For a tiny place with only 3.1 million citizens, Singapore supports more than 14 active theater groups. There's a wide range of genres, from Broadway-style musicals to traditional epics, and each has a growing following. These days, culture vultures can no longer just presume to buy tickets at the door. Often, shows are sold out weeks in advance. The response was just as enthusiastic for a second run of 10 shows last month.
Young audiences are willing to experiment.
And artists eager to try something new. Much the same applies to cinema. Singapore's international film festival earlier this year premiered three new local works. There was a lot of celebration. After all, that was as many flicks as they made in the past five years combined.