Post by anastasia on Oct 13, 2021 11:26:13 GMT 7
Experiencing Usman Awang @ Pentas 2, The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPAC), Sentul Park, Jalan Strachan Off Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, Kuala Lumpur (21 - 24/10/2021)
When: 8.00 pm, Thursday - Saturday, 21st, 22nd & 23rd 3.00 pm, Sunday, 24th October 2021
Remembering The People’s Poet: The Late Dato’ Dr. Usman Awang.
William Shakespeare. Walt Whitman. Li Bai. The world over, poets are revered as national treasures. Dato’ Dr. Faridah Merican pays tribute to her dear friend and our own national treasure Allahyarham Dato’ Dr. Usman Awang with “Experiencing Usman Awang” from 21 to 24 October at Pentas 2, klpac.
Known as the People’s Poet, the late Dato’ Dr. Usman Awang’s powerful words and simple delivery still resonates today. In Sahabatku, he penned “When can all citizens enjoy rights of equal justice, of equal treatment, And be known as one nation: Bangsa Malaysia?” as a tribute to his friend Dr. MK Rajakumar. It is a question many of us still ask today.
As we continue to grapple with issues related to racism and national identity, perhaps we can get to know each other better as well as our treasures. How did a small-town Johor boy rise to become one of the most respected poet, playwright and novelist in Malaysia? Though his studies were cut short after sixth grade, he made up for it from his colourful life living through the Japanese occupation and serving in the police force.
Faridah said “I have always been a big fan of Usman. Many an evening, like minded lovers of literature and poetry would gather at the then Century Hotel to bring to life the written words off the pages of many writers. Usman drew many admirers of his works. But, and there’s a big but here, Usman’s work, sinfully, is not found much in our schools. The young do not know who he is.
With our theatres shuttered, we started Zoom rehearsals for Experiencing Usman Awang on 14 June in hope of staging it for his birthday in July. Though belated, it is refreshing to see his works reimagined in different languages and forms. I hope that the audiences will see a side of Malaysia that is kind and accepting, proud of its diversity and bold enough to reimagine things and forge new paths.”
Faridah first performed in his musical Uda dan Dara in 1972 and played Dara’s mother in the 1984 Akademi Seni Kebangsaan production. She went on to produce it in 2002 and finally to direct it in 2015 at klpac. Experiencing Usman Awang offers you the chance to experience eight of his most well-known works through the eyes of 16 vastly different theatre-makers.
Joe Hasham OAM, who considers Dato’ Dr. Usman Awang his mentor, will be reading Scattered Bones and collaborating with his TUTAS student Feyee Bethany for Sahabatku. The TUTAS contingent, comprising Jelissa, Nandagopall, Sally Lee and Zoey, will also take on Kekasih while spoken word artist Sheena Baharudin brings to life Merpati Putih, Jelajahilah Dunia Ini and Omar Ali recites Beli Buatan Malaysia.
Easee Gan jazzes things up with two Mandarin pieces with original music based on Merpati Putih, Jelajahilah Dunia Ini and Mata Ayah, performed by Tan Li Yang and Ian Chow. Zhafir Muzani dances his way through Ke Makam Bonda and rounding up the already diverse showcase is a Hokkien performance of Salam Benua by Mark Beau de Silva and Amelia Tan.
Filled with themes of love, compassion and a spirit of togetherness, all the things we so greatly need now to rebuild, Experiencing Usman Awang is a lovely tribute to our past
and our future. One must not miss this warm invitation to get to know our literary giant and Malaysia better.
Presented by The Actors Studio Seni Teater Rakyat with the support of klpac and MyCreative Ventures, tickets are priced at RM44 and can be purchased online via www.cloudtix.co/ (no phone or over-the-counter sales, only e-tickets will be issued). Conditions of entry include vaccinated individuals, aged 18 and above and with permitted health status. Each ticket sold goes towards keeping klpac and The Actors Studio afloat. The public can also make a donation via www.klpac.org/donations/.
SHOW DETAILS
Title: Experiencing Usman Awang
Presenter: The Actors Studio Seni Teater Rakyat
Supporter: klpac & MyCreative Ventures
Synopsis: Bilakah semua warga negara mendapat hak
Layanan dan keadilan yang sama d**enal dengan satu rupa nama: Bangsa Malaysia?
Though Allahyarham Dato’ Dr. Usman Awang penned this in Sahabatku many years ago, it is a question many of us still ask today. The world over, poets are revered as national treasures. Our very own National Laureate should not be forgotten. Known as the People’s Poet, the late Dato’ Dr. Usman Awang’s powerful words and simple delivery still resonates today as it eloquently and passionately paints this beloved country of ours.
Directed by his dear friend Dato’ Dr. Faridah Merican, Experiencing Usman Awang offers you the chance to experience eight of his most well-known works - Scattered Bones, Sahabatku, Beli Buatan Malaysia, Kekasih, Merpati Putih, Jelajahilah Dunia Ini, Mata Ayah, Ke Makam Bonda and Salam Benua – through the eyes of 16 creative talents. Reimagined in different languages (Bahasa Malaysia, English, Mandarin and Hokkien) and forms, some will be recited while some interpreted as a dance and yet others will feature original music. Filled with themes of love, compassion, unity and a spirit of togetherness, things we so greatly need now, one must not miss this warm invitation to get to know our literary giant and Malaysia better.
