Early in January, ITI opened our studio doors to a new cohort of students from Singapore, Philippines, India, France, China and Syria.

For the third consecutive year, our doors also open to WAAPA - who have brought 5 Australian students here to share and learn in an immersion term.

Diversity is a reality at ITI - as these cultures learn and interweave, the upcoming academic semester looks geared up to reinforce that. Upcoming in the months ahead will be an intense term of training in traditional Japanese form, Noh; and a revisit of Greek classics as the final-year students prepare for works by Euripides and Aristophanes come March.

Great anticipation and excitement could not have come without a toast and thanks to those who have made it possible for us to come this far:

• 30 ITI Angels who believe, with us, that theatre is essential

• New partners: The Prestigious, Google (Singapore), U.S. Embassy (Singapore), JCCI Singapore Foundation Limited (in association with Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Singapore), Suntec Singapore and individuals who support ITI’s work and students in diverse ways

• Generous grant-makers and our dearest supporters, including Lee Foundation and Hong Leong Foundation

• The many artists whom we’ve connected and engaged with, among them: Barbara Colio, Simon Stewart, Marco Luly, Alicia Guadalupe Martinez Alvarez, Faiza Mardzoeki

• The one and only ITI Alumni global family and faculty whose creative endeavours echo and amplify the core of ITI