City Night Songs

Huzir, Sulaiman and Gani, Abdul Karim and Gani, Abdul Karim and Chan, Mac and Huzir, Sulaiman and Khoo, Justina (2012) City Night Songs. [Production]

Item Type: Production
Title: City Night Songs
Synopsis:

A new work created with NUS students under the direction of Checkpoint Theatre’s Huzir Sulaiman and the musical direction of Gani Abdul Karim and Joel Tan, with lighting by Mac Chan. City Night Songs began as a concept by Claire Wong, Joint Artistic Director of Checkpoint Theatre. The idea was to assemble a multinational cast and devise a work of stories about the Asian city at night; a concept that rapidly evolved to include songs and movement. It became the third in a series of collaborations between Checkpoint Theatre and NUS Stage for the NUS Arts Festival. City Night Songs was conceived as a multi-disciplinary endeavor with the ensemble of NUS students required to act, sing, move, play instruments, write scenes and compose songs. The cast include two professionals, Gani Abdul Karim and Oon Shu An, who worked across a wide range of performance genres.
A week of workshops in December 2011 included intense series of discussions, improvisations and the creating of material, exploring ideas of metropolis, night, and music. Work resumed in mid-January after a break for the NUS university holidays. Improvisations continued and scenes were written based on transcripts of those improvisations and then repeatedly rewritten. Inspiring moments served to generate songs which were then arranged and rehearsed, with distinct but interwoven characters emerging. Further work deepened the characters’ relationships and developed their back-stories.
City Night Songs tells the story of seven friends who begin their journey in Singapore’s shisha district of Haji Lane, and cross over into the difficult territories of joy, heartbreak, and acceptance. Old bonds are renewed and new ties are forged; some doors slam shut, while others may open. The story that emerged on the rehearsal floor was one that would find its place with anyone who has faced the night and all its promise, pleasure, and pain.

CAST

Naveen ......... Nishant Jalgaonkar
Daniel ......... Joel Tan
Denise ......... Oon Shu An
Tony ......... Ivan Surya Tjahyo
Aisha ......... Nessa Anwar
Shirley ......... Judy Au
Farouk ......... Gani Abdul Karim

PRODUCTION

Director/Dramaturg ......... Huzir Sulaiman
Music Directors ......... Gani Abdul Karim,
Joel Tan
Choreographer ......... Gani Abdul Karim
Set/Lighting Designer ......... Mac Chan
Sound Designer ......... Shah Tahir
Costume Designer ......... Huzir Sulaiman
Hair/Make Up Designer Joanna Koh
Production Manager ......... Koh Bee Bee
Production Coordinator ...... Erik Kristanto Wibowo
Asst Production Coordinator ......... Shubhendra Agrawal
Stage Manager ....................... Justina Khoo
Directing Understudies ......... Chen Yingxuan,
Hazel Ho,
Chew Wei Shan,
Hoon Ding Yi
Set/Lighting Understudies ........... Hay Teow Kwang,
Loh Soon Hui,
Arnold Koroa
Marketing Head ...................... Sukriti Sekhri
Marketing Associate ................. Wasi Ahmed Mesbahuddin
Wardrobe Sponsor ..................... Ong Shunmugam
Hairstyling Salon Sponsor ............ CINQ Studio
Rehearsal Photography ......... ..... Tan Ngiap Heng

Subjects: Performing Arts
Divisions: Work in process
Depositing User: Ms Ashalatha Krishnan
Date Deposited: 11 Feb 2015 10:06
Last Modified: 24 Feb 2015 07:50
URI: http://drlib.lasalle.edu.sg/id/eprint/311
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