Selena Tan

{{Short description|Singaporean executive producer, director, writer and actress (born 1971)}}

{{infobox person

| name = Selena Tan

| image = Selena Tan (cropped).jpg

| alt =

| caption = Tan in 2014

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|7|29|df=y}}

| birth_place = Singapore

| nationality = Singaporean

| education = {{ubl|Fairfield Methodist Secondary School|Raffles Junior College}}

| alma_mater = National University of Singapore

| occupation = {{hlist|Executive producer|director|writer|actress|businesswoman|former lawyer}}

| agent = Dream Academy (founder)

| spouse = {{marriage|John Pok|2005}}

| children = 1

| othername = Chen Meilin

| parents = Charles Tan (father)
Daisy Lim (mother)

| module = {{Infobox musical artist|embed=yes

| background = temporary

| current_member_of= Dim Sum Dollies

}}

| module2 = {{Infobox Chinese |child= yes|hide= no |headercolor=lightblue

| t = 陳美廩

| s = 陈美廪

| p = Chén Měilǐn

}}

Selena Tan (born 29 July 1971){{cite web |title=Selena Tan |url=https://www.facebook.com/bigdimsumdolly/posts/4134522939999821/ |website=Facebook |access-date=23 July 2023 |language=en}} is a Singaporean executive producer, director, writer, actress, businesswoman and former lawyer. She is best known as one of the cabaret trio, the Dim Sum Dollies.[http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainment/view/271221/1/.html A blast from the past for the Dim Sum Dollies][http://www.asiaone.com/News/Education/Story/A1Story20100405-208512.html Model child] In 2000, Selena founded Dream Academy, which produced a variety of performance shows.

Early life

Tan was born in 1971 in Singapore, to army officer Lieutenant Colonel Charles Tan, of the Singapore Armed Forces, and gold broker Daisy Lim. As the eldest of her siblings, she had two brothers and two sisters. She studied at Fairfield Methodist Secondary School, Raffles Junior College and graduated with a law degree from National University of Singapore.

She started acting at age 14 and was taught by the late theatre actress and director Christina Sergeant.Mayo, M. (2013, February 23). [http://m.todayonline.com/blogs/forartssake/drama-teachers-group-hold-memorial-christina-sergeant Drama teachers group to hold a memorial for Christina Sergeant]. Today Online

Tan also appeared in school productions and community theatre pieces until her undergraduate years. She also acted in plays and performances while working full-time as a general litigation lawyer.Kwok, Y. (2005, March 28). Laws of attraction. The Straits Times, p. 2. Retrieved from NewspaperSG

Career

Tan left the legal profession in 1997 to fully immerse herself full-time in the local arts and entertainment scene.Yong, S. C. (2002, July 30). A flair for transformation. The Straits Times, p. 25, Retrieved from NewspaperSG

In 1998, Tan staged her own standup with Selena Exposed! Chia, C. (2006, July 31). Selena exposed. The Straits Times, p. 4. Retrieved from NewspaperSG Theatre company Action Theatre subsequently restaged Selena Exposed! for its comedy festival in 1999 and reinterpreted her piece as Broadway Baby Kailan. Dr Low Guat Tin, then a teacher-trainer director with the National Institute of Education (NIE), was so impressed with Selena's performance in Broadway Baby Kailan that she invited Selena to stage a show for Teachers' Day – The Other Side of the Teacher's Table. The three-night show enjoyed mild success.Oon, C. (2000, January 26). The world's now her stage. The Straits Times. Retrieved from Factiva.

In 2000, Tan utilised her life savings to set up Dream Academy, an independent arts and entertainment company. Dream Academy has since produced the Crazy Christmas series, Happy Ever Laughter, Broadway Beng, Meenah and Cheenah, The Hossan Leong Show, Kumar's standup comedies at the Esplanade and later the Dim Sum Dollies in 2002.[http://www.dreamacademy.com.sg/about-us About us]. Dream Academy website

In 2011, Tan opened a restaurant known as Daisy's Dream Kitchen, showcasing her mother Daisy Lin's Peranakan Cuisine in Singapore. It is currently located at the Tamasek Club.{{cite web |author= |date=7 March 2019 |title= Daisy's Dream Kitchen|url= https://www.timeout.com/singapore/restaurants/daisys-dream-kitchen|website= Time Out Singapore|location= |publisher= |access-date=23 January 2025}} In 2022, Tan set up an affiliated stall known as Daisy's Dream at Urban Hawker in New York City, a hawker center that sells Singapore-themed dishes. She manages the restaurant and stall along with her and mother and brother, Roy.{{cite news |last1=Cole|first1=Kirstin|last2=Jondonero|first2=AJ|date=28 September 2022|title=Daisy's Dream serves up Singaporean favorites at Manhattan's Urban Hawker|url=https://pix11.com/news/morning/daisys-dream-serves-up-singaporean-favorites-at-manhattans-urban-hawker/|work=WPIX|location=Midtown Manhattan, New York City|access-date=1 October 2022}}

Personal life

Tan has been married to lawyer John Pok since 2005. They have one son.{{Cite web|url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_2013-07-12_143321.html|title=Selena Tan {{!}} Infopedia|last=Singapore|first=National Library Board|website=eresources.nlb.gov.sg|access-date=2018-05-04}}