Exhausted

Being involved in 4 different not-related-to-each-other activities can be super challenging at one point, and it drags on. Pretty exhausting but it's not because I'm always up and about. Doing what I love, I'm only very thankful and blessed to get all the opportunities to be running about.

However, to be doing this, I have to be mentally strong. I realized that there is no one but me, myself and I who can understand my own situation (Read: Me, my parents, abang and bestfriend. They know me inside out alright!). It's tough, really. Them in Team A don't fully understand the whole works in Team B, C, D. Them in Team B don't fully understand the whole works in Team C, D, A. Them in Team C don't fully understand the whole works in Team D, A, B. Them in Team D don't fully understand the whole works in Team A, B, C. You get the drill.

And... I am up and about between all A, B, C and D. Thank God for my number one supporters - my parents, abang and bestfriend :)

Our Dreamboy - Kris Coleman

It just gets better by the day.

Especially for me as I am not a full timer in the Musical/Performing Arts industry and it is a privilege that I get to perform amongst our talented Malaysian artist. But today, I'm not only rehearsing with them, but also with our star guest, flown all the way from New York baby! Yes, a real Broadway performer from Broadway New york! You heard me right alright! :)

The public has been kept well away from this because the production team wanted it to be a surprise, till closer to the time. My fingers were already very itchy to blog about it the day he arrived. Now that it's a month away from the big show, we finally had our 2nd press conference a few days back at Istana Budaya and he has been introduced to the world!





I'm telling you, I had one of the most talented make up artist do me up for the Press Conference and photoshoot session! The most patient one too as I was not sitting still at all! Well, what do you expect, my face was made up in nothing less than 30 minutes. That is so long! The whole time I was either sneezing when he applies make up on me, making weird faces, or I'll be twitching or sneakily playing with the products. But he was still very nice to me. Eddy is just too sweet.

So...NOW,

Introducing Kris Coleman as our star! He's playing Jimmy Thunder Early!

He's not just any common American. He's KRIS COLEMAN guys! Oh so famous in America! 

*faints*

In New York, he was the cast in Jersey Boys since 2005 (still is). He played nothing less than 4 roles in the production and it's not just any production this Jersey Boys. It's a Tony Award Winning and one of the hottest on Broadway! Sister Act, A Midsummer Nights Dream and Big River to name some other few he played in. My God, just looking at the Broadway Musicals he has been in, it's safe for me to say that the WHOLE Dreamgirls team is very very privileged indeed! He dropped Jersey Boys to make sure  he is a part of us in making the first ever Broadway in Malaysia a spectacular one!

But that's not the best part yet... The sweetest and the best is

.


.


.

he was also the original cast in Dreamgirls New York! 

*ok, I'm getting very excited and getting all overwhelmed as I type all these out, so excuse any typos k?*

He played Curtis before, (which my beloved bully, Tony Eusoff is playing at the moment and doing an excellent job whilst at it!) and his childhood dream has always been to play as Jimmy Thunder Early in Dreamgirls! When he was 10 years old to be exact! A little boy with such big dreams :)

Homaigod! We not only get to tap on his knowledge and learn from him every day but he gets to fulfil his dreams and we've been having nothing but a lot of fun learning and spending time with him! We even made him eat Durian last week. At the same time, I'm having my dream come true as well being in this production! It's a dream come true for everyone! Win-win situation much? :):):)

 My Dreamgirls loves

Right now, rehearsals are very intense and things are just falling well into place. We've moved to Istana Budaya till the end of the show and energy is just superb every single day! As much as we are nervous, we're very excited! I'm really proud of each and every one of my team members. I must admit that I'm quite exhausted as we get closer to the show (ok la, guilty as charged. I have futsal trainings after rehearsals every night on top of that), but I'd never miss this for the world! Till today, I believe that I have made one of the best decisions ever in my life to accept and sign that Dreamgirls contract a few months back. Thankful, happy and blessed :)

Anyway, don't forget to catch us at Istana Budaya this July 14th - 24th! Get your tickets at www.airasiaredtix.com.

Come say hello too! We're one crazy happening and always-happy-to-be-stressed bunch! 

