and the Balestier Special Schools for disabled children. At the same time, he maintains an online blog (Weblog, a log of thoughts on a web page) that earned him the “Blog of the Day” status by BlogCritics, and the “Blog of the Week” title by the Straits Times in 2004. His blogs mostly document his thoughts on current affairs, arts and music and the idiosyncrasies of life. In them you will find perceptive book reviews, humorous anecdotes, and thought-provoking comments. http://kenlyen.bravejournal.com/

Dr. Lyen is also a prolific author, and has coauthored many books on education, creativity, and parenting. His major areas of interest are creativity and multiple intelligences. His unique brand of humor and perceptive outlook on life punctuate his writings. Dr. Lyen is the brain behind “Dat’s My Baby” - a wickedly funny comic book which pokes fun at the trials and tribulations of parenting.

To date, Dr. Lyen has written thirteen musicals which have been staged in Singapore, including Big Bang! (1995), Orchard Square (1995), the National Day Parade musical Chase the Rainbow (1997), Yum Sing! (1999), Temptations (2000), The Magic Paintbrush (2000), Sayang (2001), Song of the Whale (2001), Exodus (2003), Making the Grade (2004). In 1999 he won first prize for a United TV International screenwriting competition. He also wrote the screenplay for Love Poetry, a feature telemovie telecast in 2004.

At the end of the day, Dr. Lyen is sticking to his day job. He is a pediatrician and his practice is a delightful clinic whose efforts to look more like a playroom are noted with high marks. He uses the words “optimistic”, “lively”, and “encouraging” to describe his job. Jokingly, he tells us, “My parents had advised me that music should always remain a hobby. I think this is sound advice, because music remains a precarious profession in Singapore”. More importantly, Dr. Lyen feels that he can produce better work because it is a passion and not a livelihood. He composes when he wants to and not when he needs to. He loves his profession, citing it as a unique one. “As doctors, we have the opportunity to look into the lives of people. You become more sensitive to the needs of people and your willingness to help is not superficial. You have the ability to ‘heal’ a person not just physically, but also psychologically.” To him, writing music is an outlet that does not cause any detraction from his profession. Just like there are doctors who are painters or dancers or photographers at the same time, Dr. Lyen is a composer. He wholeheartedly encourages those who like music to try this form of creative writing. The only hazard he can forewarn is that it is highly addictive!

Interview by Prestige Magazine

Prescription for the Heart

by Low Yit Leng

Prestige February 2001

Dr. Kenneth Lyen, the founding chairman of Margaret Drive and Balestier Special Schools, turns to his hobby to raise funds. Low Yit Leng talks with the musically-inclined pediatrician.

One can easily be fooled by appearances. The first impression Dr. Kenneth Lyen gives is that of any other medical professional. However, he is hardly your usual specialist in children’s diseases. The recipient of the 1997 Public Service Medal for community work is also a writer and coauthor of several books on childcare, creativity and education. On top of these, the prolific writer is working with two undergraduates, Vincent Wong and Ivan Ho, on his seventh original musical entitled Sayang. Funds raised from its production, to be staged at the Jubilee Hall in May 2001, will go to the Balestier Special School and the Autistic Resource Centre.

Lyen first started writing musicals back in 1994, but his love for music has been firm since he was a child. “I started learning to play the piano when I was three and I learned to play the violin at about 10,” he recalls. The musical streak can be traced to strong influences from the family. “My father, Dr. David Lyen, who is a general practitioner, used to sing. He was a band leader and played the saxophone, and my mother, Edith, played the piano,” he shares.

An alumnus of Oxford University, Lyen returned to Singapore after his training in England and the USA. “When I came back, I was helping out at a clinic for mentally-disabled children. There were so many cases, but relatively little was done. Then I was invited to sit on the board of the Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore (MINDS),” recalls Lyen. He remembers the infancy of the work there. “The services were still at the early stage of development and with the help of the Community Chest, the Margaret Drive Special School was launched. The school caters to the needs of young disabled children, including those with multiple handicaps, and autistic children.

“Starting new services in the 80s was exciting although it was not easy. Many people were not convinced of the need of such services. We did not get immediate support from the authorities but gradually they came round to it. It was all about educating people and changing their perceptions. There was the belief that if you are disabled, you are a parasite and cannot contribute to the economy,” he explains.

“We had to convince them that we have to look at everybody as members of a big family and everyone has equal worth - from the gifted to the disabled and less gifted - and all have to be cared for. It does not mean that if your grandfather is in a wheelchair, you don’t care for him. We have to adopt the family approach rather than a corporate approach, where you can sack an employee if he is of no use to the company,” he asserts.

“Over the decade, public awareness has increased and there are more support and sympathy from the public. Ten years ago, many people did not know about hyperactive behavior, or what autism is. Parents did not know what to do and they suffered privately. Now I think the kindergartens, schools, and doctors, are more alert to this situation. The support system is also much better and, as more people are aware about it, they can discuss and get counseling,” Lyen says, proud of the changes that have taken place. Today about 1000 students attend the two special schools he started.

Although the doctor is pleased with his achievement, he remains modest. “It is not just my work,” he insists. “I have been fortunate to work with very dedicated and talented people in this area. That’s what keeps me going. It is a tough area but it is good to see equally committed people around.” Lyen has recently relinquished his post after 10 years as president of the Rainbow Centre (which manages the two schools), but he still plays an active role in raising funds for the new school at Balestier.

Today, while Lyen is no longer involved in tailoring the programs for the special schools, he has other plans. “Now that the Margaret Drive Special School has its own purpose-built building, I am trying to raise the building funds to realize the dream and make it a reality at the Balestier School as well. That’s where my musicals and books come in.”

“I am an eternal optimist. When working with disabled children, one has to be.”

Despite his busy schedule, Lyen has managed to use his hobby for fund-raising activities. “Writing musicals and books is a creative process. You start from nothing and then go through a process of getting it done - that brings great joy. Of course, it gives me a lot of satisfaction to get good comments from people who have read my books.”

To date, Lyen has written 12 books, most of which he coauthored. One of his first books was on Asian childcare. “Although the manuscript was completed in 1993, it was only published in 1997. By then another seven books were completed, bringing his total to eight books, which came out in the same year,” explains Lyen, who decided to start writing when he noticed recurring questions from his patients’ parents. “The answers cannot be found in the books available. They were questions that were very much related to our local customs, such as ‘Can we take birds’ nest soup?’ and ‘What is heaty food?’ I learned a lot through asking questions, talking to older people, and doing research for this book. The book encapsulates Western practices and Asian customs and beliefs of the Malays, Chinese and Indians,” he says.

Lyen hopes to see more volunteers in social work. “The bottom line is, people need to take the plunge by contacting the Community Chest - it is one of the best ways to start. The schools can help a lot because they lay the foundations. When I was at the school, it was compulsory to visit the old folks. Although I did not like it initially because I did not know what to say, once you started doing it, you get acquainted with such work, and I slowly began to like it. School children nowadays should be trained to be helpful and to be eased into voluntary services so that they don’t get in the way of the service providers,” he declares.

For those who want to accomplish something but find it difficult to get started, Lyen has this advice. “Try to make time. There are little areas of time when we are not doing anything. For me, the time between 5 to 7 p.m. can be used more efficiently. I also find that my most productive time is when everyone is asleep - all my music composing and book writing are done at this time. It is purely a question of discipline - putting aside a few hours every day and ruthlessly eliminating time stealers - strictly no television or movies.”

Now, that’s a tough one!

Interview by Today Newspaper

Creative Differences

By Shearlyn Tay

17 May 2007