Archive for June, 2006

I am blessed…

Sunday, June 25th, 2006

Do you ever actually wake up and feel great about going to work? I do… And I know not many people can say that. That is why I say I am blessed.

Again, yesterday I had a full day. Despite the fact that the weather does not agree with me. It was raining for most of the day and night. I just hope that Feta De La Musique was not affected at all. I could not go to the event because I was at the Actors Studio preparing for the show. I was initially very worried about it because it is the second show. Which most practitioners deem as the curse of the second day.

Anyway, I started my actual activities around 2.30 p.m. (Yes, that is very late, I know!)

I woke up at 11.30 a.m. yesterday morning because I was exhausted from the previous night. Mum was already out doing her errands. So I just got on the computer and did some work of my own. I have 2 appointment prior to the calling time at TAS. I made a few phone calls before I left for ‘work’ at around 2.15 p.m.

First, I stopped by Himanshu’s place to get my pay for Men Without Shadows. Which is great news since I am broke already this month. This is basically my first pay check in months. Well, after all, I have just finished university and am working part time from home. His daughter is getting better, “Thank God!!”

After meeting Himanshu, I went over to One Stop, a place I used to hang out with my pals back when we were in lower secondary. A lot has changed since then but the memories are still great. I went there to meet the proprietor of a tile making company. The work there is excellent. I am trying to get them to feature at the Little Penang Street Market. The meeting went well and I am happy. Will meet up once again with them when they have confirm their participation. I have been trying to get ahold of another person but somehow his cellphone number does not seem to be working. He is a wayang kulit artist. I bought a candle and lottery tickets from a charity> I know that it is wrong to sort of gamble. But the social welfare lottery helps people too so why not try right??

Before I left the establishment, I tried a new product from KFC today. Some sort of barbecued chicken quesadilla with crushed nacho chips in it. Not too bad. I had to have an early dinner because it would be so hard to act on a heavy stomach. Was at TAS, earlier than calling time. It was raining and I had to skip Feta De La Musique. I hope Izwan has great pictures for me to post up though. It would be a shame to not have them. Speaking of photographs, I know that I owe a lot of you visuals for some time now. I will get to it I promise. Plus I have not finish my 88 coolest guy friends a girl can have. I have the OLD SCHOOL category and INTERNATIONAL FLAVA to showcase.

Though I was early, my time was not wasted as I helped Jana put some finishing touches to the stage. Anak-anak Kota was having its dance practise in the studio upstairs. A friend told me that Bernard Chauly was up there with my mentor Janet Pillai. I went up to say hi. It was good seeing Bernard again. I missed him when he went for Men Without Shadows in KL. Everytime I see Janet, I feel blessed because she has changed my world and helped me in so many ways. I am indebted to her whether she knows it or not.

Catching up was great but I had a show to do, so back to the studio. Fariza came back to watch her masterpiece being translated onto stage, I just hope that I did not disappoint her. We all went to Hameediya for dinner. Since I have already eaten, I just ordered a drink. But I got to try the famous briyani rice that the girls mum offered me. It was good. However, my experience there was not pleasant because I was told off by a man as I accidentally blurted out “Oh my God!!” I know that it is somewhat rude to say such a phrase, but the way the man, a waiter at the restaurant, handled it was so inconsiderately. I would have shot back at the man but I did not want to cause a scene. After all, it was already nerve wrecking enough as it is. Then again, I have learnt to control my patience. There are people who are not tactful enough and we just have to live with it.

Then off to the show. Yesterday was good but I do not know if I should compare it with the previous night. That is what you get from doing a theater show. You can never actually compare. Every show is unique but in short I am very happy and proud of my co-star Shaleena. She was brilliant. Plus I got good comments from Penang theater critics. Mary was there and she had nice things to say which is great. I look up to her so much and really hate to disappoint her.

The show ended, I left as soon as the photo session finished. While the rest headed to the Hitz.fm Football Beach party, I was going to Joe Sidek’s party in Armenian Street. Joe is great, you just got to love him. He is a great host and a wonderful person. I doubt I would have crossed past with him if Janet never introduced me into this team.

I am so glad that I actually made the party because I was surrounded by so many intellectuals and artisans. This was like a dream come true. Can I get a better job than this? I saw a lot of familiar faces and met up with new ones. Janet and Bernard were there too.

I met a wonderful girl named, Hooi Ling. She is a student pursuing her PhD in USM. She was at my show before the party, which is great. I have been getting advice from her and I am so blessed to have met this angel. Plus, I got to meet Regina Ibrahim, an excellent artist. Her works were brilliant. Oh, how I wish I have my own house and more money so I can decorate it with such paintings.

