- Dinner with Emily reimagines the iconic Emily of Emerald Hill in a bold hybrid format that blends live theatre and dining.
- The cast and director reflect on the personal and professional connections they bring to the adaptation.
- Despite logistical challenges, the team embraces the immersive experience to deepen audience engagement.
By Anansa Jacob
DINNER WITH EMILY offers an immersive, musical retelling of the classic Emily of Emerald Hill, unfolding over a multi-course dinner. The dinner revue will be held at Shangri-La Singapore on Sunday, July 27, 2025 at 7pm, brought to you by Musical Theatre Ltd and Commonwealth of World Chinatowns.
Cast members Ivan Choong and Leslie Tay bring personal insight and emotional depth to their roles as Emily’s husband and son respectively.
Director Eleanor Tan adapts the timeless play for a modern dining-theatre setting — balancing storytelling, ambience, and cultural resonance in reinventing Stella Kon’s beloved matriarch in a new sensory experience.
Returning to Emily with old friends and new challenges
Actors Ivan Choong, who plays Kheong — Emily’s husband — has long balanced a day job investing in startups with his passion for performance. He debuted in the Musical Theatre Ltd (MTL) company in 2012, and has since performed with groups such as Singapore Lyric Opera, The Finger Players, and The Necessary Stage.
“I’ve been in the scene for a while now, and it’s always great when you get to work with people you trust and respect,” says Ivan.
Ivan’s connection to MTL spans over a decade. Although he missed the first staging of Emily the Musical, the opportunity to reconnect with the company and familiar collaborators made this production irresistible. Preparing for the role involved researching his character and aligning with the director’s vision, even though he admits to being personally quite different from Kheong.
“The challenge is in making the character believable — grounded in context and emotion — even if he’s not like me at all,” he adds.
As Kheong is largely portrayed through Emily’s lens in the original, this adaptation offers a rare chance to explore his personal journey and motivations. Ivan believes the dinner-theatre format brings unique challenges, from acoustic distractions to maintaining audience focus amid the clatter of cutlery and conversation.
“It’s a sensory overload — but also an opportunity. We’ve had to rethink pacing, movement, and how best to engage diners while still telling the story effectively.”
Breathing life into Richard’s conflict
Meanwhile, voice teacher, opera singer, and musical theatre performer Leslie Tay takes on the role of Richard, Emily’s son. He currently teaches voice at School of the Arts (SOTA) and is the artistic director of The Voice Company. Having worked with Stella Kon and director Desmond decades ago, Leslie is thrilled to be invited back into the fold.
“I watched the original musical and the most recent Wild Rice version. This time, I’m diving into the role with the lens of memory, emotion, and reflection,” says Leslie.
Richard’s inner turmoil — torn between a passion for horseback riding and the weight of his mother’s expectations — is one Leslie relates to deeply. His own decision to pursue music over a “safe” career echoes Richard’s conflict, though Leslie’s story took a more supportive turn.
"My family was always supportive, but there were still moments of doubt and pressure — of questioning whether I was doing the ‘right’ thing,” he reveals.
In this adaptation, Leslie notes the added complexity of playing multiple roles in a non-traditional space, without a backstage or blackout to facilitate seamless transitions.
“Switching characters quickly without confusing the audience is a real challenge. But that’s where clever staging and direction come in,” Leslie adds.
He believes the stripped-down script, which focuses on key emotional arcs, allows Emily’s core story to shine. While the tone is likely informal and light-hearted, he stresses that Dinner with Emily offers a meaningful glimpse into one of Singapore’s most iconic characters.
Directing a reimagined classic
For director Eleanor Tan, this project is more than professional — it’s personal. A theatre veteran with over 25 years of experience, Eleanor is also of Peranakan heritage, which gives her a natural affinity for Emily’s character.
"Emily turned the traditional Cinderella story on its head. She was no passive princess — she was her own fairy godmother,” enthuses Eleanor on the lead character.
Rather than attempting to stage the entire sweeping arc of the original play or musical, Eleanor focused this adaptation on defining emotional beats that offer insight into character decisions and relationships.
“We had to sacrifice some of the subtlety and nuance to suit the setting — but the heart of the story remains,” she explains.
Eleanor and the team worked around the unique limitations of a dinner venue — competing with culinary distractions and audience conversations. The performance was split into three acts, each thoughtfully timed between courses, with a carefully curated menu that complements the mood of each segment.
"Our goal is to integrate the story into the dining experience — not just perform around it,” she elaborates.
Audience immersion plays a key role. While this version doesn’t call for direct interaction, the boundaries between performer and viewer occasionally blur. Eleanor hints at surprise elements and dynamic staging that break the fourth wall in unexpected ways.
“Let’s just say our actors won’t always stay on stage. The audience may find the story coming to them — quite literally.”
For Eleanor, the ultimate hope is that Dinner with Emily will renew interest in homegrown theatre, especially as the industry recovers from the pandemic.
"We’ve seen a surge in imported Broadway shows — but local theatre still needs rebuilding. This production is part of that effort,” she adds.
A taste of legacy
In blending music, performance, and a meal, Dinner with Emily doesn’t aim to replace Emily of Emerald Hill, but rather, to introduce her anew. For seasoned fans, it offers a nostalgic glimpse into a beloved story. For newcomers, it’s a compelling invitation to discover a cultural icon.
As Eleanor aptly puts it, if she could describe Dinner with Emily in one word, it would be: “Timeless.”
Dinner with Emily will be staged on Sunday, July 27, 2025, 7pm at Shangri-La Singapore. This show is jointly organised by Musical Theatre Ltd and Commonwealth of World Chinatowns. For more information on the organisers, visit www.commonwealthofworldchinatowns.com or www.mtl.sg.