Conditions of Entry
1. Fully-vaccinated with MySejahtera digital certificate 2. Permitted Health Status 3. 18 yo & above only. Venue reserves the right to deny entry if above conditions are not fulfilled. No refund will be made to those who have purchased ticket(s).
Creative Team: Director / Executive Producer: Dato’ Dr. Faridah Merican
Artistic Director: Joe Hasham OAM
Lighting Designer & Operator: Yusman Mokhtar
Sound Designer: Mike Thomas
Production Manager / Stage Manager: Yeo Kok Wei
Videographer: Khairil M. Bahar
Featuring:
Ayahku, Sayangku & Merpati Putih, Jelajahilah Dunia Ini (performed in Mandarin accompanied by music) by Easee Gan, Ian Chow & Tan Li Yang
Salam Benua (performed in Hokkien) Amelia Tan & Mark Beau de Silva
Sahabatku (My Friend) (performed in English accompanied by dance) by Feyee Bethany& Joe Hasham OAM
Ke Makam Bonda (performed in Malay accompanied by dance) by Zhafir Muzani
Scattered Bones (read in English) by Joe Hasham OAM
Beli Buatan Malaysia (performed in Malay) by Omar Ali
Merpati Putih, Jelajahilah Dunia Ini (performed in Malay) by Sheena Baharudin
Kekasih (performed in Malay) by Jelissa Lim Fidelis, Nandagopall, Sally Lee & Zoey
BIODATA
Creative Team
Dato’ Dr. Faridah Merican (Executive Producer / Director)
Known as the First Lady of Malaysian Theatre, Faridah’s early acting credits include such plays as ‘Lela Mayang’, ‘Tok Perak’, ‘Uda dan Dara’ and ‘Alang Rentak Seribu’, works that defined the Malaysian theatre in the 60s and 70s, and determined the direction that theatre would take in the next few decades. In the early 60s, she joined Radio and TV Malaysia. Simultaneously, she was involved in the formative years of Malaysian Advertising and is today, a member of the board of directors of Ogilvy & Mather. She also sits on the board of several other institutions. In 1989, Faridah co-founded The Actors Studio with her husband Joe Hasham OAM. In June of 2003, floods destroyed the entire complex of The Actors Studio in Plaza Putra, Dataran Merdeka. Out of that devastation, Faridah’s ‘nothing is impossible’ attitude generated yet another ground-breaking event – the birth of The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, set up by the YTL Group, Yayasan Budi Penyayang and The Actors Studio.
Over the years, Faridah has been awarded the Ahli Mangku Negara in 1973, the Darjah Johan Negeri in 2001, the Johan Setia Mahkota in 2004, the BOH Cameronian Lifetime Achievement
Award. In 2005, Faridah was conferred the ‘Darjah Dato’ Paduka Tuanku Ja’afar by the Yang Di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan on the occasion of His Highness’ 83rd Birthday. The
following year, she received an Honorary Master of Letters at University Sains Malaysia’s 35th Convocation. Finally in 2014, Faridah received the Outstanding Achievement award under the Arts, Culture and Entertainment category from the Inaugural Malaysian Women of Excellence Awards. Faridah now sits on The Laureate Advisory Board and is also the Executive Producer and co-founder of the Performing Arts Centre of Penang (penangpac).
She was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in the Arts by Taylor’s University in 2018. Faridah is currently the Adjunct Professor & Programme Development Director of TUTAS, Malaysia's first performing arts conservatory degree programme by The Actors Studio and Taylor's University.
Joe Hasham OAM (Artistic Director / Cast)
Joe was born in Tripoli, Lebanon, did his schooling in Sydney, Australia, moved to Malaysia in 1984 and is now a proud permanent resident of his adopted country. Joe is Artistic Director of The Actors Studio, which he set up with his wife Faridah in 1989 and also Artistic Director of The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre. Joe is a graduate of NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art) at the University of NSW, Sydney, Australia. Before he made the decision to come to Malaysia, he was one of the most sought after actors in Australia. Joe is a multi award winning film director, actor, writer and recording artist. Joe was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM), within the Australian Honours System "For Service to the performing arts through The Actors Studio (Malaysia) and The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre; and, as an actor, writer, producer and director".
Joe is currently the Adjunct Professor & Programme Artistic Director of TUTAS, Malaysia's first performing arts conservatory degree programme by The Actors Studio and Taylor's University.
Amelia Tan (Cast)
As a full-time theatre practitioner, drama and dance instructor, Amelia graduated from the Malaysia Institute of Art, "Intercultural Theater Institute" (ITI) in Singapore and Shanghai Normal University. She is now a dance master student at University of Malaya. Her personal expertise includes lighting design, stage makeup, actor training, physical training, voice training and acting.
In the ADA Drama Awards, she won the “Best Stage Practitioner”, “Best Supporting Actress”, “Best Actress” and “Best Lighting Design”, as well as “Best Lighting Design” and “Best Director ” at the BOH Cameronian Arts Awards.
