The Art of Performing

We are talking about choir, so it's just about the singing, right? Wrong.

There is the singing - singing nicely, singing in sync, and singing with mouth opened widely enough. There are also the radiant smiles that must come sincerely from the heart - unless one can be so good as to fake smiles that Mr Director couldn't see through. And there are the beautifully choreographed steps and movement, which mustn't look as if executed by zombies, elephants or storks. To the untrained being, the combination of all of that alone is overwhelming enough - but being in a choir means everything has to be done as a group, in total sync and harmony. If just one person doesn't get it, everyone repeats the whole routine, or section, until that person gets it. Calling it tedious is an understatement.

Sure, we do share lots of laughs - because we all laugh at our friends when they received death threats from Mr Director, or seriously sarcastic scoldings from Mr Choreographer, or when two guys knock their heads on each other's because they can't remember which direction to sway towards. But, no matter how much fun we usually have rehearsing, braving rush-hour KL jam to get to rehearsals 4 times a week and staying there up till 11pm at times hardly define 'enjoyable'.

Oh, did I mention none of the members are paid to do this? That's right, we don't get paid to sing; in fact, we pay - we pay so our music directors who are full-time musicians can earn a living, so that the academy we practice at can pay its rent every month.

Reader, you may be thinking that we must be out of our minds. You are not the first - that would be my mother (she can't understand why I'm willing, and of course, I'm grateful that she's willing to put up with choices of mine she can't really understand)

The art revolves, in short, around one thing: PASSION.

It drives, motivates and keeps everyone going even when things become unfavourable. It's crazy, but of course, also an experience I will forever be grateful for. A senior member told me that I should appreciate this opportunity to be in an actual production, because it isn't something that everyone can and/or will have. I agree. I don't know anyone, outside the production cast, who'd had received death threats from directors. Come to think of it, I haven't either - maybe I should deliberately provoke him the next rehearsal, so I can say that I have!

Oh, and this I am obliged to include:
Showtime:
12th Nov (Thu) 9pm, 13th Nov (Fri) 9pm, 14th Nov (Sat) 9pm, and 15th Nov (Sun) 3pm
Place:
The Actors Studio @ Lot 10
Tickets:
RM43 (centre seat); RM 33 (side seat)
call/walk in: TAS@Lot 10 box office - 03 2142 2009 03 22143 2009
walk in only: klpac box office@Sentul Park, Axcess@Head Office(Jln Semangat), 1 Utama, Alamanda Putrajaya


This, especially, I must include:
THANK YOU, Great Eastern for supporting our production!
(No, I'm not writing this for the sake of writing it or because Ms Producer told us we'd have to any chance we get, although she did tell us that; I really appreciate you guys appreciating and supporting local performing arts. I do! Too many people don't give a damn, and it's simply great that you do!)