I enjoyed this 9min45secs interview with Ruhil Syafinaz of TV3, we talked about PGLM 3, about this being my final run as Putri, on rock music being my favorite genre, about mt dreams to set up a performing arts academy someday.
It ends with me performing the pop version of "Katakan" at the end of the interview.
"I would for like every Malaysian untuk tahu bahwa jika ada impian dalam diri kita, ianya boleh dicapai asal kita senditi rajin untuk mencapainya...dan nothing substitutes hard work. Apa saja POSSIBLE..."
Showing posts with label tj interviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tj interviews. Show all posts
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
Sunday, 6 December 2009
Hebatkah PGL versi drama? Oleh JESSABELL SOO
Hebatkah PGL versi drama?
APABILA filem Puteri Gunung Ledang muncul dalam versi drama setelah berjaya dalam siri teater muzikalnya sebelum ini, ia sesuatu yang cukup membanggakan Tiara selaku teraju utama.
ANDA sudah menonton filem dan teater muzikalnya. Kini, peminat Puteri Gunung Ledang (PGL) akan berpeluang menyaksikan pula versi dramanya di saluran Astro Citra bermula hari ini.
Menjadi filem bajet termahal dalam sejarah perfileman Malaysia dengan menelan perbelanjaan RM20 juta, PGL yang pernah menerima pelbagai pengiktirafan di luar dan dalam negara buat pertama kali akan dipertontonkan di kaca TV.
Dibahagikan kepada empat episod dengan satu episod khas di sebalik tabir, cerita legenda kegemaran ramai itu akan disunting semula dan dimasukkan dengan lima babak baru yang sebelum ini telah dikeluarkan oleh pengarah dari dalam filem.
ANTARA babak menarik filem Puteri Gunung Ledang membabitkan Tiara dan Christine Hakim (belakang) yang berjaya menjentik emosi penonton.
Maka, bagi mereka yang pernah menonton filemnya yang menceritakan kisah cinta antara Gusti Putri Retno Dumilah dan Hang Tuah, anda pastinya tidak mahu melepaskan peluang untuk menyaksikan kelima-lima babak itu.
"Drama ini akan mengembalikan banyak memori kepada penonton terutama mereka yang pernah menyaksikan filemnya lima tahun lalu. Tapi apa yang penting, anda akan menyaksikan lima babak yang tidak pernah ditonton dalam filemnya sebelum itu.
"Ia juga satu peluang baik bagi mereka yang tidak pernah menonton filemnya. Sebenarnya ramai orang pernah bertanya mengenai babak-babak yang tidak pernah ditayangkan itu. Ini adalah masa terbaik untuk ditayangkan kepada semua di TV," kata Datin Seri Tiara Jacquelina pada sidang media mengumumkan drama itu.
TIARA (dua dari kanan) bersama mereka di tabir PGL versi drama.
Antara babak yang tidak pernah dilihat adalah Hang Tuah bermimpi bersemuka dengan Hang Jebat dan Tun Mamat mengamuk apabila mendapat tahu tentang pelantikan Hang Tuah sebagai ketua rombongan untuk mengalu-alukan ketibaan puteri.
"Saya sendiri tidak sabar untuk melihat kelima-lima babak itu. Ada satu babak tarian yang menggunakan kesan khas. Ia memberikan sedikit sentuhan magis tetapi babak itu terpaksa dibuang kerana tidak konsisten dengan babak lain. Jadi saya agak sedih ketika itu apabila penonton tidak dapat melihatnya," tambah Tiara.
Menjadi judul drama keenam untuk kempen Suatu Ketika... di Astro Citra, ada sebabnya mengapa PGL dipilih untuk menyertai kempen yang dilancarkan sejak Jun lalu. "Kempen itu memang bertujuan untuk menayangkan cerita-cerita bersejarah seperti PGL. Kami mahu menambahkan kefahaman, fakta dan fiksyen cerita itu kepada penonton," kata Pengurus Saluran Astro Citra, Sharlyza Alis.
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| JIWA dan semangat Puteri Gunung Ledang sebati dalam diri wanita jelita ini. |
Bersiaran selama satu jam untuk setiap episod, proses suntingan keempat-empat episod hanya mengambil masa tidak lebih daripada sebulan. Namun, ia bukan satu tugas yang mudah memandangkan versi filemnya sudah diadun dengan bunyi.
"Bukan senang untuk menyunting kepada empat episod kerana filemnya sudah diadun dengan bunyi. Tapi apa yang menarik, penambahan babak-babak itu akan melahirkan jalan cerita yang sedikit berbeza daripada filemnya. Ia akan memberikan lebih banyak subcerita seperti kehadiran Tun Teja," tambah Tiara yang memegang watak utama dalam PGL.
Selain daripada empat episod itu, satu episod di sebalik tabir akan ditayangkan kepada penonton. Bukan itu sahaja, dokumentari khas PGL yang menyingkap sejarah serta legenda kesultanan Melaka dan kerajaan Majapahit akan disiarkan menerusi saluran Astro Prima pada 27 Disember, pukul 6 petang.
"Saya berbangga dengan legenda PGL yang masih diteruskan. Cerita PGL sudahpun diterbitkan dalam buku yang digunakan oleh pelajar di sekolah antarabangsa untuk mereka mempelajari sejarah Melaka. Saya juga berharap PGL suatu hari nanti akan dilihat menerusi versi animasi," senyum Tiara mengenai filem yang sudah dijual di 13 buah negara luar.
Jadi bagi mereka yang meminati PGL atau yang tidak sempat menonton filemnya, jangan melepaskan peluang untuk menyaksikan Suatu Ketika...Puteri Gunung Ledang pada setiap Rabu, pukul 9 malam di saluran Astro Citra (Astro 131).
Thursday, 12 March 2009
Utusan - Transformasi Tiara dalam AF7
Transformasi Tiara dalam AF7
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| TRANSFORMASI Tiara Jacquelina dalam AF7 dijangka mampu memperkembangkan lagi bakat para peserta program TV realiti itu. |
SELAKU pengetua program televisyen (TV) realiti Akademi Fantasia musim ketujuh (AF7), Datin Seri Tiara Jacquelina mempunyai perancangan dan matlamatnya yang tersendiri.
Beliau misalnya, telah menggariskan beberapa hala tuju buat kalangan peserta program TV realiti itu bagi melahirkan bakat-bakat seni yang lebih berkaliber pada masa depan.
Menurut Tiara, dia cuba meletakkan tanda aras yang tinggi sebagai suatu transformasi untuk dicapai oleh para peserta AF7 sepanjang tempoh tiga bulan pengajian di akademi tersebut.
"Transformasi merupakan kata kunci saya dalam menerajui AF7. Saya faham tagline itu sesuatu yang berat. Kata orang alang-alang menyeluk pekasam biar sampai ke pangkal lengan.
"Sejak dulu, sebelum melakukan apa-apa projek saya selalu letakkan sesuatu tanda aras untuk dicapai. Begitu juga dalam AF7," katanya pada sidang media di Kuala Lumpur, baru-baru ini.
Majlis anjuran Astro Ria itu diadakan bagi mengumumkan pelantikan Tiara sebagai pengetua AF7 yang akan memulakan konsert minggu pertamanya pada 14 Mac ini.
Pengetua AF7 ini contohnya, menetapkan tujuh syarat yang harus ada di kalangan peserta akademi itu sebelum mampu menjadi penghibur yang disegani ramai.
"Seseorang peserta itu haruslah mempunyai bakat menyanyi yang luar biasa, mempunyai matlamat yang tinggi dan yakin untuk mencapai kecemerlangan tersebut.
"Pada masa sama, mereka juga haruslah berdedikasi dalam bidang ini, ada faktor 'x', fokus dalam usaha membentuk imej tersendiri selain sihat tubuh badan," ujarnya.
Pelakon dan penerbit teater muzikal Puteri Gunung Ledang ini menjelaskan transformasi dan hala tuju AF7 itu dalam suatu pembentangan ringkasnya pada majlis yang sama.
Jelas Tiara, kesemua faktor itu akan dititikberatkannya di kalangan pelajar AF7 supaya hasratnya untuk melahirkan bintang yang bergelar ikon menjadi kenyataan.
Ini kerana, kemunculan AF7 bukan sekadar meneruskan kesinambungan atau populariti program itu, sebaliknya ia bertujuan mencari bakat nyanyian yang berkualiti.
"Melalui AF kita bukan sekadar mahu melahirkan penyanyi kerana kita memang ada ramai penyanyi. Tetapi kalau boleh bukan setakat penyanyi tetapi juga seorang ikon.
"Kita mahu melahirkan penyanyi yang bukan setakat terbaik di Malaysia tetapi juga hingga ke persada dunia. Segala persiapan harus dilakukan termasuklah fasih berbahasa Inggeris.
"Kalau tidak macam mana mereka mahu berkomunikasi dengan orang luar kerana seseorang penyanyi itu akan mewakili negara yang diwakilinya," katanya.
Ketika ditanya tentang transformasi dan hala tuju musim baru AF itu, kata Tiara ia datang daripada cetusan inspirasi serta aspirasinya sendiri di mana ia dipersetujui oleh pihak Astro.
Astro Ria yang menyiarkan AF7 bakal menyaksikan banyak penekanan terhadap para peserta hasil idea, usaha dan komitmen padu Tiara bagi mencapai hasratnya itu.
"Saya lakukan semua ini semata-mata kerana impian saya ingin melihat kelahiran seorang bintang yang hebat. Impian dan pengalaman saya itu akan dikongsi bersama para pelajar AF7.
"Bagi saya ini suatu perjalanan seorang bintang baru yang bermula from zero (dari kosong) untuk menjadi seorang hero. Setiap peserta akan lalui transformasi ini dan ia bukannya mudah.
"Semuanya bermula daripada nobody (tidak terkenal) kepada somebody (terkenal) seperti yang telah dilalui oleh Mawi (juara AF3) contohnya. Ia suatu perjalanan yang sukar," jelasnya.
Kata Tiara, tawaran dan peluang menjadi Pengetua AF7 akan digunakan sepenuhnya bagi mencurahkan pengalamannya sebagai penyanyi dan pelakon kepada para peserta AF7.
Apatah lagi, beberapa hari sebelum menerima tawaran itu, beliau memang mempunyai perancangan untuk menubuhkan sebuah akademinya sendiri.
"Sebelum ini ada wartawan yang tanya saya, apakah yang akan saya lakukan selepas pementasan muzikal Puteri Gunung Ledang berakhir baru-baru ini.
"Saya kata, saya mahu tubuhkan sebuah akademi seni sendiri. Mungkin pembabitan saya dalam AF7 suatu kebetulan. Ini adalah masa yang tepat untuk saya mencurahkan komitmen saya," katanya.
Biarpun mempunyai tanda aras yang tinggi menerusi transformasi itu, namun ibu kepada dua anak ini yakin ia tidak mustahil dicapai asalkan ada kesungguhan di kalangan peserta AF7.
Tambah Tiara, kesungguhan serta kesukaran pasti ditempuhi oleh mana-mana penyanyi sebelum muncul sebagai penyanyi yang berkaliber dan mampu menerjah hingga ke persada dunia.
"Saya tahu jalan menuju puncak ini penuh liku tapi ia tidak mustahil untuk dicapai biarpun dalam masa tiga bulan pengajian di akademi ini (AF). Apa yang penting ialah semangat para pelajar.
"Kalau mereka tidak yakin dengan bakat dan diri mereka sendiri kita pun susah untuk membimbing mereka. Mereka haruslah berani untuk ditransformasikan," ujarnya.
Pengetua wanita pertama
Selain transformasi buat pelajar AF7, Tiara tidak menganggap sebagai suatu kelainan apabila dia muncul sebagai Pengetua wanita pertama akademi itu selepas enam musim berlangsung.
Sebelum ini posisi Pengetua AF disandang oleh kalangan lelaki iaitu Freddie Fernandez (AF1), Ramli MS (AF2 dan AF6), M. Nasir (AF3), Ramli Sarip (AF4) dan Roslan Aziz (AF5).
Sementara itu, Pengurus Saluran Astro Ria, Khairul Mizan Shagul berkata, pemilihan Tiara sebagai Pengetua AF7 telah dilakukan selepas perbincangan selama lima bulan.
