The Fortnight That Was – Jan 10 – 24, 2010

“Hopefully I could keep to a schedule of a minimum of 1 blog entry per week this year. “

Right!

That went out the door almost immediately after I said it :-p

Anyway … I promise myself that I will update the blog once a week so that I don’t get too rusty when it comes down to writing. Which by the way also applies to my stage play writing which I still have yet to start. I have all these stories running around in my head but have not found the drive to sit myself down and write them all out. This has always been a problem for me. Once I get started then I would usually sail through the process but to find the momentum to overcome the initial bump to start can be at times infuriating. This is why I am totally envious of some of the people I know who can just sit there and churn out full plays in just a few weeks.

Work continues on steadily. Not many surprises in the 2 weeks. I guess it’s the nature of the work that I only really into high gear when something breaks down. Other times, I have plenty of down time to plan for improvements and other things that I want to do during the day. The only exciting thing that came up was the news that our team will be going for a team building excursion at the end of Feb. I have never been on one so I guess that you can say that I’m looking forward to the experience.

Had a few gaming nights within the 2 weeks. The first was to play “Munchkin Quest” that I finally got a copy of after waiting for it for months. As exciting as it was to get it, I have to say that our session experience was less than exciting. I don’t fault the game or the people playing but I think that MQ is a bit difficult to introduce to non gamers especially those who have never played any of the Munchkin card games before.

We had better luck with playing “Castle Keep” and “Wasabi!” in the other sessions. Both are simple tile laying games that people can get into pretty fast and were high on the fun quotient. “Wasabi!” especially got a vote from the group for a return engagement the next time we meet up for some games. I’ve read about the game for some time from the BGG website and knew that it would go down well with them.

My birthday’s coming up in a few weeks. Will be turning 37 this year. Every year is a happy surprise for me since there was a dark time in my life that I thought that I would never make it beyond 30. Happily those clouds are behind me and I look forward to each day with as much gusto as I can muster.

No one can ask for more.

The Week That Was – Jan 3 – 8, 2010

Another year rolls by and a new entry for this oft-neglected blog :-p

Hopefully I could keep to a schedule of a minimum of 1 blog entry per week this year.

2010 rolled in for me with the company of great friends who we celebrated with in Melaka. I could have not asked for a better group to see the new decade in. It’s actually funny to see the digits “2010” roll in as growing up we have always seen this decade to be the one to look forward to for all the futuristic bits and bobs. Having finally reached the promised date, I could not help but feel a bit disappointed that the reality didn’t really turn out as fantastic as the promise. Of course we do have technology now that we would never dream of 30 years ago but we are definitely still far away from the vision that the sci-fi masters have put out in both literature and films. Guess we will have to wait for another 30 years before the Jetsons style personal jet packs solve the traffic problems in KL.

Work continues to be without any surprises this week. Most of the time, I spent tying up loose ends from what was left over from last year’s work load. I’m looking forward to start implementing a few new projects and changes that I’ve been planning to at work. Hopefully I would be able to contribute more improvement ideas for the team in the year ahead. I’m definitely sure that some of the items I have planned would help out but it would take some time to get it in.

2009 saw me put in 3 plays to be staged at klpac and I look forward to be able to pen more for consideration. KL has been chasing me to submit something for “IndicineLive!” but I find myself hesitating because I don’t know if I can actually write something funny. It’s one thing to have humor in the script as an unintentionally byproduct but it’s a whole other ball game of trying to write something that you hope people would get a laugh out off. Still it is an intriguing challenge and I still have one more week to figure out if I’m up to the task. I probably try to put pen to paper this coming weekend and explore if I do have a funny bone to tickle.

Board games have recently featured a lot in my social life of late and I’m thoroughly enjoying them. Just recently we played a round of “Kill Doctor Lucky” with a group of people who never played it before and everyone had a good time. I’ve also found really good small plastic containers from the chain of 100Yen stores in town that help made the games pieces I already own more organized. To top it all off, I’ve caved in an purchased the iPod version of the popular “Settlers of Catan” board game and have been enjoying it since then. I would definitely be adding the game in my board game want list so I can get it and introduce me gaming rookie friends to it.

On a sad note, I woke up today to the news of the torching of a church in Desa Melawati that people are might link to the recent controversy of the court ruling of allowing the usage of the word “Allah” by the Herald. I stand by the belief that if Heralds wants to use the term in their mass publication then they should use the full terms that are used by the Christian Arabs throughout the Middle East. Using the terms "Allah al-‘ab" (الله الأب) meaning God the father, "Allah al-ibn" (الله الابن) mean God the son, and "Allah al-rūh al-quds" (الله الروح القدس) meaning God the Holy Spirit instead of just “Allah” to refer to the aspects of the Catholic Trinty would clearly differentiate the usage of the terms.

Regardless, I personally condemn those who burn down/destroy/deface houses of worship as people who belittle the importance of religion for the people and have no right to claim themselves as being pious or religious. An eye for an eye will only leave us with a people who are blind physically, mentally and spiritually who would have no discourse to accept the first one eyed man as king.

“The Swimming Instructor” at KLPac

klpac presents

The Swimming Instructor

Ripples of love and loss

SYNOPSIS

Written by multi-award winning Singaporean writer, Desmond Sim, The Swimming Instructor has been staged thrice successfully in Singapore, enjoying full houses throughout its run. The sizzling poolside drama will finally be making its way to KL audiences!

Get ready to dive into a hilarious and poignant tale about the undercurrents of love, lust and loss as experienced by a down-to-earth swimming instructor (Michael Chen), a vivacious rich girl (Davina Goh) and a go-getting advertising executive (Niki Cheong).

The sexy comedy is set at a public pool where Guan is a no-nonsense swimming instructor who teaches kids swimming. Unbeknownst to him, he has become an object of affection (and desire!) Will Guan's admirers discover what's lurking beneath his seemingly calm surface?

KL audiences will have the exclusive opportunity to watch a slightly tweaked version of The Swimming Instructor. So, if you are up for some fun and laughter, make your way to klpac as the exciting cast of The Swimming Instructor readies itself to make a splash this December.

Advisory: recommended for mature audiences only

Cast: MICHAEL CHEN, DAVINA GOH, NIKI CHEONG

Director: CHRISTOPHER LING

Executive Producer: DATO’ FARIDAH MERICAN
Artistic Director: JOE HASHAM OAM

Date & Time:
3 – 5, 8 – 12 DECEMBER @ 8.30pm
6 & 13 DECEMBER@ 3pm (Matinee shows)

Venue:
PENTAS 2, THE KUALA LUMPUR PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE (KLPac)

Tickets:
RM38 (adults)
RM28 (senior citizens)
RM23 (students & disabled)

Box Office:(KLPac) 4047 9000 (walk-in purchases)

Tickets also available at:
TicketAxcess @ Head office (Jln. Semangat), 1-Utama outlet & Alamanda Putrajaya outlet

Venue Website: http://www.klpac.com/
Venue Map Link: http://www.klpac.org/Welcome.asp?c=venuelocation
Facebook Event link: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=293437825513

“Mukabuku” at KLPac

klpac presents

MUKABUKU
Uncovering the humanity behind the technology

SYNOPSIS

Whether you like it or not, online social networking sites are here to stay and are out to transform the way we stay connected to one another. Three writers take on the easily left unseen impact that these sites are having on our everyday lives.

