
#SHOWBIZ: Spotlight on young talents in theatre showcase this Sunday
KUALA LUMPUR: Children from a variety of cultural backgrounds are set to light up the stage at the Petaling Jaya Performing Arts Centre in four enchanting plays on June 15.
The series, presented by The Story Book Academy, brings together local and international students to celebrate inclusion, creativity, and confidence through the magic of theatre, according to a statement released recently.
Since its founding in 2022, The Story Book Academy has championed all-child casts in public performances. This approach fosters friendships and empathy as youngsters from different communities learn, rehearse, and perform side by side.
This Sunday's lineup features beloved classic tales such as Pinocchio, Snow White, Peter Pan, and Maleficent, all of which will be staged entirely by children aged 4 to 15.
All shows will be presented at different times throughout the day.
A special highlight of the Maleficent production will be the participation of four scholarship recipients from the Dignity for Children Foundation.
Three returning scholars exemplify the Academy's dedication to creating opportunities for underprivileged youth through its performing-arts scholarship programme.
"Our mission isn't about perfecting technique," says Jeanisha Wan, the academy's director.
"We nurture creativity, ignite imagination, and share a love of storytelling. When kids from diverse walks of life collaborate on stage, they develop vital social skills like communication, teamwork, and empathy that last a lifetime."
Building on its commitment to growth and leadership, the academy will invite select alumni from its 2024 season to serve as emcees, giving returning students the chance to guide and inspire their peers.
The series of plays will culminate with a celebratory "Oscar Awards" ceremony, honouring last year's standout actors and applauding the achievements of these young performers.
While every role is earned through audition, ensuring that each child on stage brings genuine passion and dedication, the academy emphasises learning through play and social engagement over formal acting drills. Performances have previously been staged in theatres, shopping centres, and community venues, giving children meaningful public exposure and a vibrant introduction to the performing arts.
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New Straits Times
2 days ago
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Spotlight on young talents in theatre showcase this Sunday
KUALA LUMPUR: Children from a variety of cultural backgrounds are set to light up the stage at the Petaling Jaya Performing Arts Centre in four enchanting plays on June 15. The series, presented by The Story Book Academy, brings together local and international students to celebrate inclusion, creativity, and confidence through the magic of theatre, according to a statement released recently. Since its founding in 2022, The Story Book Academy has championed all-child casts in public performances. This approach fosters friendships and empathy as youngsters from different communities learn, rehearse, and perform side by side. This Sunday's lineup features beloved classic tales such as Pinocchio, Snow White, Peter Pan, and Maleficent, all of which will be staged entirely by children aged 4 to 15. All shows will be presented at different times throughout the day. A special highlight of the Maleficent production will be the participation of four scholarship recipients from the Dignity for Children Foundation. Three returning scholars exemplify the Academy's dedication to creating opportunities for underprivileged youth through its performing-arts scholarship programme. "Our mission isn't about perfecting technique," says Jeanisha Wan, the academy's director. "We nurture creativity, ignite imagination, and share a love of storytelling. When kids from diverse walks of life collaborate on stage, they develop vital social skills like communication, teamwork, and empathy that last a lifetime." Building on its commitment to growth and leadership, the academy will invite select alumni from its 2024 season to serve as emcees, giving returning students the chance to guide and inspire their peers. The series of plays will culminate with a celebratory "Oscar Awards" ceremony, honouring last year's standout actors and applauding the achievements of these young performers. While every role is earned through audition, ensuring that each child on stage brings genuine passion and dedication, the academy emphasises learning through play and social engagement over formal acting drills. Performances have previously been staged in theatres, shopping centres, and community venues, giving children meaningful public exposure and a vibrant introduction to the performing arts.


New Straits Times
28-05-2025
- New Straits Times
#SHOWBIZ: Karnival Jom Heboh 2025 at KL Base is a celebration of Ejen Ali
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's longest-running outdoor event, Karnival Jom Heboh (KJH), is back for its 2025 edition, perfectly timed for the start of the school holidays. Malaysians are invited to create cherished memories with their loved ones at KJH, which will kick off at its new venue, KL Base, from May 30 to June 1. Following a record attendance of over 2.1 million visitors across seven locations last year, KJH returns on an even larger scale, promising fresher content and a more immersive experience. With over 150 brands participating, KJH remains the ultimate family-friendly destination for weekend entertainment, featuring interactive activities, meet-and-greet sessions, food festivals, and concerts. A flag-off supercar ceremony was held at Balai Berita yesterday, showcasing an impressive line-up of luxury and high-performance vehicles, alongside the beloved mascots of popular animated teen spies, Ejen Ali and Ejen Alicia. All these exciting vehicles will be displayed at the carnival, offering visitors a unique opportunity to see their dream cars up close. KJH will extensively promote Ejen Ali to mark the recent release of his second cinematic adventure, Ejen Ali The Movie 2. In addition to the Ejen