Amelia has represented Malaysia to perform in Shanghai, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia, Macau, Korea and Japan. Her directing works includes The Son, The Glass
Menagerie, Aku Cinta XXX, Mystery of the Phoenix, Nana and Ah Lu, Just Kidding, The Tapir, Aku Cinta Jarak1 Meter, Hoong Siamang Hooong, The Daughter of The Regiment, Madame
Butterfly, Magic Flute.
Easee Gan (Director)
Easee Gan, or Gan Eng Cheng, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Performing Arts (Drama) from University Malaya. He is the Co-Founder and Producer of MUKA Space which has presented
almost 30 productions that have won over 50 awards since 2013.
After his internship at The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac), he joined their Production team. Currently, he is the Assistant General Manager (Production) for The Kuala
Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac) and The Actors Studio Malaysia.
Easee has been actively involved in producing various award-winning Malaysian theatre productions and festivals. He is the Co-Producer for the Yayasan Sime Darby Arts Festival.
Recent directing works include Journey, The Tempest, The Fisherman and His Soul, Fiery Family 2.0, Da Ji, Grandpa’s Papaya Tree and The Story of Ah Loy.
Feyee Bethany (Dancer)
Feyee Bethany Minin, a proud Kadazan-Dusun, was born in Kota Kinabalu but raised in Kuala Lumpur. She started off as a rhythmic gymnast, picked up contemporary dance and urban
choreography along the way and has been training under Danztech Movement ever since.
She is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s of Performing Arts programme at TUTAS and is also a dance instructor / choreographer at Danztech Movement. She has worked with Dua Space
Dance Theatre and was a dancer for various events such as Miss Tourism World, MOEP Fashion Show and more.
Ian Chow (Music Director / Cast)
Ian is currently attached with The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac), Performing Arts Centre of Penang (penangpac) and The Actors Studio Malaysia, as the Group General Manager and Production Director with the Young Choral Academy. To date (since his foray into the arts in 2002), he has been involved in more than 100 local productions in various creative and management roles from producing to directing to performing as well as stage and production management.
His desire to help budding singer-songwriters and develop a new performing platform has prompted him to produce a series of acoustic gigs and CD compilations from 2004 till now.
In 2008, he released his collaborative album with another fellow singer-songwriter followed up with his debut solo album Issues#01 in 2010. From then til now, Ian has ventured into other collaborations including The Two Chinese Who Barely Made It and Lelaki 2.5. He has been appearing in Life Sdn Bhd series since 2005 and among his other notable music works include Malaysian Girls the Musical (2012) and One Thousand Million Smiles: A Tribute to Sudirman(2016 / 2017).
In 2013, Ian make his directorial debut in Period by the Young KL Singers and once again returned to the director's chair in their following productions, Incantations, Shakespeare Does the Bard, YKLS Rocks and the award-winning production Aurora: Tribute to Bjork from 2014 onwards. Another notable production he has directed include klpac Symphonic Band's Let's Rock (2017 & 2019). He has helmed the post of Musical Director for the production of Lelaki 2.5 Out of the Closet (2015), Shakespeare's Sonnets (2016), Yesterday Once More (2018) and currently the Festival Director of Yayasan Sime Darby Arts Festival. On the private sector side, Ian is the co-owner of GameOn.com Sdn Bhd since 2010. He is a guitar plectrum (pick) freak where he has over 1,500 different picks in his collection to date.
Tan Li Yang (Music Director / Cast)
Tan Li Yang is a Malaysian actor who has participated in many films, TV dramas and stage plays. He was also the host for several events and programme, worked as a script translator,
group leader of the famous local choir called Lavoce as well as the assistant teacher of a school drama class.
His natural and tense performance earned him the Best Newcomer Award at the 11th ADA Drama Award, gaining him much attention in the arts and entertainment industry. In 2015, he was invited to act as the lead actor in the local art film "Hold Me Tight" officially crossing over as a film and television actor. He also participated in a number of large scale
international film and television works that were filmed in Malaysia.
In 2018, he earned a Best Actor nomination and two Best Supporting Actor nominations at the 15th ADA Drama Award with his superb performance in the stage play "Peking Man", and won
the Best Supporting Actor Award. He is the only actor that has been shortlisted for three acting awards simultaneously at the ADA Drama Award so far.
Li Yang has worked with some famous and talented directors and artistes including Clifton Ko Chi-Sum (Hong Kong), Yuhan Wu (China), Adrian Teh (Malaysia), Dato’ Dr. Faridah Merican
(Malaysia), Dr. Deric Gan (Malaysia), Chan Wai Cheong (Malaysia), Easee Gan (Malaysia) etc.
Some of the talented actors and actresses he has worked with include Michael Miu (Hong Kong), Bosco Wong (Hong Kong), Annie Liu (Taiwan), Maggie Cheung (Hong Kong), Alex Fong
(Hong Kong), Huang CaiLun (China), Celina Jade (Hong Kong), Carmen Soo (Malaysia), Jordan Voon (Malaysia) and Pearly Chua (Malaysia).
Jelissa (Cast)
Currently pursuing her Bachelor’s of Performing Arts programme at TUTA, ever since a kid, her parents have always encouraged her to follow her dreams to pursue a career path in the arts industry. Besides her passion for acting, Jelissa enjoys playing games and interacting with others during her free time.