The objective of klpac's T4YP Lab is to train young directors, designers and writers in theatre-craft via the production of a programme of short plays.

The very first T4YP Lab project features:

Top Friends by Mark Beau de Silva
Friends made, lost, made again. Topped. Under-ed, and Deleted. Sometimes you send them drinks. First performed as part of TEN: Theatrical Lightning Strikes Human Relationships by The T4YP Ensemble in 2008.

Profile by Mark Beau de Silva
“I think I will not ask him again why he has stopped calling. I am so stupid. His profile picture is so happy. Of course. So I will look happy too. Can you take a new picture for me. It’s for my profile.”

Could’ve Been by Alex Chua
A short story about obsession, idolism and the self-destructive need to be someone else. A man loses sight of himself and the love of his wife to his wanton desire to become Mark Zuckerberg.

Funeral Rights by Alex Chua
There is reason to be afraid of stalkers. Steven’s cyber stalker has come to his funeral, coming face-to-face with his real family and friends.

Addiction by Nandang Abdul Rahman
The demons that haunt us may not only be the ones that lurk at the bottom of bottles or the tip of a syringe. It may come in more innocent forms than you realize.

Remains by Nandang Abdul Rahman
Growing old, marking milestones and dealing with survivor’s guilt the Mukabuku way.

Cast: NABIHAN YAACOB, MICHAEL TAN, NUR ZAKUAN, ALFRED LOH, IVAN CHAN ATIENZA, GOWRI PAARY, FARAH RANI & UJVAL SIDHU-BRAR

Director: KELVIN WONG
Executive Producer : DATO’ FARIDAH MERICAN
Artistic Director: JOE HASHAM OAM
Director in-residence: CHRISTOPHER LING

Date & Time:
20 – 21 NOV 2009 @ 8:30 PM
21 – 22 NOV 2009 @ 3:00 PM (Matinee shows)

Venue:
PENTAS 2, THE KUALA LUMPUR PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE (KLPac)

Ticket:
RM25 (adults)
RM15 (students, disabled & senior citizens)

Box Office:
(KLPac) 4047 9000 (walk-in purchases)

Tickets also available at:
TicketAxcess @ Head office (Jln. Semangat), 1-Utama outlet & Alamanda Putrajaya outlet

Venue Website: http://www.klpac.com/
Venue Map Link: http://www.klpac.org/Welcome.asp?c=venuelocation
Facebook Event link: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=309331105415

Note To Self

I have often reminded myself about it but it only took that one time that I was careless for it to happen.

I had my laptop stolen from the boot of a car.

I should have known better.

I have been giving security briefings and reminding people to not leave their computer in their car for years. The one time that I broke that cardinal rule myself, it came back to bite me and it bit me hard. Oh, the irony of it all!

The signs were all there! I already had misgivings about taking the laptop on my recent road trip. I ended up not even using it anyway while we were away. We also had misgivings about going to Carrefour Subang Jaya that evening. On the way up from the parking lot, we received pamphlets about leaving valuables in the car. We even had to go back to the car when we remembered that we had left some cash in plain sight within the car. Never once that I give much thought of the laptop that I left behind. It was Subang Jaya! It was basically my neighbourhood.

I continued to have a bad feeling about something but by the time I acted on it, it was already too late. We came back to the car only to find that the rear side mirror that looked into the boot area of the hatchback has been smashed in and the contents of the boot moved around. The thief was able to get to my laptop bag which was beneath the other bags which was hiding it from plain sight. I'm guessing that they were able to see the bags from the outside and decided to try their luck as they might have figured that we had recently came back from a trip. Given that the parking space was fairly deserted, they might have sufficient time to root around the boot for something valuable to take.

After recovering from the initial shock, we proceeded to report the break in to the Carrefour security department and then to the police at the nearby Subang Jaya Police Station. Thankfully both experience were fairly painless and speedy. I do not have much hope of recovering the items stolen so the reports were more for documentation formalities that would be needed to report the theft to the office since it was a company laptop that I lost.

Once all the formalities completed, we went off for a late dinner and came back home to call it the day. I have to admit to a sense of being violated and a bit fearful after the incident that night. It was enough to get me rattled to the point that I had to lock up the main grill which I normally do only when I leave home on an extended trip. In my mind, I was worried if there was anything that they took that would lead them back to where I lived.

Thankfully that feeling subsided once I had a good night's sleep. The following day was spent dealing with the aftermath of the incident. As I am typing this entry, I have still to get everything that I lost sorted out. I expect that the next few days to be both quite slow and tedious. Not only do I need to get the hardware replacement sorted out but also have to figure out how to recover all the work/documents/items that I stored on the both the laptop and external hard disk that was taken.

It is hard for me not to feel somewhat disconnected knowing that I've lost a lot of things thanks to that moment of carelessness. It does feel like having your legs chopped off from under you especially when a lot of my work and personal life is linked to the items that I had stored on that computer. Recreating them would definitely be a huge task ahead. Like it or not, I have to tackle this face on.

Hopefully this blog entry will stay here as a reminder for myself not to every do somethng this stupid again!

“Oh Dad, Poor Dad” at KLPac

The Oral Stage Presents

OH DAD, POOR DAD

Grieving widow, neurotic son, the pet piranha & Venus flytraps … oh my

With support from the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac) and produced by special arrangement with Samuel French Inc., New York, the Oral Stage is proud to bring to KL a unique tale written by noted American playwright, Arthur Kopit.

SYNOPSIS

A woman-in-mourning checks into a lavish hotel with her neurotic son, a pet piranha and a pair of Venus flytraps. Moments after, a wealthy, love-stricken naval officer and the seductive, next-door babysitter pay them a visit. The fish and plants are now very hungry, the son wants to escape, and the woman’s dead husband is still lurking about somewhere…

A bizarre take on all things love, Oh Dad, Poor Dad parodies the domineering, protective mother who tries to smother her son, and also the son himself, who is too naïve and sheltered. It premiered Off-Broadway in 1962 and won the Vernon Rice and Outer Circle Awards in that same year. Oh Dad, Poor Dad was recently revived at Harvard University in 2007

FOR MATURE AUDIENCES ONLY

Cast: NICOLE-ANN THOMAS, ALFRED LOH , HANNEKE TALBOT, APLE ANG, JOHN AREN, LINDA FOO, KEVIN KEI, ISHWIN SINGH, RAJA UMMI AND AZ’FARR BAGINDA.

Director: KELVIN WONG

Date & Time:
30 SEPT – 04 OCT 2009 @ 8:30 PM
03 – 04 OCT 2009 @ 3:00 PM (Matinee shows)

Venue:
PENTAS 2, THE KUALA LUMPUR PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE (KLPac)

Ticket:
RM35 (adults)
RM25 (students, disabled & senior citizens)

Promotions:
RM5 off every ticket for purchases of 10 or more similar-priced tickets in a single receipt!

Box Office:
(KLPac) 4047 9000 (walk-in purchases)

Tickets also available at:
TicketAxcess @ Head office (Jln. Semangat), 1-Utama outlet & Alamanda Putrajaya outlet

Venue Website: http://www.klpac.com/
Venue Map Link: http://www.klpac.org/Welcome.asp?c=venuelocation
Facebook Event link: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=102314632705

“Hamlet” at KLPac

KLPac Presents

HAMLET

A murdered King. A usurped Prince. A promise of Revenge.

