CJMY2022 is set to wrap up with a colourful celebration of culture and identity. TUTAS Conservatory of Performing Arts’ 5 : 4 : 3 : 2 : 1 stage production, featuring a variety of drama and dance work, runs from 9 to 11 December in Pentas 2, klpac.
It will be directed by five TUTAS students as part of their Production Practicum module, a crucial rite of passage and a prerequisite for them to graduate. From a Bangsawan tale set on the shores of Terengganu to an ancient Persian dance, a time-honoured Korean folklore to two contemporary works, it reflects the melting pot of talent TUTAS boasts.
“The programme is growing year upon year with well over 50 students now since our first cohort in 2019. As the only performing arts conservatory degree programme in Malaysia, it is attracting talent from all over the world such as Korea, Iran, China and Indonesia,” said Adjunct Professor Joe Hasham OAM who helms the Production Practicum module.
Adjunct Professor Dato’ Dr. Faridah Merican, who also oversees this crucial module, adds “This is evident in the upcoming 5 : 4 : 3 : 2 : 1 performance which draws from their cultures and heritage, roots and identities. It will be TUTAS’ most diverse showcase yet.”
Since September, the directors have worked closely with their tutors Joe, Faridah, Omar Ali, Tung Jit Yang, Ian Chow, Yusman Mokhtar (also the production’s Lighting Designer) and Christopher Higgs (also the production’s Sound Designer) to bring their visions to life.
A refreshing dose of culture
As a tribute to his hometown, director Toh Wei Keith’s “The Tale of The Leatherback and The Three Warriors” created a mini Bangsawan play set on the shores of Terengganu where three warriors welcome a leatherback turtle to lay its eggs. Fueled by ignorance and greed, one of the warriors attempts to steal the freshly laid eggs of the leatherback turtle.
Korean native Kim Ki Hoo turns to his heritage in “The Sun and the Moon” which is based on an age-old Korean folk tale of a single mother who encounters a ravenous tiger. Kim’s modern-day version will be retold with drama, music and dance.
Abgharyan Afooshteh Reyhaneh, who hails from Iran, will be showcasing a 19th Century Persian dance form called Baba Karam which questions gender and class as it imitates the rough and tough working class men of Iran.
Lor Qian Hui opts for a black comedy Peter Morris’ “Pancakes” which on the outset seems like a senseless squabble over pancakes but is actually a deeper investigation about faith, belief, selflessness and jealousy.
Last but not least, Nurin Ismail’s “Dollhouse” zooms in on a party of six models who arrive “fashionably late” at their own runway show. Behind all the glamour and glitz, the models actually struggle to balance their public persona as models and their private selves.
This show is supported by The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac), The Actors Studio Seni Teater Rakyat and Taylor’s University. Tickets are priced at RM30 and can be purchased online via https://www.cloudjoi.com/ (no phone and over-the-counter sales). For enquiries, call 03 4047 9000 or WhatsApp +6018 227 7212.
TUTAS Mini Theatre Festival
Apart from the show, members of the public are also invited to join the TUTAS Mini Theatre Festival on 10 December 2022 which promises an afternoon of fun-filled and educational theatre activities, free of charge. An invaluable chance to learn more about TUTAS as well as experience theatre in bite sizes, the programme includes Speak Up! workshop (2.30pm – 3.30pm), Theatre Games Challenge workshop (3.30pm – 4.30pm), Asian Youth Theatre Festival Sharing (5pm – 6pm) and A Life in Film talk (6pm – 7pm). Space is limited, register via https://forms.gle/45LamwTqmBe6Uq5z9.
TUTAS’ Bachelor of Performing Arts three-year conservatory degree programme is an entry by audition only programme with its next audition in December 2022. With two tracks to choose from – Performance Track and Technical Theatre Track – students get to learn from award-winning lecturers with hands-on industry experience and have access to klpac’s fully-fledged facilities.
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