Dalam tempoh waktu itu, pelbagai nama telah dicadangkan termasuklah oleh media massa bagi memilih calon-calon yang sesuai dan mempunyai kelayakan menggalas tanggungjawab tersebut.
"Antara kriteria pemilihan Pengetua AF ialah pengalaman seseorang calon dan komitmen yang sanggup diberikan kepada program ini. Kami ambil masa berbincang dengan semua pihak di Astro.
"Sebelum ini kami ada enam calon tetapi ini adalah rezeki Tiara. Kalau ada yang tanya mengapa Tiara kerana dia bukan penyanyi, saya rasa dia juga ada banyak kelebihan.
"Tiara berpengalaman luas dalam bidang persembahan pentas. Kami yakin dengan kemampuannya ," kata Khairul Mizan.
Empat belas peserta yang akan bersaing bagi merebut juara AF7 ialah Yazid, Aril, Qhaud, Sidi, Obri, Hafiz, Akim, Rubisa, Claudia, Adila, Aishah, Zizi, Rini serta Isma.
NST - TIARA'S TURN
Tiara’s turn
By : DENNIS CHUA
2009/03/11
Tiara’s latest challenge is to educate AF7’s students/contestants. |
New Akademi Fantasia principal Datin Seri Tiara Jacquelina aims to transform this year’s contestants into bankable names in showbusiness, writes DENNIS CHUA.
THE Transformasi (Transformation) tag line that accompanies the seventh season of popular Astro reality talent show Akademi Fantasia (AF7) rang loud and clear as the station picked Datin Seri Tiara Jacquelina as its first female principal earlier this week.
Multi-talented Tiara is one of the most bankable names in showbusiness with an illustrious two-decade career and a reputation for perfectionism.
A dancer, film and theatre actor, singer, director and producer, Tiara recently wrapped up the third season of Puteri Gunung Ledang — The Musical where she played the mystical princess for the last time.
She was one of two “leading ladies” widely predicted as AF7 principal. The other was pop/R&B queen Datuk Sheila Majid whose husband Hashridz Murshim Hassim (Acis) was earlier picked the academic team’s music director.
As the sixth person to helm the “hot seat” of the country’s top-rated reality talent show (second season principal Ramli MS returned in the sixth season last year), Tiara will have under her charge seven male and seven female students-cum-contestants, and 10 weeks to groom them into artistes or television personalities (depending on where their talents lie).
Tiara will be assisted by Acis, Ida Nerina as acting and performance instructor, A. Aris Kadir as choreography instructor, Siti Hajar Ismail and Syafizawati Sharif as vocal coaches, and Fatimah Abu Bakar as motivational and English language coach.
Tiara and her team will mentor the wannabe entertainers at an undisclosed “academy” where, under the daily surveillance of Astro’s cameras for the Diari AF7 programme, they will learn the ropes of showbusiness.
Unlike previous years, AF7 has invited “starlets” as contestants.
Nas Adila Mohd Dan, 23, of Johor Baru, is the most prominent, having been a regular on the small screen and in various concerts for the past five years.
Another is TV3 talent search My Starz LG’s first season’s finalist Rubisa Tiasin, 23, of Kota Marudu in Kudat, Sabah.
Kajang lass Zuzafrini “Rini” Zulkifli, 25, once sang traditional Malay pop and nasyid with her twin Zuzafrina or Rina, while the oldest contestant, 30-year-old mother-of-five and part-time singer Ismaliza Ismail of Rembau, is the elder sister of New Boyz lead singer and One In A Million Season 3 (OIAM3) hopeful Shah Indrawan “Tomok” Ismail.
Among the boys, Khairil Azam Pilus from Malacca has an entertainer in the family.
His brother Izwan Pilus is a former Bintang RTM winner, host and recording artiste.
The other contestants are Zizi Tahil, 24, of Semporna, Sabah; Sarawakians Aishah Bujang, 18, Claudia Geres, 24, and Hafiz Suip, 19, of Kuching; Hakim Ahmad, 18, Sobri Hasmuni, 24, and Yazid Ibrahim, 22, of Johor Baru; Qhaud Rashid, 25, of Kajang; and Rashidi Isa, 27, of Ipoh.
AF7 was also open to Singaporeans. However, the response was poor.
The move of inviting the 40 to 45 age group, which began with the entry of grandmother Hairina Abdul Halim last year, has also failed to make an impact.
Johor (which produced pop phenomenon Mawi) and Sabah, which have traditionally sent the most contestants, have lived up to expectations, although there has been a steady decline of Sabahans since last year.
For the first time, Sabah’s largest ethnic community, the Kadazandusuns, is without a representative.
This community monopolised the runner-up spot from seasons two to five and produced its first champion in OIAM2 reject Stacy Anam last year.
Sarawak, which produced vocal powerhouse Yusrizan ‘Bob’ Usop in AF2, is back with more representatives this year, having sent only one student a year since 2006.
The Sarawakian students include “supermum” Geres, the OAG-loving Hafiz and the contest’s “baby girl” Aishah, who counts AF3 singer-songwriter Amylea Azizan and Dayang Nurfaizah as her role models.
Since Penangite Mila Jirin emerged as AF’s first female winner two seasons ago, “girl power” has been on the rise. With the presence of the relatively experienced Nas Adila, Rini, Rubisa and Ismaliza, a third female champion may be on the cards.
However, one cannot dismiss the male half, and the fact that most Short Messaging Service (SMS) voters who determine the champion are women.
Of the “boys”, Qhaud and Khairil stand out for their melodious voices, with Qhaud tagged by fans as “Mawi’s successor”.
But being compared to Mawi is more a curse than a blessing. AF4 champion Faizal Ramly and AF5 Mawi look-alike Aswad Jaafar were compared to the “SMS king” but today are singing back-up for singer-cum-actress Heliza Helmi of Syurga Cinta fame.
As for the show’s resident judges, Astro has yet to confirm if hard-hitting Fauziah ‘Ogy’ Ahmad Daud, Adlin Aman Ramlie (also from Puteri Gunung Ledang) and Hattan will reprise their roles.
The trio made a formidable team in AF5, and Hattan’s sixth season replacement Ning Baizura (now OIAM3 vocal instructor) was also commendable.
There has also been talk that Mawi and ex-AF2 contestant Fitri Zainal Abidin might be roped in to advise the contestants, especially Fitri who is a fashion designer, Project Runway Malaysia finalist and wardrobe consultant to the station.
The contestants will perform in weekly elimination concerts at 9pm on Saturdays, beginning this Saturday, with the contestant obtaining the lowest number of SMS votes from viewers being eliminated.
The concerts on Astro Ria are hosted by comedian AC Mizal, while the weekly AF diaries shows Diari AF, Diari Ext AF7 and Diari Int AF7 are hosted by actress and television personality Sarimah Ibrahim.
Diari AF7 is at 9pm from Mondays to Fridays while Diari Ext AF7 is at 10pm on Fridays and Diari Int AF7 is at 9pm on Sundays.
Big AF7 plans from a ’princess’
DATIN Seri Tiara Jacquelina’s latest challenge is to educate AF7’s 14 students/contestants, and she is determined to transform them from “zeroes to heroes”.
“It’s a monumental task and I’m ready to bring about a transformation to AF, a show which I have followed keenly from Day One,” said Tiara.
“My team and I are going all out to do the impossible and make AF7 the best AF ever.”
Tiara said she was determined to see AF7 produce “entertainment icons” who are capable of going global and taking Malaysian showbusiness to greater heights.
“We in the academic team have outlined several criteria for the participants. They must be outstanding singers and all-round performers; brave, confident, speak well in English, resilient, disciplined, professional, well-packaged, well-groomed and in the pink of health,” she said.
On her role as the first female principal, she said there was “nothing a man can do that a woman cannot”.
“In fact, I will strive to do even better,” she said.
While one or more students would be eliminated at the end of every weekly concert, Tiara said their journey “does not end there”.
“We will make every student soak up as much as he or she can in the academy’s daily lessons. The knowledge they gain during their stay in the academy will be a stepping stone to greater success.”
“Entertainment and music unite, for they are colour-blind and universal, and make us stronger than ever. That’s why shows like AF are always good for Malaysians,” she said.
NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE, AND IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING!
I received an SMS from a friend of mine, Amhari Effendi Nasruddin saying his sister in law wanted to interview me for a school project. Thought I’d share this on my blog with everyone cos some of the thoughts I expressed are very current especially in my current “transformasi” mode. Tell me what you all think:
Dear Datin Sri Tiara,
My name is Fatin Farhanah bt Mohd Hanif (Hanah) 21, studying Diploma in Mass Communication in KDU. I was made to understand from Amhari that this is the best way to get an interview since you just came back from overseas and having a hectic schedule.
I feel very honuored to get this interview. Attach is the interview questions for my Feature Story Assignment for "News Writing & Reporting for Print Media" class. My lecturer's name is Rubin Khoo. I think you might know him. He used to write for The Star now he's got his own magazine - August.
I will be absolutely delighted if I can get a photo of you from your reply for my interview and better still if I can meet you at a point just for 30 seconds to have a photo with you - if time permits by Thursday.
My syabas to Datin Sri for a great theatre. Thank you for allowing me to have this interview. I am so proud to have an ex-KDU student at such heights. My best wishes to you.
Thanks heaps & Salam,
.Hanah.
1. Datin Sri, you once studied in KDU. Did you enjoy your time studying there and what did you remember most about KDU and the surrounding area?
I liked the fact that it was a potpourri of different cultures at KDU. We had kids from all over the country as well as international students, so it was a nice "world community" feeling back then. I thrive in surroundings like this and every day was an interesting discovery for me!
2. At the time you were in KDU, did you think that you'd be in the theatre world and making it this far?
I was already very ambitious even back then, and had started my first venture as an entrepreneur whilst I was at KDU. I set up one of the first talent casting agencies in Malaysia, and discovered talents like Sofia Jane, Maria Faridah, even Meer Habib, as well as many others, during this time. I was also very active in the concerts and plays and pageants-performing, choreographing, directing, producing... and i would give everything a go for sure. I hadn't any clue it would take me this far but that was where I dreamed my first dreams!
3. You must have had some mixed feelings on the last day of PGL 3 recently. How did you feel exactly the moment the final curtain call of the 3rd season of the PGL the Musical was called?
It was the most painful moment of my life, like having to amputate a part of me! What made it a beautiful and memorable experience for me was the love from the audience who was there that night to join me on my final moment up the mountain, that, I will never forget.
4. How would you describe the development and standard of Performing Arts as a whole in this country?
My honest opinion is that we have a lot to catch up on, compared to our other Asian counterparts. That's a fact we all have to wake up to, and face up to, before we can go any further. I'm really excited by the opportunity presented to me to head Akademi Fantasia in their quest for a "transformation" in season 7 because I have an opportunity to hopefully change the mindset of not only the AF7 students but the thinking of the movers and shakers in the Malaysian entertainment industry and the millions of TV viewers who tune in every night tp watch AF. We need to get out of a "GOOD ENOUGH FOR MALAYSIA" mentality and think of COMPETING WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD. This is the only way Malaysia will ever be relevant, for people to take any notice of us. We need to hit like a TIDAL WAVE to make any sort of impact and to tell the world we even exist.
5. What would you advise youngsters or anyone for that matter who has the interest and passion for Performing Arts?
Always start with a Big Hairy Audacious Goal! I set very high, almost ridiculous goals for myself every time I venture into something new, and people who work with me know this. Its the only way you can ever achieve something beyond what's available in the market, and way beyond anything you would have been able to achieve in the past. We have to get OUT of a "mediocre" mode - like the Malay saying goes, "Mati Segan, Hidup Tak Mahu". We can't afford to be an "also ran" in any competition - Malaysia must start to be recognised for producing ICONS - we need more Lee Chong Weis and Nicol Davids so people KNOW that Malaysia is a force to be reckoned with and we're here to play, and here to stay. Your mantra should be, stop at nothing to make that goal happen. Once you're there, keep working hard to continuously stay on top of your game, stay relevant, current, stay determined and most of all, stay focused.
6. Datin Sri, you seem to have reached milestones that very very few have achieved. Nevertheless, where do you see yourself in 10 years time?
I hope to have set up a Performing Arts Academy of my own, where all the best talents and icons in our country will graduate from. My graduates will be industry leaders, movers and shakers, and will make waves on the world stage. How's that for a hairy scary goal?