All roads lead to Elsinore!

After teasing the audiences with successful performances of “The Secret Love Life of Ophelia”, “I Love You Once, I Love You Not”, “What It Means To Be … Free” and “Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead”, the T4YP closes their 2009 season with the classic piece that inspired their previous performances.

Join the T4YP ensemble as they come together in their final ensemble run performing Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”.

SYNOPSIS

An undisputed masterpiece of world theatre, “Hamlet”, Shakespeare’s great tragedy of passion, corruption and revenge, has captivated audiences for over 400 years. It remains as relevant and urgent as ever.

The powerful tale opens with Hamlet returning to court only to find his father murdered and his mother married to the murderer. He is faced with a terrible dilemma – should he avenge his father’s death?

This modern interpretation of Shakespeare's classic will focus on the relationships and the people involved in this tragic tale with the politics of the story taking a back seat. The four-hour long play has been adapted into a palatable 90-minute performance for the urban, contemporary minds to absorb.

Cast:
AYUNNI BT AYUB, BELINDA HON, DINESH KUMAR MAGANATHAN, GREGORY SZE, IZMIR HADI HUSEIN, MICHAEL TAN, NABIHAN YAACOB, NICK DORIAN, NUR HIDAYA ZAKUAN, PRIYADASHINI MAGANATHAN, RACHEL DARSHINI HENRY, SALLY ANN CHAN & TUNG JIT YANG

Director: CHRISTOPHER LING
Executive Producer: DATO’ FARIDAH MERICAN
Artistic Director: JOE HASHAM

Date & Time:
10 – 12 SEPT 2009 @ 8:30 PM*
12 – 13 SEPT 2009 @ 3:00 PM (Matinee shows)
(* the performance for 11 SEPT 2009 has already sold out)

Venue:
PENTAS 2, THE KUALA LUMPUR PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE (KLPac)

Ticket:
RM 25
RM 15 (for students, sr. citizens and the disabled)

Box Office:
(KLPac) 4047 9000 (walk-in purchases)

Tickets also available at:
TicketAxcess @ Head office (Jln. Semangat), 1-Utama outlet & Alamanda Putrajaya outlet

Venue Website: http://www.klpac.com/
Venue Map Link: http://www.klpac.org/Welcome.asp?c=venuelocation

Facebook Event link: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=103914387705

Boo RapidKL!

The new RapidKL structured bus fare systems goes into effect today and it was as I expected it.

Badly executed!

Since sometime back in July, I have noticed the notices posted in the buses and LRT trains announcing the change in the bus fare system on 1st Sept. Of all the changes proposed, the one involving the “Utama” bus lines were the one that left me more than a bit perplexed as to how they will implement it. From its inception, the “Utama” bus line only had one fare point for a day pass ticket that can be used for as many bus trips within the same day of purchase. This made taking the bus very convenient and quite economical especially when one needs to transfer to multiple buses in a day.

Unfortunately, all that changed starting today with the implementation of a zonal fare structure. Instead pay a flat fare of RM2 to the driver, bus commuters would have to inform the driver which stop they would want to alight at and driver will tell them the new bus fare. Fares start at RM1, RM1.90, RM2.50 and a maximum of RM3 depending on the number of travel zones the commuter goes through to get to their stop. I guess eventually people who take the bus daily would eventually know how much they have to pay for their trip but until then the bus driver needs to tell the commuters how much to pay.

I’ve always paid RM2 for my bus trip to my office and with this new fare structure I should only need to pay RM1.90 since I only need to cross 2 zones. Nice on paper but dismal in execution! Instead of paying just RM2 for a day’s bus trip, I need to pay the RM1.90 tickets twice since in the new fare system, your bus ticket is a one way ticket instead of a day pass. Since RapidKL buses do not have bus conductors like their competitors, commuters don’t get change back when they pay for their bus fare. What is the use of charging RM1.90 instead of RM2 since no change is provided?

To throw more salt to the wound, they have disabled the Touch & Go card payment system on the buses due to technical implementation issues to adapt to the new bus fare structures. I can’t understand this reason since they would have more than sufficient time to look into the issue of using T&G cards on buses before implementing the new fare system. RapidKL do not need to look further than our neighbors in Singapore to see how they implement the EZ-Link payment card system in their buses. Bus commuters there use only their payment card instead of cash to pay for their bus fare. One only needs to touch the card on the reader when you board and touch it again on the exit reader to deduct the fare before getting off the bus. The same system should have been implemented by RapidKL as well if they wanted a structured fare system.

Inefficiencies due to poor planning will never be acceptable no matter what the economic reasons were behind the decision of pushing the plans through. For a company that prides itself as having the goal of having the “highest degree of operational excellence, engineering efficacy and service reliability” as one of its corporate missions, I must say that the implementation of this new bus fare structure has only left me with a bad impression of the planners. They could easily have avoided this dismal spectacle with better planning and execution that was more commuter friendly instead of just thinking about their coffers.

And for that I say … Boo, RapidKL!

Short+Sweet09:Theater Winners List

KLPac Presents

SHORT+SWEET: THEATER
A Festival of Words

Congratulations to the theater performances who made it to the Short+Sweet09: Theater Gala Night a resounding success! We had full houses and floor seating only for the performance.

Congratulations to all the winners selected that night!

Short+Sweet 09: Theater Winners List:

Best Actor (Female) – Bella Rahim ("Life's A Twitch")
Best Actor (Male) – Lvynn ("Faith")
Best New Talent (Female) – Claudia Low ("Baby, Baby")
Best New Talent (Male) - Jon Chew ("Fuckin' Food")
Best Script – Adiwijaya ("Allah!")
Best Director – Megat Sharizal ("Allah!")

Best Overall Production – "Allah!"
People's Choice Award - "Phat!"
S+S Festival Director's Choice Award - "Unsaid"

All the winning entries as well as the rest of the productions in this edition of the theater festival have showcased the diversity of what was possible with the 10 minute play format. Looking at the packed houses that we had almost every night during the 2 week run, I’m sure that we provided both entertainment and inspiration for others to try their hand too in theater productions of this format.

I, for one, will be looking forward to what the next edition of the Short+Sweet: Theater Festival will bring to the scene next.

Venue Website: http://www.klpac.com/

Facebook Event link: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=114381279264

“Short+Sweet: Theater – Gala Night” at KLPac

KLPac Presents

SHORT+SWEET: THEATER
A Festival of Words

Congratulations to the theater performances that made it through to the "Short+Sweet 2009: Theater" Gala Night!

1. “Life's A Twitch”

Writer: Maya Tan Abdullah

Director: Hot Buns

Cast: Bella Rahim, Hairi

Synopsis: Mice and men- do they escape life's difficulties the same way?

2. “Waiting for Godot Too”

Writer: Fasyali Fadzly bin Saipul Bahri

Director: Fasyali Fadzly bin Saipul Bahri

Cast: Muhammad Shukri bin Mohd Tahir, Fiona Anne Kab

Synopsis: Friendly or rude, they talk about politics, religion, women etc, but what about art?