You know what I regret. I did not have my camera with me. Sigh… You all should see the artwork.

Well, I love to write more. But I need to rest now. I have two more shows to do.

Love you all. Thanks for reading and supporting this blog.

3 more shows to go…

Friday, June 23rd, 2006

Just got back from the first night of F for Female. With the risk of sounding conceited, I would say we did a fabulous job.

The house was almost full and tickets are being snapped up.

So people, come and support us.

Here are the details

24th June 2006 @ 8.30 pm
25th June 2006 @ 3.00 pm & 8.30 pm

Admission by donation:
Adults @ RM 25
Students @ RM 15

* Other piece that is included in this show is T.O.P by Jannarthani Arumugam (Cheet Chat)

‘F’ for Female will be performed at The Actors Studio Greenhall, Light Street, Penang.

For bookings please call 04 263 5400 or email to greenhall@theactorsstudio.com.my

Meetings galore

Friday, June 23rd, 2006

How many meetings can you fit in a day?

For me, I am not too sure but that is basically what I have been doing for the past two days.

Production meetings, event update meetings, office meetings, potential client meetings, sponsor meetings….

I have a love-hate relationship with meetings. I love the fact that I get to meet new people and talk to them. Plus my bosses, always make meetings seem like a party. Great company… Plus, I get to discover places that I never knew existed in Penang. Which includes restaurants that I would never step foot into because I thought it was too expensive. I am starting to appreciate the heritage and culture of Penang. Boy, I am blessed.

I hate meetings because they almost always have to happen all at the same day. (At least for me, for the past two days or so). So basically I am rushing from one spot to another with only 10 min gaps. Can you imagine rushing from Gurney to USM with that amount of time during the lunch rush hour? Not fun at all….

But unlike yesterday, today I was not as worn out. Perhaps it is the fact that I hardly ate anything solid until 4 p.m. (I had started my day at 10 a.m. , I know that eating breakfast is very important but I am just plain ole weird, I just can’t eat within the first 2 hours after I wake up.) My first ‘meal’ came in the form of Indian sweets. Calling these things sweets will be an understatement, I call it instant diabetes. Maybe it is just me but I find them too sweet. Anyhow, it makes me wonder if the sweet makers are the cause for the nation’s sugar shortage. Hmmm… Food for thought.

My first proper meal was at 8 p.m. Indian style nasi, with mutton curry, vegetables and fish gravy. Very satisfying. Yum!!

Had my full dress for F for Female. Tomorrow is the show. :)

Well, I have a date in dreamland. Need my snooze, have another meeting in the morning.

Just too tired…

Thursday, June 22nd, 2006

Once again.. I am human… Been a very busy day and basically, today I am just darn too tired to do a proper entry.

My mind is not working properly, my body is aching and I am typing at the pace of a turtle. That is if turtles could type.

Anyway beloved supporters of this blog, I apologize that this entry is a tad bit boring…. and might as well *yawn* put you to sleep…

Well, I guess, I better crawl into bed for a well deserved rest. Tomorrow is a new day.

Come see me for the last time on stage…

Wednesday, June 21st, 2006

Well I am not exactly retiring from acting but I will be taking a well needed break for some soul searching and improving my skills as an actor. I will act once again if offered but this time I will have to choose the plays wisely so that it will fit my tight schedule and budget.

I will still be in the performing arts arena but I will not be acting for the time being. I will most likely return to Directing and Producing.

So do catch this show… It will be a while until you see me back on stage again…

THE ACTORS STUDIO & LA VICTOIRE PRODUCTIONS
presents
“F for Female�

FEATURING:
“Infant�
Written by Fariza Zainul Ariffin.
Starring Shaleena and Adeline Ong.

“The T.O.P.�
Written by Janarthani Arumugam.
Starring Johanna W.

DIRECTED BY Fadzrina Zainul Ariffin
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
EQUALITY ~ LOVE ~ RESPECT ~ JUSTICE ~ VOICE ~ FREEDOM
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Staging at:
THE ACTORS STUDIO GREENHALL,
Lebuh Light,
Penang.

Showtimes:
June 23 (Fri) @ 8.30pm
June 24 (Sat) @ 8.30pm
June 25 (Sun) @ 3.00pm & 8.30pm

Tickets:
RM 25.00 – adults
RM 15.00 – students, disabled and senior citizens

Reservations:
TAS Greenhall
- greenhall@theactorsstudio.com.my
- 04 263 5400

…Thank you for supporting Malaysian Theatre…