7. I understand that you lead a very positive and balanced life. What are your latest indulgences and hobby during your free time?
I spend a lot of my free time with my kids, and we discuss everything from how to make paper guns to the latest transformers to the latest pop songs and movies. We travel a lot together, watch movies, paint, indulge in sports like tennis, horse-riding, golf, cycling. I learn so much about life through the innocent eyes and hearts of my kids.
8. You come from a background of experiencing various cultures. What's your favourite food and how does this relate to your cafe in Sunway?
well, I think I AM one of the best living examples of someone whose own BACKGROUND is a mixture of various cultures, so my list of favorite food probably reflects this - from Laksa Sarawak to Laksam to Chilli Crabs to a Nyonya dish caled Joo Hoo Char... The first thing i did when i set up BORNEO RAINFOREST @ SUNWAY is to make sure I could share all my favorite dishes with everyone. Everyone else who loves yummy food and want to have a good time in a fun, relaxed surrounding, that is. Good food, good live music, under the stars... how's that for a sell? Ha Ha.
9. As a very busy person, you must have a favourite location to chill. Where do you think is the best hang out place?
What would you think my answer would be? Ha ha. When I want to relax and "let my hair down", I love watching the live band pay at Borneo Rainforest. Nothing like live music to lift your spirits. That's my idea of a great chill out.
10. Many people say that you have brought theatre to new heights and some already say you are an icon. If you could say anything, to anyone out there, what would it be?
It's never easy trying to be the one to raise the bar in any industry, you will face resistance from people who are used to doing things a cerain way for donkeys years, as well as the skeptics who watch from the stands and make all sorts of very senseless comments, people who and have never spent a day on the field themselves. But I've learnt that hard work and dedication pays off, and I've learned that things can only change if you have strong leadership and if you have a definite war-plan and a motivated team. Nothing is impossible and impossible is nothing.
Dear Datin Sri Tiara,
My name is Fatin Farhanah bt Mohd Hanif (Hanah) 21, studying Diploma in Mass Communication in KDU. I was made to understand from Amhari that this is the best way to get an interview since you just came back from overseas and having a hectic schedule.
I feel very honuored to get this interview. Attach is the interview questions for my Feature Story Assignment for "News Writing & Reporting for Print Media" class. My lecturer's name is Rubin Khoo. I think you might know him. He used to write for The Star now he's got his own magazine - August.
I will be absolutely delighted if I can get a photo of you from your reply for my interview and better still if I can meet you at a point just for 30 seconds to have a photo with you - if time permits by Thursday.
My syabas to Datin Sri for a great theatre. Thank you for allowing me to have this interview. I am so proud to have an ex-KDU student at such heights. My best wishes to you.
Thanks heaps & Salam,
.Hanah.
1. Datin Sri, you once studied in KDU. Did you enjoy your time studying there and what did you remember most about KDU and the surrounding area?
I liked the fact that it was a potpourri of different cultures at KDU. We had kids from all over the country as well as international students, so it was a nice "world community" feeling back then. I thrive in surroundings like this and every day was an interesting discovery for me!
2. At the time you were in KDU, did you think that you'd be in the theatre world and making it this far?
I was already very ambitious even back then, and had started my first venture as an entrepreneur whilst I was at KDU. I set up one of the first talent casting agencies in Malaysia, and discovered talents like Sofia Jane, Maria Faridah, even Meer Habib, as well as many others, during this time. I was also very active in the concerts and plays and pageants-performing, choreographing, directing, producing... and i would give everything a go for sure. I hadn't any clue it would take me this far but that was where I dreamed my first dreams!
3. You must have had some mixed feelings on the last day of PGL 3 recently. How did you feel exactly the moment the final curtain call of the 3rd season of the PGL the Musical was called?
It was the most painful moment of my life, like having to amputate a part of me! What made it a beautiful and memorable experience for me was the love from the audience who was there that night to join me on my final moment up the mountain, that, I will never forget.
4. How would you describe the development and standard of Performing Arts as a whole in this country?
My honest opinion is that we have a lot to catch up on, compared to our other Asian counterparts. That's a fact we all have to wake up to, and face up to, before we can go any further. I'm really excited by the opportunity presented to me to head Akademi Fantasia in their quest for a "transformation" in season 7 because I have an opportunity to hopefully change the mindset of not only the AF7 students but the thinking of the movers and shakers in the Malaysian entertainment industry and the millions of TV viewers who tune in every night tp watch AF. We need to get out of a "GOOD ENOUGH FOR MALAYSIA" mentality and think of COMPETING WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD. This is the only way Malaysia will ever be relevant, for people to take any notice of us. We need to hit like a TIDAL WAVE to make any sort of impact and to tell the world we even exist.
5. What would you advise youngsters or anyone for that matter who has the interest and passion for Performing Arts?
Always start with a Big Hairy Audacious Goal! I set very high, almost ridiculous goals for myself every time I venture into something new, and people who work with me know this. Its the only way you can ever achieve something beyond what's available in the market, and way beyond anything you would have been able to achieve in the past. We have to get OUT of a "mediocre" mode - like the Malay saying goes, "Mati Segan, Hidup Tak Mahu". We can't afford to be an "also ran" in any competition - Malaysia must start to be recognised for producing ICONS - we need more Lee Chong Weis and Nicol Davids so people KNOW that Malaysia is a force to be reckoned with and we're here to play, and here to stay. Your mantra should be, stop at nothing to make that goal happen. Once you're there, keep working hard to continuously stay on top of your game, stay relevant, current, stay determined and most of all, stay focused.
6. Datin Sri, you seem to have reached milestones that very very few have achieved. Nevertheless, where do you see yourself in 10 years time?
I hope to have set up a Performing Arts Academy of my own, where all the best talents and icons in our country will graduate from. My graduates will be industry leaders, movers and shakers, and will make waves on the world stage. How's that for a hairy scary goal?
7. I understand that you lead a very positive and balanced life. What are your latest indulgences and hobby during your free time?
I spend a lot of my free time with my kids, and we discuss everything from how to make paper guns to the latest transformers to the latest pop songs and movies. We travel a lot together, watch movies, paint, indulge in sports like tennis, horse-riding, golf, cycling. I learn so much about life through the innocent eyes and hearts of my kids.
8. You come from a background of experiencing various cultures. What's your favourite food and how does this relate to your cafe in Sunway?
well, I think I AM one of the best living examples of someone whose own BACKGROUND is a mixture of various cultures, so my list of favorite food probably reflects this - from Laksa Sarawak to Laksam to Chilli Crabs to a Nyonya dish caled Joo Hoo Char... The first thing i did when i set up BORNEO RAINFOREST @ SUNWAY is to make sure I could share all my favorite dishes with everyone. Everyone else who loves yummy food and want to have a good time in a fun, relaxed surrounding, that is. Good food, good live music, under the stars... how's that for a sell? Ha Ha.
9. As a very busy person, you must have a favourite location to chill. Where do you think is the best hang out place?
What would you think my answer would be? Ha ha. When I want to relax and "let my hair down", I love watching the live band pay at Borneo Rainforest. Nothing like live music to lift your spirits. That's my idea of a great chill out.
10. Many people say that you have brought theatre to new heights and some already say you are an icon. If you could say anything, to anyone out there, what would it be?
It's never easy trying to be the one to raise the bar in any industry, you will face resistance from people who are used to doing things a cerain way for donkeys years, as well as the skeptics who watch from the stands and make all sorts of very senseless comments, people who and have never spent a day on the field themselves. But I've learnt that hard work and dedication pays off, and I've learned that things can only change if you have strong leadership and if you have a definite war-plan and a motivated team. Nothing is impossible and impossible is nothing.
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
Malay Mail - Tiara to do it better in AF7
Tiara to do it better in AF7
By NADIRAH H. RODZI March 10, 2009 Categories: News
THERE’S nothing a man can do that a woman can’t. Sometimes, we do it better,” said the newly appointed Akademi Fantasia’s (AF) principal, Datin Seri Tiara Jacquelina, with a cheekysmile.
No stranger to Malaysia’s entertainment industry, Tiara has acted, sung, hosted as well as produced many mega projects and is undoubtedly capable of shouldering her responsibility as the
new principal for the reality TV show.
Breaking the tradition of male principals throughout the years, Tiara has definitely proven that she fits the bill well to lead and groom the contestants into becoming the best of talents.
“I am very thrilled to become the new principal for AF. I have been a fan of the show since the first season was aired. Although I am promoting a few changes in the latest season of the show, it’s great to be here and I am so excited to share first-hand knowledge with them personally,” gushed Tiara.
Asked what she loves most about the show, Tiara revealed: “The idea of exposing a journey of a zero to hero really draws my attention. It isn’t exactly easy to groom a person into becoming
a star. Some take years but we are only given three months. This is a great opportunity and I am ready for this.”
Tiara revealed that she had already recommended some major changes to be made at the academy and was definitely up to the challenge as the promotional catchphrase of season seven is “The Touch of Transformation has Begun”.
“To me, transformation means new breath, dare to try something new, up for the challenge and ready for change.
With all the qualities I have mentioned, we could give birth to world class entertainers.
“I believe it’s about time for us to produce local entertainers with these kinds of qualities.
That’s how the new catchphrase came by. If the goal is there but the confidence is not, a dream
could never be turned into a reality,” she said.
However, with great responsibility, comes great work. Although Tiara thinks that it is possible to produce world class entertainers within the country, the star does not deny the fact that it is going to be a challenging journey.
“I believe it’s going to be hard and there will be a lot of unforeseen circumstances ahead but I beg to differ that this is just another season of AF. I am here to make sure that we are going to deliver the very best, the most memorable season of AF ever.
“We do not want to produce just another entertainer; we want to produce icons. I will give my 1,000 per cent,” said Tiara.
“We’re not here to create a ripple, we’re here to create a tidal wave.”
Murai.com - Tiara Jacquelina sah Pengetua AF7
9-Mar-2009 | Oleh: Ellyna Ali
Tiara Jacquelina Sah Pengetua AF7
Teks oleh Ellyna Ali
KUALA LUMPUR, 9 MAC 2008: Transformasi telah bermula. Program realiti TV paling popular, Akademi Fantasia 7 (AF7), mencetuskan transformasi dan kejutan apabila melantik pelakon, penyanyi serta produser Datin Seri Tiara Jacquelina sebagai pengetua bagi musim ini.
Pengumuman ini dibuat oleh Astro di Jalan Dungun, Damansara, malam tadi menerusi program Diari AF7.
Perubahan itu menonjolkan satu kelainan drastik kerana sepanjang penerbitan AF, belum pernah pengetua wanita dilantik untuk mengemudikannya. Ia turut mengakhiri spekulasi siapa pengetua AF7 selama ini selepas tenaga pengajar dan barisan pelajarnya diumumkan lebih awal.
Di kalangan peminat hiburan, Tiara dikenali sebagai pelakon, penyanyi, produser dan usahawan. Beliau mula aktif dalam lakonan sejak 1980-an. Kemuncak pencapaian beliau ada berlakon dan menerbitkan filem serta teater muzikal Puteri Gunung Ledang (PGLM). Selain itu beliau juga menerbitkan teater Muzikal P Ramlee dengan jayanya.
Tiara yang baru kembali dari mengerjakan umrah di Tanah Suci Makkah selepas selesai PGLM musim ke-3 ternyata gembira dengan perlantikan itu dan berazam membimbing pelajar AF7 ke tahap cemerlang. Antara artis terkenal yang pernah digilap oleh Tiara di bawah agensinya Kit Kat Klub adalah Sofia Jane, Aida Rahim, Maria Farida dan Jay KOOL.
Tiara juga pernah merakamkan single Asmaradana ketika filem PGL ditayangkan. Hujung tahun lalu, Tiara melanjutkan pengajian di sebuah universiti di Tasmania, Australia dalam bidang seni persembahan dan vokal.
Dalam Diari AF pertama yang ke udara hari ini, Tiara tampil memperkenalkan diri beliau dan membuat sesi suai kenal dengan kesemua 14 pelajar. Tiara juga memberikan taklimat kepada semua pelajar tentang misi serta perjuangan mereka dalam AF7 dan mahu AF7 menjadi program yang realiti terbaik dalam sejarah penganjurannya.
