With sikit pinjam konsep from the Western “Forbidden Broadway” spoof show, “Broadway Parodies Lagi Lah!” is a rich rojak of slices of Malaysian life garnished with a big splash of humour and served up on a platter of great songs. A Malaysian feast of spoofs that is sure to fill your stomachs with laughter! Some new songs oso got!

Written & Facilitated by : Brian McIntyre
Choregraphed by : Farah Dato’ Sulaiman
Production Designer: Edna Tan
Artistic Director : Joe Hasham
Executive Producer : Dato’ Faridah Merican

Featuring :
Mia Palencia (songwriter with fabulous jazz feel – M The Opera)
Tria (the new Judy Garland of Malaysia! M The Opera, Audition reality TV)
Zeqhty Nattrah (dancer and stage performer – PGL, P Ramlee the Musical)
Tabitha Kong (Sparkling voice! Tunku, Drunk Before Dawn, Pygmalion the Musical)
Janet Lee (theatre veteran, classically trained - Magic Flute, Merry Widow, Tosca)
Sarah Low (new talent singer and dancer – Rose Rose I Love You)
Shahila Johan (terrific young talent - major in classical voice ASWARA, KL Young Singers)
Glamorique Arshad (veteran performer - Mikado, Stand and Deliver, Jalan Impian, Tunku)
Ho Soon Yoon (actor, singer in Broken Bridges, Tunku, conductor [In The Mood] )
Sham Sunder Binwani (veteran stage and comedy actor - Aladdin)
Keith Yew (dancer, singer – La Cinturita, Sing Sing Sing!)

18 -28 September 2008
18, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27 September @ 8:30pm
21, 28 September matinee @ 3pm
No shows on Monday
Venue: Pentas One, KL Performing Arts Centre, Jalan Strachan, Kuala Lumpur

Ticket Prices: RM60, RM40 & RM20 (students)
EARLY BIRD DISCOUNTS (2 weeks before the show)
Adults - RM40 & Students - RM10

FAMILY WEEKEND PACKAGE
Family of 4 pax - RM100
Any additional member - RM20

CORPORATE NIGHTS
Tue - Thu (500 tix) RM25,000.00 per show
Fri - Sun (500 tix) RM30,000.00 per show

The Actors Studio Bangsar : 03-2093 0400, 03-2094 0400/1400
call Shalu for further enquiries/bulk bookings
or
KLPac Boxoffice : 03-40479000

Masuklah you!!!

Want some more? Check out the webpage on last year’s show at

http://www.six2eight.com/bplwebsite/bplhome.html

The Actors Studio Presents:

BROADWAY PARODIES LAGI LAH! Malaysian Spoofs of Songs from the Musicals

With sikit pinjam konsep from the Western “Forbidden Broadway” spoof show, The Actors Studio proudly presents “Broadway Parodies Lagi Lah!”, a rich rojak of slices of Malaysian life garnished with a big splash of humour and served up on a platter of great songs. A Malaysian feast of spoofs that is sure to fill your stomachs with laughter!

BROADWAY PARODIES LAGI LAH! Malaysian Spoofs of Songs from the Musicals

What Is It?

A fun filled revue of well known song and dance numbers in which the lyrics have been spoofed to showcase and celebrate a range of uniquely Malaysian culture, characters and icons. Chicken Rice, the Good Morning Towel, the Bomoh of the Bursa - kind of like Reggie Lee and C W Kee’s World cartoon characters in lyrical form. And with a hugely talented cast, fantastic Broadway style choreography and both live and computer sequenced musical backing, BPLL promises to repeat its runaway success of last year and again be the show that everyone will want to see!

Why Lagi?

BPLL is a reprise of “Broadway Parodies Lah!” which The Actors Studio presented in May 2007. All ten performances were completely sold out, which generated tremendous calls to restage the show.

Is it the same cast?

The original cast members were asked if they would be available to perform in BPLL, and Sabrina, Glamorique and Soon Yoon were able to say yes. Choreographer Farah Dato Sulaiman also agreed to come back on board, as did Edna Tan for Production Design and Dominique Devorsine for costumes. Of the others, it is understood that Cheryl is studying, Doreen is starting a family, and Kyra and Ivan are overseas. Douglas and Joanne have famously tight schedules and various projects needing their attention! Auditions for new cast members attracted a wide range of both existing and exciting new talent that we anticipate will bring a more musical and visual dimension to the show – more Broadway but still very much LAH!!

Will the show have the same songs as last time?

Predominantly yes, though some new ones have been added. New ones include Under The Tree, The Roti Man, and Tai Tai Spenders.

