ABOUT THE COURSE

In this two-day masterclass, participants will learn the fundamental principles and techniques of traditional and contemporary rod puppetry, while receiving in-depth training in Actor-Object performance.

Led by award-winning theatre practitioners and puppet masters Tan Beng Tian and Oliver Chong, the masterclass centres on finding ways to connect honest emotions with texts, voice and movements. By the end of the masterclass, each participant will create and present a short solo puppetry piece, drawing on the puppetry techniques and storytelling approaches explored over the two days. 

Selected participants will receive a curated selection of texts to develop their solo puppetry piece during the masterclass.

ABOUT THE LECTURER (Tan Beng Tian, The Finger Players)

Tan Beng Tian is a multifaceted theatre practitioner and a devoted steward of traditional puppetry, having trained under the late master Li Bofen.

As a co-founder of The Finger Players and a member of Singapore Drama Educators Association, she has spent over three decades shaping the performing arts landscape with companies like DramaBox, Esplanade – Theatres On The Bay, The Necessary Stage, The Theatre Practice and Wild Rice.

A recipient of the 2005 JCCI Singapore Foundation Culture Award and the 2019 Straits Times Life! Award, her practice spans performing, directing, design, and coaching. Deeply passionate about accessibility, Beng Tian is dedicated to ensuring the performing arts engage diverse communities. Central to her mission is the teaching and sharing of puppetry knowledge; she actively mentors emerging artists and conducts workshops to demystify the craft, ensuring this rich tradition continues to evolve and inspire new generations.

ABOUT THE LECTURER (Oliver Chong, The Finger Players)

Oliver Chong is a Singapore theatre-maker whose work has been central to redefining puppetry as a contemporary performance discipline in Asia. A playwright, director, actor, puppeteer, and designer, he holds the record for the highest number of Straits Times Life! Theatre Awards nominations across disciplines, with 30 nominations and six wins. 

From 2004 to 2026, he was a central artistic force at The Finger Players, where he developed a body of work that expanded puppetry beyond its conventional associations, establishing it as a form capable of political, emotional, and visual complexity. His major works include the solo trilogy Roots, A Fiend’s Diary, and Every Brilliant Thing, and the Citizen trilogy, comprising Citizen Pig, Citizen Dog, and Citizen X. His works have been presented internationally across Asia, Europe, and Australasia. 

Chong currently works independently across directing, writing, and pedagogy. His recent projects include Animal Farm (Singapore International Festival of Arts 2025) and a Singapore–Taiwan co-commission Tall Tales: Bananas and Ang Ku Kuehs with Shakespeare’s Wild Sisters Group, which premiered at Esplanade’s Huayi Festival in 2026 and will tour to Taiwan in 2027. 

WHO IS THIS COURSE FOR

You should attend this masterclass if you wish:

• To deepen the practice of rod puppetry
• To synthesise puppetry skills with a contemporary monologue delivery
• To explore how puppetry fundamentals can align with your own practice

REQUIREMENTS

• Participants must be at least 18 years of age.
• Full attendance is compulsory.
• Participants should be practising arts practitioners with a background in performance and movement.
• Applicants will be required to submit their CV upon registration.
• Selected participants should attend the masterclass in comfortable clothing suitable for movement.