About Us
Our Story
Freddo Children’s Theatre (FCT) was formed in 2022 with the intent to bring American style children’s theatre to young families residing in Singapore, with the view to bring joy and inspire children through the magic of theatre. FCT was incorporated as a not-for-profit company in November 2023.
Founder and Artistic Director of Freddo Children’s Theatre, Elisha Xin-Yii Beston, developed a passion for inspiring young audiences whilst she worked for a number of years with the Bay Area Children’s Theatre Company in San Francisco. Elisha is an experienced musical theatre and children’s theatre performer. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre in Illinois, USA, and has worked extensively in the US and in Singapore.
On returning to the theatre scene in Singapore, Elisha continued this passion whilst working for Mindchamps Pre Schools, where she taught music and developed a singing curriculum for young children. However, Elisha found the local children’s theatre scene lacked the pizzazz that she had observed and had been part of whilst working in the US. As such, Freddo Children’s Theatre was born, with the aim of bringing acclaimed American theatre for young audiences to Singapore.
Elisha established a relationship with the Bay Area Children’s Theatre Company of California to collaborate to bring original and award winning children’s theatre from the USA to Singapore. At the time, the Bay Area Children’s Theatre Company (BACT) was the foremost theatre company for young audiences in California, having produced award-winning productions and educational programs over the past 18 years. With the backing and support of BACT, Freddo Children’s Theatre was launched to introduce this US brand of theatre to local Singaporean families and to provide quality entertainment for families living in Singapore who may be struggling to find something relatable for their young children. By licensing acclaimed and successful works originally produced in the US, FCT planned to provide a unique and high calibre theatre experience with a cast, design, production and crew that are all local – thus providing opportunities for young Singaporeans.
Under this collaboration, the TYA (Theatre for Young Audiences) production of “Wheels on the Bus” was bought to Singapore by Freddo Children’s Theatre and was performed at the Gateway Sky Garden Theatre in December 2022. The production, featuring a local cast and crew, was sold out, reaching out to over 800 Singaporeans.
Unfortunately, the Bay Area Children’s Theatre was forced to cease operations in the middle of 2023, a victim of the pandemic which forced many theatre companies in the US to close down. However, all was not lost, as FCT has been able to negotiate the acquisition of BACTs library of shows, and subject to court approval of the deal, will be able to bring them to Singapore in the near future.
Meantime, FCT wrote and produced a roving musical, ‘Job Search’, for the Esplanade Octoburst Festival in October 2023. This free event at the Esplanade Theatre was attended by more than 500 people.
Through connections built whilst working in the US, FCT in partnership with Bri Reads presented “A Holiday Storytime Spectacular” at the Gateway Sky Garden in November 2023. With over 360,000 followers on You Tube and growing fast, Bri’s YouTube channel (180 million channel views and over 2 million unique viewers per month) brings stories to life with interactive read alouds and original songs for a global audience spread across 195 countries!. In addition, through arrangement with the National Library, FCT presented a free storytelling session at Pungol Library featuring Bri Reads.
In addition we have also introduced techno parties for kids, our sold-out ‘Baby Raves’. ‘Baby Rave’ is a child and family friendly dance party, which has been driving toddlers crazy globally since it was first started in the States almost 20 years ago! The first Baby Rave held at the Tuff Club in August 2023 was a sold-out success, and this was followed up with a special Christmas ‘Baby Rave’ in December 2023.
Our People
Founder and Artistic Director of Freddo Children’s Theatre, Elisha Xin-Yii Beston, is an experienced musical theatre and children’s theatre performer, having earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre in the USA. She has worked extensively in the US, and her career highlights include originating the role of “Lydia” in the Californian Theatre Bay Area award winning production of ‘Gold: The Midas Musical’, A Lion in Winter (Artist’s Ensemble Theatre) and also originating the role of “Dino” in the first North American Tour of Llama Llama Live! (Bay Area Children’s Theatre) that toured across the USA and Canada. Elisha also worked as the Business Manager for Bay Area Children’s Theatre until their closure in 2023.
Since returning to to the theatre scene in Singapore after working for a number of years in children’s theatre in San Francisco, Elisha has been involved in productions at Wild Rice, SRT, The Theatre Practice, Patch & Punnet as well as the Esplanade. Elisha first appeared on Singapore TV in 2014 with the Okto production “Song and Danz”, and also can be seen in 2024 in Mediacorp’s “Sunnyside”.
Passionate about teaching, Elisha was part of the team that pioneered Singapore’s first Performing Arts Preschool (Mindchamps) where she taught music and developed a singing curriculum for young children.
In addition to her stage work, Elisha has done commercial advertising work for Marina Bay Sands, Senoko Energy, and Poise Australia to name a few. Known for her energetic and clear voice, Elisha is a sought after Voice Over artist, and can be heard as a radio DJ on MediaCorp Class 95.0, the Number 1 english radio station in Singapore. She also continues to work as a model having done print/catalogue for local fashion brands Cloud & Victory and August Society as well as runway for Zalora.
Our Values
Mission
At Freddo Children’s Theatre our mission is to inspire young minds with imaginative productions and to introduce children of all backgrounds to the excitement of live American style theatre. We are committed to creating an engaging, entertaining, and educational environment where children can explore, learn, and grow, and as such fostering empathy, confidence, and a lifelong love for the stage.
Vision
At Freddo Children’s Theatre we envision a community where every child is empowered to embrace their creativity, express their unique voice, and experience the boundless joy of live theatre. Our vision is to be a catalyst for positive change in the lives of young individuals, through productions that not only entertain but also inspire curiosity and instil a lifelong appreciation for the performing arts.
Values
Fun and Joy (pink): Recognizing the importance of bringing joy and fun into the lives of children through the magic of live theatre, creating memorable and positive experiences that leave a lasting impact.
Creativity and Imagination (yellow): Fostering a space where creativity and imagination are celebrated, encouraging children to explore their artistic potential and express themselves freely.
Inclusivity (orange): Embracing diversity in all its forms and ensuring that every child and performer or crew, regardless of background, ability, or experience, feels welcome and represented on stage and behind the scenes.
Accessibility (green): Making theatre accessible to all children by removing barriers to participation, such as financial constraints, and offering programs that reach diverse audiences.
Empowerment (blue): We are dedicated to supporting young and upcoming artists by providing them with the opportunities and mentorship needed to pursue a career in the arts and thus empowering the next generation of creative voices.