Conceived by Ong Keng Sen in 1990, the TheatreWorks Writers' Lab has been pioneering and is instrumental in encouraging and developing Singapore playwriting with its varied and far-reaching programmes. Headed by Robin Loon, The Writers' Lab aims to continually provide new and emerging playwrights opportunities to hone their creative writing skills. In addition, The Writers' Lab also maintains its R&D profile by affording established writers and Writers' Lab alumni an incubating environment to advance their new works . To date, the Writers' Lab has published 4 anthologies of new writings which serve as a resource for those wanting to stage Singapore plays. The last publication, 5 Under 25 was specially focused on writings for young people.
Greenhouse
The aim of the Writers' Lab Greenhouse are to discover, and nurture
talent and potential, as well as provide training and honing skills for
new playwrights. These writers will be selected from winners and
entries from the Singapore Young Dramatists Award, and 24-hour Playwriting
Competition, as well as through open auditions. Some scripts developed
during the Greenhouse may also be staged.
Hothouse
The Writers' Lab Hothouse provides an incubation space to develop
existing playwrights’ range of writing, as well as to explore new
and experimental forms in writing. The Hothouse will play host to established
writers and Writers' Lab alumni with the aim to explore the Singapore
form and idiom through dramatic writing.