LASALLE College of the Arts celebrates 20 years of musical theatre education in April, where the graduating cohort of its BA (Hons) Musical Theatre programme will present Ride the Cyclone at LASALLE’s Singapore Airlines Theatre from 24 to 26 April 2025.
The BA (Hons) Musical Theatre programme was introduced in 2004 as the first of its kind in Asia. It remains the only musical theatre undergraduate programme in Singapore, and as such has played a vital role in the development of Singapore’s wider performing arts ecosystem through training, advocacy, networking and professional growth opportunities.
The programme has seen 176 graduates, many of whom have gone on to launch and build successful careers on and off-stage both locally and internationally. Alumni from the programme include theatre professionals Tan Rui Shan, Ava Madon, Vester Ng, Vanessa Kee, Eric Larrea and Izzathy Halil.
Professor Steve Dixon, President of LASALLE, said, “The growth of musical theatre as an art form in Singapore and the region has been nothing short of stratospheric. We are very proud that our BA (Hons) Musical Theatre programme has evolved to provide world-class training for local and international students who go on to perform in classic musicals on Broadway and the West End. Our graduates also pioneer the development of new musicals highlighting Singaporean history and identity, as well as exciting future forms of musical production within Asia.”
Over the years, the programme has made talent incubation a key tenet of its mission to further musical theatre in Singapore, successfully building a space where LASALLE graduates who are aspiring choreographers, musical directors or production managers can take on these roles in student productions. For example, musical theatre alumni Gaby Rae and Chloe Shyan choreographed this year’s anniversary production of Ride the Cyclone, while London-based BA (Hons) Music alumna Gail Tay, a graduate of the Masters in Musical Direction at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, returned to serve as the musical director. This incubation ground provides emerging theatre professionals with valuable opportunities to hone their skills and learn from professionals.
The Addams Family (2023)
Musical Theatre students also work with their peers in the College’s Diploma in Theatre Production and Management programmes in realising their productions, creating a strong, collaborative network of performing arts practitioners which students are able to take with them when they graduate.
Dayal Gian Singh, Programme Leader, BA (Hons) Musical Theatre, is in the unique position of having seen the programme grow almost since the beginning. Dayal himself is an alumnus of the programme, graduating as part of its second cohort in 2008. He returned to LASALLE as a full-time lecturer in 2013, and became the Programme Leader for the musical theatre programme in 2018.
Dayal shares, “The theatre scene has changed so much over the years. I think beyond the fact that we’ve seen rapid growth in available opportunities, quality and variety of productions, what’s important is that we’ve also seen the evolution of an ecosystem in Singapore and the region. There is great talent here, and Singaporeans are realising that more and more. It has been incredible to see our alumni make their mark in the industry. Over the years, we’ve seen a lot more collaboration and diversity in the local and regional musical theatre scene, and generations of our students and alumni are working together to build the future of musical theatre in Southeast Asia—which is hugely exciting. We hope to continue being a part of this growth for many more years to come.”
Ivan Heng, Founding Artistic Director of Wild Rice, said, "LASALLE’s musical theatre programme has been a game-changer for our industry—spotting talent, honing their craft, and sending them out into the world. Many of its graduates, including Vester Ng, Nadya Zaheer and Tan Rui Shan have lit up the Wild Rice stage, standing shoulder to shoulder with the best in the business. Their passion, discipline, and sheer brilliance are a testament to the programme’s impact. Here’s to 20 years of nurturing the next generation of musical theatre artists. Bravo!"
Apart from its BA (Hons) Musical Theatre programme, LASALLE offers nine Diploma and BA (Hons) programmes in the performing arts, including dance, acting, theatre production and management, music and audio production.