Mark Beau de Silva (Cast)
Mark Beau de Silva has been working in the arts since 1999, mainly with The Actors Studio, and The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre. His first play Stories for Amah was directed in 2002 by Joe Hasham OAM. Since then, Mark has written and directed many other plays like 8 Ways to Lighten the Schoolbag, Oh My God, Bottom Top, Kaki Blue the Musical, Adam the Musical, and Big Head Potato Head which won 3 awards in the 2010 ADA Theatre Awards. His plays have been staged in Malaysia, South Korea, Russia, Singapore and New York.
He is currently a Senior Lecturer with the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Taylors University. He won the Best Writing Award in the Cameronian Arts Awards 2016, the Mercedes
Award for Creative Excellence 2017 and 2019 and The Edge Young Leaders Award 2019.
Nandagopall (Cast)
Nandagopall, 21 is from Subang, Selangor. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor's of Performing Arts programme at TUTAS. Since his late teens, he developed interest towards the performing arts and now he is enjoying his learning experience at TUTAS as it challenges him to become a better artist. As an aspiring actor, he looks forward to working with directors with distinct styles in future. He enjoys watching movies as it allows him to escape reality and explore my mind. He also enjoys painting and drawing because it is one of the few things he is good at.
Omar Ali (Cast)
Trained as a graphic designer and copywriter, Omar stumbled onto the stage by accident, liked it, and decided to stay. He does a bit of acting, directing, and set design. His recent body of work include Zak Zebra's Malaysian Safari (Sep 2015), Zak Zebra's African Safari (Feb 2015), Uda dan Dara (Apr 2015), The Taste of Water (July 2015), Rashomon (July 2013), Broken Bridges (May 2013), Philadelphia, Here I Come! (Jan 2013). In 2013, Omar was awarded the Short+Sweet Festival Director's Award, and in 2014, his group won Best Overall Production as well as the Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Creative Excellence Award at the annual Short+Sweet Festival. He is currently a resident director at klpac. He directed Dato’ Seri in 2016 and Kandang in 2017. Dato’ Seri was restaged in 2018 as part of TAS30 celebrations. Kandang went on to bag four awards at the BOH Cameronian Arts Awards including Best of 2017, Best Costume Design, Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Director.
Sally Lee (Cast)
A 23-year-old Malaccan raised in KL. Sally has a solid 17 years of experience in both Ballet and Contemporary dance, and she was active in Public Speaking and Drama competitions in her teens. Following her passion for the arts, she is currently pursuing her degree in Performing Arts programme at TUTAS. She works part-time as a florist too. Besides being in the artistic field, she is also a sporty person. She enjoys doing all kinds of outdoor sports ranging from running, cycling, hiking to diving during her free time.
Sheena Baharudin (Cast)
Sheena Baharudin is a poet-educator, performer, and author of two bilingual poetry collections, Rhymes for Mending Hearts (2013) and All the Bodies We've Embraced (2017). As a spoken word artist, she has participated in both solo and ensemble performances at various art events including Urbanscapes, Iskarnival Festival, Melaka Arts Festival, Georgetown Literary Festival, Singapore’s Lit Up Festival and London's National Poetry Library. Her poems have been translated into Spanish and French, and featured in several local and international anthologies. She currently teaches literature and creative writing at the School of English, University of Nottingham Malaysia.
Zoey (Cast)
A 21-year-old aspiring vocalist and acting student whose passion has driven her to pursue performing arts. Her passion for performing started at a young age as she was exposed to the beauty of music, dance and film. Zoey has also acquired piano and singing skills as she was a member in a choir group, Young Choral Academy and found interest in piano music. Realizing her dream to be a performer, today, she has taken the opportunity to dive into this career with TUTAS and find what sparks her in the world of arts.
Zhafir Muzani (Choreographer / Dancer)
Mohd Zhafir Muzani bin Mohamad, who goes by the stage name of Zhafir Muzani, was born in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, and grew up in Lahad Datu, Sabah. He is now residing in Kajang,
Selangor. Zhafir is an art activist who has always wanted to explore the world of acting and dance. He started off as a freelance dancer and made his debut as a TV actor in an educational sitcom ‘Oh My English!’ while pursuing his passion in dance.
He graduated with a Diploma in Film and Degree in Theatre from UiTM. He has joined many competitions such as SHORT+SWEET Dance at klpac under Khairul Azhar since 2013 and won
‘Best Male Dancer’ two years in a row (2016 & 2017). He won the World Championship of Performing Arts (2011) in Los Angeles, USA, and also won in a few categories in dance and
acting. Upon graduation, he has choreographed various dance works for UiTM events such as the opening for Malam Karyaone Awards (2017) and Dhendham Tresno Musical (2018). He
loves Javanese and Balinese dance and has travelled to Jogjakarta, Indonesia, to learn both art forms. He tries to spread the beauty of Indonesian dance in Malaysia whenever he can. Now he serves as an in-house Resident Choreographer and Actor with The Actors Studio.
His theatre credits include Oedipus (2010), Muzikal Destini Anak Bangsa (2013), Kampung Kemenyan (2014), Rasuk (2015), Buy 1 Free 1 (2015), Nawaitu (2017), and Men In Heels
(2018). He directed the plays Dang Sri (2015) and Mere Behen Ki Shaadi Musical (2016).
Ticket Price:
RM 44.00 flat
Box Office: Buy Online via www.cloudtix.co [Tickets On Sale Soon]
No phone sales and over the counter sales. E-tickets only.
