The Singapore theatre community will convene once again to celebrate the best of its peers at the arts party of the year.

The 3rd DBS Life! Theatre Awards takes place on Monday, March 31, at The Fullerton Ballroom at 7pm.

The evening will be graced by guest-of-honour Mr David Lim, the Acting Minister for Information, Communications and the Arts.

Inaugurated in 2001, the DBS Life! Theatre Awards acknowledges the best in theatre. It is the only public platform honouring the theatre community in Singapore.

This year's awards will honour productions which were staged last year.

Among the interesting things to note this year is the strong presence of Chinese theatre productions, signalling a renaissance of the scene since the passing of its doyen, Kuo Pao Kun, last year.

Also of note is the fact that two nominees have been nominated twice.

One is Remesh Panicker, who is up for a Best Actor award for Art, as well as Best Supporting Actor for Proof.

The other is Sebastian Zeng, who is up for Best Set Design for two productions - One Flea Spare and Six Degrees Of Separation.

The judging panel this year comprised the theatre critics of The Straits Times Life! section and Business Times, as well Dr K. K. Seet of the Theatre Studies programme at the National University of Singapore; arts lecturer Arthur Kok; Arts Magazine editor Rachel Farnay Jacques and avid theatre fan Ryan Goh.

Supporters of the event include MAC, Reds Hairdressing, Baccarat Crystal, Music & Movement, Ben Wines and Fullerton Hotel.

Journalists and photographers /camera crew are cordially invited to the 3rd DBS Life! Theatre Awards 2002 at 7pm on Monday, Mar 31 at the Fullerton Hotel Ballroom of The Fullerton, Singapore. Dress code for the event is Po-Mo BoHo (Post-Modern Bohemian). A reception will follow the awards presentation.

Please confirm your attendance by Monday, Mar 31 to:

Shahrena Hassan
Assistant Manager
Branding & Promotions
The Straits Times
DID: 6319 5097
HP: 9796 6115
shahrena@sph.com.sg


For the full list of nominees, please see below:

BEST PLAY
1. Animal Farm (Wild Rice)
2. Machine (TheatreWorks)
3. Honk! (Singapore Repertory Theatre)
4. Fireface (Toy Factory Theatre Ensemble)
5. Proof (Action Theatre)

BEST SCRIPT
1. Tan Tarn How (Machine/TheatreWorks)
2. Russell Heng (Comrade Mayor/TheatreWorks)
3. Eng Wee Ling/ Ekachai Uekrongtham (Mammon Inc 2/Action Theatre)
4. Lim Jen Erh (The Glass Menagerie/Page To Stage)
5. Alfian Saat/Ng How Wee (Fugitives/Drama Box)

BEST ACTOR
1. Alvin Chiam (The Island/Theatre Practice)
2. Jeffrey Low (Oleanna/Theatre Practice)
3. Remesh Panicker (Art/Singapore Repertory Theatre)
4. Ramesh Meyyappan (Mystero Buffo)
5. Xia Chuan (The Chessmaster/Toy Factory Theatre Ensemble)

BEST ACTRESS
1. Li Xie (White Songs/Drama Box)
2. Karen Tan (Autumn Tomyam/Action Theatre)
3. Claire Wong (Occupation/Checkpoint Theatre)
4. Judy Ngo (Oleanna/Theatre Practice)
5. Janice Koh (Proof/Action Theatre)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
1. Hossan Leong (Honk!/Singapore Repertory Theatre)
2. Adrian Pang (Forbidden City/Singapore Repertory Theatre)
3. Remesh Panicker (Proof/Action Theatre)
4. Richard Chua (Ghost Opera/The Fun Stage)
5. Tan Tiow Im (The Chessmaster/Toy Factory Theatre Ensemble)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
1. Tan Kheng Hua (Mammon Inc 2/Action Theatre)
2. Nur'isma Yiana (Beautiful Thing, Mandarin version/Toy Factory Theatre Ensemble)
3. Nora Samosir (Proof/Action Theatre)
4. Esther Yap (Stop Kiss/Livid Room Productions)
5. Goh Guat Kian (The Glass Menagerie/Page To Stage)

BEST SET DESIGN
1. Sebastian Zeng (One Flea Spare/Luna-Id Productions)
2. Sebastian Zeng (Six Degrees of Separation/The Stage Club)
3. Brian Gothong Tan (Ghost Opera/The Fun Stage)
4. Goh Boon Teck (Fireface/Toy Factory Theatre Ensemble)
5. Francis Ng (The Glass Menagerie/Page To Stage)

BEST DIRECTOR
1. Ivan Heng (Animal Farm/Wild Rice)
2. Jeremiah Choy (Machine/TheatreWorks)
3. Nelson Chia (Oleanna/Theatre Practice)
4. Beatrice Chia (Fireface/Toy Factory Theatre Ensemble)
5. Lim Jen Erh & Su Junying (The Glass Menagerie/Page To Stage)

BEST ENSEMBLE ACTING
1. Animal Farm (Wild Rice)
2. Various Gangsters (Spell #7)
3. Boeing Boeing (Wild Rice)
4. Fireface (Toy Factory Theatre Ensemble)
5. Machine (TheatreWorks)