Harian Metro-Kejutan besar AF7
Kejutan besar AF7
KUALA LUMPUR: Rancangan realiti tv terbitan Astro Ria, Akademi Fantasia musim ketujuh (AF7), bermula dengan kejutan ‘besar’ apabila pertama kali melantik pengetua wanita iaitu penerbit dan pelakon utama teater Puteri Gunung Ledang (PGL), Datin Seri Tiara Jacquelina.
Pengumuman itu dibuat menerusi rancangan Diari AF7 yang pertama kali disiarkan dan diikuti sidang akhbar khas di Damansara di sini, semalam.
Sebelum pengumuman dibuat pihak penerbitan AF7 masih cuba berteka-teki dengan wakil media yang hadir apabila turut menjemput Pengarah Muzik, Hashridz (Acis) Murshim Hassim suami kepada penyanyi, Datuk Sheila Majid hadir ke majlis diadakan. Sheila sebelum ini dikatakan bakal memegang jawatan penting dalam rancangan itu.
Sewaktu ditemui, Tiara menjelaskan dia menerima tawaran itu daripada produksi Astro beberapa minggu lalu.
“Saya mengikuti rancangan Akademi Fantasia sejak musim pertama dan apa yang menarik perhatian saya untuk menyandang jawatan pengetua adalah tema yang digunakan tahun ini iaitu ‘transformasi’. Melihat dari sudut itu saya memikirkan banyak perkara boleh dilakukan terutama kepada pelajar terpilih.
“Misi saya untuk menjadikan mereka penghibur terbaik bukan saja di sini, tetapi ke peringkat antarabangsa. Kerana itu penggunaan bahasa Inggeris turut diberikan penekanan kepada pelajar musim ini,” katanya.
Pengurus Saluran Astro Ria, Khairul Mizan Shagul, pada majlis sidang akhbar itu menjelaskan pihaknya membuat tawaran kepada hampir semua nama yang disebut pihak media untuk menjadi pengetua.
Antara mereka yang disebut bakal menjawat jawatan itu selain Sheila, seperti penghibur bertaraf antarabangsa, Anita Sarawak, Aznil Nawawi, dan beberapa nama komposer berpengalaman tanah air.
“Proses pemilihan jawatan pengetua sebenarnya dibuat hampir lima bulan lalu dan banyak nama disenaraikan. Boleh dikatakan semua nama yang disebut pihak media sebelum ini turut kami temui,” katanya.
Kosmo-Sah Tiara Pengetua AF7!
10 Mac 2009
Sah Tiara Pengetua AF7
PENAMPILAN terbaru Tiara malam tadi.
KUALA LUMPUR - Program realiti popular Akademi Fantasia (AF) mendapat pengetua wanita pertama apabila Datin Seri Tiara Jacquelina diberi tanggungjawab itu untuk musim ke-7 program itu yang bermula malam tadi.
Ini sekali gus mengesahkan ramalan Kosmo! baru-baru ini yang melaporkan pelakon itu disebut-sebut sebagai pengetua AF7.
Pengetua-pengetua AF sebelum ini ialah Freddie Fernandez untuk AF musim pertama, Ramli M.S (AF2 dan AF6), M. Nasir (AF3), Ramli Sarip (AF4) dan Roslan Aziz (AF5).
KERATAN Kosmo! 8 Mac 2009.
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Pemilihan itu telah diumumkan menerusi program Diari AF7 episod pertama malam tadi di saluran Astro Ria.
Pemilihan Tiara menjawab desas-desus beberapa nama seperti Norman Abdul Halim, Anita Sarawak, Ramli MS, Aznil Nawawi, Farihin Abd. Fatah, Datuk Ahmad Nawab serta Datuk Sheila Majid yang dikatakan bakal menduduki struktur tertinggi organisasi AF itu.
Beliau akan bergabung tenaga dengan barisan pengajar termasuk A. Aris A. Kadir (Guru Koreografi), Ida Nerina (Guru Seni Persembahan dan Lakonan), Hashridz Murshim Hassim atau Acis (Pengarah Muzik), Siti Hajar Ismail (Guru Vokal Teknikal), Syafizawati Sharif (Guru Persembahan Vokal) dan Fatimah Abu Bakar (Guru Motivasi dan Bahasa Inggeris).
Senarai pelajar AF7 pula telah diumumkan menerusi program Tirai Akademi Fantasia 7, malam Ahad lalu.
My TRANSFORMASI from Puteri to Principal!
Tiara is BAAAAACK! It's great to be back in my own skin as myself for a change. Been lying low cos I had to keep mum about the next big thing and it wasn't easy. Anyway everyone, it's out in the open now so I can breathe out.
I had a great start on my first day at the Academy. Met the faculty for the first time, met the kids, and I kicked off with a Keynote presentation off the vision and mission statement I had in mind. I decided that the best way to start this journey together would be to make sure we had a definite PLAN first and foremost, with a definite target and goal, and that we are always on the same page.
I watched their faces for reactions as i presented my case. I got several gaping mouths at first, a few blank stares too, probably because AF never used lingo like MISSION STATEMENT or VISION in their teaching text before, but by the end of the third slide, i knew they had got it and when i asked them "ARE YOU WITH ME?" I got the most enthusiastic "YES!!!!" I ever heard in the history of AF!
At the end of the session, energy was high, I could see fire in everyone's eyes and in their voices, students and faculty alike, and i could sense that the transformation had already begun.
For the record, I thought I'd share on my blog, a few of the main slides i shared with the students yesterday, so you have an idea WHAT THE TRANSFORMATION WILL BE ABOUT.
I look forward to this new project with more enthusiasm than ever. It's gonna be a huge challenge because it's the first time I've entered a project where the framework has been set, people are in place and I don't have my usual team on board. I take this as the ultimate test for me, to see if I can successfully translate my thoughts and way of working to a new team. Hopefully i will be able to "infect" them and we will be able to take AF7 to heights never scaled before - wish me luck!
I had a great start on my first day at the Academy. Met the faculty for the first time, met the kids, and I kicked off with a Keynote presentation off the vision and mission statement I had in mind. I decided that the best way to start this journey together would be to make sure we had a definite PLAN first and foremost, with a definite target and goal, and that we are always on the same page.
I watched their faces for reactions as i presented my case. I got several gaping mouths at first, a few blank stares too, probably because AF never used lingo like MISSION STATEMENT or VISION in their teaching text before, but by the end of the third slide, i knew they had got it and when i asked them "ARE YOU WITH ME?" I got the most enthusiastic "YES!!!!" I ever heard in the history of AF!
At the end of the session, energy was high, I could see fire in everyone's eyes and in their voices, students and faculty alike, and i could sense that the transformation had already begun.
For the record, I thought I'd share on my blog, a few of the main slides i shared with the students yesterday, so you have an idea WHAT THE TRANSFORMATION WILL BE ABOUT.
I look forward to this new project with more enthusiasm than ever. It's gonna be a huge challenge because it's the first time I've entered a project where the framework has been set, people are in place and I don't have my usual team on board. I take this as the ultimate test for me, to see if I can successfully translate my thoughts and way of working to a new team. Hopefully i will be able to "infect" them and we will be able to take AF7 to heights never scaled before - wish me luck!
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
My final journey up Gunung Ledang
From The Puteri's Diaries:
(Tiara Jacquelina got home at 4am on 23rd February 2009, after taking her final curtain call as the Puteri of Gunung Ledang, and her first late night supper in four months to celebrate the end of a most memorable journey. Here, she shares her thoughts and feelings of the day that was.)
Sunday, 22nd February 2009. My phone alarm had been set for 10am this morning. Yesterday being a Saturday, we had a matinee as well as an evening performance, and by the time I got home and was finally ready to switch off for the night, it was 2am. I never wake up without getting my eight hours’ sleep, not even for hell or high water, but this morning I was wide awake for several hours before. I tried everything from deep breathing to meditation to counting germs and mosquito hearts in vain, as my mind was full of thoughts about the day ahead of me.
Today I would be making my final journey up the mountain, and taking my final bow at the curtain call as a girl I had come to know so intimately over the last six years. Just as Puteri went up the mountain a girl with dreams and hopes, and came down as a woman, very sure about what she wanted and determined to achieve it at all costs, I have learnt, grown and blossomed so much along this wonderful journey.
I glanced at my phone message inbox, and something told me not to even go there, not till after tonight. I did, however, open two text messages, one from my director Zahim, asking how I was feeling and if I was okay. The second one was from my sister Carol, telling me that our cousin Angie had managed to buy 36 tickets for my the Eu clan – nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles to be there tonight, with bells, pots and pans and pom-poms.
For a stage performer, the final day of a run is usually the toughest day to get through. Unlike when you work on an album or a film, the process of rehearsing a play requires a lot more mental, physical and emotional investment. Also, a film tends to be shot out of sequence, therefore the emotional journey is interrupted whenever the director yells “cut!”
On this third season of Puteri Gunung Ledang the Musical, I have spent every waking moment of my day for the past four months, from 10am to midnight, with 175 people who love what they do, who have joined the team with a clear sense of purpose - to make a difference, and whose energy and spirit of comraderie and unity is so catching.
It’s amazing to see how this spirit can translate across the theatre to the 100,000 people who have come to support and celebrate all 70 performances of PGL we have put on since season one. Believe it or not, it’s the audience that makes the difference between a good performance and a great unforgettable one. This is the magic of “live” theatre. When an audience is “alive” and generous with their appreciation, as we have experienced over the last three seasons in K.L., the performers onstage cannot help but be energized in return, and reciprocate by turning up our game a few notches higher. And together, both the audience and the performers go on this amazing roller-coaster of emotions together throughout the evening. This synergy is what I think I will miss most of all, come midnight when all this will come to an end.
Tomorrow, or perhaps a few days after the dust has settled, most of the ensemble, who are the backbone of our show, will go back to their pre-PGL lives as lawyers, engineers, accountants, university students as well as full-time performers. A.C (Mizal) and Adlin (Aman Ramlie) will move on to the next film or TV project, Ida (Mariana) will no doubt be wow-ing her adoring fans at her next jazz club stint… unless she decides to delve in deeper into the world of magic and illusions after this, that is. And Steve (Rahman-Hughes) would be flying home to London, after stripping off his Hang Tuah regalia and returning the famous Taming Sari to the props department.
I can’t imagine at this point what it will be like tomorrow, when I wouldn’t be getting assistant stage manager Syed’s call time SMS to come in for daily notes from Zahim, followed by make-up, hair and our routine daily sound-check. I had promised myself, that all through today and tonight, I refused to allow myself to get caught up in the emotions of singing my swan song, but would stay focused on delivering the performance of a lifetime for all those who will come to watch our encore performance.
I arrived at my dressing room at 4pm, did half an hour of stretching and sun salutations as a warm-up. With Corinne Bailey Rae soothing my soul on my iPhone, I sat in my massage chair and was determined to pamper myself and soak up every last second of the final leg of this journey. I could never catch a nap successfully in the daytime, and certainly not during the run of a show, since I’m always so full of adrenaline from the time I wake up. However, today, lulled by Corinne and what seemed like the most luxurious massage I have ever had, I floated off… for maybe five or seven minutes in all, but long enough for me to wake up recharged and refreshed.
The M.A.C. makeup team walked through the door at 5pm, followed y a barrage of the usual suspects from the hair, costume and sound departments. One has to practice staying calm and being unaffected when you are surrounded by a storm of people buzzing around you like this, tugging at your hair, plastering microphones onto your face. I took a photo of the team milling around me for remembrance. They somehow developed a work system over the last month of working together –face makeup first, followed by the top half of my costume, which I wear with my workout tights or jeans below, so I can still move around and stretch with ease. I’m sitting on a bright red exercise ball so I can keep my lower back moving continuously in between. Then, during final face makeup touch-up, the hair department gets going. This is when I put on the Anton Browne vocal warm-up CD Steve introduced to me, and I owe him for this because it has helped me so much in developing my vocals along the years. Anyway, by now, everyone - from my dresser, the makeup and hair team – know the exercises by heart, and they even join me in singing along to it. That’s another one for the memory box for me for sure!
Once hair is done, the microphone team move in, and by the end of their session, I look like an autobot with wires, two or three mic packs around my waist and cables running along the back of my costume, through my hair and on the side of my face. I wear at least two microphones, so that in the event one mic fails, which will happen as Murphy says it will, our designer Ken Freeman turns the back-up mic on.