Layout:
For More Information:
Phone: +603 40479000 / +6018 2277212
Email: lawrence@klpac.org
URL: www.klpac.org/
TW: twitter.com/theklpac
FB: www.facebook.com/theklpac/
When: 8.00 pm, Thursday - Saturday, 21st, 22nd & 23rd 3.00 pm, Sunday, 24th October 2021
Remembering The People’s Poet: The Late Dato’ Dr. Usman Awang.
William Shakespeare. Walt Whitman. Li Bai. The world over, poets are revered as national treasures. Dato’ Dr. Faridah Merican pays tribute to her dear friend and our own national treasure Allahyarham Dato’ Dr. Usman Awang with “Experiencing Usman Awang” from 21 to 24 October at Pentas 2, klpac.
Known as the People’s Poet, the late Dato’ Dr. Usman Awang’s powerful words and simple delivery still resonates today. In Sahabatku, he penned “When can all citizens enjoy rights of equal justice, of equal treatment, And be known as one nation: Bangsa Malaysia?” as a tribute to his friend Dr. MK Rajakumar. It is a question many of us still ask today.
As we continue to grapple with issues related to racism and national identity, perhaps we can get to know each other better as well as our treasures. How did a small-town Johor boy rise to become one of the most respected poet, playwright and novelist in Malaysia? Though his studies were cut short after sixth grade, he made up for it from his colourful life living through the Japanese occupation and serving in the police force.
Faridah said “I have always been a big fan of Usman. Many an evening, like minded lovers of literature and poetry would gather at the then Century Hotel to bring to life the written words off the pages of many writers. Usman drew many admirers of his works. But, and there’s a big but here, Usman’s work, sinfully, is not found much in our schools. The young do not know who he is.
With our theatres shuttered, we started Zoom rehearsals for Experiencing Usman Awang on 14 June in hope of staging it for his birthday in July. Though belated, it is refreshing to see his works reimagined in different languages and forms. I hope that the audiences will see a side of Malaysia that is kind and accepting, proud of its diversity and bold enough to reimagine things and forge new paths.”
Faridah first performed in his musical Uda dan Dara in 1972 and played Dara’s mother in the 1984 Akademi Seni Kebangsaan production. She went on to produce it in 2002 and finally to direct it in 2015 at klpac. Experiencing Usman Awang offers you the chance to experience eight of his most well-known works through the eyes of 16 vastly different theatre-makers.
Joe Hasham OAM, who considers Dato’ Dr. Usman Awang his mentor, will be reading Scattered Bones and collaborating with his TUTAS student Feyee Bethany for Sahabatku. The TUTAS contingent, comprising Jelissa, Nandagopall, Sally Lee and Zoey, will also take on Kekasih while spoken word artist Sheena Baharudin brings to life Merpati Putih, Jelajahilah Dunia Ini and Omar Ali recites Beli Buatan Malaysia.
Easee Gan jazzes things up with two Mandarin pieces with original music based on Merpati Putih, Jelajahilah Dunia Ini and Mata Ayah, performed by Tan Li Yang and Ian Chow. Zhafir Muzani dances his way through Ke Makam Bonda and rounding up the already diverse showcase is a Hokkien performance of Salam Benua by Mark Beau de Silva and Amelia Tan.
Filled with themes of love, compassion and a spirit of togetherness, all the things we so greatly need now to rebuild, Experiencing Usman Awang is a lovely tribute to our past
and our future. One must not miss this warm invitation to get to know our literary giant and Malaysia better.
Presented by The Actors Studio Seni Teater Rakyat with the support of klpac and MyCreative Ventures, tickets are priced at RM44 and can be purchased online via www.cloudtix.co/ (no phone or over-the-counter sales, only e-tickets will be issued). Conditions of entry include vaccinated individuals, aged 18 and above and with permitted health status. Each ticket sold goes towards keeping klpac and The Actors Studio afloat. The public can also make a donation via www.klpac.org/donations/.
SHOW DETAILS
Title: Experiencing Usman Awang
Presenter: The Actors Studio Seni Teater Rakyat
Supporter: klpac & MyCreative Ventures
Synopsis: Bilakah semua warga negara mendapat hak
Layanan dan keadilan yang sama d**enal dengan satu rupa nama: Bangsa Malaysia?
Though Allahyarham Dato’ Dr. Usman Awang penned this in Sahabatku many years ago, it is a question many of us still ask today. The world over, poets are revered as national treasures. Our very own National Laureate should not be forgotten. Known as the People’s Poet, the late Dato’ Dr. Usman Awang’s powerful words and simple delivery still resonates today as it eloquently and passionately paints this beloved country of ours.
Directed by his dear friend Dato’ Dr. Faridah Merican, Experiencing Usman Awang offers you the chance to experience eight of his most well-known works - Scattered Bones, Sahabatku, Beli Buatan Malaysia, Kekasih, Merpati Putih, Jelajahilah Dunia Ini, Mata Ayah, Ke Makam Bonda and Salam Benua – through the eyes of 16 creative talents. Reimagined in different languages (Bahasa Malaysia, English, Mandarin and Hokkien) and forms, some will be recited while some interpreted as a dance and yet others will feature original music. Filled with themes of love, compassion, unity and a spirit of togetherness, things we so greatly need now, one must not miss this warm invitation to get to know our literary giant and Malaysia better.