BROADWAY PARODIES LAGI LAH! Malaysian Spoofs of Songs from the Musicals

Conceived by: Jason Cheong and Edna Tan

Written by: Brian McIntyre

Cast:

Ladies

Mia Palencia (songwriter with fabulous jazz feel – M The Opera)

Tria (the new Judy Garland of Malaysia! M The Opera, Audition reality TV)

Zeqhty Nattrah (dancer and stage performer – PGL, P Ramlee the Musical)

Tabitha Kong (Sparkling voice! Tunku, Drunk Before Dawn, Pygmalion the Musical)

Janet Lee (theatre veteran, classically trained - Magic Flute, Merry Widow, Tosca)

Sarah Low (new talent singer and dancer – Rose Rose I Love You)

Shahila Johan (terrific young talent - major in classical voice ASWARA, KL Young Singers)

Men

Glamorique Arshad (veteran performer - Mikado, Stand and Deliver, Jalan Impian, Tunku)
Ho Soon Yoon (actor, singer [Broken Bridges, Tunku], conductor [In The Mood] )

Sham Sunder Binwani (veteran stage and comedy actor - Aladdin)

Keith Yew (dancer, singer – La Cinturita, Sing Sing Sing!)

Music sequenced and orchestrated by: Brian McIntyre

BROADWAY PARODIES LAH! Malaysian Spoofs of Songs from the Musicals

Executive Producer: Datuk Faridah Merican

Artistic Director: Joe Hasham

Production Designer: Edna Tan

Choreography: Farah Sulaiman

Stage Design, Lighting Design, Props and Continuity Director: Edna Tan

Costume Design: Dominique Devorsine

Publicity: Brian McIntyre, Glamorique Arshad and Shalu

ACT I

At The End of the Play (”At The End Of The Day” from “Les Miserables”)

Food Glorious Food (from “Oliver!”)

Under The Tree

Chicken with the Chili on Top (”Surrey with the Fringe” from “Oklahoma”)

The Roti Man (”The Candy Man” from “Willy Wonka”)

Good Morning Towels (”Good Morning Starshine” from “Hair”)

Marina (”Maria” from “West Side Story”)

Seventeen Going on Eighteen (from “The Sound of Music”)

Punch A Docket Or Two (”Pick A Pocket Or Two” from “Oliver!)

Aiyo (”Heigh Ho” from “Snow White”)

I Like to Stay in Malaysia (”America” from West Side Story)

I Just Want To Be A Dame (”There is Nothing Like a Dame” from “South Pacific”)

Karaoke (”Cabaret”)

ACT II

We’re Halfway Through The Play (”At The End Of The Day” from “Les Miserables”)

Damansara (”Oklahoma!”)

Shop Shop Shop (”The Student Prince”)

Hello Datin (”Hello Dolly”)

Tai Tai Spenders (”Sweet Charity”)

Diamonds In Your Ears My Friend ( from “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”)

We Must Play Golf All Day (”I Could Have Danced All Night” from “My Fair Lady”)

The Bomoh of the Bursa (”The Phantom of the Opera”)

Tomorrow (”Tomorrow” from “Annie”)

We’re DeListed (”It’s DeLovely” from “Red Hot and Blue”)

The Best Thing in this Show is Me (”The Best Things in Life are Free” from “Good News”)

I’m Off to Genting in the Morning! (”I’m Getting Married” from “My Fair Lady”)

Bodoh Lah (”Do Re Mi” from “The Sound of Music”)

Do You Hear the Peacocks Sing (”Do You Hear the People Sing” from “Les Miserables”)

At The End of the Play reprise (”At The End Of The Day” from “Les Miserables”)

BROADWAY PARODIES LAH! Malaysian Spoofs of Songs from the Musicals

Performance Dates: 18 - 28 September @ 8.30pm (Tuesdays - Saturdays) / 3pm (Sundays)

NO SHOWS ON MONDAY

Venue: Pentas One, KL Performing Arts Centre, Jalan Strachan

Ticket Prices: RM60, RM40 & RM20 (students). Family

Packages: Family of 4 = RM100 (any additional member = RM20)

Early Bird discounts available 2 weeks before opening night show at RM40 (adults) and RM10 (students). For bulk ticket booking call Shalini at 03 2093 0400 - You might just get a discount…

Please call The Actors Studio (03) 2094 9400 or email tickets@theactorsstudio.com.my

For more detail check out the Broadway Parodies blog http://broadwayparodieslah.blogspot.com/

http://www.theactorsstudio.com.my

http://www.klpac.com.my

Photograph DSC3910 names:

from left to right

Back Row:-

Tabitha Kong, Shahila Johan, Sabrina Hassan#, Glamorique Arshad, Mia Palencia & Keith Yew

Front Row:-

Sarah Low, Janet Lee, Sham Sunder Binwani, Tria, Ho Soon Yoon

note# : Sabrina Hassan has been replaced with Zeqhty Nattrah.