At this point, the P.A comes on and we expect to hear the assistant stage manager Syed’s voice yell out to everyone to go onstage for our daily sound check. Today’s announcement had a different tone to it though. Syed sang his announcement to the tune of Bayan and Puteri’s farewell song “Moga Temui Cinta”. “Telah tiba masa, untuk sound check ini, kerna datangnya dekat pentas, bagai telah dipanggil…” and he goes on for another verse and the chorus. I could hear squeals of laughter all across the three floors of dressing rooms.
Well, I went onstage to do my sound check, and as I looked out onto the still empty theatre, I had a gut sense that tonight was going to be a good night. I was completely energised, and was feeling like I was in absolute top form, and the vibe in Istana Budaya’s Panggung Sari felt so right. I waved goodbye and said my thank you’s to the front-of-house team, the AV projection team, the lighting team and the sound team. “It’s gonna be a great night, everyone… we’re really gonna rock this place!” and they all yelled back “Yeaaaah!!!”
Then came “circle time”, where the cast, ensemble, stage management and creative team heads join hands before the curtains go up, say a short prayer, and listen to any final notes from Zahim. Steve and I reminded everyone that tonight, being the end of the run, it was natural that emotions would be running high, BUT we all had a responsibility to put on a show for the 1,400 people who have paid good money each night to be with us. I joked with everyone that anyone who started crying before the curtains would suffer the fate of Gusti Adipati’s “pancung!”
You know, people often ask me during interviews, what in my opinion is the magical factor that makes PGL so successful, and though I can never really place a finger on one thing for sure, I think one of the factors has to be dedication and focus by everyone in the team. Every one of the 175 people involved in PGL the musical knows that no matter how menial their task may seem, their efficiency and precision is critical to the overall success of the show. Whether its positioning an actor’s microphone, or making sure mic batteries are fully charged, or flashing a torchlight to guide an actor safely across the darkness backstage, or even the guy whose task it is to ensure that the flowers in my kain are placed properly so that they fly when I kick them towards Hang Tuah, the stage crew who are involved in the illusions, a show like this cannot afford to have a weak link, and everyone learns very quickly that they would never ever want to be that weak link.
Another factor that’s very clear to me is the love, the sense of one-ness and the unity in purpose of everyone on the team. We have Malaysians from almost every possible racial and cultural background – Malays, Chinese, Indians, Orang Asli, Ibans, Kadazans, who join hands in that circle every evening at 8pm to breathe positive energy and love into the hands of the person on his right, as he in turn receives energy from the person on his left. Everyone in that circle is united as one in the name of one goal, and constantly looks out for and supports each other, so everyone has an equal chance to shine.
This play has so brilliantly been written by Adlin Ramlie and crafted by Zahim Albakri in such a way that everyone from the lead actors to the support cast to the ensemble has their spotlight moment. In the PGL team, everyone realizes that we all have our designated “moments”, and that collectively, as a team, it is everyone’s duty to help each other shine. After working with uncountable groups of actors over my twenty years in this industry, I have found that it is more common to find actors who are selfish, self-centred and always thinking of how to upstage his fellow actor. In the process the play suffers, as all we are watching is a battle of egos onstage, which is painful and sad at the same time.
When we first put the team together in 2005, I realised that some things needed to be cleared upfront. This was a team made up of the biggest creative brains in the business, and with the name usually comes the ego. I made it clear from the start that theatre is a collective effort, and that we were all new to this game, and that we were all here to learn and support each other, towards a shared mission and goal. Whenever there was dispute, we would put the project first, and decide what was best for the project and not the individual. Because we have been able to stand together stronger, the product of this unity is something the country has never seen before.
Chedd Yusoff’s cheerful announcement welcomes everyone to the show, and everyone rises to sing our National Anthem. Ida and I are on standby in the wings, stage right, doing some last minute stretching, breathing and focusing. The Jalur Gemilang billowing proudly on the front projection screen, and we sing our hearts out as a final wake-up call for our vocals before we open the show with Majapahit’s song of hope, “Suatu Hari Nanti”. As I touch the nearly impossible top note in NegaraKu, a wave of emotion comes over me, as I sense the hopes and dreams that I’d been praying for seem to be coming true.
I glanced through the front screen to look out at the audience, to have a feel for their energy. Yes, the day has finally come – I see Malaysians from all walks of life come together to support and cheer night after night for PGL. From the way they cheer and clap even after the NegaraKu, it’s quite clear that we have quite a different kind of audience now, they are not here to criticize or judge. Instead, I sensed the spirit of 1,400 fans and friends and family of PGL, joining hands to support and celebrate a group of fellow Malaysians, and it felt really right. I wonder if this is what national pride could be about?
This season, the number of Malaysian public who rushed to buy tickets far outweighed our corporate bookings, and because of the Malaysian public, we were completely out of tickets before the curtains went up. Most of the nights, we were playing to an audience who were there with us not because they were given invitations, but because they paid good money to be there. That kind of love and support is channelled across the stage to all of us performing, and that’s where the magic of “live” theatre happens.
The curtains go up, and tonight, all my senses are heightened as I soak up each precious moment onstage. Tonight, I have found a new energy and an extra drive in my delivery. Tonight was different. Tonight, what drove our performance was love. More than just the love story between Tuah and Puteri, or the love of a nanny who gives her life for her Puteri’s happiness. When I met Jit Murad after the show, he said during the curtain call, he could sense the love between the cast members, and the no-holds barred love and affection the audience showed us tonight, as they do every night.
Maybe tonight, I was a little overwhelmed by the love in the air. In the scene on the cliff where Hang Tuah and Puteri pledge their eternal love and vow to be together again, the beautiful words we borrowed from Mamat Khalid’s film version of PGL touched me in a way I’d never felt before. Remembering my own warning words of “Pancung!” to the cast backstage, I bit my tongue, clenched my fists and breathed, breathed, breathed till the wave of emotion passed. Phew.
My next challenge came during the scene when my nanny Bayan sends me off to Melaka. This scene has never been easy for me, because Ida as a most giving actor always affects me with her genuine warmth. I felt that lump in my throat again as she started the song. Breathe, breathe, breathe! You cannot hold a tune when you’re emotional, and “Moga Temui Cinta” was one of the most beautiful songs in the show, I didn’t want to mess it up for both Ida and me.
Thankfully, my thoughts were distracted during the intermission by autographing program books and CDs and posing for photos with the cast and crew backstage, in between doing a makeup touch-up, a complete costume and hair change and mic battery checks. The first half of Act Two is a lot lighter for me, as I have moments to rest whilst Steve and Adlin wow the audience with their solo numbers.
When Adlin goes on as the dancing Sutan, I warm up in the wings for the marathon to come, which begins from the halfway point of Act Two, right up to the end of the show. This part of the show is about forty minutes of non-stop action and high drama.
The time has come, and I’m escorted across the darkness backstage to stage right by assistant stage manager Mei Chuen and Stage Manager Hamidon. Midon is the unseen unsung hero whose backstage cues are as critical as the performance onstage itself. Upon Production Stage Manager Pat Gui’s cue, Midon cues the moving of the structures onstage geniusly created by Raja Malek called the Stupas. Each of the six Stupas weighs half a ton each and need to be moved across the stage according to precision timing to end up at a specific spot every single night. Hamidon also looks out for everyone’s safety, guiding actors on and off sets in the dark. People always ask me how it is I make it off the mountain and run into the Melaka palace in just a few seconds. I have to run down a scaffolding staircase so fast I can’t feel my feet, whist hanging on to dear Hamidon. One slip could cause me an injury I may never recover from all my life, but on PGLM we have learnt that as a team you have to literally be able to trust each other with your lives.
I share a light moment with assistant Stage Manager Sharus who manages the 1-ton waterfall set. He cracked me up so much tonight when he produced what appeared to be an air freshener spray which he told me he had sprayed all over the unsuspecting set movers called the Stupa crew before I enter the enclosed set with a whole bunch of them. He said “I want to make sure the air on Ledang will smell fresh as morning due for you!” I remember telling myself, “I’m glad I’m still laughing, at this point.”
Then came “the scene on the mountain”, my final scene with my dear buddy and stage partner of three seasons, Stephen Rahman-Hughes. What a journey we’d been through together. Steve trained me to sing in exchange for Bahasa lessons, and his priceless guidance gave me so much more confidence in preparing myself to take on this musical.
Something happened during that scene on the mountain. Maybe it was the way Rohaslam Hizad’s haunting flute played Puteri’s anthem tonight, or the realization that Puteri had almost come to the end of her journey at this point, but all it took was for Steve to say , “Dinda, disini rupanya Dinda.” I was so choked up with emotion that I could hardly utter my reply, “Iya Kanda... Adinda di sini…” I breathed and breathed and breathed so much my chest hurt, I made a fist and dug my nails deep into my palms, but I was too far gone. I was in bits and I’m afraid I must have done Steve a terrible injustice by affecting him, too.
It was so painful struggling to keep it together during the song, fighting to get some kind of melody across in the song, or even to just talk it. Steve was patting me on the back to try and calm me down and breathing into my ear like a husband to his wife in labour. But he ended up a mess himself too.
Later that evening when we had our final night supper celebration together, Chedd Yusoff who is Steve’s understudy, joked, “tonight, we have witnessed that the great Steve is only human after all and can sing off-key like the rest of us mortals!”, to which Steve replied in his usual dry British humour, “thanks a flippin’ bunch, Tiara, for ruining my career. That was the first time ever that I’d hit a bum note.” Bless…
Thankfully though, I managed to contain myself again after the duet, and in the subsequent scene, the naming of the seven conditions, I felt the pain, loss and fury of the princess well up from deep inside me. I held on to that adrenalin through the next scene, which is one of my absolute favourites, the showdown between the Puteri and the Sultan of Melaka. We had workshopped this scene to be much more dramatic and “human” for this season, but tonight has to take the cake, for I almost felt electricity pass through my body as Adlin and I “passed the ball” over to each other. For a moment during the scene, his fury and rage felt so real that I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
Then came the final scene on the mountain, where Puteri prays for Tuah to make it before the sunrise. In my heart, I hear the Pussycat Dolls singing, “I hate this part right here…” because as much as I’m struggling to keep it together, I can see the silhouettes of the ensemble below looking up at me, sniffling, shaking and weeping uncontrollably. The end is near for all of us.
The curtains come down finally, and the response from the audience breaks the floodgates wide open, as we hear them cheer, clap and roar like never before. It appears as though Puteri Gunung Ledang has not only affected me and the wonderful people I have worked with on this project, but somehow that magic has translated across to the 100,000 people who have been touched by her spell along the years.
I am back at home now after my first late night supper in four months, but I still can’t switch off completely till I write all my thoughts and feelings on paper. I’m so blessed to have had this wonderful opportunity to play the dream role of a lifetime, alongside the best and most talented, passionate and dedicated people in the industry. Blessed to have the love and support of a husband who makes me believe I can touch the stars. Fortunate to be greeted with loving arms by the Malaysian theatre and film audiences who have followed me on this wonderful, unforgettable journey of being Gusti Putri Raden Ajeng Retno Dumilah, the “Puteri” of Gunung Ledang.
Now I lay me down to sleep, content that I have fought the good fight, and won the good race, and I look forward to tomorrow morning when I shall wake up as Tiara Jacquelina once again, with new mountains to conquer, new stars to reach for.
(Tiara Jacquelina got home at 4am on 23rd February 2009, after taking her final curtain call as the Puteri of Gunung Ledang, and her first late night supper in four months to celebrate the end of a most memorable journey. Here, she shares her thoughts and feelings of the day that was.)
Sunday, 22nd February 2009. My phone alarm had been set for 10am this morning. Yesterday being a Saturday, we had a matinee as well as an evening performance, and by the time I got home and was finally ready to switch off for the night, it was 2am. I never wake up without getting my eight hours’ sleep, not even for hell or high water, but this morning I was wide awake for several hours before. I tried everything from deep breathing to meditation to counting germs and mosquito hearts in vain, as my mind was full of thoughts about the day ahead of me.
Today I would be making my final journey up the mountain, and taking my final bow at the curtain call as a girl I had come to know so intimately over the last six years. Just as Puteri went up the mountain a girl with dreams and hopes, and came down as a woman, very sure about what she wanted and determined to achieve it at all costs, I have learnt, grown and blossomed so much along this wonderful journey.