Ali and Ejen Alicia mascots, the movie's voice cast will be at the carnival for meet-and-greet sessions. Visitors can also participate in various Ejen Ali-themed activities, including a Zumba session with the mascots. Young fans can explore the Ejen Ali M.A.T.A. Academy section, which offers special board games for youngsters and a colouring competition for fans under 7 and under 12. The cosplay competition at the Tonton Drama Sangat Studio will challenge participants' creativity in bringing their favourite characters to life through costume acting, with exciting prizes awaiting the winners. Guests will also have the chance to meet Media Prima personalities and the cast of popular dramas such as Bukan Ipar Sempurna, Nikmat Hanya Sesaat, Polis Peronda, and Aku Bukan Ustazah 2. These include Shaza Bae, Fazlina Ahmad Daud, Kodi Rasheed, Shah Iskandar, Cahaya Nilam, Fahrin Ahmad, Fedtri Yahya, Naz Rahman, Dayah Bakar, and Fakhrul Radhi. Guests will also be treated to two nights of concerts, hosted by Ayu from HotFM and Haiza and Muaz Mohamed from Kool 101. The first night will feature performances by Shiha Zikir, Bunga Isme, Puteri Khareeza, Ameerais, Aisha Retno, Khai Bahar, and A.X.P. The second night will be heated up with performances from Sofia Liana, Marygrace, K.O.I., Ayu Damit, Ara Johari, and Ella. Interactive booths, including Studio Tonton Drama Sangat, Studio Jom Heboh, NSTP Group, REV Group, and Love Food Fest, will showcase several attractions. Don't miss the NSTP Car Sim Experience, where visitors can test their driving skills. The Jam Lokal section offers the public a chance to showcase their hidden talents, while the E-Sport Championship section provides an opportunity for e-sports fans to participate in Mobile Legends: Bang Bang knockout matches. Throughout the carnival, free motorcycle servicing will be available, limited to 100 motorcycles per day, in cooperation with the Selangor Technical Skills Development Centre. Professionals from the dental health sector will conduct free dental check-ups. For the little ones, Soopa Doopa, a children's play zone with safe inflatable structures, promises unlimited fun.


The Star
21-05-2025
- The Star
'Lilo & Stitch' review: A near perfect live-action remake, Disney's best one yet
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp Cast: Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders, Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Hannah Waddingham, Billy Magnussen, Zach Galifianakis, Courtney B. Vance, Tia Carrere, Amy Hill, Jason Scott Lee Disney has finally done it. They've made a live-action remake of their own animated feature that's actually, really really good. Granted, the bar was really, really low in the first place. They've made more than 20 of these live-action remakes so far, and the results have ranged from 'So-so' ( Jungle Book , Maleficent , Mufasa ) and 'Meh' ( Aladdin , Beauty And the Beast , The Lion King ), to 'What were they thinking?' ( Mulan , Snow White , Pinnochio ). With Lilo & Stitch , however, Disney seems to have finally cracked the animation-to-live-action formula with this remake of their 2002 cult favourite hit, managing to strike a perfect balance between remaining faithful to the original while updating it for today's audiences. And the main reason for that is the fact that director Dean Fleischer Camp gets Lilo and Stitch, the two main characters, so perfectly right from the get go. Life is so breezy when you're in a jacuzzi. The remake stays pretty faithful to the animation in terms of story (with a few changes here and there). It revolves around mischievous yet resourceful six-year-old orphan Lilo (Maia Kealoha), whose only wish is to make one best friend. Her sister Nani (Sydney Elizebeth Agudong) is struggling between trying to make ends meet and convincing social worker Kume (Tia Carrere) that she is capable enough to be Lilo's legal guardian. Along comes the mischievous blue alien No.626 aka Stitch (Chris Sanders), created by mad scientist Dr. Jumba Jookiba (Zach Galifianakis) to be a weapon of destruction. Deemed too dangerous to be let loose, Stitch is exiled by the Grand Councilwoman (Hannah Waddingham), leader of the United Galactic Federation (UGF), but escapes and ends up on Earth. Ruff! See, I AM a real dog! There, he pretends to be a dog and follows Lilo home in order to evade the clutches of Dr Jumba and his partner, UGF Agent Pleakley (Billy Magnussen); as well as the wonderfully named CIA agent Cobra Bubbles (Courtney B. Vance). To tell the truth, this remake could have gone so wrong if they had gotten the lead characters wrong. Fortunately, the two lead characters are perfectly cast/rendered. Kealoha is a revelation as Lilo, playing her with enough cuteness and charm without crossing the line to becoming annoying. Nani always had trouble convincing Stitch to go for his vet check ups. The filmmakers have also done a remarkable job with Stitch – he fits into the real world setting completely and naturally, despite being a six-limbed blue furry alien, and they nailed all his facial expressions, body language, and his every movement perfectly. The supporting cast also turn in strong performances – Agudong is wonderful as the conflicted Nani, and it is a real pleasure to see alumni from the animated film (Hill, Lee and Carrere) appearing in the movie, especially Hill, in a more significant role as Nani and Lilo's neighbour, Tutu. Hey, I can fly a spaceship, how hard can driving this truck be? Another advantage Lilo & Stitch may have over its predecessors is that it is set in the modern world, so the live-action environment and human characters are not overshadowed by the more fantastical elements of the film (yes, even the aliens fit in perfectly). There's also not a single element that sticks out like a sore thumb in the way, say, the horrible animated dwarves in Snow White did. Tightly plotted, reasonably paced, full of charm and heart, and with wonderful characters to root for, this really is Disney's best live-action remake so far. Perhaps the best thing I can say about this movie is that I wouldn't mind watching it again, which is more than I can say about for the rest of them.