The National Academy of Arts, Culture, and Heritage (Aswara), with its Alumni Association, presents Sakti Merong Mahawangsa at Pentas 1, KLPac from Nov 22-24, celebrating Aswara’s 30th anniversary.
Aswara Alumni Association President Tengku Iefizulasyrifie Putra Tengku Alaudin describes Sakti Merong Mahawangsa as a modern take on Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa, exploring Merong Mahawangsa's journey in founding Kedah.
“The performance, bringing together over 100 Aswara alumni from diverse faculties, was developed to realise the vision of Aswara’s Rector, Dr Tan Awang Besar, who aimed to bring the epic Hikayat Merong Mahawangsa to life on the musical stage,” he said during a recent press conference in Kuala Lumpur.
Director Mohd Sharul Mizad Asari shared how the entire production team and cast pushed themselves to meet the demands of the project within the tight timeline required to bring the performance to life.
"It has been an extremely challenging process because, within just three months, we had to complete everything – from gathering alumni to creating the script,” said Mohd Sharul.
"However, working under pressure often sparks more creative ideas, especially with the support of all parties involved to ensure everything runs smoothly,” he added.
Mohd Sharul also noted all selected actors underwent auditions, with singing, acting, and dancing abilities being the key criteria. The show will be presented in Bahasa Malaysia with English subtitles.
Theatre actor A. Aris Kadir, returning to the stage after a 15-year break, is excited for the chance to step back into the spotlight. In recent years, he has been focusing on behind-the-scenes work as a choreographer.
"When I had the chance to return to the stage, the adrenaline felt completely different – there were mixed emotions, excitement, fear ... so many feelings. I never expected to be chosen for the lead role, as my initial goal was just to reconnect with the stage,” said A. Aris.
"This situation put me under pressure, as I struggled to memorise the script, but it was manageable, thanks to the support from everyone involved,” he added.
Meanwhile, Fiza Thomas, whose real name is Nur Hafizah Longkip Thomas, shared her excitement about returning to the stage in a musical after her last appearance in Ola Bola The Musical in 2018.
"I’ve always been passionate about musicals. When I joined Aswara and studied traditional theatre and Mak Yong dance, it was already a form of musical theatre. It’s where I learned to sing, dance, act, and fully express (my) emotions in a performance," said Fiza.
Other actors in the cast include Ezdianie Hayatie, Hairi Safwan, Fadhli Masoot, Saiful Wazien, Amirul Hakim, Aznie, Mei Fen, Najua P. Ramlee, Ewan Fauzi, Syrul Ezwan, Reza Mohamed, and Hafizam.
