In Conversation: The Practice of Parenthood and Creative Life

Thursday 27 August at 10pm (SG Time) on Checkpoint Theatre’s Facebook Live

Are art and parenthood compatible? Does one have to be sacrificed for the other to thrive? What are the challenges of creating art as a parent? What can the arts teach us about creative parenting?
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Join us for an honest and insightful discussion on what it takes to maintain a creative practice as a parent with our guests, Adib Kosnan, Mia Chee, and Sean Tobin. This online discussion is moderated by Faith Ng (Associate Artistic Director of Checkpoint Theatre).
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With diverse experiences as artists and arts educators, and as parents with children ranging from toddlers to teenagers, the panel will examine what they have learned from the struggles and triumphs of being a creative parent.

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Adib Kosnan is a theatre practitioner, playwright, and educator. He is also an Associate Artist with Checkpoint Theatre and a founding member of playwright collective Main Tulis Group (MTG). As a writer-director, his works include Rumah Hantu (Malay Heritage Centre’s Projek Bahasa Pengarah, 2019), Jangan Kurang Ajar (2014) and Edge (2015) by Teater Kami. Other directing credits include Rasa Sarang (The Arts House’s Textures 2020), Anak Melayu (Teater Kami’s 30th Anniversary, 2019), Air in Tanah•Air 水•土: A Play In Two Parts (Drama Box, 2019), and Without Reason (a commission of the 2017 M1 Peer Pleasure Youth Theatre Festival). As an educator, Adib firmly believes in the power of drama in education, coming from a youth theatre programme himself (the now-defunct Dramaplus Youth Theatre). He has mentored students in numerous schools, and conceptualised, written, directed and facilitated school programmes and performances for companies such as The Voice, Teater Kami, I.AM studios, and Checkpoint Theatre.

Mia Chee is the co-founder and Company Director of Nine Years Theatre. An actor, producer and theatre educator, she started performing at 9 years old when she joined Rediffusion Singapore’s children’s group and eventually graduated with a BA in Theatre Studies and Chinese Language from the National University of Singapore. In addition to that, she studied Viewpoints with SITI Company (New York), and Suzuki Method of Actor Training with SITI and Suzuki Company of Toga (Japan). Recent company works include Dear Elena (2019), First Fleet (2019), FAUST/US (2019), Lear Is Dead (2018), Pissed Julie (2018), Cut Kafka! (a commission of the 2018 Huayi Chinese Festival of Arts, in collaboration with T.H.E. Dance Company), and Art Studio (a commission of the 2017 Singapore International Festival of Arts).

Sean Tobin is an Australian theatre-maker and educator based in Singapore since 1993. He has over 25 years of experience working in theatre and education. He served as Artistic Director of the M1 Singapore Fringe Festival (2015 – 2020) and as Head of Faculty (Theatre) at SOTA (2009 – 2019). Sean has conceptualised and directed productions such as Close – In My Face (2002), Sing Song (2004), and Such Sweet Sorrow (M1 Theatre Connect, 2004) by The Necessary Stage, Tongues with Jason Wee (a commission of the 2012 M1 Singapore Fringe Festival) and The Perfection of 10 (Esplanade’s The Studios 2012). He has worked full-time with Act 3 International, TOUCH Arts, The Necessary Stage, and was formerly the Artistic Director of the M1 Youth Connection, M1 Theatre Connect, and The Necessary Community Festival. Sean is currently a full-time theatre teacher with SOTA, where he regularly directs productions and creative projects.