Malaysian sisters involved in Christmas musicals for 25 years

Performers rehearse for this year’s Christmas musical, themed 'Breaking News – Love Has Come'. Photos: Calvary Church

If there's one thing that lawyer B. Joanna and her older sister, bank associate B. Joyce, share, it's their love for singing.

For nearly 25 years, the siblings from Kuala Lumpur have been part of Calvary Church's Christmas choir, returning year after year because of their deep affection for carols.

From left: Joyce, Lim and Joanna are delighted to take part in the musical together."Since kindergarten till now, we've always been part of the choir. We especially enjoy serving during Christmas as it signifies the birth of Jesus Christ — and what better way to celebrate than by being part of such a special event," says Joanna during an interview in KL.

The sisters, in their 30s, serve as choir member and trainer for Calvary Church Bukit Jalil's upcoming musical Breaking News – Love Has Come. The two-hour event will take place this weekend (Dec 13–14) at 5pm at the Calvary Convention Centre (CCC) in Bukit Jalil, KL. Admission is free.

Set in a world buzzing with headlines, the musical follows five spirited sisters — imagined as the daughters of the Jewish scribe Ezra — who are determined to report the biggest story Bethlehem has ever seen.

What begins as playful broadcasts and lighthearted news reports soon turns into a journey of wonder as they meet Mary and Joseph, shepherds startled by angels, and wise men led by a star.

Through laughter, heartfelt prayers and soaring songs, the sisters — and the audience — witness the greatest headline of all: the birth of the Messiah.

Joanna leads the choir, focusing on coaching the sopranos, while her older sister serves as the choir trainer, overseeing the entire ensemble to ensure a unified tone, balanced volume and a harmonious blend.

Performers of all ages come together for the church’s annual Christmas musical.

Both siblings have completed their Grade 8 piano examinations from the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music in Britain.

They agree that sharing this musical journey as sisters is a blessing.

"Since we live in the same house, we get to bounce ideas off each other regarding the musical. We check with each other on new singing improvisations, and we also discuss new dance or vocal ideas. That's the best part about being sisters involved in the same musical," says Joyce.

Their mother, retiree Krystle Lim, is part of the choir too and has been singing alongside her daughters for close to 10 years.

"It's an absolute blessing to have the whole family serving in church. My brother is an usher as well, and Dad is the driver," Joanna quips.

"It's meaningful to share stories of God’s goodness. What better way than to have Christmas as the central theme. It brings the family closer together and allows us to spend more quality time."

Calvary Church's Pastor Richard Yun says the Christmas musicals have been held at CCC since 2013. The upcoming event is a large-scale production, with nearly 200 people involved in the programme.

The cast brings the spirit of Christmas to life in this year’s musical.

"There are 175 performers including musicians, technicians, audio visual personnel, stage managers and the costume team. Another 200 will be involved as ushers, security personnel, ministry helpers and more. The performers are between the ages of six and 70.

"All are church members — both locals and expatriates — and besides the pastors and church staff, the entire cast consists of volunteers who desire to bless the community through their time, talents and resources," Yun says.