Garden to Cross - Easter Production

Garden to Cross is a short play that switches between comedic, contemporary, and biblical scenes set in Jesus’ day.

In a modern-day scenario, Alex is trapped in a standing-sized box, with no doors. Three types of people walk by: Uncle Tan, an elderly man, who insists this is all about fate. Singing “Que Sera Sera”, he too has been stuck in life and advises Alex to accept his situation with no hope for change. Daryl, a young professional, is caught up in day-to-day office stress. His maxim – “Look, I would help you, mate, but I’ve got my own problems.” Tiger-mum, Mrs. Menon, uses “boy in the box” as a teaching moment for her young daughter, Cheryl – “He’s made his bed, now he’ll have to lie in it.”

Time-traveling into the past, we meet two other characters – Chacko, a peasant Syrian Greek, who signed up with the Roman army for affirmation and a sense of value, and Rebekah, whose family has suffered societal rejection because her brother was born blind. Jesus meets both Chacko and Rebecca and sets for them a life change in motion!

The Box is more than a physical constraint. For Uncle Tan, it is his mental pothole. For Daryl, it is his career trap. And for Tiger mum, it is the academic boundaries she labels “success”. What she doesn’t know as a parent is that she is actively defining and building that box over her daughter.

Thankfully, Cheryl has met her Heavenly Father and learnt to navigate that mental and spiritual stronghold through prayer, and this has freed her from the pressure to achieve. She is propelled to share this “key” with Alex.

Just like Alex, we all have boxes in our lives. Some are consequences of our own actions; others might be caused by people around us. Whichever the case, God can redeem us when we invite Him into our every situation.

In Genesis 37-45, Joseph the Dreamer is an arrogant, boastful teenager who triggers his 11 siblings to push him into a pit, selling him off to slavery. A 13-year season of being boxed up then follows – servitude, hardship and imprisonment. All of which God used to mould him to maturity, eventually shifting him into his role as Prime Minister of Egypt.

The message in Garden to Cross is an encouragement to hold on and entrust our lives to the Father, who alone is able to strengthen and provide us with a way out.

Behind-the-Scenes with Xixi

We hear from Xixi, our young director from the Productions Ministry who also played the role of Rebecca for the show at Bugis.

How did you begin acting and now directing? How old were you when you started/discovered your love for this art?

My love for theatre began when I was eight years old, serving as an emcee for Snowglobed. While accompanying my sister to rehearsals, I was captivated by the world behind the stage – makeup, sets, and the magic of performance. Though my role was small, stepping onto the stage and speaking to what felt like millions sparked a thrill that never left me. Over the years, my passion grew as I soaked in every detail at rehearsals, even memorising entire productions like My Grandfather’s House and The Tsoh Show. This love for theatre led me to audition for the School of the Arts, Singapore (SOTA), where I have been blessed to develop my craft. Throughout this journey, my parents have reminded me that my gifts are meant to glorify God, and I am grateful to offer my “five loaves and two fishes” to Him, trusting He will use them for His glory.

What were some of the challenges you encountered as a young director, and what have you learnt in the process?

At first, I struggled to voice my opinions, doubting if I was experienced enough. But over time, I grew more confident in shaping a production.

This Easter production brought new challenges, as my partner and I had to direct each other while performing, making it difficult to objectively spot areas for improvement. We also had to adapt our staging creatively to fit the cinema space at Bugis+, which isn’t designed for live performances. Through it all, I learnt flexibility, clearer communication, and the importance of trust within a team.

Anything you felt the Lord speak to you through being a part of Garden to Cross? Is there anything you would like to thank Him for?

I have so many things to thank the Lord for! First and foremost, I’m grateful that He blessed me with this passion and love for theatre, and the ability to perform and create. I’m also deeply thankful for the opportunity to serve Him through this production. Truly, none of this would have been possible without His guidance, strength, and protection every step of the way.

One small but memorable moment was when my mum and I struggled to find a cab to Bugis during the show day – cab after cab kept turning us down! It was such a small thing, but it reminded me how much we needed to rely on Him, even in the little frustrations. And somehow, in the end, He always made a way. Moments like these show me again that He is present not just in the big milestones, but also in

the small, everyday details of our lives.

Testimonies

Barry Chou:

The production was very good. The detail and perspective of characters from the Bible was very good and clear. Two kids invited three of their choir mates from school and two of them got saved. One was so touched she started tearing.

Zenon Tang:

My friend resonated with the show, as he faced high expectations from his parents growing up. Even though he didn’t respond to the salvation call, I could tell that God was doing something within him from the way he was sharing his thoughts about the play with me.

Joyce Quek:

Garden to Cross was one of the best Easter productions I’ve seen in the last few decades, in concept, execution and audience reach, it succeeded very well.