Preview- Don't Stop Believin'!- The Performers Studio
26-5-17
The Performers Studio are looking forward to their next big project, Don't Stop Believin'!, a brand new contemporary musical that will premiere in Hong Kong. Set in New York in the 1980s, the storyline focusses on a group of tough inner-city kids who use their local Community Center to escape from the streets, but their urban oasis is under attack. Sleazy city councillors want to bulldoze it, get rich and put up a high-rise; the youngsters would have nowhere else to go.
The musical sizzle with many rock and pop songs as well as toe-tapping 1980s numbers. The group guarantees that audiences will find it hard to stay in their seats!
Emma Tielus-Ward, the producer and director of the show, shares her views with us about her project and her vision: "Each year we aim to put on challenging new theatre that will excite young audiences as well as those who love a night out at the theatre. I started out in 2008 with a small show in a school hall, and now we are offering exciting, fun shows that all ages will love."
Emma is a professionally trained actress and dancer, and The Performers Studio pride themselves in giving the opportunity for cast members to work with industry professionals. The choreographers, vocal coaches and the backstage team are all experts in their field, making the process for the cast very exciting, as well as giving a challenging and rewarding experience for the audiences.
When making theatre happen in HK, several challenges come through, but the main one, shared by many local groups, is always how to pull in an audience. "We are a small boutique theatre company", Emma states, "and we are just starting to produce large scale productions. We want to bring new shows to Hong Kong, but the names of our productions are not immediately recognisable. So it's tough! I hope that as The Performer's Studio's reputation grows for producing top quality, professional theatre for families in HK that we attract a regular crowd & audiences start looking out for a Performer's Studio Production".
The show has 22 cast members. They meet every Friday afternoon for four hours, and they also have 2-3 weekend rehearsals where they put everything together. Often their coaches are busy performing during the week, so the weekend tends to be the perfect time to get them to come in and have the rest of the work done. The costumes for this production are bright and colourful since the story takes place in the 1980's. The audience can expect rousing tunes, coupled with dramatic choreography full of life and energy; neon colours, shadows and image projections will make for a fast-paced, lively spectacle.
The show is recommended for audiences of 3 years upwards; the story should be gripping for young visitors, visually stimulating for the little ones and fast paced and fun for adults. The production has many exciting highlights, but Emma's favourite bit is the choreography of Basketball Song by Zenni Corbin. "Our amazing guest choreographer makes me smile every time I watch it," she says. "There's so much going on; it's like it's over before it began and I want to watch it again and again."
We are looking forward to this exciting and buzzing performance. Tickets are on sale at Urbtix, and we recommend our readers to grab them fast before they all go.
Click here for more information.
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