Front Row

The playwrights have received funding to stage their locally written and situated play about star-crossed lovers: one a Malaysian and the other, an American. Joanna and Na’s reveal the writing process--often described as an activity for one--with Joanna providing the play's spine and treatment, and Na’a tapping into his TV writing experience, rewriting and fleshing out. Then together working with actors to workshop the script and following that with more rewrites. Tim himself has written a play and he shares how devising with actors on their feet can help in the process. The writers and actor promise that this story of cultures in collision, beliefs at odds and individuals in doubt isn’t a cliche of love conquers all.

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When Mark Beau de Silva has plays for both Faridah Merican and Joe Hasham, it’s a rare opportunity to get them to talk about being in the same production. Faridah and Joe reveal how they choose the productions they want to act in and also their fears on stage. Mark tells about why Sisa-Sisa.

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A graduation project with requirements to be fulfilled within the academy spilled into the public domain when the graduating student met with the writer-director. Together, they pulled the musical together, allowing the student to become producer and music director; and for the composer-director to work with young artists taking first steps to sing, dance and act on a public stage.

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When the taking of voice classes and training in musical theatre give birth to a career option on the stage.

The two young adults, graduating from their musical theatre training, tell about their journey from a sit-down-profession to one that keeps them on their feet and in the spotlight, telling stories as a character through songs and sometimes dances too.

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The choir makes a case for participating in a singing competition in Bali.  Yes, it's a dog-eat-dog world. But should all activities enter the competition arena, including the performing arts which are to build communities, engender imaginative and creative lives, heal troubled spirits?

What happens when performing arts stand next to martial arts? Oh, but when the competition is in Bali, well…

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This local ballet-interest company not only organizes workshops and competitions for its participating members but also organizes ballet productions that are large enough to go into the Istana Budaya. In the latter part of the month, it will be staging ‘La Bayadere’ a full-length classical ballet with international dancers as principals, and our local star, Joseph Gonzales, also in a principal role.

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Accordion duo, Bayan Brothers, come to town under the sponsorship of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Kuala Lumpur. This 19th century musical instrument has for the most part been associated with folk and ethnic music, but these musician, who have participated in the Polish edition of ‘Got Talent’ do more: classical to pop as well as club vibes.

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He sold everything to buy an old yacht. Then raised funds online to produce documentary videos of grassroots conservation groups in the region fighting pollution, saving the ecosystem, doing what often goes ignored. Jase Kovacs and his first mate, Jolene Burr tell about the Voyage of the Labyrinth and how they want to contribute to saving the planet, one small step at a time.

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He travels around taking theatre skills to folks who are not going to become performers. In fact, these are marginalized groups of young people that are often in trouble with the law. Tearlach Duncanson tells how taking applied theatre to these people can help transform their lives

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Our guests give us a view into the creation of this local play, from conception to writing, workshopping and rehearsing to anticipating the opening night.

This is a project under the New Malaysian Works Grant for the script writing which was co-organised by National Department For Culture And Arts and Kakiseni.

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