3. “Phat!”

Writer: Akmar Zaki

Director: Akmar Zaki

Cast: Amy Tia, Sadyabama, Tiana Xavier, Hazel Hadian

Synopsis: We are the new Kate Moss (with beautiful curves) in town. We are here to say that fat is phat!

4. "Poo By Any Other Name Smells As Bad"

Writer: Indra Irwan Mohd Sari

Director: Tuna Lim

Cast: Season Chee, Gordon Tan

Synopsis: A play discussing the ideologies and principles that have become the buzzwords commonly read in Malaysian blogs.

5. “Faith”

Writer: Aminda Faradilla

Director: Esnani Elias

Cast: Lvynn

Synopsis: The story of a woman who saw the end as just another day, highlighted and circled on a calendar.

6. “Unsaid”

Writer: Nandang Abdul Rahman

Director: Kelvin Wong

Cast: Hunter Leow, Rashdan Harith

Synopsis: When proof is demanded in words, could deeds be an adequate substitute instead?

7. “Baby, Baby”

Writer: Nora Lim

Director: Nora Lim

Cast: Claudia Low

Synopsis: Follow an obsessed Kate on her emotional and at times, hilarious journey to get pregnant.

8. “The Junction”

Writer: Lakshman Balakrishnan

Director: Kamaruzzaman

Cast: Glamorique Arshad, Mervyn Raj Manikam

Synopsis: Life is a junction. Where do I go now?

9. “Allah!”

Writer: Adiwijaya

Director: Megat Sharizal

Cast: Abdul Qahar Aqilah, Shah Redza Minhat

Synopsis: Two men meet on a ledge of a tall building in a moral struggle of non-epic proportions

10. “Fuckin' Food”

Writer: Kevin Larken

Director: Christopher Ling

Cast: Jon Chew, Gowri Paary

Synopsis: What do you want to eat?

Date & Time:
Dance Gala Night: 16 August @ 8.30pm

Venue:
PENTAS 2, THE KUALA LUMPUR PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE (KLPac)

Tickets:
RM40
RM25 (students, sr. citizens & the disabled)

PROMOTIONS
Enjoy a 10% discount when you purchase a ticket for Week 1, Week 2 and the Gala Final! (In a single receipt)

Box Office:
(KLPac) 4047 9000

Venue Website: http://www.klpac.com/

Facebook Event link: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=114381279264

Another Item Crossed Off My "To Do" List

It started off as a challenge.

A challenge to try something that I’ve never done before.

After numerous times sitting watching other people’s words being acted on stage in KLPac and wondering if I could do any better.

I decided to write a 10 minute play for submission to this year’s edition of the Short+Sweet Theater festival.

But where and more importantly how to start?

First of all, I had to overcome the nagging fear that I have nothing really substantial to say and that I have neither the skill nor talent to write a stage play. It looked like a big bump in the road for me until I realized that I would never know if I could do it unless I give it a try.

“The worst that could happen was that it turned out to be a pile of crap that people would rather burn than read”, I rationalize.

I wonder if all other writers had to go through the same things when they first started their piece. I even went as far as enrolling myself in the Short+Sweet Playwriting Workshop last Apr to learn how to start my piece. I ended up skipping it on the very morning it was suppose to start due to an attack of nerves and fear of having my work publically dissected as part of the workshop activities. I would later find out that my fears were unfounded and I had missed fairly enlightening session learning about the structure and conventions of writing a 10 minute play that would have greatly helped my own writing journey.

Once I realized the missed opportunity due to my own insecurities, I decided to ignore the doubting voices in my head and listen instead to the voices that had a story to tell. Thanks to the information that I found online (http://www.10-minute-plays.com/), I figured out a story structure that was simple enough for me to understand and feel less intimidated to work with.

Pages 1 to 2: Set up the world of your main character.
Pages 2 to 3: Something happens to throw your character’s world out of balance.
Pages 4 to 7: Your character struggles to restore order to his world.
Page 8: Just when your character is about to restore order, something happens to complicate matters.
Pages 9 to 10: Your character either succeeds or fails in his attempt to restore order.

Excerpt from “TEN-MINUTE PLAY STRUCTURE”, 10-Minutes-Play.com

Thanks to the page breakdowns and the tips I found on the “HOW TO WRITE A 10-MINUTE PLAY” link on the same side, I was finally on my way to actually writing my first 10 minute play. My first attempt started out strong but became longer and longer as I started to write it. Trying to fit the story that I had in my head into the confines of the page constraints was as easy as trying to herd cats around. It forced me to stop and look at what I was doing wrong and I figured out that the problem was that I was writing strictly to the format instead of actually writing a story.

I ended up restarting my piece from scratch with a different story. I reminded myself to keep it to festival’s title, short and sweet, and more importantly write from something that I personally know. It was quite surprising that on the 2nd attempt, the story came out easier from my head to paper and by the end of the 2nd day of writing, I had practically wrote down 9 minutes of the story. It was that that point that I hit another snag in my Short+Sweet playwriting journey which was how to end my story.

Trying to find a satisfactory ending to my script was the hardest part of my writing journey. None of the endings that I’ve came up with at that point really worked. In my mind, I had to find an ending that I hoped would not only serve the story but also leave a mark with the audience. I went with one of the ending which I thought was best but was never really satisfied with because not only would it made the piece much darker in the end but it was also felt a bit overused to me since I’ve seen dark twists done in other plays before.

I was fortunate that I had a friend who read my script and immediately highlighted the weak way that the story ended. A single enlightening comment from him gave me the inspiration to totally revise the ending into the one that I have for the story now. If it was not for the peer review, I would not have been set on the path towards writing a much better ending that I felt good about to end the story. The experience enforced the notion that a writer needs someone to read what they have written for a fresh perspective that we would have lost by virtue of being so closely linked to the piece that we have written.

With a completed script in hand, I felt ready to submit it to be considered for the Short+Sweet 2009 Theater festival. I didn’t really think much of it after the submission until I found an email from the festival director in my inbox congratulating me on the acceptance of the script for the festival to be performed on stage no less. My words were going to be delivered by actors on stage! Needless to say, I was ecstatic for the whole week.

What started as a challenge was now an accomplishment and I could safely tick it off my list of things to do in life.

(This blogger’s 10 minute play is currently being performed at klpac in the Short+Sweet Theater 2009 festival from 12 – 15th Aug)

“Short+Sweet: Theater – Week 2” at KLPac

KLPac Presents

SHORT+SWEET: THEATER
A Festival of Words

Week 1 of Short+Sweet: Theater is done and now it is now time for Week 2 pieces to come on stage for your enjoyment and consideration.

With the challenge of creating “a more creative world ten minutes at a time”, the call went out for writers to submit their 10 minute pieces for consideration. A number of them did rise to the occasion and as a result, 30 pieces were selected for this year’s edition of the theater festival. Directors and actors were later interviewed and auditioned for the 21 pieces will be performed in the last 2 weeks of the Short+Sweet festival beginning on the 5th August and running up to the 15th August. The remaining 9 pieces will be stage read in a special session on Sunday, 9th August 2009

All theater performances featured in the Short+Sweet 2009 edition will also be in competition for several categories that will be judged by both a professional panel of judges as well as members of the audience based on the feedback forms filled up at the end of each performance. Shortlisted theater performances will be performed again during the Short+Sweet: Theater Gala Night on the 16nd August 2009 where the winners of the individual category will also be announced.