Frequently Asked Questions

What inspired you to write this musical?

Actually it all started with a trip to the dentist in late 2002. Long time dentist friend Jason Cheong, who continues to appear in numerous stage productions, knew of my writing song spoofs from shows we had done with accapella group Six2Eight. In the USA, a group going out under the name “Forbidden Broadway” would spoof songs from the musicals. During a visit for a check up and filling by my long time musical collaborator Edna Tan, he wondered to her why someone couldn’t do a similar thing in a Malaysian context. That sparked in me a list of possible spoof titles, and before I knew it a handful of songs had been written. About ninety percent of the songs were written across an eight week period whilst others came at various points over the subsequent four years. That was a real burn time for writing!

The show itself is a revue, so it’s all songs with no story (unlike a musical which will have a plot and characters who develop throughout the show). Each of the songs looks to tell a story about some aspect or character that is quintessentially Malaysian. There’s the Karaoke Datin Datin keeping surgically young, there’s the Tai Tai wannabee looking to avoid the NS camp, there’s a Manglish language teacher, there’s the businessman wondering why their fast money company is going down the tubes. There’s songs about the uniquely Malaysian love of food, and the hazards (and delights) of business life. And naturally, the neighbours down south come in for some hantam. But it’s all sought to be done in a spirit of good natured ribbing and fun. Don’t take so serious one!

Some of the song titles and the original songs are:

Chicken with the Chili on Top (”Surrey with the Fringe on Top”)

Good Morning Towels (”Good Morning Starshine”)

Hello Datin (”Hello Dolly”)

Damansara (”Oklahoma!”)

The Bomoh of the Bursa (”The Phantom of the Opera”)

We’re DeListed (”It’s DeLovely”)

I’m off to Genting in the Morning! (”I’m Getting Married in the Morning”)

Bo Doh Lah (”Do Re Mi”)

How long did it take you to write the songs?

The majority of the songs were written across a two month stretch in late 2002, according to the dates on which they were originally saved on the computer. There were occasional revisits across the intervening time to draft a couple more, whilst polishing the existing ones here and there. For the first Broadway Parodies Lah, thirty five got written, of which twenty four made the cut for the show. For Broadway Parodies Lah, some from the first show have been dropped and some new ones added. There are others which have been written since the first show, some of which will get aired in the show in September. Others remain in process, and hopefully will see the light of day sometime in a Broadway Parodies Dua Lah! I do find I’m very much of a mood writer – the ideas will percolate and get added to, then one day all the creative stars will align and two or three will crystallise into finished songs quite quickly. Quite a strange feeling when it happens. But I do find that I get more focused if someone says “Mack, write a song on …….. [fill in the blank]”

Where do the ideas come from?

Mostly from people. I’ll be in company with lots of conversations going on, and someone will say something and - “click” – an idea forms or a connection with a song title gets made. I carry around a pad of yellow Post It notes to scribble down the idea or a lyric or a title. I get driven by the challenge of making things rhyme within the structure of an existing melody and yet seeking to make it funny at the same time. It’s a great feeling when the song is finally finished and it works both lyrically and structurally!

What is the process like when you write the songs?

I usually start with a title from (what I think is) a well known song and then look for some funny hook that reflects something very Malaysian. For example, “I’m Getting Married In The Morning” becomes “I’m Off To Genting In The Morning” based on the Genting bus that can take you there in the morning and bring you back at night after a fun filled day! I then draft lyrics and rhymes that match the title and fit the structure of the song. Sometimes, though, I do start with an idea and then look for a song that can be the base structure for it. For example, I wanted to write something about companies going into PN4 and PN17, which is Bursa Malaysia’s way of warning firms that if they don’t get their corporate act together then they will be delisted. There’s a famous Cole Porter song called “It’s Delovely” and once the connection between Delovely and Delisted happened, the song “We’re Delisted” started taking shape. I try to put myself in the position of some of the characters in the songs and the situations in which they are placed and look to imagine what they might be thinking, how they might see the situation impacting them.

Is there much research?

Not really research - much of the material and ideas comes from having lived in Malaysia and my having been so fortunate to have met so many people from across all walks of Malaysian society. You watch and listen to people and try to figure out their drives and fears and perspectives and idiosyncrasies. And you pretty much find that everyone is driven by similar needs and hopes. And if the more venal drives get exaggerated to ridicule, that’s where the fun is!