I glanced at my phone message inbox, and something told me not to even go there, not till after tonight. I did, however, open two text messages, one from my director Zahim, asking how I was feeling and if I was okay. The second one was from my sister Carol, telling me that our cousin Angie had managed to buy 36 tickets for my the Eu clan – nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and uncles to be there tonight, with bells, pots and pans and pom-poms.
For a stage performer, the final day of a run is usually the toughest day to get through. Unlike when you work on an album or a film, the process of rehearsing a play requires a lot more mental, physical and emotional investment. Also, a film tends to be shot out of sequence, therefore the emotional journey is interrupted whenever the director yells “cut!”
On this third season of Puteri Gunung Ledang the Musical, I have spent every waking moment of my day for the past four months, from 10am to midnight, with 175 people who love what they do, who have joined the team with a clear sense of purpose - to make a difference, and whose energy and spirit of comraderie and unity is so catching.
It’s amazing to see how this spirit can translate across the theatre to the 100,000 people who have come to support and celebrate all 70 performances of PGL we have put on since season one. Believe it or not, it’s the audience that makes the difference between a good performance and a great unforgettable one. This is the magic of “live” theatre. When an audience is “alive” and generous with their appreciation, as we have experienced over the last three seasons in K.L., the performers onstage cannot help but be energized in return, and reciprocate by turning up our game a few notches higher. And together, both the audience and the performers go on this amazing roller-coaster of emotions together throughout the evening. This synergy is what I think I will miss most of all, come midnight when all this will come to an end.
Tomorrow, or perhaps a few days after the dust has settled, most of the ensemble, who are the backbone of our show, will go back to their pre-PGL lives as lawyers, engineers, accountants, university students as well as full-time performers. A.C (Mizal) and Adlin (Aman Ramlie) will move on to the next film or TV project, Ida (Mariana) will no doubt be wow-ing her adoring fans at her next jazz club stint… unless she decides to delve in deeper into the world of magic and illusions after this, that is. And Steve (Rahman-Hughes) would be flying home to London, after stripping off his Hang Tuah regalia and returning the famous Taming Sari to the props department.
I can’t imagine at this point what it will be like tomorrow, when I wouldn’t be getting assistant stage manager Syed’s call time SMS to come in for daily notes from Zahim, followed by make-up, hair and our routine daily sound-check. I had promised myself, that all through today and tonight, I refused to allow myself to get caught up in the emotions of singing my swan song, but would stay focused on delivering the performance of a lifetime for all those who will come to watch our encore performance.
I arrived at my dressing room at 4pm, did half an hour of stretching and sun salutations as a warm-up. With Corinne Bailey Rae soothing my soul on my iPhone, I sat in my massage chair and was determined to pamper myself and soak up every last second of the final leg of this journey. I could never catch a nap successfully in the daytime, and certainly not during the run of a show, since I’m always so full of adrenaline from the time I wake up. However, today, lulled by Corinne and what seemed like the most luxurious massage I have ever had, I floated off… for maybe five or seven minutes in all, but long enough for me to wake up recharged and refreshed.
The M.A.C. makeup team walked through the door at 5pm, followed y a barrage of the usual suspects from the hair, costume and sound departments. One has to practice staying calm and being unaffected when you are surrounded by a storm of people buzzing around you like this, tugging at your hair, plastering microphones onto your face. I took a photo of the team milling around me for remembrance. They somehow developed a work system over the last month of working together –face makeup first, followed by the top half of my costume, which I wear with my workout tights or jeans below, so I can still move around and stretch with ease. I’m sitting on a bright red exercise ball so I can keep my lower back moving continuously in between. Then, during final face makeup touch-up, the hair department gets going. This is when I put on the Anton Browne vocal warm-up CD Steve introduced to me, and I owe him for this because it has helped me so much in developing my vocals along the years. Anyway, by now, everyone - from my dresser, the makeup and hair team – know the exercises by heart, and they even join me in singing along to it. That’s another one for the memory box for me for sure!
Once hair is done, the microphone team move in, and by the end of their session, I look like an autobot with wires, two or three mic packs around my waist and cables running along the back of my costume, through my hair and on the side of my face. I wear at least two microphones, so that in the event one mic fails, which will happen as Murphy says it will, our designer Ken Freeman turns the back-up mic on.
At this point, the P.A comes on and we expect to hear the assistant stage manager Syed’s voice yell out to everyone to go onstage for our daily sound check. Today’s announcement had a different tone to it though. Syed sang his announcement to the tune of Bayan and Puteri’s farewell song “Moga Temui Cinta”. “Telah tiba masa, untuk sound check ini, kerna datangnya dekat pentas, bagai telah dipanggil…” and he goes on for another verse and the chorus. I could hear squeals of laughter all across the three floors of dressing rooms.
Well, I went onstage to do my sound check, and as I looked out onto the still empty theatre, I had a gut sense that tonight was going to be a good night. I was completely energised, and was feeling like I was in absolute top form, and the vibe in Istana Budaya’s Panggung Sari felt so right. I waved goodbye and said my thank you’s to the front-of-house team, the AV projection team, the lighting team and the sound team. “It’s gonna be a great night, everyone… we’re really gonna rock this place!” and they all yelled back “Yeaaaah!!!”
Then came “circle time”, where the cast, ensemble, stage management and creative team heads join hands before the curtains go up, say a short prayer, and listen to any final notes from Zahim. Steve and I reminded everyone that tonight, being the end of the run, it was natural that emotions would be running high, BUT we all had a responsibility to put on a show for the 1,400 people who have paid good money each night to be with us. I joked with everyone that anyone who started crying before the curtains would suffer the fate of Gusti Adipati’s “pancung!”
You know, people often ask me during interviews, what in my opinion is the magical factor that makes PGL so successful, and though I can never really place a finger on one thing for sure, I think one of the factors has to be dedication and focus by everyone in the team. Every one of the 175 people involved in PGL the musical knows that no matter how menial their task may seem, their efficiency and precision is critical to the overall success of the show. Whether its positioning an actor’s microphone, or making sure mic batteries are fully charged, or flashing a torchlight to guide an actor safely across the darkness backstage, or even the guy whose task it is to ensure that the flowers in my kain are placed properly so that they fly when I kick them towards Hang Tuah, the stage crew who are involved in the illusions, a show like this cannot afford to have a weak link, and everyone learns very quickly that they would never ever want to be that weak link.
Another factor that’s very clear to me is the love, the sense of one-ness and the unity in purpose of everyone on the team. We have Malaysians from almost every possible racial and cultural background – Malays, Chinese, Indians, Orang Asli, Ibans, Kadazans, who join hands in that circle every evening at 8pm to breathe positive energy and love into the hands of the person on his right, as he in turn receives energy from the person on his left. Everyone in that circle is united as one in the name of one goal, and constantly looks out for and supports each other, so everyone has an equal chance to shine.
This play has so brilliantly been written by Adlin Ramlie and crafted by Zahim Albakri in such a way that everyone from the lead actors to the support cast to the ensemble has their spotlight moment. In the PGL team, everyone realizes that we all have our designated “moments”, and that collectively, as a team, it is everyone’s duty to help each other shine. After working with uncountable groups of actors over my twenty years in this industry, I have found that it is more common to find actors who are selfish, self-centred and always thinking of how to upstage his fellow actor. In the process the play suffers, as all we are watching is a battle of egos onstage, which is painful and sad at the same time.
When we first put the team together in 2005, I realised that some things needed to be cleared upfront. This was a team made up of the biggest creative brains in the business, and with the name usually comes the ego. I made it clear from the start that theatre is a collective effort, and that we were all new to this game, and that we were all here to learn and support each other, towards a shared mission and goal. Whenever there was dispute, we would put the project first, and decide what was best for the project and not the individual. Because we have been able to stand together stronger, the product of this unity is something the country has never seen before.
Chedd Yusoff’s cheerful announcement welcomes everyone to the show, and everyone rises to sing our National Anthem. Ida and I are on standby in the wings, stage right, doing some last minute stretching, breathing and focusing. The Jalur Gemilang billowing proudly on the front projection screen, and we sing our hearts out as a final wake-up call for our vocals before we open the show with Majapahit’s song of hope, “Suatu Hari Nanti”. As I touch the nearly impossible top note in NegaraKu, a wave of emotion comes over me, as I sense the hopes and dreams that I’d been praying for seem to be coming true.
I glanced through the front screen to look out at the audience, to have a feel for their energy. Yes, the day has finally come – I see Malaysians from all walks of life come together to support and cheer night after night for PGL. From the way they cheer and clap even after the NegaraKu, it’s quite clear that we have quite a different kind of audience now, they are not here to criticize or judge. Instead, I sensed the spirit of 1,400 fans and friends and family of PGL, joining hands to support and celebrate a group of fellow Malaysians, and it felt really right. I wonder if this is what national pride could be about?
This season, the number of Malaysian public who rushed to buy tickets far outweighed our corporate bookings, and because of the Malaysian public, we were completely out of tickets before the curtains went up. Most of the nights, we were playing to an audience who were there with us not because they were given invitations, but because they paid good money to be there. That kind of love and support is channelled across the stage to all of us performing, and that’s where the magic of “live” theatre happens.
The curtains go up, and tonight, all my senses are heightened as I soak up each precious moment onstage. Tonight, I have found a new energy and an extra drive in my delivery. Tonight was different. Tonight, what drove our performance was love. More than just the love story between Tuah and Puteri, or the love of a nanny who gives her life for her Puteri’s happiness. When I met Jit Murad after the show, he said during the curtain call, he could sense the love between the cast members, and the no-holds barred love and affection the audience showed us tonight, as they do every night.
Maybe tonight, I was a little overwhelmed by the love in the air. In the scene on the cliff where Hang Tuah and Puteri pledge their eternal love and vow to be together again, the beautiful words we borrowed from Mamat Khalid’s film version of PGL touched me in a way I’d never felt before. Remembering my own warning words of “Pancung!” to the cast backstage, I bit my tongue, clenched my fists and breathed, breathed, breathed till the wave of emotion passed. Phew.
My next challenge came during the scene when my nanny Bayan sends me off to Melaka. This scene has never been easy for me, because Ida as a most giving actor always affects me with her genuine warmth. I felt that lump in my throat again as she started the song. Breathe, breathe, breathe! You cannot hold a tune when you’re emotional, and “Moga Temui Cinta” was one of the most beautiful songs in the show, I didn’t want to mess it up for both Ida and me.
Thankfully, my thoughts were distracted during the intermission by autographing program books and CDs and posing for photos with the cast and crew backstage, in between doing a makeup touch-up, a complete costume and hair change and mic battery checks. The first half of Act Two is a lot lighter for me, as I have moments to rest whilst Steve and Adlin wow the audience with their solo numbers.
When Adlin goes on as the dancing Sutan, I warm up in the wings for the marathon to come, which begins from the halfway point of Act Two, right up to the end of the show. This part of the show is about forty minutes of non-stop action and high drama.
The time has come, and I’m escorted across the darkness backstage to stage right by assistant stage manager Mei Chuen and Stage Manager Hamidon. Midon is the unseen unsung hero whose backstage cues are as critical as the performance onstage itself. Upon Production Stage Manager Pat Gui’s cue, Midon cues the moving of the structures onstage geniusly created by Raja Malek called the Stupas. Each of the six Stupas weighs half a ton each and need to be moved across the stage according to precision timing to end up at a specific spot every single night. Hamidon also looks out for everyone’s safety, guiding actors on and off sets in the dark. People always ask me how it is I make it off the mountain and run into the Melaka palace in just a few seconds. I have to run down a scaffolding staircase so fast I can’t feel my feet, whist hanging on to dear Hamidon. One slip could cause me an injury I may never recover from all my life, but on PGLM we have learnt that as a team you have to literally be able to trust each other with your lives.
I share a light moment with assistant Stage Manager Sharus who manages the 1-ton waterfall set. He cracked me up so much tonight when he produced what appeared to be an air freshener spray which he told me he had sprayed all over the unsuspecting set movers called the Stupa crew before I enter the enclosed set with a whole bunch of them. He said “I want to make sure the air on Ledang will smell fresh as morning due for you!” I remember telling myself, “I’m glad I’m still laughing, at this point.”
