About Us

Established in 1987, The Necessary Stage (TNS) is a non-profit theatre company with charity status. Our mission is to create challenging, indigenous and innovative theatre that touches the heart and mind. TNS has the honour of being the only arts company in Singapore helmed by two Cultural Medallion recipients: Artistic Director and Founder Alvin Tan and Resident Playwright Haresh Sharma. The company is also the organiser and curator of the annual Singapore Fringe Festival.

TNS is supported by the National Arts Council under the Major Company Scheme for the period from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2026.

2025 sees TNS celebrating its 38th year of creating challenging, innovative and indigenous theatre that touches the heart and mind. Having presented more than 100 original plays in Singapore and abroad, TNS remains focused on breaking new ground in original local content and intercultural exploration.

For its Main Season, TNS produces an average of two plays a year. The plays are original, mostly devised pieces created in a collaborative process that is based on research, improvisation before scripting, and input from all members of the production.

We are also committed to international exchange and networking between Singapore and other countries, through staging the company’s plays abroad, inviting foreign works to be presented by the company in Singapore, through dialogues, workshops and training opportunities as well as creative collaborations leading to interdisciplinary productions.

TNS has also curated and presented the Singapore Fringe Festival since 2005. The Fringe is an annual festival of live performances by Singapore and international artists, with the aim of bringing  the best of contemporary, cutting-edge and socially engaged works to the Singapore audience. In our increasingly connected, complex and often conflicted world, the Fringe seeks to present meaningful, socially engaged and provocative art to encourage civil and open dialogue and collaboration.

TNS has also been unwavering in its efforts to nurture new talents and local content, through various platforms including youth- and senior-oriented training initiatives, commissions at the Fringe Festival, and laboratory and developmental platforms such as The Orange Playground, The Orange Production, and most recently since 2020, the TNS Devising Platform. The company also has a comprehensive online archival portal at tnsarchives.com, providing the public access to its 38 years of history.

To keep abreast with our events, do like our Facebook page and follow our Instagram account.