Conditions of Entry
1. Fully-vaccinated with MySejahtera digital certificate 2. Permitted Health Status 3. 18 yo & above only. Venue reserves the right to deny entry if above conditions are not fulfilled. No refund will be made to those who have purchased ticket(s).
Creative Team: Director / Executive Producer: Dato’ Dr. Faridah Merican
Artistic Director: Joe Hasham OAM
Lighting Designer & Operator: Yusman Mokhtar
Sound Designer: Mike Thomas
Production Manager / Stage Manager: Yeo Kok Wei
Videographer: Khairil M. Bahar
Featuring:
Ayahku, Sayangku & Merpati Putih, Jelajahilah Dunia Ini (performed in Mandarin accompanied by music) by Easee Gan, Ian Chow & Tan Li Yang
Salam Benua (performed in Hokkien) Amelia Tan & Mark Beau de Silva
Sahabatku (My Friend) (performed in English accompanied by dance) by Feyee Bethany& Joe Hasham OAM
Ke Makam Bonda (performed in Malay accompanied by dance) by Zhafir Muzani
Scattered Bones (read in English) by Joe Hasham OAM
Beli Buatan Malaysia (performed in Malay) by Omar Ali
Merpati Putih, Jelajahilah Dunia Ini (performed in Malay) by Sheena Baharudin
Kekasih (performed in Malay) by Jelissa Lim Fidelis, Nandagopall, Sally Lee & Zoey
BIODATA
Creative Team
Dato’ Dr. Faridah Merican (Executive Producer / Director)
Known as the First Lady of Malaysian Theatre, Faridah’s early acting credits include such plays as ‘Lela Mayang’, ‘Tok Perak’, ‘Uda dan Dara’ and ‘Alang Rentak Seribu’, works that defined the Malaysian theatre in the 60s and 70s, and determined the direction that theatre would take in the next few decades. In the early 60s, she joined Radio and TV Malaysia. Simultaneously, she was involved in the formative years of Malaysian Advertising and is today, a member of the board of directors of Ogilvy & Mather. She also sits on the board of several other institutions. In 1989, Faridah co-founded The Actors Studio with her husband Joe Hasham OAM. In June of 2003, floods destroyed the entire complex of The Actors Studio in Plaza Putra, Dataran Merdeka. Out of that devastation, Faridah’s ‘nothing is impossible’ attitude generated yet another ground-breaking event – the birth of The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre, set up by the YTL Group, Yayasan Budi Penyayang and The Actors Studio.
Over the years, Faridah has been awarded the Ahli Mangku Negara in 1973, the Darjah Johan Negeri in 2001, the Johan Setia Mahkota in 2004, the BOH Cameronian Lifetime Achievement
Award. In 2005, Faridah was conferred the ‘Darjah Dato’ Paduka Tuanku Ja’afar by the Yang Di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan on the occasion of His Highness’ 83rd Birthday. The
following year, she received an Honorary Master of Letters at University Sains Malaysia’s 35th Convocation. Finally in 2014, Faridah received the Outstanding Achievement award under the Arts, Culture and Entertainment category from the Inaugural Malaysian Women of Excellence Awards. Faridah now sits on The Laureate Advisory Board and is also the Executive Producer and co-founder of the Performing Arts Centre of Penang (penangpac).
She was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in the Arts by Taylor’s University in 2018. Faridah is currently the Adjunct Professor & Programme Development Director of TUTAS, Malaysia's first performing arts conservatory degree programme by The Actors Studio and Taylor's University.
Joe Hasham OAM (Artistic Director / Cast)
Joe was born in Tripoli, Lebanon, did his schooling in Sydney, Australia, moved to Malaysia in 1984 and is now a proud permanent resident of his adopted country. Joe is Artistic Director of The Actors Studio, which he set up with his wife Faridah in 1989 and also Artistic Director of The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre. Joe is a graduate of NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art) at the University of NSW, Sydney, Australia. Before he made the decision to come to Malaysia, he was one of the most sought after actors in Australia. Joe is a multi award winning film director, actor, writer and recording artist. Joe was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM), within the Australian Honours System "For Service to the performing arts through The Actors Studio (Malaysia) and The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre; and, as an actor, writer, producer and director".
Joe is currently the Adjunct Professor & Programme Artistic Director of TUTAS, Malaysia's first performing arts conservatory degree programme by The Actors Studio and Taylor's University.
Amelia Tan (Cast)
As a full-time theatre practitioner, drama and dance instructor, Amelia graduated from the Malaysia Institute of Art, "Intercultural Theater Institute" (ITI) in Singapore and Shanghai Normal University. She is now a dance master student at University of Malaya. Her personal expertise includes lighting design, stage makeup, actor training, physical training, voice training and acting.
In the ADA Drama Awards, she won the “Best Stage Practitioner”, “Best Supporting Actress”, “Best Actress” and “Best Lighting Design”, as well as “Best Lighting Design” and “Best Director ” at the BOH Cameronian Arts Awards.
