SINGAPORE – The Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay and Drama Centre Theatre at the National Library are undergoing their first major upgrading works in close to two decades.
The Esplanade, which opened in 2002, is progressively overhauling the technical infrastructure and stage technology in its indoor performance venues for the first time. Its 245-seat recital studio is closed till April.
Upgrading works are slated for the venue’s Theatre Studio from May to August, the Concert Hall from September to March 2025 and the Theatre from April 2025 to October 2025.
Mr Kenny Wong, the Esplanade’s head of technical production, says the extensive works involve over 35km of trunking and 338km of cables.
He tells The Straits Times over e-mail: “These works are critical and essential so that we are future-ready to better receive new digital equipment and enhance our overall technical capabilities.”
He says the Esplanade will also create a central control room and a basic media suite, which “will provide more seamless support for the recording and streaming of performances at all our venues”.
The Esplanade will also adopt LED lighting for its stage technology, phasing out its current tungsten and discharge lighting fixtures, with its commitment to being green and reducing its carbon footprint.
The arts centre had installed LED lighting across its non-performing venues since 2019, which saved on electricity equivalent to what is consumed by 553 four-room Housing Board flats in a year.
The 615-seat Drama Centre Theatre, managed by Arts House Limited (AHL), has been closed for rectification works since Feb 4. The venue opened in 2005.
According to its website, the works are estimated to be completed by Dec 31 and AHL will not accept new venue hires until March 2025.
An AHL spokesperson says the works are “part of a regular maintenance process, and their primary focus is to address identified issues in the Drama Centre Theatre stage system”. AHL did not specify the issues.
Checkpoint Theatre, which booked the Drama Centre Theatre for the first show of its 2024 season Secondary: The Musical, was told in mid-2023 that its booking had to be cancelled. The show, which opens April 19, will now play at the 614-seat Victoria Theatre instead.
Checkpoint’s production of playwright Faith Ng’s Hard Mode also had to be moved to another venue and is slated for the School of the Arts Drama Theatre from Oct 17 to Nov 10.
Joint artistic director Claire Wong says: “Yes, there are cost implications. But having to deal with the disproportionately high expense of venue rental is unfortunately par for the course. Furthermore, we have been told to expect venue rental rates to be revised upwards soon.
“It is very hard to increase ticket prices by too much if we want to keep our work affordable and accessible. As a not-for-profit producing company, we need help from donors and sponsors to keep championing Singapore artists and original writing.”
While other theatre companies that ST spoke to say their shows have not been affected by temporary venue closures, Ms Charlotte Nors, managing director of Singapore Theatre Company (STC), says they have seen an increase in inquiries for STC’s 380-seat KC Arts Centre at Robertson Quay.
But a spokesperson from Wild Rice, which runs the 358-seat Ngee Ann Kongsi Theatre at Funan, says they have not received more queries.
Describing each of the Esplanade’s venues as irreplaceable, Mr Wong says that upgrading works would have “minimal impact in terms of the overall number of activities taking place, as the venue closures are planned in phases”. The centre is also exploring the use of more unconventional venues for its tentpole festivals.
The Singapore Symphony Orchestra, which lists the Esplanade Concert Hall as its performing home, says there have been no changes to its 2024 and 2025 concert season due to upgrading works.
When asked about the cost of upgrading works, the Esplanade and AHL declined to reveal a figure.
