Breaking new ground with award-winning director Yvan Karlsson, this heartwarming play uses multimedia elements to inventively chart a journey from fear to courage. Gateway Arts’ new youth theatre work, Scaredy Kat Presents, is fuelled by anxiety, art, and Alfred Hitchcock-inspired storytelling.
1 April 2026, Singapore —
“My good luck in life was to be a really frightened person. I’m fortunate to be a coward, to have a low threshold of fear, because a hero couldn’t make a good suspense film.” – Alfred Hitchcock –
Premiering in May, Gateway Arts‘ new youth theatre work, Scaredy Kat Presents, is fuelled by anxiety, art, and Alfred Hitchcock-inspired storytelling. This marks the inaugural collaboration between Gateway Arts and award-winning director Yvan Karlsson, with a script written by acclaimed American playwright Janine Sobeck Knighton.
The show will run at Gateway Theatre’s Black Box from 23 to 31 May for members of the public, with school group bookings available from 21 May.
In a dynamic, richly layered performance, audiences will experience Gateway Arts’ first theatre project that incorporates elements of stop-motion and live visual feed as part of the storytelling.
This includes a short stop-motion film — developed in collaboration with CineGangSG, featuring life-like puppets crafted by Singapore’s internationally recognised puppet-maker Frankie Malachi — offering a glimpse into Kathryn’s inner world at a key point in the story.
For Priscilla Khong, Executive Director of Gateway Arts, “Theatre is where we make sense of ourselves — and realise we are not alone.”
This is evident in Gateway Arts’ portrayal of Kathryn. Priscilla shares, “Scaredy Kat Presents is about a young girl with big dreams, but also has huge fears that hold her back — and at times, she doesn’t quite know how to move forward.
Using stop-motion as a way to show how Kathryn sees the world, we hope to create something that feels imaginative, but also honest, especially for young people who are learning to make sense of what’s going on inside their mind.”
Overcoming Anxiety through Filmmaking and An Unlikely Connection
For anyone who has ever had a panic attack, they know it can instantly immobilise a person. Meet Kathryn. She’s dealt with these attacks since childhood. Desperate to rein them in, she focuses on her favourite thing: creating stop-motion films in the safety of her room.
Through the tiny animated world she builds frame by frame, she finds a way to channel the feelings that she struggles to express. Her latest project features Daphne, a timid dragon who dreams of venturing beyond her cave. But the figurines Kathryn builds keep falling apart – just like her confidence.
When a new classmate named Nadia enters her life and the privacy of her room-studio, the carefully-controlled environment Kathryn has created begins to change. As the two girls start an unlikely friendship, Kathryn must decide whether to step out in courage and give this change a chance.
From the producers of 12 Going on 13, Brainstorm and Third Man Syndrome, Gateway Arts invites young audiences — and anyone who’s ever been afraid — to celebrate mistakes and find the confidence to spread their wings through this heartwarming story.
Creatives Inspired to Set Their New Milestones
Working with Gateway Arts for the first time, Australian theatre-maker Yvan Karlsson hopes this story inspires young people to overcome their fear of trying something new and be brave in exploring their talent.
To express Kathryn’s inner thoughts, CineGangSG developed a short video clip where stop-motion sequences showed Daphne’s fear, insecurity, loneliness, and that eventual spark of confidence mirror Kathryn’s emotional journey.
The miniature characters in this vignette were created by Frankie Malachi, marking his first foray into stop-motion puppetry in his decade-long career.
“Even though it was a very short film, I had to experiment with different materials to ensure every movement felt deeply emotive,” says Frankie. “This lies in the small details — that little tilt of the head as it wakes up, those subtle nuances in expressions — that’s when the magic happens, and the characters take on personalities of their own on screen.”
Reflecting on the process of creating the stop-motion sequences, CineGangSG’s founder, Rainier, adds, “We don’t have prior experience with this genre of filming, but our philosophy has always been about embracing creativity and not being afraid to try something new — which aligns with the themes of this show: curiosity, courage, and exploration.”
The production invites audiences to reflect on how young people experience anxiety, self-doubt, and friendship — opening space for conversations between parents, educators, and children to explore ways to navigate these emotions, rather than suppress them.
Reinventing the Experience with Moments of Multimedia
The show draws on Yvan’s background in puppetry and movement to convey emotions visually, rather than through dialogue. Alongside the smaller figurines featured in the short stop-motion film, a larger puppet, also crafted by Frankie, will make an appearance in the live performance, bringing an extra layer of wonder to the stage.
Yvan reveals, “When Gateway Arts’ Artistic Director Samantha shared the script with me, I jumped at the chance to direct it. This play speaks about an issue faced by young people all over the world — the fear of trying. I know this well; I was like that as a kid. [But] all those failures led me to where I am today. I hope this inspires young people to push through despite their fears and be unashamedly creative.”
The multi-hyphenate, who also works as a movement director, puppetry director, writer and designer, envisions the interplay between different modes of media as a vehicle for vivid, unforgettable storytelling.
“What compelled me was the challenge of combining live performance with multimedia moments like puppetry, live-streaming, and stop-motion animation to tell the story in a surprising way, creating a world that reflects how a young person might experience social anxiety,” he says. “This brewing feeling of not wanting to try [versus] putting yourself out there. To me, Kathryn’s story is one that many of us share.”
Continuing the Conversation Beyond the Stage
TOUCH Community Services, a long-time partner of Gateway Arts, will once again facilitate a post-show discussion after each performance. These sessions invite audiences to reflect on the theme of mental wellness raised in the show and hear perspectives from mental health professionals.
“The productions by Gateway Arts help translate abstract psychological concepts into lived human experiences. Audiences will be able to see the emotions, thoughts and behaviours unfold through the lens of the characters and their stories. Coupled with the post-show segment, it makes learning about important mental health topics holistic and relatable,” shares Joel Wong, Assistant Manager of TOUCH Counselling & Psychological Services.
This production celebrates the role of the arts in starting conversations that can help young people make sense of their fears, as Priscilla shares, “With Scaredy Kat Presents, we wanted to create something that speaks to both young people and the adults around them. Through visual storytelling, we begin to see what’s happening beneath the surface — the self-doubt, and the struggle to take a step forward. We hope it opens up simple, real conversations between young people, parents and educators, in a way that feels natural, not taught.”
“Scaredy Kat Presents provides an accessible way to talk about anxiety, stigma, and courage – issues that are relevant for our society,” Joel shares. “Today, we do see people encouraging others to seek help, yet they may hold back on seeking help for themselves…”
With more nuanced nudging through efforts such as Scaredy Kat Presents, he hopes that joining hands can help shift that narrative. “By normalising conversations about anxiety, the show, and its post-show segment, it will help audiences identify the emotional and physical signs, and remind them that they are not alone — help is available, and one can call the TOUCH hotline to speak to a counsellor or find out more about the support they can get.”
For ticketing details and updates on Scaredy Kat Presents, those interested to learn more can visit: gatewayarts.sg/portfolio/scaredy-kat-presents.
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