Amelia has represented Malaysia to perform in Shanghai, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia, Macau, Korea and Japan. Her directing works includes The Son, The Glass
Menagerie, Aku Cinta XXX, Mystery of the Phoenix, Nana and Ah Lu, Just Kidding, The Tapir, Aku Cinta Jarak1 Meter, Hoong Siamang Hooong, The Daughter of The Regiment, Madame
Butterfly, Magic Flute.
Easee Gan (Director)
Easee Gan, or Gan Eng Cheng, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Performing Arts (Drama) from University Malaya. He is the Co-Founder and Producer of MUKA Space which has presented
almost 30 productions that have won over 50 awards since 2013.
After his internship at The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac), he joined their Production team. Currently, he is the Assistant General Manager (Production) for The Kuala
Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac) and The Actors Studio Malaysia.
Easee has been actively involved in producing various award-winning Malaysian theatre productions and festivals. He is the Co-Producer for the Yayasan Sime Darby Arts Festival.
Recent directing works include Journey, The Tempest, The Fisherman and His Soul, Fiery Family 2.0, Da Ji, Grandpa’s Papaya Tree and The Story of Ah Loy.
Feyee Bethany (Dancer)
Feyee Bethany Minin, a proud Kadazan-Dusun, was born in Kota Kinabalu but raised in Kuala Lumpur. She started off as a rhythmic gymnast, picked up contemporary dance and urban
choreography along the way and has been training under Danztech Movement ever since.
She is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s of Performing Arts programme at TUTAS and is also a dance instructor / choreographer at Danztech Movement. She has worked with Dua Space
Dance Theatre and was a dancer for various events such as Miss Tourism World, MOEP Fashion Show and more.
Ian Chow (Music Director / Cast)
Ian is currently attached with The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac), Performing Arts Centre of Penang (penangpac) and The Actors Studio Malaysia, as the Group General Manager and Production Director with the Young Choral Academy. To date (since his foray into the arts in 2002), he has been involved in more than 100 local productions in various creative and management roles from producing to directing to performing as well as stage and production management.
His desire to help budding singer-songwriters and develop a new performing platform has prompted him to produce a series of acoustic gigs and CD compilations from 2004 till now.
In 2008, he released his collaborative album with another fellow singer-songwriter followed up with his debut solo album Issues#01 in 2010. From then til now, Ian has ventured into other collaborations including The Two Chinese Who Barely Made It and Lelaki 2.5. He has been appearing in Life Sdn Bhd series since 2005 and among his other notable music works include Malaysian Girls the Musical (2012) and One Thousand Million Smiles: A Tribute to Sudirman(2016 / 2017).
In 2013, Ian make his directorial debut in Period by the Young KL Singers and once again returned to the director's chair in their following productions, Incantations, Shakespeare Does the Bard, YKLS Rocks and the award-winning production Aurora: Tribute to Bjork from 2014 onwards. Another notable production he has directed include klpac Symphonic Band's Let's Rock (2017 & 2019). He has helmed the post of Musical Director for the production of Lelaki 2.5 Out of the Closet (2015), Shakespeare's Sonnets (2016), Yesterday Once More (2018) and currently the Festival Director of Yayasan Sime Darby Arts Festival. On the private sector side, Ian is the co-owner of GameOn.com Sdn Bhd since 2010. He is a guitar plectrum (pick) freak where he has over 1,500 different picks in his collection to date.
Tan Li Yang (Music Director / Cast)
Tan Li Yang is a Malaysian actor who has participated in many films, TV dramas and stage plays. He was also the host for several events and programme, worked as a script translator,
group leader of the famous local choir called Lavoce as well as the assistant teacher of a school drama class.
His natural and tense performance earned him the Best Newcomer Award at the 11th ADA Drama Award, gaining him much attention in the arts and entertainment industry. In 2015, he was invited to act as the lead actor in the local art film "Hold Me Tight" officially crossing over as a film and television actor. He also participated in a number of large scale
international film and television works that were filmed in Malaysia.
In 2018, he earned a Best Actor nomination and two Best Supporting Actor nominations at the 15th ADA Drama Award with his superb performance in the stage play "Peking Man", and won
the Best Supporting Actor Award. He is the only actor that has been shortlisted for three acting awards simultaneously at the ADA Drama Award so far.
Li Yang has worked with some famous and talented directors and artistes including Clifton Ko Chi-Sum (Hong Kong), Yuhan Wu (China), Adrian Teh (Malaysia), Dato’ Dr. Faridah Merican
(Malaysia), Dr. Deric Gan (Malaysia), Chan Wai Cheong (Malaysia), Easee Gan (Malaysia) etc.
Some of the talented actors and actresses he has worked with include Michael Miu (Hong Kong), Bosco Wong (Hong Kong), Annie Liu (Taiwan), Maggie Cheung (Hong Kong), Alex Fong
(Hong Kong), Huang CaiLun (China), Celina Jade (Hong Kong), Carmen Soo (Malaysia), Jordan Voon (Malaysia) and Pearly Chua (Malaysia).
Jelissa (Cast)
Currently pursuing her Bachelor’s of Performing Arts programme at TUTA, ever since a kid, her parents have always encouraged her to follow her dreams to pursue a career path in the arts industry. Besides her passion for acting, Jelissa enjoys playing games and interacting with others during her free time.