Why did it take so long for the show to be staged?

Lots of things conspired against the first show being staged earlier than May 2007, but mostly a desire on my part to complete MBA studies and not wanting distractions from this. At a meeting to stage the accapella show “Six2Eight - Then2Now” at the KLPac in April 2006, I explained the idea to Joe and Faridah who embraced the concept immediately. At that time, Broken Bridges and the official launching of the KLPac were at the forefront of priorities. In January 2007, the idea for the show was revived, and a cast of tremendously talented Malaysian performers was quickly assembled. With musical theatre veteran choreographer Farah Sulaiman on board, all the music sequenced, and the technical, promotional and production expertise backing of staff of The Actors Studio kicking in, the show was rehearsed in seven weeks prior to a ten day sellout run. Fantastic!

What would you like to see being achieved though this musical?

Not really sure how to answer this one…. I got inspired to write the songs, they got written, friends who heard them said they liked them, and Joe and Faridah said let’s get it on the stage because it’s entertaining and should appeal to Malaysian audiences! So I guess the simple answer is that I’d like to see large audiences to reward the faith that everyone has shown for the show! We have been hugely blessed to have attracted the high calibre of talent that will be performing. It’s pretty humbling when you have the confidence of Joe and Faridah of Actors Studio along with talent of such a tremendous standard coming forward and so keen to do the show. What I hope is that audiences will again feel entertained and the cast and crew enjoy their involvement in the show. That’s achievement enough.

Describe Broadway Parodies Lagi Lah! in one sentence:

Lat, Reggie Lee and C W Kee’s world cartoons set to Broadway tunes lah!

What is your vision for the show?

My vision for the second run remains the same that I sought in the first outing - a tight, well delivered and snappy show that’s a lot of fun for the performers and great entertainment for our audiences. It’s a fun show. Great melodies and cute lyrics. And both the stage cast and production team has tremendous breadth and depth of talent. This kind of show makes a lot of demands on a performer - they need to be able to sing, move and act the songs. I sometimes think that Malaysian audiences tend to undervalue the talent that is homegrown in favour of shelling out the big bucks for the imported shows.

Will the rest of Malaysia get to see the show? Singapore also?

Actually, dates have already been confirmed to stage BPLL in Penang, Ipoh and Kota Kinabalu during October. Dato’ Faridah is also pitching for the show to get staged in JB and Malacca. I’m not convinced that the show would go over in Singapore – I sense that there’s a different humour dynamic and I’m not sure that people in Singapore would get what the show is about. But I would sure like to find out.

Do you have any unforgettable moments while you were writing BPL?

Not so much memory of the writing - I remember some shock at how quickly the songs started coming after the initial idea and looking at about twenty five sets of lyrics and wondering - whaaaaaat? The main unforgettables concern people around the show - Joe and Faridah saying “we must do this show” and setting the dates on my birthday in January 2007; Joanne Kam Poh Poh saying yes to being in the show on just one phone call, dragging ten kilos of laptop and sound gear up KLPac three flights of stairs with Edna Tan for auditions - they stick. Being told every night that the show is sold out was amazing, also how well and tightly the cast worked with each other and the crew – totally pro. And there will be more unforgettable moments to come with BPLL - all shows create their own intensity and burn that much brighter as a result of it.

Brian Mack Bio:

A native of Cardiff, Wales in the United Kingdom, this ex telephone engineer/law lecturer and recent MBA Graduate has been treading the boards in some shape or form for over twenty years. Performances with various rock bands throughout the 1980s on the South Wales circuit paved the way to landing the role of Koko in the Philharmonic Society of Selangor’s 1989 production of “The Mikado”. He subsequently played Charles Condomime in “Blithe Spirit” and both Jailer and Teacher in “Stand and Deliver” (both 1990) both for the PSS. Between 1993 and 1996 he took various lead vocal and dance roles in fund raising productions by The Dance Society and The Selangor Philharmonic Choir before getting back on the stage as Mr Jim in Jit Murad’s “Storyteller” in 1996.

A five year Musical singing/acting hiatus ended with him taking the roles of El Gallo in Music Theatre’s May 2001 production of “The Fantasticks” and Erronius in Sondheim’s “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” in June 2002 and “In The Mood” in June 2004 for the Philharmonic Society of Selangor. His most recent outing was as Grey, the passionate Theatre Producer in Farah Sulaiman’s “Dansing Thru Broadway” June 2008.

He is regularly called upon to perform emcee duties for a wide range of both work related and social functions such as Fashion Shows, Annual Expatriate Balls, Corporate Events and food and wine matching dinners. Theatrical outings in this include “The Merry Widow in Concert” for Music Theatre in May 2003 and “Music from the Movies and Musicals II” in October 2003 for the Philharmonic Society of Selangor.