Then came “the scene on the mountain”, my final scene with my dear buddy and stage partner of three seasons, Stephen Rahman-Hughes. What a journey we’d been through together. Steve trained me to sing in exchange for Bahasa lessons, and his priceless guidance gave me so much more confidence in preparing myself to take on this musical.
Something happened during that scene on the mountain. Maybe it was the way Rohaslam Hizad’s haunting flute played Puteri’s anthem tonight, or the realization that Puteri had almost come to the end of her journey at this point, but all it took was for Steve to say , “Dinda, disini rupanya Dinda.” I was so choked up with emotion that I could hardly utter my reply, “Iya Kanda... Adinda di sini…” I breathed and breathed and breathed so much my chest hurt, I made a fist and dug my nails deep into my palms, but I was too far gone. I was in bits and I’m afraid I must have done Steve a terrible injustice by affecting him, too.
It was so painful struggling to keep it together during the song, fighting to get some kind of melody across in the song, or even to just talk it. Steve was patting me on the back to try and calm me down and breathing into my ear like a husband to his wife in labour. But he ended up a mess himself too.
Later that evening when we had our final night supper celebration together, Chedd Yusoff who is Steve’s understudy, joked, “tonight, we have witnessed that the great Steve is only human after all and can sing off-key like the rest of us mortals!”, to which Steve replied in his usual dry British humour, “thanks a flippin’ bunch, Tiara, for ruining my career. That was the first time ever that I’d hit a bum note.” Bless…
Thankfully though, I managed to contain myself again after the duet, and in the subsequent scene, the naming of the seven conditions, I felt the pain, loss and fury of the princess well up from deep inside me. I held on to that adrenalin through the next scene, which is one of my absolute favourites, the showdown between the Puteri and the Sultan of Melaka. We had workshopped this scene to be much more dramatic and “human” for this season, but tonight has to take the cake, for I almost felt electricity pass through my body as Adlin and I “passed the ball” over to each other. For a moment during the scene, his fury and rage felt so real that I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
Then came the final scene on the mountain, where Puteri prays for Tuah to make it before the sunrise. In my heart, I hear the Pussycat Dolls singing, “I hate this part right here…” because as much as I’m struggling to keep it together, I can see the silhouettes of the ensemble below looking up at me, sniffling, shaking and weeping uncontrollably. The end is near for all of us.
The curtains come down finally, and the response from the audience breaks the floodgates wide open, as we hear them cheer, clap and roar like never before. It appears as though Puteri Gunung Ledang has not only affected me and the wonderful people I have worked with on this project, but somehow that magic has translated across to the 100,000 people who have been touched by her spell along the years.
I am back at home now after my first late night supper in four months, but I still can’t switch off completely till I write all my thoughts and feelings on paper. I’m so blessed to have had this wonderful opportunity to play the dream role of a lifetime, alongside the best and most talented, passionate and dedicated people in the industry. Blessed to have the love and support of a husband who makes me believe I can touch the stars. Fortunate to be greeted with loving arms by the Malaysian theatre and film audiences who have followed me on this wonderful, unforgettable journey of being Gusti Putri Raden Ajeng Retno Dumilah, the “Puteri” of Gunung Ledang.
Now I lay me down to sleep, content that I have fought the good fight, and won the good race, and I look forward to tomorrow morning when I shall wake up as Tiara Jacquelina once again, with new mountains to conquer, new stars to reach for.
Friday, 20 February 2009
YOU ASKED FOR IT - PGLM3 ORIGINAL CAST RECORDING CD IS OUT!
Specially for all fans and supporters of PGL to know, as of yesterday 19th feb, PGLM3 limited edition original cast recording goes on sale at I.B at the PGL merchandise counter!!
I got Roslan Aziz to rush this out specially for the fans of the show, and after many nights of working 24hours, we managed to put this together, 23 songs from the show.
Tuesday, 17 February 2009
KATAKAN is out!
KATAKAN – New single by Tiara Jacquelina
Official press release
The single:
Composed by DICK LEE
Lyrics by ADLIN AMAN RAMLIE
Arranged and produced by CHONG LIM
Recorded at IPOH RIVER STUDIOS, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
Recording Engineers: CARL SCHUBERT, CHONG LIM
ASSISTANT ENGINEER: ALEX BECK
Executive Producers BOUDENG EDRUCE and TIARA JACQUELINA
The video clip:
Directed by PIERRE BARONI
Director Of Photography LEIGHTON DE BARROS
The cover:
Photography by CHRIS A
Styling & Makeup by SHADA HAMID
Cover design by CHRIS A and REDZ
Info bytes:
Tiara has released 5 songs prior to KATAKAN:
PGL movie original soundtrack
Asmaradana
PGL pop singles album:
Di Puncak Tertinggi (duet with Stephen Rahman Hughes)
Keranamu Kekasih (duet with Stephen Rahman Hughes)
Katakan hadirmu kerana cinta
Tinta Dewa
Tiara on KATAKAN single:
After announcing that PGLM3 would mark my swan song as Puteri after 6 years, this single marks my first move into exploring a new dimension in my journey as an artist and performer.
I have always loved singing, and have often dreamed of recording an album, but never had the confidence to do anything about it until I recorded Asmaradana, and went on to learn to sing in Puter Gunung Ledang The Musical in 2006.
Q: What are your musical influences?
My early musical influences since my growing up years have been the music of U2, Alanis Morissette, Sheryl Crow, Don Henley, and now Daughtry, Fergie, Colbie Caillat and Corinne Bailey Rae. I of course also love songs from all the great musicals – Phantom, Wicked, Miss Saigon, Les Miserables. I love the way musical songs are written so they really touch and move you, and affect you for years and years.
KATAKAN is an expression of the style and genre closest to my heart, which is pop-rock with a touch of ethnic.
I hope to someday fulfil a dream of recording a full album featuring ethnic pop-rock music, which hopefully will be known as my own signature musical style.
Q: do you play any musical instruments?
I have recently taken up the guitar. I have a gorgeous blue Taylor guitar (like the one Michelle Branch has!), and after PGLM3, I plan to seriously concentrate on my guitar lessons and hopefully learn to write some of my own songs someday.
Q: how is it any similar, and how different is it sharing your work on film, on stage and in your music?
It’s much more accessible and more “mobile” if you know what I mean… If I wanted to share what I do with my fans, I couldn’t set up a movie screening so easily, nor can I put together a stage musical as and when I please, but I can quite easily set up a singing gig with a band or just with my guitar if I wanted.
As for similarities, a good song stays with you and affects you just as much as a good movie or a good musical.
Q: How did the single KATAKAN come about?
I was in Tasmania, Australia on a sabbatical with my husband last August, and on a trip across to Melbourne, I went to watch Dancing With The Stars. I met up with the musical director of DWTS, Chong Lim, who seemed at the time to be one of the biggest deals in the Australian music scene.
His name card had his company’s name as IPOH RIVER STUDIOS. I said to him, hang on… Ipoh mali, ka? And we hit it off from there. I told him how absolutely proud I was to be in the audience that day and to see one of our “home boys” come so far!
We met up a couple of times and talked about doing a few projects together. Chongy said he wanted to work on a song with me, just so we got a feel for working together, and I said why not. He wanted me to explore a genre that I was most comfortable with, and I told him that genre had to be ROCK, so we decided to try KATAKAN as a starting point… and now here we are!
Q: Tell us about the music video shoot.
Chongy got a team together to shoot the music video for the song together whilst I was in Melbourne. It was directed by Pierre Baroni, a really humble guy with a great eye for photography especially. Pierre told me on the shoot, that in Australia, we work in very small production teams, and everyone on the team learns to double or triple up on their job functions. He was directing the shoot, setting up the background, art directing the shoot, checking and doing touch ups on my hair and makeup, amazing… I thought that this only happened in Malaysia!
Q: How does it feel to have this new single out in the market?
It’s a liberating feeling to know I’m able to break out of my image as the Puteri, and to do something I’ve always wanted to do, and to be MYSELF and share a part of who I am with my fans. I want to explore new terrains, new MOUNTAINS (no pun intended!), and take the journey as far as I can go.
Saturday, 31 January 2009
The Star - Journey of a Princess
Friday January 30, 2009
Journey of a princess
AS Tiara Jacquelina prepares for her final curtain call as the legendary princess in Puteri Gunung Ledang, let’s take a look at the exciting journey that brought her here.
2003: It is announced that Tiara will take on the role of Gusti Putri Raden Ajeng Retno Dumilah in a big screen adaptation of the Puteri Gunung Ledang legend. With a budget of RM20mil, it is touted as the biggest local production ever made.
2004: The movie opens to critical acclaim and box-office success, with much praise for Tiara’s portrayal of Puteri.
The film adaptation of the legendary Puteri Gunung Ledang starred Tiara as Puteri Gunung Ledang and M.Nasir as Hang Tuah. Directed by Saw Teong Hin, the film also boasts an illustrious cast of M.Nasir, Rosyam Nor, Azri Iskandar, Sofea Jane, Datuk Rahim Razali, Christine Hakim, Alex Komang, Slamet Rahardjo and Khairul Anwar. The film is screened at the Venice International Film Festival, the Stockholm Film Fest, the Goa Film Festival and the Singapore Media Film Festival.
It also becomes the first Malaysian film to be submitted for consideration for an Academy Award, and eventually makes it to the top 50 shortlist.
2005: Tiara is awarded a Best Actress award for the film at the 50th Asia Pacific Film Festival. She also bags the Best Producer Award at the inaugural Asian Festival of First Films in Singapore.
At the 18th Malaysia Film Festival, the movie wins four awards, and continues to be screened at festivals including the Palm Springs International Film Festival in California, the Bangkok Film Festival and the San Francisco International Film Festival.
Tiara announces that the story will be presented again as Puteri Gunung Ledang: The Musical (PGLM).
2006: PGLM premieres to rave reviews. It features Tiara singing onstage for the first time. A second season is announced for later date the same year. Tiara further launches The Legend of the Princess of Mount Ledang, a picture book for children. The success of PGLM brings about its Singaporean debut at the Esplanade.
2007: PGLM sweeps eight awards at the Fifth Annual BOH Cameronian Arts Awards.
2008: A third season of PGLM is announced.
2009: Tiara performs onstage for the last time as Puteri.
The Star interview - Better Than Ever!
Friday January 30, 2009
Better than ever
NO two ways about it, the third season of Puteri Gunung Ledang: The Musical (PGLM) looks set to be unforgettable.
The legendary love story between the heroic warrior Hang Tuah and the mythical princess of Gunung Ledang is not only a much-loved musical, it also has the distinction of being one of the most successful Malaysian productions.
Besides being Datin Seri Tiara Jacquelina’s last turn as the legendary princess, this season will also boast the return of its stellar cast, including Stephen Rahman-Hughes as Hang Tuah, Adlin Aman Ramlie as the Sultan, A.C. Mizal as Adipati and Ida Mariana as Bayan. Datuk Zahim Albakri is also back as director, with Roslan Aziz as music director, and Pat Ibrahim controls the reins once more as choreographer.
Tiara and Stephen Rahman-Hughes in Puteri Gunung Ledang The Musical Set during Malacca’s golden era, the musical’s previous seasons have attracted almost 60,000 people from different cultures and backgrounds, making it a truly Malaysian show. The musical holds the record of being the longest running local musical to play at Istana Budaya, earning rave reviews along the way.
For those of you who don’t know, the story goes like this. Adipati, the ruler of Majapahit, turns to Sultan Mahmud of Malacca for protection from the kingdom of Demak. The Sultan agrees, but only if he is given the beautiful Majapahit princess Gusti Putri Raden Ajeng Retno Dumilah in exchange.
Adipati agrees, but meanwhile, the Puteri and Sultan Mahmud’s Lord Admiral, Hang Tuah, have fallen in love with each other. When Hang Tuah is sent to Demak, the Puteri goes up to Gunung Ledang to await his return. Little does she know that when he does come back, it is to claim her for Sultan Mahmud! Enraged, she sets seven impossible conditions for the Sultan to prove he deserves her.
To make this season a truly unforgettable experience, a touch of magic has been added to the mix. In the vein of hit international musicals like Wicked and Lord of the Rings, the mystical and spiritual aspects of PGLM’s tale will be played up with dazzling illusions and special effects. Enlisting the help of a skilled illusionist, the show this time around will feature truly exciting and unbelievable scenes of characters performing “magic”.