Mark Beau de Silva (Cast)
Mark Beau de Silva has been working in the arts since 1999, mainly with The Actors Studio, and The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre. His first play Stories for Amah was directed in 2002 by Joe Hasham OAM. Since then, Mark has written and directed many other plays like 8 Ways to Lighten the Schoolbag, Oh My God, Bottom Top, Kaki Blue the Musical, Adam the Musical, and Big Head Potato Head which won 3 awards in the 2010 ADA Theatre Awards. His plays have been staged in Malaysia, South Korea, Russia, Singapore and New York.
He is currently a Senior Lecturer with the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Taylors University. He won the Best Writing Award in the Cameronian Arts Awards 2016, the Mercedes
Award for Creative Excellence 2017 and 2019 and The Edge Young Leaders Award 2019.
Nandagopall (Cast)
Nandagopall, 21 is from Subang, Selangor. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor's of Performing Arts programme at TUTAS. Since his late teens, he developed interest towards the performing arts and now he is enjoying his learning experience at TUTAS as it challenges him to become a better artist. As an aspiring actor, he looks forward to working with directors with distinct styles in future. He enjoys watching movies as it allows him to escape reality and explore my mind. He also enjoys painting and drawing because it is one of the few things he is good at.
Omar Ali (Cast)
Trained as a graphic designer and copywriter, Omar stumbled onto the stage by accident, liked it, and decided to stay. He does a bit of acting, directing, and set design. His recent body of work include Zak Zebra's Malaysian Safari (Sep 2015), Zak Zebra's African Safari (Feb 2015), Uda dan Dara (Apr 2015), The Taste of Water (July 2015), Rashomon (July 2013), Broken Bridges (May 2013), Philadelphia, Here I Come! (Jan 2013). In 2013, Omar was awarded the Short+Sweet Festival Director's Award, and in 2014, his group won Best Overall Production as well as the Mercedes-Benz Malaysia Creative Excellence Award at the annual Short+Sweet Festival. He is currently a resident director at klpac. He directed Dato’ Seri in 2016 and Kandang in 2017. Dato’ Seri was restaged in 2018 as part of TAS30 celebrations. Kandang went on to bag four awards at the BOH Cameronian Arts Awards including Best of 2017, Best Costume Design, Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Director.
Sally Lee (Cast)
A 23-year-old Malaccan raised in KL. Sally has a solid 17 years of experience in both Ballet and Contemporary dance, and she was active in Public Speaking and Drama competitions in her teens. Following her passion for the arts, she is currently pursuing her degree in Performing Arts programme at TUTAS. She works part-time as a florist too. Besides being in the artistic field, she is also a sporty person. She enjoys doing all kinds of outdoor sports ranging from running, cycling, hiking to diving during her free time.
Sheena Baharudin (Cast)
Sheena Baharudin is a poet-educator, performer, and author of two bilingual poetry collections, Rhymes for Mending Hearts (2013) and All the Bodies We've Embraced (2017). As a spoken word artist, she has participated in both solo and ensemble performances at various art events including Urbanscapes, Iskarnival Festival, Melaka Arts Festival, Georgetown Literary Festival, Singapore’s Lit Up Festival and London's National Poetry Library. Her poems have been translated into Spanish and French, and featured in several local and international anthologies. She currently teaches literature and creative writing at the School of English, University of Nottingham Malaysia.
Zoey (Cast)
A 21-year-old aspiring vocalist and acting student whose passion has driven her to pursue performing arts. Her passion for performing started at a young age as she was exposed to the beauty of music, dance and film. Zoey has also acquired piano and singing skills as she was a member in a choir group, Young Choral Academy and found interest in piano music. Realizing her dream to be a performer, today, she has taken the opportunity to dive into this career with TUTAS and find what sparks her in the world of arts.
Zhafir Muzani (Choreographer / Dancer)
Mohd Zhafir Muzani bin Mohamad, who goes by the stage name of Zhafir Muzani, was born in Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, and grew up in Lahad Datu, Sabah. He is now residing in Kajang,
Selangor. Zhafir is an art activist who has always wanted to explore the world of acting and dance. He started off as a freelance dancer and made his debut as a TV actor in an educational sitcom ‘Oh My English!’ while pursuing his passion in dance.
He graduated with a Diploma in Film and Degree in Theatre from UiTM. He has joined many competitions such as SHORT+SWEET Dance at klpac under Khairul Azhar since 2013 and won
‘Best Male Dancer’ two years in a row (2016 & 2017). He won the World Championship of Performing Arts (2011) in Los Angeles, USA, and also won in a few categories in dance and
acting. Upon graduation, he has choreographed various dance works for UiTM events such as the opening for Malam Karyaone Awards (2017) and Dhendham Tresno Musical (2018). He
loves Javanese and Balinese dance and has travelled to Jogjakarta, Indonesia, to learn both art forms. He tries to spread the beauty of Indonesian dance in Malaysia whenever he can. Now he serves as an in-house Resident Choreographer and Actor with The Actors Studio.
His theatre credits include Oedipus (2010), Muzikal Destini Anak Bangsa (2013), Kampung Kemenyan (2014), Rasuk (2015), Buy 1 Free 1 (2015), Nawaitu (2017), and Men In Heels
(2018). He directed the plays Dang Sri (2015) and Mere Behen Ki Shaadi Musical (2016).
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