Goh Boon Teck () is a Singaporean director, playwright and production designer.
Early life and education Goh's mother, Oon Ah Chiam, is a Chinese opera performer who performed with Chinese opera troupe, Sin Sai Hong. When Goh was young, he would follow Oon on stage as a performer, playing the roles of handmaiden or eunuch. Goh studied at Si Ling Primary School then Swiss Cottage Secondary School before majoring in Fine Arts at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. He was the first Singaporean recipient of the VISA International Arts Scholarship in 1996 which allowed him to study Theatre Directing at Middlesex University, London, United Kingdom.
Career In 1990, Goh with 13 students, who had performed in Kuo Pao Kun's Lao Jiu, formed Toy Factory Theatre Ensemble, the predecessor of Toy Factory Productions. Goh would become its artistic director and it first produced a 20-minute play, The Bull Over The Rainbow, by Goh.
In 1994, Goh staged Titoudao, a play based on his mother's life story. Titoudao won five awards, Best Play, Best Original Script and Best Actress at the 2001 The Straits Times Life! Theatre Award, Program for Best Production Design/ Art Direction at New York Festivals TV & Film Awards 2021 and Best Newcomer at Asia Contents Awards 2021.
In 2001, Goh was awarded the Young Artist Award by the National Arts Council of Singapore. In 2007, Goh was appointed the creative director for the 2007 Singapore National Day Parade first held at The Float @ Marina Bay.
Goh is a firm believer in the preservation of Asian heritage, culture and history. His plays such as December Rains (2010), Titoudao (1994), Prism (2003) are a few of such representative works. Other creations such as Purple (2012), The Crab Flower Club (2012), Grind (2016) explore topics on gender and sexuality in contemporary Singapore, often prompting audiences to question morality and humanity.
In 2025, he received the Cultural Medallion for his contributions towards Singapore's art scene.
International and local projects In 2003, Goh was invited by Japan's Kageboushi Theatre Company to stage Prism as its writer and director. This project involved a 6-countries collaboration, touring Tokyo, Singapore, Bangkok, Manila, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta. Goh's original show - The Crab Flower Club (2012) toured in Beijing, China in the East Pioneer Theatre during the China International Theatre Festival. His other work - K (2012) was showcased in Shanghai Modern Drama Valley in the International 5 Cities Public Theatre Festival, which he took on the roles of a Playwright, Director and Set Designer. Glass Anatomy (2014) staged in Shanghai Culture Square, Original Mandarin Music Festival was also the first foreign production invited to the festival and second original Singaporean musical presented in China.
Works YearTitleRole(s)Ref1990The Bull Over the RainbowDirector1991RedearDirector1992PosteternePlaywright, Director and Set Designer1993OseanDirector1994TitoudaoPlaywright and Director1995I Have A Date With SpringDirector1996KPlaywright and Director1998PurplePlaywright and DirectorThe Phoenix And The TurtleDirectorMama Looking For Her CatDirectorStormDirector and Set Designer1999UnderDirectorGuys and DollsDirector and Set DesignerA Midsummer Night's Dream by the Theatre PracticeDirectorI Have A Date With SpringDirector2000TitoudaoDirector & PlaywrightA Tinted EdgeDirector & PlaywrightOleannaDirector & Set DesignerGone With That ThingDirectorMee Pok Man by Fiction FarmScript adaptation playwright & Set Designer2001Shopping & F***ingSet DesignerThe Eastern Line On My PalmDirector & PlaywrightThe Seventh DrawerDirector2002Beautiful Thing (Mandarin)DirectorKPlaywrightThe Morning People Director & Set DesignerFirefaceSet Designer ChessmasterDirector2003Mad PhoenixDirector & Set Designer BentSet DirectorBeautiful Thing (Mandarin)Director & Set DesignerPrismDirector & Playwright2004East Side StorySet DesignerMergers and AccusationsDirector2005ThunderstormDirectorDangerous LiaisonsSet DirectorPorcelainDirectorSpiritsDirector & Set Designer in Shanghai2006Long HousePlaywrightArmy DazeDirector & Set DesignerCabaretSet Designer2007TiTouDaoDirector & Playwright2009Asia On The Edge (September)Creative DirectorAsia On The Edge (November)Creative Director2010Maha MoggallanaDirector & PlaywrightDecember RainsDirectorThe Crab Flower ClubPlaywright, Director & Set Designer2011EquusSet Designer2012Tin Tan and his Tembusu TreePlaywright & DirectorKPlaywright & DirectorThe Crab Flower ClubPlaywright, Director & Set DesignerPurplePlaywright2013Glass AnatomyScript Adaptation Playwright, Director & Set DesignerHigh Class MusicalSet DesignerThe Penis SocietyPlaywright2014Glass AnatomyDirector (in Shanghai Culture Square, Original Mandarin Music Festival)Ah Boys to Men: The MusicalScript Adaptation PlaywrightInnamoratiDirector2015Savage LandDirector & Set DesignerTitoudaoDirector & PlaywrightUpstageDirectorDecember Rains (Restage)Director2016GrindDirector & PlaywrightKumarajivaDirectorInnamorati TwoDirector2017PrismPlaywrightSongs of GuidanceDirector2018Songs of Liu San JieDirectorSometime MoonDirector & PlaywrightA Dream Under The Southern Bough: The BeginningDirectorMasters of ComedyDirectorOedipusDirector2019The Severing SwordDirectorA Dream Under The Southern Bough: ReverieDirectorInfinite IslandDirector2020Titoudao (TV version by Mediacorp)Creative Director & Original Playwright7 Sages of The Bamboo GroveDirector & Co-PlaywrightOld songs of Redhill Market (digital)DirectorPoetry under the Southern BoughCreative Director2021All The World Is One's StageDirectorMasters of Comedy 2DirectorA Dream Under The Southern Bough - ExistenceDirectorOld Songs of Redhill MarketDirector2022Roar TalentsDirectorKwa Geok Choo - Singapore and the Story of Mrs Lee Kuan YewDirector & Chief Artistic Director2023Quest: The White HarePlaywright & DirectorIgnite The SunDirector Accolades Best Play of the Year (Titoudao) at 2001 The Straits Times Life! Theatre Award Best Original Script (Titoudao) at 2001 LIFE! Theatre Awards 2001 Young Artist Award by the National Arts Council Best Set Design (Fireface) at 2003 DBS LIFE! Theatre Awards 2003 Arts and Culture Goh Boon Teck at 2005 Singapore Youth Award The Elite Director Award for Glass Anatomy at 5th One Theatre Prestige Award 2014 by Shanghai Modern Drama Valley
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