A dedicated children and youth programme focused on nurturing young creative talents, encouraging youth participation, and developing engaging theatre and creative development programmes for young audiences.

Past Productions

Hantu Kaki Kotor (2026)

Based on The Ghost with Dirty Feet by Sharon Ismail, Hantu Kaki Kotor is an exciting, magical, and heartwarming theatre experience for children and families. Set in a kampong and filled with adventure, humour, and heart, the play follows Ali, a young boy who embarks on a quest to catch the mysterious King of the river in hopes of helping his family through difficult times.

Through Ali's journey, audiences are invited to reflect on themes of self-worth, belonging, empathy, resilience, and the different forms that families can take. Hantu Kaki Kotor encourages young audiences to explore themes of family, courage, and community through the power of storytelling, while offering an engaging introduction to theatre and Malay-language performance.

Cast & Creatives:
Based on Sharon Ismail’s book The Ghost with Dirty Feet
Written by: Irsyad Dawood and Ali Mazrin
Starring: Ali Mazrin, Shafiqhah Efandi, Dinah Nazirah, and Hang Qian Chou
Director and Set Design: Irsyad Dawood
Sound Designer: Hakiim Hamim
Lighting Designer: Janson Seah

Borgs and Yorgs Only! (2024)

Borgs and Yorgs Only! was a non-verbal children’s performance presented as part of Esplanade’s March On Festival in March 2024.

Through movement and dance, the performance explored themes of friendship, acceptance, and finding connection with others, inviting young audiences into a playful world where differences are celebrated.

Performed by:
Ashley Maddala, Irsyad Dawood, and Natalie Linn Titus

Hantu Kaki Kotor (2024)

Hantu Kaki Kotor is a compelling story about Ali, a young boy who is part of a family of adopted children. When times get tough, the always mischievous Ali gets worried that he’ll be given away and tries to prove his worth in the family. This heartwarming story underscores the importance of family bonds, emphasising that no matter the circumstances, families always remain united. It is an important reminder that not all families look the same and that even when families go through tough times, they go through it together and come out stronger!

Cast & Creatives:
Based on Sharon Ismail’s book The Ghost with Dirty Feet
Written by: Adib Kosnan
Starring: Ali Mazrin, Irsyad Dawood, Deonn Yang and Sofie Buligis
Director: Irsyad Dawood
Set Designer: Aida Sa’ad
Sound Designer: Tini Aliman
Lighting Designer: Din

June Holiday Programmes

eurEKA Soapbox Challenge by Teater Ekamatra

A three-day creative performance programme for young people aged 13 to 16, where participants from different artistic backgrounds came together to create an original performance from scratch.

Through prompts, games, experiments, team challenges, and creative curveballs, participants explored ideas, took creative risks, and worked collaboratively to shape their own performance. The programme culminated in a final presentation, where each group shared their work and celebrated not just the final performance, but the creative process that brought it to life.

Facilitator: Irsyad Dawood

Irsyad Dawood is a performer, theatre-maker, and teaching artist. Central to his practice is a belief that theatre is a space where we can challenge conformity and discover different ways of being together.

As a theatre-maker, Irsyad is curious about form and how process & performance can take new shapes in service of story, with intentionality and precision. Most recently, during his artist residency with Teater Ekamatra, he explored headphone verbatim theatre and live dramaturgy to create intimate performance experiences. His previous works include Does This Work For You (M1 Singapore Fringe Festival, 2017), Pan-dance-mic (Singapore Art Museum, 2022), and Hantu Kaki Kotor (Teater Ekamatra, 2024).

Beyond the stage, Irsyad works as a teaching artist and social-emotional development facilitator with learners of all ages. He leads with joy and curiosity in every room he's called to.

March Holiday Programmes

Speech and Drama Programme for ages 7 to 9

A three-day Speech and Drama workshop for children aged 7 to 9, where participants explored the world of storytelling and performance through drama games, improvisation, and creative play.

Over the three afternoons, participants developed characters, settings, and stories together, building their confidence and performance skills along the way. The workshop culminated in a final sharing for parents, where the children brought their original story to life on stage.

Facilitator: Farah Ong

Farah Ong is a full-time independent artist based and residing in Singapore. Her pedagogical experience started in 2006 and she regards teaching as an extension of her craft. She works with students from pre-school to tertiary level. Apart from working with students from mainstream schools, Farah also works with individuals with Special Needs and Youths at Risk.

She received formal pedagogical training from NIE and obtained the Specialist Diploma in Art Education.

Her other pedagogical certifications include The Essentials in Teaching and Learning by NIE, Working and Facilitating the Learning of Children with Special Needs in the Arts by Social Service Institute as well as Teaching of the Arts in Early Childhood Education by Seed Institute.

Farah has directed a few children’s theatre productions for Little Arts Academy working with students ranging from 7-15 years old. The productions she directed with them are Chutki (2013), A Tree’s Tale (2015), BFG-The Big Friendly Giant (2016) and Damai Lane (2017).

She also directed Ketupat Kid, a work for Esplanade’s Ceria;Pesta Raya- a children’s segment for the Malay Festival of the Arts in 2017 and in 2021 she wrote and directed “I nak fly..” for PLAYtime! part of Esplanade's interactive theatre series for young audiences.