ABOUT SHANNEN TAN

Shannen Tan is an actor and theatre maker based in Singapore. She trained under the tutelage of Edith Podesta in the 5th cohort of Wild Rice's training arm, young & wild. She also graduated as a Psychology and Theatre Studies graduate from NUS and did her thesis on the psychology of acting.

Her co-created work, Lotus Root Support Group, enjoyed a sold-out run at 72-13 in 2022. Lotus Root Support Group returned with a personal reboot in 2024 and the autobiographical work travelled to the Melbourne Fringe Festival in the same year.

Her other acting and stage credits include: Do Rhinos Feel Their Horns by Gangguan (Singapore) / Summerhall (Edinburgh), Web of Deceit by Paper Monkey Theatre, Fat Kids are Harder to Kidnap, Caught by Singapore Repertory Theatre, Anything Can Happen / Something Must Happen by Wild Rice, The Old Woman and the Ox by Second Breakfast Company, Toy Factory Productions’ The Wright Stuff: A Piece of Cake and M1 Fringe Festival’s Pretty Butch by Tan Liting.

She has also dabbled in the field of performance art. Her most recent foray was Heman Chong's durational performance, everything (Wikipedia) curated by Singapore Art Museum at the National Gallery of Singapore.

Apart from theatre, she makes various appearances in films and music videos. She also continues to host for a variety of companies and events such as OH! Open House, Asian Film Archive and Gillman Barracks: Art after Dark.

See Her Work

TRAINING HISTORY

COMMITMENT TO CONTINUOUS TRAINING

COURSES COMPLETED

Experiencing Accents Simon Masterson and Linda Nicholls-Gidley (Knight-Thompson Speechwork)
Phonetics Intensive with Simon Masterson and Linda Nicholls-Gidley (Knight-Thompson Speechwork)
Experiencing Speech with Simon Masterson and Linda Nicholls-Gidley (Knight-Thompson Speechwork)
Young and Wild (Edith Podesta - Viewpoints, Laban, Devising, Voice work)
Puppet Making Course (Beng Tian from The Finger Players)
Introduction to Physical Theatre (Yazid Jalil)
Embodiment 体现 - Beyond Creativity, Embodied Theatre (Ang Gey Pin)
Suzuki Method of Actor Training (Nine Years Theatre)
Introduction and Beginner's Course to Contemporary Dance (Completed Twice) (Sigma Contemporary)

OTHERS

American Council on Exercise Personal Training Certified

WORKSHOPS/MASTERCLASSES UNDERTAKEN

Backlogues: Vocal Clinic for Studio Recording by Serene Chen and Artwave Studio
Performing Shakespeare by Simon Purse
Exploring the Work of Jacques Lecoq by Laura Hayes
Playwriting Workshops with award-winning UK-based playwright Kaite O' Reilly
Speaking and Moving: Workshop for Your Voice by Koh Wan Ching
Directing Masterclass with Steven Dexter

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

Double Major in Psychology and Theatre Studies (Distinction with Honours)

Thesis: To Be or Not To Be - The Effect of Emotional Memory on Acting Performance and its Aftereffects on the Actor

Relevant Training/Modules:

Voice Studies and Production (Nora Samosir)
As If: Actors & Acting (Nora Samosir; Sharon Frese)
Play Production (Felipe Cevera)
Professional Theatre Internship (The Necessary Stage)
Making Contemporary Performance (Natalie Hennedige)
Introduction to Playwriting (Faith Ng)