He recently quit his daytime work as a corporate communicator (ie copywriter, webmaster, Powerpoint wizard, email marketeer and marketing consultant) to focus on writing and stage productions. In addition to writing “Broadway Parodies Lagi Lah” he is also manager and comedy/corporate lyricwriter for Kuala Lumpur based accapella group Six2Eight. In the time since its original formation in 1994, the group has performed extensively at a host of corporate and social events and helped raise funds for a wide range of causes. For more detail, log on to www.six2eight.com

Contact 012 2316280 email gwailoah@gmail.com

This site will be updated as much as possible.

Thanks for being patient and supportive.

Wake up at 6 a.m.
Start journey to work at 6.45 a.m.
Reach training centre at 7.15 ish
Finish work at 5.00 p.m.

From then onwards to about 11 p.m. I am at rehearsals.

Am I tired? Yes.

But it is a concious decision I made.

The Krishen Jit ASTRO Fund has been created by ASTRO to encourage and support creative work in Malaysia. One of the main objectives of Krishen’s pioneering work was celebrating original Malaysian creativity in as varied and alternative ways as possible in all the areas of the arts. His groundbreaking theatre practice straddled and brought together a wide range of contrasting spheres, producing projects that were inter-disciplinary, multi-cultural, multi-lingual and experimental. Negotiating between academia and practice, tradition and contemporary pop culture, Hollywood and Bollywood, the mainstream and the marginalized, Krishen’s work articulated a Malaysian identity that was ever evolving and encouraged practitioners and audiences to reflect on their lives and societies. This is the spirit of the Krishen Jit ASTRO Fund.

In 2006, the Fund received 80 applications. The final 3 grantees were:

o Au Sow Yee – for a film installation and performance.
o Sharon Chin – for research and an interactive installation and exhibition of new work concerning libraries and banned books.
o Dr. Ray Langenbach – for his Malaysian Performance Video Archives Project, a project to preserve Malaysian performance documentation.

In 2007, the Fund received 27 applications. The final 4 grantees were:

o Amir Muhammad – towards a film Punggok Rindukan Bulan.
o Hardesh Singh and CH Loh – towards the first Malaysian CD anthology.
o Lim Kok Yoong – towards LAMU-Let Arts Move You, visual arts in commuter trains and train stations.
o Shahili Abdan (aka Nam Ron) – for research in Southern Thailand for theatre script.

Once again, in 2008, the fund will give out grants ranging from RM5,000 to RM20,000 for :

Training
Workshops
Attachments/residencies
Experimental productions
Research and documentation
Writing
Creating new work in music, dance, theatre, writing, film, visual/performance art
Others

Examples include, but are not limited to:

- Artist A might want to study under well known Indonesian theatre director Putu Wijaya. Artist A could apply to be attached to a production directed by Putu Wijaya for a 4-6 week period. This would give artist A insights and learning on methods of this director.
- Artist B might want to do research on a subject for purposes of writing a new script. Artist B could apply to do this research and write the script.
- Artist C could apply to direct and mount an experimental workshop or production.
- Artist D could apply to attend a training workshop within or outside of Malaysia.
- Attachments and internships.

The Krishen Jit ASTRO Fund will try to be inclusive, but work sited in Malaysia will be given preference. All arts practitioners in Malaysia are eligible to apply. The fund will be managed by Five Arts Centre and ASTRO.

The selection panel for awarding the grants shall comprise :

Dato’ Norliza Rofli – Director, Department of Culture and Arts, Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage, Malaysia
Har Kok Kit – Head of Production Services, ASTRO
Leow Puay Tin – Co-head, Department of Media and Performance, Sunway University College.
Ravi Navaratnam – Five Arts Centre
Mac Chan – Five Arts Centre

=====

Application Deadline: 31 August 2008.

www.fiveartscentre.org

Had my birthday party/drinking bash on Friday night.

Then went back to M&Y as a receiver and a graduate.

Plus, I have an improv workshop tonight.

I am tired. Tomorrow, meeting up with the cast and crew for Waiting For Ashes.

Will update this site, as soon as I can.

I need some shut eyes now.

I will not spoil it for you but invite you to watch this trailer. And if you are enticed to watch the full movie, then be my guest.

We celebrated the IOM July Babies birthday last Friday.

Enjoy the pics!!!

Everyone say, “IOM!!!”

At the head of the table.

July Babies!!!

At the Look Out tower.

First duo

“Yerr, lookin’ at me, punk?”