Come and join in the celebration of homegrown creativity and talents by attending the performances and leaving your feedback at the end of the show.

Reminder:

Please note that the theater performance may contain mature themes, subject matter and/or content that may not be suitable for minors (PG-13).

Please also be advised that lit cigarette may be used as props in some of the performances.

Week 2 (12 - 15 Aug 2009)

“Waiting for Godot Too”

Writer: Fasyali Fadzly bin Saipul Bahri
Director: Fasyali Fadzly bin Saipul Bahri
Cast: Muhammad Shukri bin Mohd Tahir, Fiona Anne Kab

Synopsis: Friendly or rude, they talk about politics, religion, women etc, but what about art?

“All Hail The King!”

Writer: Nizar Musa
Director: Patricia Low
Cast: Oliver Peters, Dhinesh Pradhan, Melissa Loovigaratnam

Synopsis: A tale of melancholy, contempt, and a dash of humour spiced with an iron fist, in a not-so-far away land of Seksyen 14!

“Poo By Any Other Name Smells As Bad”

Writer: Indra Irwan Mohd Sari
Director: Tuna Lim
Cast: Season Chee, Gordon Tan

Synopsis: A play discussing the ideologies and principles that have become the buzzwords commonly read in Malaysian blogs.

“Unsaid”

Writer: Nandang Abdul Rahman
Director: Kelvin Wong
Cast: Hunter Leow, Rashdan Harith

Synopsis: When proof is demanded in words, could deeds be an adequate substitute instead?

“Fuckin' Food”

Writer: Kevin Larken
Director: Christopher Ling
Cast: Jon Chew, Gowri Paary

Synopsis: What do you want to eat?

“Concealed”

Writer: Jillian Toyad
Director: Min Li
Cast: Ani Juliana binti Ibrahim, Joanna Soh, Alfred Loh, Adeline Ong

Synopsis: Angie shares her reasons for wearing make-up every time she goes out; to conceal.

“Change”

Writer: Geraldine Phillips
Director: Geraldine Phillips
Cast: Banun Atina, William Yap, Aaron Nair, Eddy Aizad

Synopsis: Can you live your life in stagnancy?

“Shelter”

Writer: Davina Goh
Director: Az'farr Baginda
Cast: Amir Izwan, Nicola Moss, Sharanya Radhakrishnan, Valerie Low

Synopsis: A capricious college student discovers that love can transcend as easily as it can be forgotten.

“For the Love of ... Beans”

Writer: Jude James
Director: Kevin Larken
Cast: Alfred Loh, Jean Chan, Nicola Moss, Davina Goh, Christian Neal Capes, Raphael Couzet, Claudia Low

Synopsis: In the old West every man runs from the sins of their past, but for Old Bill his sins had finally found him.

“Viewpoints”

Writer: Martyn James Fellender
Director: Kimmy Kiew
Cast: Ahmad Azeem B Anuarudin, Syamsul Azhar, Lau Wai Keat, Norman Teh

Synopsis: Snapshots of episodes in the lives of children in a special school seen through the eyes of Matthew, a teacher at the school.

“The Junction”

Writer: Lakshman Balakrishnan
Director: Kamaruzzaman
Cast: Glamorique Arshad, Mervyn Raj Manikam

Synopsis: Life is a junction. Where do I go now?

Date & Time:
Week 1: 5 – 8 Aug @ 8.30pm
Week 2: 12 – 15 Aug 2009 @ 8.30pm

Stage readings: 9 Aug@8:30pm

Theater Gala Night: 16 August @ 8.30pm

Venue:
PENTAS 2, THE KUALA LUMPUR PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE (KLPac)

Ticket:
Week 1 & 2
RM30 / RM15 (students, sr. citizens & the disabled)

Stage Readings
Free Admission

Gala Night
RM40 / RM25 (students, sr. citizens & the disabled)

PROMOTIONS
Enjoy a 10% discount when you purchase a ticket for Week 1, Week 2 and the Gala Final! (In a single receipt)

Box Office:
(KLPac) 4047 9000

Venue Website: http://www.klpac.com/

Facebook Event link: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=114381279264

“What It Means To Be … Free” at KLPac

KLPac Presents

WHAT IT MEANS TO BE … FREE
A journey of discovery

The T4YP ensemble are now set to invade the klpac Indicine space with a line of performances running for 2 weeks from the 30th July up to 9th Aug. Consisting of 3 pieces, the young performers of the ensemble are being challenged to participate in experimental theater pieces that would be different from what they have gone through in their previous showcases.

The ensemble has been split into two with one group presenting a piece that has roots in physical theater while the other tackling a performance deeply rooted in mask work traditions. At the end of the 2 weeks, both groups will come back together to take on the challenge of writing, producing, rehearsing and performing sets of 10 minute plays which all will come out of a hectic 24hrs schedule.

30 Jul - 02 Aug: "I Love You Once, I Love You Not"
06 Aug - 09 Aug: "What Does It Mean To Be ... Free"
08 Aug - 09 Aug: T4YP Sweatshop 2009

Join the T4YP ensemble as their push the envelope of what they think they could do and learn.

SYNOPSIS

In the surreal world of 13 Bells, the Masked People stand above all as the rulers of the land. The young and naive Elle has her mask taken away from her and is stripped of her station for an act of insubordination. She is cast into the underworld of her society where she has to learn to live on her own two feet without her mask - in the process discovers the true meaning of freedom and how precious it is.

Cast:
AYUNI AYUB, BELINDA HON, DINESH KUMAR MAGANATHAN, GREGORY SZE, NICK DORIAN, PRIYADARSHINI MAGANATHAN, RACHEL HENRY, SALLY ANN CHAN & TUNG JIT YANG

Director: ALEX CHUA

Date & Time:
6 – 9 AUG 2009 @ 8:00 PM

Venue:
INDICINE, THE KUALA LUMPUR PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE (KLPac)

Ticket:
RM 10 - minimum donation.

Box Office:
(KLPac) 4047 9000

Venue Website: http://www.klpac.com/

Facebook Event link: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=117220547880

T4YP 2009 Invades Indicine@klpac !!!!

“Short+Sweet: Theater – Week 1” at KLPac

KLPac Presents

SHORT+SWEET: THEATER
A Festival of Words

After a successful 2 week run of Short+Sweet Dance, it is now time for the theater section to take center stage.

With the challenge of creating “a more creative world ten minutes at a time”, the call went out for writers to submit their 10 minute pieces for consideration. A number of them did rise to the occasion and as a result, 30 pieces were selected for this year’s edition of the theater festival. Directors and actors were later interviewed and auditioned for the 21 pieces will be performed in the last 2 weeks of the Short+Sweet festival beginning on the 5th August and running up to the 15th August. The remaining 9 pieces will be stage read in a special session on Sunday, 9th August 2009

All theater performances featured in the Short+Sweet 2009 edition will also be in competition for several categories that will be judged by both a professional panel of judges as well as members of the audience based on the feedback forms filled up at the end of each performance. Shortlisted theater performances will be performed again during the Short+Sweet: Theater Gala Night on the 16nd August 2009 where the winners of the individual category will also be announced.

