N4U: Thank you ALL!
This is my special thank you note to everyone that mattered during the production of ‘News for You: Termination of the Teenage Population’ (N4U). Describing the entire journey will take more than a page so here’s just a ‘gist’ of the whole thing. Rehearsals for N4U started in August 2007. Finalizing the cast line up and arranging the rehearsal schedule was one hell of a process. Well, students will always be students! Oh, did I mention that we were all mass communication students? Now I have! (except for the 2 Ariffin sisters though) But eventually, everyone got to their feet and performed 5 shows at The Actors Studio Greenhall, Penang in November 2007.
I don’t like blowing my own horn but, the response was better than I had expected. N4U was my directorial debut. Fearing it appear messy and amateurish, I anticipated some bombardment on the directions, lighting, sound, script, and etcetera! But, everything went well and in just a matter of a few days Dato’ Faridah emailed me an invitation to bring the show down to KLPac for a January staging! Just as soon as all my actors gave the ‘OK’, the wheels were in motion…it was my very first play and it has been given the honour of being staged in Kuala Lumpur.
The journey was incredible! It all began with Ben, Bill, Yogi, and Alvin spending the night at my place! Ben being his clumsy self broke an enormous flower pot at 2.30am! We had 2 hours worth of sleep before we made our way to KL via the express bus. At KLPac, we immediately got to work at Pentas 2. Ian gave us all a tour of the place and I got to work with the techies! The two days before opening night were chaotic and sometimes the tension levels grew. But, with Ben, Bill and baby Assif in the house, you can’t stand being angry for long. Opening night soon came and there I was at the control panel, looking down at the audience coming in. The minute the first laughter burst out from the audience, I slowly relaxed. After the show, we all got to meet Dato’ Faridah! I’m glad she and many others liked it! Everyone left KLPac after having chit chats with the audience, friends and family. Our Stage Manager, Nick Davis took us all for some mamak and there we laughed our asses off listening to what stories each and every one of us had to tell. Time flew very quickly and in no time, we bade KLPac farewell after our matinee show on Sunday. So, I did say that this was going to be a ‘thank you’ didn’t I? Here goes…
My beloved actors: IMRAN, poor child! BEN & BILL, the ultimate duo! DASHA, no one, no one, no onnnnneeeee! ALVIN, you can let it grow now bro! FADZRINA & FARIZA, sisters are doing it for themselves! YUGEN, you sure are sharp and straight to the point!
Special thanks to ASHFA and baby ASSIF, with both your presence you made the whole team feel like a family!
KLPac peeps: DATO’ FARIDAH, thank you so much for giving us all the opportunity! LINA HASBULLAH, the very definition of a super-cool woman! NICK DAVIS, for being more than a Stage Manager to us all! SURENEE & YUE MAY, thank you for doing such a great job on the publicity! SAZALI & THE TECHIES thanks! MIKE & IAN, thanks! Box-Office and Front of House staff, thank you so much! Hoping to see all of you again soon!