Rush Hour

For the past one month, my Dreamgirls cast and I have been rehearsing at the new studio in Jabatan Kebudayaan dan Kesenian Negara (JKKN). Well, the day I started my break from work, was THE day that our rehearsals shifted from Broadway Academy (in Kota Damansara) to JKKN at Jalan Sultan Ismail! As good as me not leaving KL la. Pfft... The traffic! *sigh*

However, one thing I love about hating the traffic jam is taking the public transport! Yes, I just love it, really :) I find it really nice to be 'driven' around. Whilst at that, I get to catch up on my reading, The EDGE, Time, music scores, what have you? I get to catch up on some sleep as well and not to mention catching up on some good relaxing time, sitting back and listening to music. Music is like drugs to me!

I get a lot of stares and gasps when I tell people I take the monorail, LRT and the rapid KL bus to get home. It's either "OMG! It's so penuh la", "Eew, you'll be squashed like sardines and it stinks!", "Efficient ke pun?", "Seriously? I'd rather drive than get into those public transport"....Gosh. To begin with, if you've never taken it, then shut up. If I must say so myself, the rapid KL public buses are efficient! I can even estimate the exact time it'll arrive, that's how efficient it is. I was impressed the first day I took it! :)

Come to think about it, taking public transports has its own advantages really. You get driven around. You get to sit back and catch up on your readings. You get to catch up on some sleep and best part of all, you get to make new friends! Loads of them :) Best part is watching how humble my fellow cast members are. They're some top celebrities alright, but even they don't have personal drivers driving them around because even they said it's more practical to not be stuck in the jam. 

Time to get out (Part 2) - Projek Disko Baldi

Projek Disko Baldi

If you did not know, PJ Laugh Fest has just ended and it was running for a few weeks at PJ Live Arts Theatre. I remembered weeks prior to the show, Iedil was telling me jokes that reminded me so much of our Uni days. Those times when I used to get homesick and he was the abang senior (or he prefers that I call him abang senior hensem when I was in 1st year. Pffft) that would come all the way with Pizzas and make jokes till I forget I was even homesick!

Now, he has brought it to a level higher and 'selling' his jokes! and ON STAGE. Awesome deal! He is so talented in his own way, it's always very enlightening to watch him act. So far, my family and I have never missed his shows since he started performing arts. In London, we used to perform for Malaysian Nights or even Dance Shows, and now, the fact that we are able to live that here in Malaysia, it's just an awesome feeling! We're both now working on Musical productions, Dreamgirls and Nora respectively :)

This time, we went to catch the show to support both Iedil and my Dreamgirls' Asst. Director, Megat. My God, the show was so hilarious, I couldn't stop laughing. The jokes and the acting were just so natural and again, I was feeling very proud of the crew; Iedil especially. Probably because I've grown up with him and watching him take a step further all the time just makes me feel so happy for him.

Well, we're both back to musical rehearsals now and at times, it feels so surreal that I'm even in a production! But then again, whilst I'm at this age, this is really the best time to be doing something out of the norm :) I'm loving it!

Time to get out (Part 1) - TAS Iman and FV Launch

...of the Corporate World for a wee while.

Full of events. That has got to be last weekend, and none related to work, banking or the corporate world. I'm surrounded by many talented friends who are very very brave and determined. These individuals are so respectable in their own way and I really am a very proud friend. More so when I attended these events:

TAS Iman and FV Launch

A day before the event, I was on half day leave but instead of helping Vy prepare for the event, we both ended up spending loads of time catching up! It's been a long while since we met, yeah a few weeks. So we decided to drop everything for a while and fetch Ajjie along from work and off we went for a chilled lunch. 

FashionValet collaborated with Tom Abang Saufi this time to launch Tom Abang Saufi new line which was TAS Iman. I thought it was really sweet that TAS came from her name, whilst Iman is her daughter's :) It was a very chilled evening at Tom Abang Saufi's house and Nona, Wa and I were there early to help out with the set up. 

Overall, the event went very well, from the models to the clothes that was showcased, the company and the OMG-heavenly laksa Sarawak which Tom Abang Saufi was telling us how her maid is so awesome at preparing! So yums I tell you! Nona and I had it twice :P Most of all, I was so proud of Vy! She has come so far and brought FashionValet a step further in a short time. Well done darling! :)

Btw, you can get hold of the gorgeous lines at Fashionvalet.net .