Come and join in the celebration of homegrown creativity and talents by attending the performances and leaving your feedback at the end of the show.

Reminder:

Please note that the theater performance may contain mature themes, subject matter and/or content that may not be suitable for minors (PG-13).

Please also be advised that lit cigarette may be used as props in some of the performances.

Week 1 (5 - 8 Aug 2009)

“Phat!”
Writer: Akmar Zaki
Director: Akmar Zaki
Cast: Amy Tia, Sadyabama, Tiana Xavier, Hazel Hadian

Synopsis: We are the new Kate Moss (with beautiful curves) in town. We are here to say that fat is phat!

“Baby, Baby”
Writer: Nora Lim
Director: Nora Lim
Cast: Claudia Low

Synopsis: Follow an obsessed Kate on her emotional and at times, hilarious journey to get pregnant.

“Allah!”
Writer: Adiwijaya
Director: Megat Sharizal
Cast: Abdul Qahar Aqilah, Shah Redza Minhat

Synopsis: Two men meet on a ledge of a tall building in a moral struggle of non-epic proportions.

“Reverse Psychology”
Writer: Vincent Edwin
Director: Ivan Gan
Cast: Andre D'Cruz, Vincent Edwin

Synopsis: Animalism, incest, GBH, GILF's, Religion & other naughty things you talk about in the shrink-patient relationship.

“The Council of Mothers”
Writer: Angeline Woon
Director: PoG
Cast: Shirin Jauhari, Shamaine Othman

Synopsis: On things we take for granted, like partners and the science of making babies.

“The Stage”
Writer: Nalina Samynathan
Director: Nicole-Ann Thomas
Cast: Payal Vashist, Niki Cheong

Synopsis: A tongue-in-cheek account of stage management by a frustrated stage manager.

“Life's A Twitch”
Writer: Maya Tan Abdullah
Director: Hot Buns
Cast: Bella Rahim, Hairi

Synopsis: Mice and men- do they escape life's difficulties the same way?

“The Waiting Room”
Writer: Sheena Baharudin
Director: Syatirah Safran
Cast: Christian Neal Capes, Rachel Lai, Sani Zainal Abidin

Synopsis: After what seems like an eternity of waiting, three individuals find themselves in an unlikely crossroads of their lives where the complexities of love, loss, faith and sexuality collide.

“A Play Regarding A Chance Encounter”
Writer: Kevin Larken
Director: James Wu
Cast: Hana Mazlan, Niki Cheong, James Wu

Synopsis: Mind if I sit here?

“Faith”
Writer: Aminda Faradilla
Director: Esnani Elias
Cast: Lvynn

Synopsis: The story of a woman who saw the end as just another day, highlighted and circled on a calendar.

The following scripts have been selected for stage readings on Sunday 9 Aug 2009@8:30 pm

“Revenge of the Stage Manager” (Writer: Nalina Samynathan)
“Saturday Night” (Writer: Shamaine Othman)
“Suzy” (Writer: Mikey Tai)
“Transit” (Writer: Charis Ding Sue Fei)
“Under the Sunless Sky” (Writer: Shern)
“What Happens After a Fairytale Ending” (Writer: Sharon Lam)
“While She Lasts” (Writer: Muhammad Muhaimin bin Zulkarnain)
“Age-defying Tricks For Women” (Writer: PoG)
“Borderline” (Writer: Chong Evie)

Date & Time:
Week 1: 5 – 8 Aug @ 8.30pm
Week 2: 12 – 15 Aug 2009 @ 8.30pm

Stage readings: 9 Aug@8:30pm

Theater Gala Night: 16 August @ 8.30pm

Venue:
PENTAS 2, THE KUALA LUMPUR PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE (KLPac)

Ticket:
Week 1 & 2
RM30 / RM15 (students, sr. citizens & the disabled)

Stage Readings
Free Admission

Gala Night
RM40 / RM25 (students, sr. citizens & the disabled)

PROMOTIONS
Enjoy a 10% discount when you purchase a ticket for Week 1, Week 2 and the Gala Final! (In a single receipt)

Box Office:
(KLPac) 4047 9000

Venue Website: http://www.klpac.com/

Facebook Event link: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=114381279264

Short+Sweet09:Dance Winners List

KLPac Presents

SHORT+SWEET: DANCE
A Festival of Dance

A round of applause to all who made it to the Short+Sweet09: Dance Gala Night and a big thank you for making the night an enjoyable event.

Congratulations to all the winners selected that night!

Short+Sweet 09: Dance Winners List:

Best Choreographer – Suhaili Micheline ("Nerds Gone Nuts")
Best Dancer (Female) – Suhaili Micheline ("Nerds Gone Nuts")
Best Dancer (Male) – Naim Syahrazad ("Nerds Gone Nuts")
Best New Talent (Female) – Hii Ing Fung ("Passive")
Best New Talent (Male) - Sufi Ashraff ("Mirror")
Best Overall Production – "Nerds Gone Nuts"
People's Choice Award – "Diaries 09"

All the winning entries as well as the rest of the productions in this edition of the dance festival had set the bar for future Short+Sweet: Dance entries. May they be able to match the quality of the performances presented in the past 2 weeks and hopefully will be able to surpass them in future editions.

On to Short+Sweet09: Theater, then!

Venue Website: http://www.klpac.com/

Facebook Event link: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=114381279264

“Short+Sweet: Dance – Gala Night” at KLPac

KLPac Presents

SHORT+SWEET: DANCE
A Festival of Dance

Congratulations to the dance performances that made it through to the "Short+Sweet 2009: Dance" Gala Night!

1. "Shades Of The Moon"
Choreographer & Dancer 1: Weijun
Dancer 2: Tan Su Lin
Dancer 3: Shangkari Sivamurthy
Dancer 4: Suhaili Micheline

2. "Passive"
Choreographer: Leng Poh Gee
Dancer 1: Hii Ing Fung
Dancer 2: Jasmine Lee Mei Ling
Dancer 3: Nancy Ng Pei Yu

3. "Nunuk Ragang"
Choreographer & Dancer 1: BB Ostella Adam
Dancer 2: Doralisa Lee
Dancer 3: Joanna Tan
Dancer 4: Grace Quah
Dancer 5: Callista Chuah
Dancer 6: Chan Wen Li
Dancer 7: Melissa Wong
Dancer 8: Eric Lim Jian Hong
Dancer 9: Gayathri Paary
Dancer 10: Yharsmeen Naharuddin

4. "Walking With Angels"
Choreographer: Kerry-Ann Khoo
Dancer 1: Pui Theng
Dancer 2: Rozmin Rashid
Dancer 3: Dalila
Dancer 4: James Kan
Dancer 5: Chai Song Voon

5. "Hungry For Hope"
Choreographer: Shuba Jayaretnam
Dancer 1: Harshini Sukumaran
Dancer 2: Mohd. Hazri

6. "Mirror"
Choreographer: Lorna Hoong
Dancer 1: Chew Sie Theng
Dancer 2: Mohd Hafizul Aimi B Roslan
Dancer 3: Sufi Ashraf B Mohd Azman
Dancer 4: Wan Tiara Azira Bt Wan Ibrahim

