OUR TEAM
OUR TEAM
Priscilla Khong-Espinosa, Executive Director
Priscilla leads Gateway Arts as its Executive Director. Since taking over the reins in 2018, she has transformed the fledgling non-profit organisation into a community-minded arts company known for its focus on productions that tackle current social issues amongst children and youth. She is passionate about using the arts as a bridge for connecting different people and ideas. Over her 20-year career, she has performed around the world, and trained youths in arts outreach programmes to underserved and underprivileged communities.
As an Executive Producer, she has overseen Gateway Arts' 12 Going On 13 (2023), My Invisible Life, I and You, (2022), OddSocks, Behind The Wall (2021), and the hugely successful The Monster in the Mirror (2021 and 2023). Priscilla’s love for the arts and for people meet in perfect synergy in Gateway Arts, which seeks to spread a love for the arts and use it to champion social causes, empower individuals, and transform the community.
Priscilla Khong-Espinosa,
Executive Director
Priscilla leads Gateway Arts as its Executive Director. Since taking over the reins in 2018, she has transformed the fledgling non-profit organisation into a community-minded arts company known for its focus on productions that tackle current social issues amongst children and youth. She is passionate about using the arts as a bridge for connecting different people and ideas. Over her 20-year career, she has performed around the world, and trained youths in arts outreach programmes to underserved and underprivileged communities.
As an Executive Producer, she has overseen Gateway Arts' 12 Going On 13 (2023), My Invisible Life, I and You, (2022), OddSocks, Behind The Wall (2021), and the hugely successful The Monster in the Mirror (2021 and 2023). Priscilla’s love for the arts and for people meet in perfect synergy in Gateway Arts, which seeks to spread a love for the arts and use it to champion social causes, empower individuals, and transform the community.
Samantha Scott-Blackhall, Artistic Director
Samantha's career of over 20 years in Singapore’s theatre industry has earned her critical acclaim as a Theatre Director, Artistic Director, and Educator. She won the Life! Theatre Award in 2005 for Best Director and has received numerous nominations over the years for the productions she has helmed. More recent credits include Tuesday’s With Morrie by STC, A Novel Idea by Arts House, Souvenir by Sing Theatre. Whilst freelancing as a director, Samantha was an adjunct lecturer at LASALLE College of the Arts from 2004-2021, mentoring and guiding budding talent towards their vocation in the arts.
A multi-dimensional artist, Samantha has made strides not only in theatre but also entrepreneurship and film. She founded Blank Space Theatre in 2007, which received excellent audience reviews and awards for its productions, including Lord of the Flies, Das Experiment: Black Box, as well as Freud’s Last Session and Red (both collaborations with Esplanade Presents series: “The Studios”).
Since becoming Artistic Director of Gateway Arts, Samantha has grown the company with heart and artistic quality in equal measure, with the goal of inspiring positive change amongst children and youth.
Samantha Scott-Blackhall,
Artistic Director
Samantha has worked in Singapore’s theatre industry for the last 20 years, and achieved critical acclaim as a Theatre Director, Artistic Director and Educator. Along with over 50 productions under her belt, she won the Life! Theatre Award in 2005 for Best Director and has received numerous nominations over the years for the productions she has helmed. More recent credits include Tuesdays With Morrie by SRT, A Novel Idea by Arts House and Souvenir by Sing Theatre.
A multi-dimensional artist, she has made strides not only in theatre, but also entrepreneurship and film. Samantha founded Blank Space Theatre in 2007, which received excellent audience reviews and awards for productions including Lord of the Flies, Das Experiment: Black Box, as well as Freud’s Last Session and Red (both collaborations with Esplanade Presents series: “The Studios”).
Samantha works continually as a theatre educator at LASALLE College of the Arts, and has also taught at SOTA (School of the Arts) and NAFA (Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts). Since becoming Artistic Director of Gateway Arts, her focus has been to curate programmes that use theatre to encourage conversations and inspire positive change amongst children and youth.