Broken Bridges The Musical - KLPac

I've finally gotten down to this entry. One cannot imagine the enormous sense of well being that I am experiencing.

I won't testify that a four-month journey can be expressed in 34 photos, but my eyes are tired after sifting through the hundreds of images that I took for this album, and I can only hope that my audience is one that is easy to please.

Through my lens, this is Broken Bridges The Musical.

The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre is situated in Sentul Park, a place that is a world of its own. Many areas are still unchartered by those who even work at KLPac.


This is Genevieve, our first point of contact into the musical. Teaching brand new songs to a bunch of musically untrained hooligans required a lot of patience, which to our delightful discovery was Gen's gift from the heavens. Seated next to her here is Chuang Yik, who composed the songs, and Faridah Merican, a person who Joan Osborne should be introduced to.


Gen's daycare centre had some part-time helpers, like Joanne P and Yen Lin.


Tra la la


The poster shoot was done at this early stage. Never in my life had I worn both heels and hemlines so high. The outifts were rented, and my dress was later worn by Janice for the actual staging. Carol and I played miscellaneous chicks who were wooed by Tony E's character Ringo (he was shot separately).


The first two months consisted of learning the songs with Gen and whipping our bodies up to performance par with our choreographer, Pat. When we moved up to the larger room for the actual rehearsals, Douglas started off the snack table, and everyone else continued to chip in.


Until this dude stepped in and rendered half of our minibar untouchable.


That's Mervyn, our voice coach. Wit sharp enough to carve into bone. He stressed on how we should avoid anything that would coat the throat and affect our singing. Under his training, our overall sound was nothing short of miraculous.


He helped Janice find a voice she's never used before.


Our director, the formidable Joe Hasham. The eye of the hurricane.


I always loved the way Faridah rested her cheeks on her knuckles; someone so venerable appearing so childlike intruiged me to no end. Next to her here is Lina, Assistant Stage Manager (school equivalent of class monitor).


Faridah's dog, Sherbert Gravel. She was kept in Faridah's office most of the time. I wondered why something so pitiful-looking was always alone whenever I passed by. I found out one day after I tried entering her domain and came out with a tear in my corduroy pants. A darling nevertheless.


Pat, petite dynamo of a woman. Her fitness routines were gruelling, but she always made it fun. Tried to, at least.


Carliff giving Callista a little dip for 'Drink, Drink'


Janice played Mei Ling, Ming's love interest. A true beauty, inside and out.


The confrontation scene in 'No More'...




...and the corresponding page in the script which leads to Colin's heartwrenching parting song.


Joe overlooking the Epilogue scene. The accent of my character morphed as much as her personality. From Ah Lian to natural 'international school'/Douglas-says-it's-Aussie accent, to an attempt at mild chinese. My steadfast western pronounciation of the word 'local' always gave me away.


Costume designer Yeow in discussion with writer Ky-Gan


A few weeks before the staging, we managed to devote a weekend to recording the musical's soundtrack in Pentas 2, the smaller of 2 stages at KLPac. It was a long and arduous process, but we were too stubborn to let the opportunity go.


Coming face to face with the stage for the first time had its own obligatory share of oohs and aahs.


'Ye Lai Xiang' sequence


Leroy is a macho, macho man. Nick and Johann stand back in awe.


Like father, like son? Hint: squinting helps.


Three dressing rooms were respectively accorded to the main cast, female and male ensemble, but the props and quick-change room was bound to have the most buzz on every night of the show.


Nicole fixing her curls


Monti & Tony E.


Joanne Kam getting ready in the main cast room


Soon Yoon and Douglas leading the vocal warm-ups before showtime


Camera whores: there's a few in every production.


Monti and Colin playing Uncle Chan and Uncle Wong respectively, chilling out on set and in costume.


Rachel the nightingale, portaying Siew Yee in 'Ming Ko Ko'


Sorry to end this so abruptly, I've just realized I don't have a group picture of everyone involved in the production. Oh well, at least there's still the roadtrip to Ipoh to cover.

Thanks to Fang for contributing to the pictures. To the others whom I am sure I have forgotten about, do spank me when the chance arises.