7. "Nerds Gone Nuts"
Choreographer: Suhaili Micheline
Dancer 1: Tengku Nurul Sofia Tengku Daud
Dancer 2: Illia
Dancer 3: Fadzli Jay
Dancer 4: Naim Syahrazad
Dancer 5: Janice Yong
Dancer 6: Siti Amellia
Dancer 7: Teo May Jean

8. "Aku"
Choreographer: Dalili Azahari
Dancer 1: Safia Hanifah
Dancer 2: Siti Farrah Abdullah

9. "Diaries '09"
Choreographer & Dancer 1: Michael Xavier Voon
Dancer 2: Wee Jung Jieh
Dancer 3: Pui Fook Chien
Dancer 4: Choong Wei Li
Dancer 5: Ng Shu Mun
Dancer 6: Cheang Zu-Er

10. "Zapin Berangin: Colors of the Wind"
Choreographer & Dancer 1: Nabil Abdullah
Dancer 2: Mohd Firdaus bin Ibrahim
Dancer 3: Amirul Safuan bin Kamaludin
Dancer 4: Herman Anak Bidin
Dancer 5: Nik Faizal bin Hazmi
Dancer 6: Sarah Shafreena bin Mohd Hassan
Dancer 7: Zulkarnain bin Ab. Rahman
Dancer 8: Intan Syaffinaz binti Sahharim
Dancer 9: Siti Sarah binti Rosli
Dancer 10: Norshila binti Md Isa
Dancer 11: Nik Nur Nadia binti Nik Ismail
Dancer 12: Rozie Julian

Date & Time:
Dance Gala Night: 2 August @ 8.30pm

Venue:
PENTAS 2, THE KUALA LUMPUR PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE (KLPac)

Tickets:
RM40
RM25 (students, sr. citizens & the disabled)

PROMOTIONS
Enjoy a 10% discount when you purchase a ticket for Week 1, Week 2 and the Gala Final! (In a single receipt)

Box Office:
(KLPac) 4047 9000

Venue Website: http://www.klpac.com/

Facebook Event link: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=114381279264

“I Love You Once, I Love You Not” at KLPac

KLPac Presents

I LOVE YOU ONCE, I LOVE YOU NOT
A physical theatre performance

The T4YP ensemble are now set to invade the klpac Indicine space with a line of performances running for 2 weeks from the 30th July up to 9th Aug. Consisting of 3 pieces, the young performers of the ensemble are being challenged to participate in experimental theater pieces that would be different from what they have gone through in their previous showcases.

The ensemble has been split into two with one group presenting a piece that has roots in physical theater while the other tackling a performance deeply rooted in mask work traditions. At the end of the 2 weeks, both groups will come back together to take on the challenge of writing, producing, rehearsing and performing sets of 10 minute plays which all will come out of a hectic 24hrs schedule.

30 Jul - 02 Aug: "I Love You Once, I Love You Not"
06 Aug - 09 Aug: "What Does It Mean To Be ... Free"
08 Aug - 09 Aug: T4YP Sweatshop 2009

Join the T4YP ensemble as their push the envelope of what they think they could do and learn.

SYNOPSIS

“I Love You Once I Love You Not” has roots from themes of love and obsession encountered in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”. Directed by klpac’s own Helena Foo, the piece will be the T4YP group’s first foray into the realm of physical theater where body movements convey most of the story instead of words. A cross between dance and theater, the piece would challenge the group to try something that they have never experienced before.

Cast:
ISABELL ZUBINSHA, IZMIR HUSSEIN, MICHAEL TAN, NABIHAN YAACOB, NUR ZAKUAN & SEAN YAP.

Director/Designer: HELENA FOO

Choreographed by: NICOLE ANN THOMAS

Date & Time:
30 JULY – 2 AUG 2009 @ 8:00 PM

Venue:
INDICINE, THE KUALA LUMPUR PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE (KLPac)

Ticket:
RM 10 - minimum donation.

Box Office:
(KLPac) 4047 9000

Venue Website: http://www.klpac.com/

Facebook Event link: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=109986166385

T4YP 2009 Invades Indicine@klpac !!!!

“Kaki Blue – The Musical” at KLPac

KLPac Presents

KAKI BLUE – THE MUSICAL
Heroes wear blue!

SYNOPSIS

Lin, Nee and Ah Shan just completed their SPM, and think it's time to celebrate. Think again!

Just as they sink into a mellow routine of nothingness; of watching TV non-stop and sleeping until 1pm in the afternoon, they unexpectedly 'kena saman' in the form of an SMS calling them for service in the Butterworth Kem Bina Negara!

The 3 get over imaginative and start conjuring images of deadly flying foxes and scary men in uniforms...Will their wildest fantasies of the elusive camp and its equally colorful camp trainers be a reality, and will their lives really be the same after the stint in those blue khakis?

Follow the three as they leave their blue and whites to don their new uniforms as wira & wirawatis in the new camp under the guidance of the no-nonsense Major Sabar.

Kaki Blue is a bold story about the courage and spirit of today's youth. It is about the many uniforms and roles we put on, and shed, as we grow up in this country. Join the youngsters as they sing and dance to the tunes of yesteryear, to finally emerge the heroes that they are.

Written by: MARK BEAU de SILVA

Directed by: JOE HASHAM

Executive Producer: DATO’ FARIDAH MERICAN

Choreographer: LAKSHMAN BALAKRISHNAN

Musical Director: NICK DAVIS

Chorus Master: MERVYN PETERS

Set Designer: YUSMAN MOKHTAR

Date & Time:
30 JULY – 16 AUG 2009
TUESDAY – SATURDAY @ 8:30 PM
SUNDAY @ 3:00 PM
MONDAY – No shows

Venue:
PENTAS 1, THE KUALA LUMPUR PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE (KLPac)

Ticket:
RM100 / RM80 / RM60 / RM40 (Fri – Sun)
RM30 - Concession for students, sr. citizens, disabled & ex-NS trainees (all shows)

PROMOTION
RM30 flat rate for Tues - Thurs shows

Box Office:
(KLPac) 4047 9000

Venue Website: http://www.klpac.com/

Facebook Event link: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=92394836725

“Short+Sweet: Dance – Week 2” at KLPac

KLPac Presents

SHORT+SWEET: DANCE
A Festival of Dance

Week 1 of Short+Sweet: Dance was warmly received by our local audience with a sold out show this past weekend on the 25th. It’s now the turn for the groups slated for Week 2 of the performances to come out and do their best to dazzle the audience. Don’t miss on all the fun and don’t forget to vote for your favorite pieces for the Short+Sweet: Dance Gala Night on the 2nd August 2009.

After a successful Short+Sweet Theater Festival in 2008, the biggest little arts festival returns with the goal of creating “a more creative world ten minutes at a time”. While the 2008 edition of the festival showcased only works for the stage, the Short+Sweet 2009 festival boldly incorporates 2 weeks of dance performances to further enrich the festival experience.

As was the experience for scriptwriters in 2008, choreographers were challenged to come up with 10 minute pieces that underwent rigorous audition and selection processes before they were shortlisted for the festival. Choreographers and dancers have been rehearsing the past few weeks and are now ready to present their works to the public in 2 weeks of performances beginning 22nd July 2009 and running up until 2nd August 2009.

