Parenting on Purpose

Appearances were deceiving. It was a secluded building apparently in the middle of nowhere. The only clue we had was from a curious invitation card, mysteriously emailed to us, and informing us that we had come into possession of a "rare and limited ticket" which would grant us access into the "wonderful world of Grimmsneyland". Could it be that the entrance to such a magical place would be innocently hidden in the outskirts of suburban Singapore? And so we climbed up the rickety steps, uncertain at what we were to expect. Little did we expect to find a strange creature at the top of the stairs. He said his name was Brandon, and that he was a Fairy-Godfather-in-Training; and that it was his duty to guide us into Grimmsneyland.  And that, dear readers, was the beginning of our Adventures in Grimmsneyland! What magical adventures await! Imagine coming face to face with Napping Beauty, who dazzles in her pink outfit! ANDSOFORTH Jr.'s production,  Tales of G...

I Theatre's spectacular production The Magic Paintbrush  starts its run this week. Parenting on Purpose goes up close and personal with the company's Creative Director Brian Seward, to learn more about why I Theatre is bringing back this popular play. Spectacular artwork from the original production of The Magic Paintbrush. Parenting on Purpose:  What made you choose this particular Chinese folk tale as the original inspiration for the play? Brian Seward:   It was an interesting story, with not too many characters, and with a very clear moral, that was suitable for younger children as well as older ones. A lot of Chinese folk tales can be quite long and involved. Others involve a lot of fighting and chopping off of heads. This story lent itself a bit more to a theatre adaptation - although we have the challenge of making things that are painted come to life! There were a number of different versions of the story - some more bloodthirsty than others....

What happens if your BFF suddenly declares that you are boring and not worth her attention? What if this was the same friend that you had always looked up?  I Theatre's 15th Anniversary Production, "The Rainbow Fish", takes you to a world of adventure and exploration; of friendship and of community. Under the Sea. The fishy community welcomes you to the show! Enter Rainbow. She's a dazzling display of beauty; especially given her lovely shiny scales. And she's no less than a celebrity to all the other fishes, which makes her proud and arrogant. But the final blow is when Rainbow decides to insult her long-time fan and supporter, Small Blue, leaving him... well let's say our little friend was  feeling  more than a little blue.... What if no one ever talked to her again? Is it too late for Rainbow? Will she live a forever friendless life? "Bubble Bubble...." says the Starfish. "I can't hear you...." I Theatre's Brian Sewa...

One of our favourite local theatre production companies, I Theatre , is gearing up for another year of quality children's theatre! We are looking forward to their unique take on Aesop's Fables from 26 February to 21 March 2015, as well as The Gingerbread Man from 20 May to 7 June 2015. We have loved their combination of silly yet endearing characters and enchanting songs in their past productions, always with a plot and script which serve to entertain not just the littlies, but the parents as well, and are looking forward to what they have to offer in Aesop's Fables , previously produced in 2009 to a sell-out audience. I Theatre has also been experimenting with some black light theatre and puppetry in their 2014 productions, and this  production promises more of these new techniques as it showcases the more popular fables like The Lion and the Mouse , as well as the lesser known stories like The Jay and the Peacock . Aesop's Fables  promi...

Parenting on Purpose  is pleased to organise an exciting giveaway for a family pack of 4  tickets  for  "Hop and Honk", a musical extravaganza by I Theatre. Tickets are being sold for at least $30 each. You may refer to this page for more information on the show. How to Win the Giveaway: 1.  Comment   on our feature story  for the play found  on this page . Tell us why you like to watch plays. 2.  LIKE  the  Parenting on Purpose Facebook Page . 3.  Share  this blog post on your  Facebook Wall with the Caption  “Giveaway for Hop and Honk, a musical extravaganza by I Theatre".  Or you can just copy and paste this link.  http://parenting-on-purpose.blogspot.sg/2014/10/giveaway-hop-and-honk-by-i-theatre.html This contest will be open from now to 20 Oct 2014. Parenting on Purpose is pleased to award the giveaway to Kaye Wong ! Congratulations Kate! We will be contacting you shortly f...

