Front Row

 Toccata, in celebrating its new found NGO-status, takes on an arts festival with a variety of offerings which include dance and drums to polka and playground. The producer and musician discuss the importance of the arts in the valley and country and how NGOs can help nurture a fruitful environment.

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In its fifth year, PAN Productions celebrates by restaging its successful ‘Cabaret’ which it first produced four years ago (2011). The trio of Ns (Nell, Nish and Nikki) tell us how they approach the task when factors have changed--more than two-thirds of the cast are new; the size of the band has grown by three and the set is completely re-designed. The director tells how she chooses what musicals to present on Malaysian stages.

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The director and the cast tell about the joys of restaging when there is the familiar to fall back on. But then, old fears too can resurface like bad dreams. Dama Orchestra re-stages ‘I Have a Date with Spring’ and the director and cast tell about how they are reprising their roles.

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The Mahavidya Dance Theatre is presenting a third performance under the series titled ‘Dance a Prayer. The choreographer-and-dance researcher explains the history and evolution of this dance form which is associated with Lord Shiva of the Hindu pantheon and how the dance company is promoting and preserving it.

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 Ronald Rand performed Let it be Art! and taught his master workshop, Art of Transformation. In the interview he unfolds advice for actors that applies not only to performances on the stage but life.

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 The artistic director tells about his based-in-Singapore dance company’s annual pilgrimage to Malaysia. This dance company celebrates its home country’s 50th birthday and in conjunction will also perform ‘Double Contrasts’ by legendary Singaporean choreographer Choo San Goh.

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 The puppeteer describes reimagining a very popular illustrated children’s book, ‘The Day the Crayons Quit’ by Drew Daywalt and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers into a puppet show. Of course, such an adaption isn’t without some challenges. The puppeteer describes how the crayons will look like as puppets, and justifies that skinny tubular puppets can be engaging.

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The 12th BOH Cameronian Arts Awards will be honouring Datin Marion D'CRuz, Dato' Faridah Merican, Chin San Sooi, Dato' Rahim Razali and Normah Nordin. These are the people who have helped  lay the foundation for the performing arts in Malaysia. The awards organizer points out the need to celebrate and recognise these artists and their works to inspire the next generation.

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More than half a dozen artists are exhibiting and selling their works--some 30 paintings of oil and acrylic on canvas as well as watercolours. These works are for sale because their proceeds are going to charities in their country, now emerging out of a much darker period. The artists explain their social responsibilities and the why art must be in the service of something else larger than itself.

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The composer and director tell about the birth of this locally written musical which will play in the coming week. The writer-composer, a Malaysian trained in Australia explains how the influences of the East and West meet in his new work. The director points to making the musical resonate locally.

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