All dance performances featured in the Short+Sweet 2009 edition will also be in competition for several categories that will be judged by both a professional panel of judges as well as members of the audience based on the feedback forms filled up at the end of each performance. Shortlisted dance performances will be performed again during the Short+Sweet: Dance Gala Night on the 2nd August 2009 where the winners of the individual category will also be announced.

Come and join in the celebration of homegrown creativity and talents by attending the performances and leaving your feedback at the end of the show.

Week 2 (22 July-29 July 2009)

"Shades of the Moon"
Choreographer & Dancer 1: Weijun
Dancer 2: Tan Su Lin
Dancer 3: Shangkari Sivamurthy
Dancer 4: Suhaili Micheline

Synopsis: Shades of the moon is little about the moon and all about the shades. Featuring music, dance, choreography, video, computer-graphic, animation, imaging and design by Weijun.

"Fugue for Dancer & Violin"
Choreographer and Dancer: Alyzsa Lim
Violinist: Bela Bartok

Synopsis: A journey through obsession into an abstract world of visual and audio themes explored through space and time.

"Nunuk Ragang"
Choreographer & Dancer 1: BB Ostella Adam
Dancer 2: Doralisa Lee
Dancer 3: Joanna Tan
Dancer 4: Grace Quah
Dancer 5: Callista Chuah
Dancer 6: Chan Wen Li
Dancer 7: Melissa Wong
Dancer 8: Eric Lim Jian Hong
Dancer 9: Gayathri Paary
Dancer 10: Yharsmeen Naharuddin

Synopsis: Based on a Sabahan legend that tells why the Dusun/Kadazan tribe left their original homeland of the same name to spread across the rest of Sabah.

"A Plyed Experience"
Choreographer & Dancer 1: Rebecca Adam Barnett
Dancer 1: Rozmin Rashid
Dancer 2: Pini Theng

Synopsis: Our lives evolves through accumulation- layered by time, experience and knowledge. A new layer often creates confusion, sometimes clarity, always complexity, and has the power to inhibit but also liberate.

"Nerds Gone Nuts"
Choreographer: Suhaili Micheline
Dancer 1: Tengku Nurul Sofia Tengku Daud
Dancer 2: Illia
Dancer 3: Fadzli Jay
Dancer 4: Naim Syahrazad
Dancer 5: Janice Yong
Dancer 6: Siti Amellia
Dancer 7: Teo May Jean

Synopsis: i am no 1

"Hungry for Hope"
Choreographer: Shuba Jayaretnam
Dancer 1: Harshini Sukumaran
Dancer 2: Mohd. Hazri

Synopsis: In many ways, the rich and the poor are inter-connected. We share a common place and every good or bad act creates a wave of movement.

"The Classics with an Indian Twist"
Choreographer & Dancer 1: Visithra Manikam
Dancer 2: Laveenia Sivalingam

Synopsis: The Classics with an Indian Twist will incorporate the storytelling style of Bharatatyam(Indian dance) with classical western music.

"The Gypsy Trail"
Choreographer & Dancer 1: Kayla
Dancer 2: Narmatha Shanmugam
Dancer 3: Judy Lim
Dancer 4: Wong Chin Wei
Dancer 5: Liesl Ho
Dancer 6: Sim Chin Yen
Dancer 7: Emina Aliyya
Dancer 8: Shun Clayton

Synopsis: Depicting the Romany people's influence in the development of what we know as Flamenco today, a traveling story told in dance.

"Mami Jarum"
Choreographer: Ahmad Firdaus Che Yahaya
Dancer 2: Hasmizan Abdul Hamid

Synopsis: Penyampai cerita. Cepat dari berita!

"Diaries 09"
Choreographer & Dancer 1: Michael Xavier Voon
Dancer 2: Wee Jung Jieh
Dancer 3: Pui Fook Chien
Dancer 4: Choong Wei Li
Dancer 5: Ng Shu Mun
Dancer 6: Cheang Zu-Er

Synopsis: No Vigil + No Black + No Speech

Date & Time:
Week 1: 22 – 25 July @ 8.30pm
Week 2: 29 July – 1 August 2009 @ 8.30pm

Dance Gala Night: 2 August @ 8.30pm

Venue:
PENTAS 2, THE KUALA LUMPUR PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE (KLPac)

Tickets:
WEEK 1 & 2:
RM30
RM15 (students, sr. citizens & the disabled)

GALA NIGHT:
RM40
RM25 (students, sr. citizens & the disabled)

PROMOTIONS
Enjoy a 10% discount when you purchase a ticket for Week 1, Week 2 and the Gala Final! (In a single receipt)

Box Office:
(KLPac) 4047 9000

Venue Website: http://www.klpac.com/

Facebook Event link: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=114381279264

Gone Too Soon But We Will Always Remember You

Yasmin Ahmad, 1958 - 2009

I found out about Yasmin Ahmad quite late compared to the rest of my friends.

Not being one who usually watches Malay movies on TV, I missed “Rabun” when it was first shown on TV. By the time I realize that the person who directed “Rabun” was the same person who made the utterly heartwarming PETRONAS advertisements, “Sepet” was already about to be released. A lot of my friends told me to not miss watching the movie when it comes out which I didn’t. I came in not knowing what to expect and came out a changed person.

In “Sepet”, Yasmin gave us a peek into the idealized world that she must have felt was just out of reach for most of us. Her idealized world had all the ethnic races in Malaysia actually relating to each other on an equal field. She gave us a vision of a world where the “others” had the same problems and struggles that your ethic group had as well as the same hopes and dreams. She showed us a world more accepting of differences and tolerant of possibilities. She showed us a world that many of us long to see and more importantly be able to be a part of.

“Sepet” was a fresh breath of air for me and from that moment onwards I was a fan of Yasmin Ahmad’s work. I remember following her blog to read about her upcoming works as she shared details of them with her readers. Readers of her blog got to share in the process of making her subsequent films including “Gubra”, “Mukhsin”, “Muaalaf” and “Talentime”. She related to a personal level to the comments and feedback left on the blog by readers in response to her blog entries.

Yasmin Ahmad was not without her detractors. Her works were criticized as being unrealistic and out of touch of the Malay community she was a part of. She has been accused of trying to dilute the identity of Malays by mixing it up with the identities of other ethnic groups of the country. The more she was slammed by her detractors, the more determined she was to prove them wrong. The more harsh words were thrown at her, the more support her fans gave to her. In our own way, we wanted to help lessen the blows and give her the strength to go own making her wonderful films.

On July 25th, we lost our beloved film director Yasmin Ahmad to massive bleeding in the brain brought on by a sudden stroke. With her passing, we lost a voice that dared to show us a hopeful vision of what a possible future could be. Many of us are inconsolable with her passing but what we need to be mindful of is that there is a legacy that she left behind for us to continue. A legacy of understanding, tolerance and acceptance that we could incorporate into our daily lives to make the country a better place. She has shown us a possible better state of the community that she felt possible in her films. We, who she left behind, would do her memory justice by striving to make her world come through in our own little way.

Yasmin Ahmad may have passed on but we are still here to celebrate her vision and carry own her legacy. We could do no less by her.

Al-Fatihah, Yasmin Ahmad.

Rest in Peace.

"I Go" by Aizat/Pete Teo from "Talentime" OST