Theatre company Pangdemonium to close in end-2026; current season’s shows unaffected
The decision to wind up company is a ‘purely personal’ one, say co-founders Tracie and Adrian Pang
[SINGAPORE] Singapore theatre company Pangdemonium will take its final bow at the end of 2026, bringing down the curtain on one of the country’s most commercially and critically successful theatre outfits.
There will be no disruption to the mounting of its last three plays: Force Majeure in March, A Mirror in June and the musical Come from Away in September.
Founded in 2010 by husband-and-wife team Tracie Pang and Adrian Pang, Pangdemonium has built a strong following for its emotionally direct productions and contemporary stagecraft, winning countless awards in the annual The Strait Times Life! Theatre Awards.
But in a statement on Feb 2, the Pangs said they will be “stepping away from the company at the end of 2026”, emphasising that the decision was a personal one reached after “much soul-searching, deliberation and consideration”.
“As a proudly Singaporean theatre company, the past 15 or so years have been a journey of highs and lows, of fulfilment and frustration, of triumphs and trials,” they said. “It has been all-consuming in the most rewarding ways, and at times the most distressing ways.”
Across its body of work, the company said it had aimed to tell stories that were “challenging, inspiring, relevant, accessible, and above all, of the highest artistic, entertainment, and production values, in a league with the very best of theatre internationally”.
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Some of its most memorable past productions include Falling, Rabbit Hole, Next to Normal, Dragonflies and Tango. The company also distinguished itself by being “the first and only Singapore theatre company to announce an annual Season in conjunction with our Season Ticket”.
The Pangs’ statement also addressed the mounting challenges facing theatre companies in recent years. While the pandemic was described as a particularly painful period “when live theatre went dark”, its after-effects have lingered.
The couple pointed to “increased costs of materials and services”, worldwide economic uncertainty affecting audience spending, and “the proliferation of online media”, which has reshaped how people choose to spend their leisure time.
“All this makes it much more of a challenge than ever before to produce theatre, not just in Singapore, but in every theatre industry globally,” they said.
They credited continued support from the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, the National Arts Council (NAC), the Cultural Matching Fund, donors, sponsors and audiences for enabling Pangdemonium to continue for as long as it did.
The Pangs wrote: “As with the best love stories, we just want to call an end to the Pangdemonium story on our own terms, on a grace note, and while we are still in love.”
The theatre company’s latest financial statements are unavailable.
In an NAC statement released shortly after, CEO Low Eng Teong said: “We met and held open discussions with Pangdemonium to explore its continuation. Ultimately, we respect their decision to cease operations for personal reasons.”
Beyond Pangdemonium, other Singapore theatre companies have also been struggling with rising production costs, expensive venue rentals, funding constraints and a shifting cultural landscape. While Pangdemonium’s closure is the most high-profile to date, others have quietly scaled back their output or gone on hiatus.
Proceeds from ticket sales of Pangdemonium’s 2026 season will go directly towards covering the production costs of each show.
Ticket proceeds make up only “a fraction” of a show’s production budget, the company said in a question-and-answer segment on its website.
The shortfall is met by a combination of NAC grants, corporate donations and Friends of Pangdemonium donations, some of which also go towards funding Pangdenomium’s youth programmes, staff salaries, rent and utilities.
The company is also a registered charity and has been accorded the status of an institution of public character.
All donations received since the end of its 2025 season will continue to go towards its work in 2026. The company will also honour all Friends of Pangdemonium benefits.
“Contributions continue to support productions, programmes and operational costs required to deliver the final season responsibly,” the company said. It added that it welcomes donations, which will contribute directly to “the quality and ambition” of its final season.
The Business Times has reached out to Pangdemonium for more information.
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