A "Behind-the-Scenes" Story written for local family portal Little Day Out. Little Day Out chats with I Theatre’s Artistic Director Brian Seward to understand how a “Broadway-style” musical is created following the matchmaking of two traditional fairy tales.  Transformation. That’s the key commonality between The Ugly Duckling and The Frog Prince. When I Theatre’s Brian Seward was contemplating about which story to adapt into a musical, he read both these stories one after another, and realised the following elements: Both characters had a transformation, and both had a journey; with trials and tribulations. They both lived in the same environment - a riverbank, or a pond, and had the same neighbours, friends and enemies. Allowing his creative juices to flow, Seward considered the following possibility: “I wondered what would happen if they met each other, and how they might help and guide one another. Everything fell very surprisingly into place. When I began t...

A review of “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus”, a production by the UK-based Big Wooden Horse Company. Written for local family portal Little Day Out. What do you do when a (not so) charming, (not very) agreeable, and extremely persuasive Pigeon asks you to let him drive the bus? That’s the premise of this simple play, which was based on a popular series of books by American writer Mo Willems.   But while the storyline behind the play is simple, the production is far from simplistic. Big Wooden Horse’s Artistic Director Adam Bampton-Smith drew on the original elements present in the book, but took the content one step further. For instance, Bampton-Smith added to the characters of Pigeon and Bus Driver, and there are now other figures such as the Hot Dog Man and the Truck Driver, which add to the diversity of the adult figures in the play. There is of course the very likeable character of Duckie, who won this reviewer’s heart for being wise yet simply adorab...

"Questions... Questions... Questions..." said Smallest Dragon. "Answers! Answers! Answers!" said Twiglet. Enter the fantastical world of Smallest Dragon and her forest friends Twiglet and Leaf. The night is young and Smallest Dragon has just begun her explorations of the world around her. She discovers that the moon is round and that the sky is blue. But that's only the beginning; she is soon sought out by her friends Twiglet and Leaf. Twiglet has recently been extremely disturbed by a new phenomenon - she cannot come to terms that leaves are not only green, but that they can also be red or brown. It is up to the wise Smallest Dragon to help set things right. Beautiful sets and dazzling costumes depict the magical forest environment. I Theatre's latest play, Round the Moon, Blue the Sky, is a distinct departure from its previous productions. Director Brian Seward told Parenting on Purpose  that he wanted to experiment with this piece, given th...

From singing cats and operatic ogres to magical creatures whose wings dazzle in a shimmering burst of light. From scared baby dragons taking their maiden flight to graceful dragons well-versed in the ancient art of storytelling. And then there are those who consider their home to be "curvy and swervy and (somewhat) topsy-turvy", while others believe that "straight lines guide you along a straight path". The ACE! Festival 2014 was an enjoyable experience for us. Reviewing the plays on behalf of local family portal Little Day Out , our little son Z got the opportunity to watch all five of the plays. And he enjoyed every single one of them! I Theatre, which produced three of the plays and brought in two UK-based productions, stated that the festival theme was "Long Ago and Far Away", and it promised to explore not only stories and music and performance, but also "experiences, environments, cultures, sights and sounds". And the festival deli...

A review of “Starbird”, a production by the UK-based Toto Tales. Written for local family portal Little Day Out. Enter the ethereal forest of the Starbird, a magical creature whose wings dazzle in a shimmering burst of light. Sundown in this enchanted land always delights the senses; that’s as the Starbird performs a mystical ritual when it ascends to the skies and magically brings light to the stars, causing them to glow and to sing. And the dance of the Starbird bring solace to all around, providing the land with much peace and tranquility. But one day, a disgusting and destructive Hunter enters the forest. The Starbird trusts him intrinsically, even showing him the places where she lays her eggs. He betrays this trust, and even seeks to profit from what is closest to her heart - her eggs. Will the Starbird see through his plot, and will she escape from the greatest danger she has ever faced? Little Z has developed a love for theatre. Here he is excited to watch...

A review of “Dotty the Dragon”, a production by the UK-based Blunderbus Theatre Company. This review was written for local family portal Little Day Out. “Come to the Village,” said the man. “It’s a charming little place where everyone lives a comfortable life and the children are happy everyday.” A little frown escapes his otherwise cheerful face. “Now don’t you worry about the Dragon in the castle over yonder. We’ve got a Night Watchman who guards the Village and keeps it safe.” With that kind invitation, we are drawn into a charming Village; one whose inhabitants are happy everyday (apart from the usual neighbourly grouses). And although there are rumours of a great green creature which casts its shadow when it flies over the skies, no one has actually seen it face to face. Z enjoying his fourth ACE! Festival 2014 play - "Dotty the Dragon" That’s where Little Dotty comes in. Barely 10 days-old, Dotty yearns to make her maiden flight down to the lit...