WHAT WE NEED IS A PERFORMING ARTS THEATRE AND A LIBRARY

Wednesday, 4 November 2009

WHAT WE NEED IS A PERFORMING ARTS THEATRE AND A LIBRARY

Theatres and Cinemas are totally different. One involves onstage performance whilst the other is a film production. I was first introduced to this when I went to the Actors Studio in Bangsar Shopping Centre to catch “Menopause, The Musical”. From then on, I caught a few plays there as well as Harith’s Celcom show at the KL Convention Centre.
Two weeks ago I went to the PJ Live Arts theatre at Jaya One in PJ to catch “Wacky Bar”. I thought that the show was a side splitting experience. I guess with all the nonsense that we have to live through daily, a dose of laughter was indeed the best medicine.
The show was based around a character played by Patrick Teoh as a bar tender and with a cast that included Joanne Kam Poh Poh as well as Daphne Iking.
Performing arts is actually quite unknown to many and is akin to a hidden gem. Once found, you will be attracted to it. I missed the last show entitled M.A.C.C 1st EGM. M.A.C.C stood for Malaysian Association of Chinese Comedians and tickets were priced at RM38.88. Those who went said the show helmed by Douglas Lim was a non-stop laughing experience.
According to their website, The PJ Live Arts “was founded on the premise of : It was created to celebrate the unique cultural diversity of the Malaysian as well as a process of creating and elevating the arts community, an avenue to unearth and nurture talented Malaysians”
Subang Jaya lacks such a facility. The most possible location for this that I could think of is the 3C building at SS13. This would have been a great way to revive the use of the building and convert it into a community centre.
Why do we need a performing arts centre? I for one would think that such a facility as with a full scale library is missing in Subang Jaya. It could be true that most people would think that libraries are quite out of fashion as with theatres, but I dare say we need these more now.
Subang Jaya has so much hidden talent and a hunger for the appreciation of such facilities. Jaya One in PJ gives PJ a place for this and Lot 10 provides for a new Actors’ Studio. KL Performing Arts Centre is home to a few performing artists as well.
Hence, I think that the local government as well as the private sectors should also look at perhaps creating a library as well as a performing arts centre in Subang Jaya.
The 3C building would be ideal as it is surrounded by universities and colleges. There would be ample parking facilities around it as well as within. A public library as well as a performing arts centre would give Subang Jaya the boost the township needs.
Theatre is big in most countries with plays and musical gigs using small venues such as these to break through the bigger audience. It would be nice to have stand up comedians like Harith Iskandar, Douglas Lim, Patrick Teoh and those from the Young Comedians of Malaysia performing in Subang Jaya. Perhaps even amateur stand up comedians, musicians and musicals right here in Subang Jaya can be recruited. That would be quite an achievement for Subang Jaya.
A library would be perfect as it should feed the many students in search of references as with adults. Talks can be conducted whilst case studies and theories can be put on display within the library. Both would make Subang Jaya better in terms of community facilities.
There is no reason why we should not have one. Again, the 3C building fits the possibility as a venue. This would also be an ideal place and could be an icon of Subang Jaya. Families could find this place a great location for weekends for some talks, shows and even workshops. Family time could be improved. The current use of an arts school and child care centre would be further enhanced with the performing arts theatre and a public library.
I am planning for my next trip to the theatre. Hopefully the future one would be by our doorstep and there would not be a need to drive so far away. The 3C was known as the Children’s Creative Centre. I think the local government and the community should make this into a Community Creative Centre instead. I am sure the benefits and the new jobs created would be beneficial for all Subang Jayans and make Subang Jaya the model township all of us desire.