From left, principal cast members of Puteri Gunung Ledang: The Musical, Ida Mariana, Tiara and Adlin Aman Ramlie (right), pose with show director Datuk Zahim Albakri. The musical will begin its third run on Feb 6. The third season will also feature tighter and more refined performances, which is the result of the creative team revisiting the musical’s script. The experience and familiarity of the cast should further give the audience truly deep and gripping performances.
To inject freshness to the show, however, an entirely new ensemble cast has been gathered and trained from scratch. There are also new musical arrangements and compositions for the theatre-goers to look forward to.
Visually, too, there are new elements to enjoy. Additional sets and a completely new lighting design will add to the magical atmosphere. Gorgeous songket pieces from Royal Terengganu Songket will add richness and authenticity to the costumes, and several completely new looks can be expected.
“All of us (cast and crew) are very excited about the changes to the show,” said director Zahim. “We really want the audience to be wowed.”
Zahim revealed that the creative team decided from the start that the third season should be different from the previous two.
“We didn’t want to keep doing the same things. So we sat down together and really talked about what we could do differently. We thought about how to delve deeper into the story, to make more of an impact.”
> PGLM’s third season, spearheaded by Enfiniti Productions Sdn Bhd, will run from Feb 6 to 21 at Istana Budaya, Kuala Lumpur. The musical’s sponsors include RHB Banking Group, Public Bank, UEM Group Berhad, ntv7 and Yayasan Tuanku Nur Zahirah. Ticket prices range from RM30 to RM350 and are on sale through Axcess Tickets’ website (axcess.com.my). Alternatively, call the ticket hotline at 03-7711 5000. For details, visit www.pglthemusical.com.my or enfiniti.com.my.
The Star interview - Moving Ahead
Friday January 30, 2009
Moving ahead
Stories by SHARMILLA GANESAN
Datin Seri Tiara Jacquelina prepares for her final stint as the mythical princess of Gunung Ledang.
SHE had the time of her life playing the part of a princess. Datin Seri Tiara Jacquelina would be the first to admit that.
“Puteri has been such a big part of who I am for the past few years,” she gushed of her role as the princess in Puteri Gunung Ledang. “Playing her has the kind of magic that I’ve never found anywhere else... I know everything about her; how she moves, how she speaks, what she thinks, how she would react, even her scent! It’s like having to say goodbye to your best friend!”
‘I can happily say that I’ve had a full adventure on my journey with Puteri Gunung Ledang’, says Tiara Jacquelina.
Yes, all good things come to an end. And the time has come for the star to say goodbye to the princess – after a motion picture and three musical theatre runs, Tiara bids adieu to her beloved role as Gusti Putri Raden Ajeng Retno Dumilah.
A teary-eyed Tiara recently shared that the upcoming third season of Puteri Gunung Ledang: The Musical (PGLM) next month would be her final stint as the mythical princess, a role which started with the film version in 2004.
“I can happily say that I’ve had a full adventure on my journey with Puteri Gunung Ledang, (and that) I’ve taken it as far as I could,” she said. “While I’ve had the time of my life playing the Puteri, I am ready to move on to new endeavours.”
It is not, however, a separation that will come easily. The role of the Puteri has become almost synonymous with Tiara’s graceful and strong portrayal. Tiara, too, has been living and breathing the character for almost six years. Before filming for the movie began, Tiara even spent several weeks in Indonesia researching the part of the Majapahit princess.
The producer/actress/businesswoman revealed that as difficult as it is, she cannot be attached to this one character any longer. “This is all I’ve been for a while now, and there comes a point when you know you have to move on,” she said. “In order to grow, I need to try my hand at different challenges.”
It is no secret that Tiara is an accomplished actress in the fields of film, theatre and television. What’s more, she is also a talented producer in her own right, presenting quality local productions through her company, Enfiniti Productions.
As a film actress, Tiara is well-known for her role in Suhaimi Baba’s Ringgit Kasorrga, for which she won the Best Actress award in 1995 at the Malaysian Film Festival. She also made Malaysia proud by getting a role in the Hollywood film Beyond Rangoon, where she acted alongside Academy Award winner Frances McDormand and Patricia Arquette.
The mother of two began her love affair with theatre in 1990, when she was cast as the female lead in Joe Hasham’s A Man for All Seasons. She then worked with Rahim Razalli in Kelas 2020, and continued to work with many other theatre directors. Her play, Siti Zubaidah, is still remembered as one of the biggest box-office hits at the Istana Budaya.
Where Puteri Gunung Ledang is concerned, it is undeniable that both the film and musical versions of the legendary tale took the local entertainment industry to new heights, thanks in no small part to Tiara herself.
The film Puteri Gunung Ledang was screened all over the world, including the prestigious Venice Film Festival in 2004. It was even submitted for consideration for an Academy Award. PGLM, on the other hand, was a runaway hit, playing to full houses for two seasons so far. The musical was also staged with much success at the Esplanade, Singapore, in 2006.
“We managed to create some new benchmarks, added to the growth of theatre-goers, and contributed to the acceptance and recognition of Malaysian films locally as well as abroad.
“It is something my team and I didn’t even dream of. I’ve also had the good fortune of working with the best talents in our industry. We’ve achieved so much!” said Tiara.
“Now, I’m looking forward to climbing and conquering new mountains.”
While she will stay on as executive producer of PGLM, Tiara hopes that saying goodbye to the Puteri will leave her free to pursue other endeavours.
“I miss so many things! I miss producing films, and I definitely miss acting in other productions. So I certainly hope that I will be able to act in and produce other films and plays,” she said.
She also has a pet project she hopes to develop – a performing arts school. It is an idea that has its roots in the Starmaker: Musical Theatre Bootcamp organised by the PGLM creative team in 2007.
“As a producer, I see that we keep on grumbling about the quality of the shows here. But the difficult question that needs to be asked is, do we have the talent?” Tiara explained.
“I want to see in our industry a solid stable of actors who are confident and capable. This is the only way we can come out with consistently good work.”
While the upcoming staging of PGLM will be an emotional one for Tiara, she also looks forward to seeing someone else take up her mantle. With the necessary commitment and hard work, she is sure that there are actors out there who can play Puteri equally well.
“Of course, there will be a transition period. But I’m confident that people will come to see that the role is not Tiara. I’m just an actor. Every staging is a story in itself, and the audience has to allow it to evolve.”
Most of all, Tiara is certain that this story of the mythical princess of Gunung Ledang will continue to hold its special place in the hearts of Malaysians.
“I believe Puteri Gunung Ledang will live on, because it’s the most beautiful story. There will always be new blood, and the show will continue to grow, live and breathe.”
Thursday, 29 January 2009
Interview on The Nut Graph
Tiara’s Malaysian dream
29 Jan 09 : 11.00AM
By N Shashi Kala
shashikala@thenutgraph.com
http://www.thenutgraph.com/tiaras-malaysian-dream
Tiara as Puteri Gunung Ledang (all pics courtesy of Tiara Jacquelina)
PRODUCER and actress Datin Seri Tiara Jacquelina Abdullah is best known for Puteri Gunung Ledang, both the movie and stage musical which she produced and starred in.
PGL is being restaged from 6 to 21 Feb at Istana Budaya by Tiara's company, Enfiniti Productions. It will be Tiara's swan song — she is reprising her award-winning role as Gusti Putri for the third, and she says final, time.
Tiara's grandparents
Tiara, who is of Burmese-Indonesian-Chinese lineage, has been involved in the entertainment industry since the 1980s. She started out scouting talents for a modeling agency, before moving into television production.
Her acting credits include Ringgit Kasorrga, for which she won the best actress award in the 12th Malaysian Film Festival in 1995, Perempuan Melayu Terakhir in 1999, and PGL in 2004.
Married to former cabinet minister Datuk Seri Mohd Effendi Norwawi, Tiara has two children, Hani Karmila and Mohd Eridani.
She recently spent some time in Australia learning painting under the tutelage of renowned artist Peter Barraclough, and also took up creative writing.
In an e-mail interview, Tiara tells The Nut Graph about living the Malaysian dream, and her "been there, done almost everything" aspect of being Malaysian.
TNG: Where were you born?
I was born in Assunta Hospital, Petaling Jaya and my first home was in Jalan Kilat, Klang. I grew up mainly in Ampang Jaya, Selangor. I have two younger siblings, Carol and Nicholas. My alma mater is St Mary's in Selayang.
What is your strongest memory of the place in which you grew up?
Tiara's parents on their wedding day
Basketball with the Ampang Jaya boys, playing in the many monsoon drains of Ukay Heights, and cycling. Also walking for hours every day — to catch the 183 bus from home to school — in pitch darkness at 6.30am with my sister Carol. Walking to school from AIA (the insurance company's building in Ampang) after a good roti canai banjir breakfast. Life's pleasures were simple, like having the crunchiest goreng pisang for tea or catching the nasi lemak lady for the last plate before she ran out.
Tiara's grandfather, with P Ramlee
What are the stories you hold onto the most from your family?
I think of the story of my grandfather, Datuk Eddie Eu Eng Hock, who started out as a shipping clerk riding a humble bicycle to work. He was of Burmese descent and originally came to Malaya from China a few years before the war. My grandmother was Chinese.
After World War II, with my grandmother by his side, he went on to set up Eu-Lee Landing and Shipping, the country's first official stevedoring company in Port Swettenham, which today is called Port Klang. My grandfather always told us that good luck or good fortune is what you make out of good opportunities and hard work.
How do you connect with these stories as a Malaysian?
It tells me that if there ever was a Malaysian dream, it's alive and well and Malaysia really is a country of opportunity for those who are willing to work hard enough for it. And there is no short cut to success, not if you're in for the long run.
What aspects of your identity do you struggle with the most as a Malaysian?
Gosh, I think I can count myself as "been there, done almost everything", in this respect. My dad's side of the family is Burmese-Chinese and my mother is Chinese Indonesian. My parents, Eddie Eu and Nelly Tan, got married in 1966.
Part of the Eu family
I was born into a very staunch Buddhist family, the Eu family, where all the men in our family shaved their heads and became monks.
I converted to Christianity when I was 12, along with my brother and sister, and we convinced our mother to convert, too! I became a Muslim when I got married in 1993 (to former husband, the late Hani Mohsin). So I guess I've almost done the full circle where religious beliefs are concerned!
Tiara as a baby, with her Aunt Nora, and cousins
Alex and Angie Eu (rightmost)
And nothing else about me has changed. I'm still the same spunky little gal, ready to take on the boys, (and the world, in my mind) on the Ampang Jaya basketball courts. I can never understand why religion divides us so much. We're just roses that go by different names as far as I'm concerned.
Today, our family celebrates almost every festive occasion — Christmas, Hari Raya as well as Chinese New Year — with equal gusto. If only religion could be practiced in moderation and everyone would practice their beliefs in their own private space and not impose any personal judgments on the way others live their lives.
Describe the kind of Malaysia you want to leave behind for your children.
I dream of a future Malaysia where our children will be wise enough to judge for themselves what's right and wrong. [I want their judgment to come] from education, awareness and guided exposure, and not force or fatwa. I hope that the country will spot and nurture potential talents we have in our backyard and inspire them to love this country enough to take Malaysia to even greater heights.
Hopefully we can, as a united and multi-racial Malaysia, join hands to fight the big fight out there in the big blue marble. [Let's] not waste our energy on small domestic squabbles that will only hinder our progress further.
Comments (You are allowed to leave comments until 19 Feb 09)
Zila Posted: 29 Jan 09 : 3.30PM
Wow. Tiara is an example of a truly "rojak" Malaysian. I share her dream for a united and multi-racial Malaysia. I am sick and tired of the constant sniping and dogfights that distract us from building our nation into one that stands for all - regardless of race, religion or creed.
Ida Mariana Posted: 29 Jan 09 : 7.42PM
... Yes, a Malaysian lass after my very own beating Malaysian heart... =)
Rathi Posted: 29 Jan 09 : 11.37PM
I watched Tiara in PGL The Musical and thoroughly enjoyed her performance. It is quiet amazing to read about her growing up years. An Ampang girl myself, I can identify with the simple pleasures she talks about. She is an example to us about how to assimilate the different religious and cultural values and still remain truly Malaysian.
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