And with live arts shows gradually reemerging, the BOH Cameronian Arts Awards (BCAA) finally makes a comeback, having had to present its prizes virtually in 2020 before going on hiatus in 2021 and last year.
Indeed, spirits were high at the nomination ceremony at the Petaling Jaya Performing Arts Centre (PJPAC) yesterday, with Kakiseni president Low Ngai Yuen kicking off her speech with a cheery “we’re back!”
She spoke about how the past few years had been a severe test for arts practitioners worldwide, who had to pivot to online live streaming and other creative ways to survive. But now that the sector is rebuilding, it is a time for joy.
Organised by the local arts platform since 2002 and supported by BOH Plantations Sdn Bhd, the annual cultural event aims to recognise, reward, and raise the bar of excellence for Malaysian arts practitioners.
With this year’s theme being “A New Day, Setia Pada Senimu” (“Faithful To Your Art”), it takes into consideration dance, music, musical theatre, and theatre shows that are professionally produced and performed live in the Klang Valley.
The upcoming 18th BCAA will celebrate the best local performing-arts productions from 2020, 2021, and 2022. Nominations were selected from over 101 submitted shows, each adjudicated by a panel of judges and Malaysian arts practitioners.
Altogether, eight awards will be presented in the Dance category, seven in Music, five in Musical Theatre, and nine in Theatre. Here are some highlights from the extensive list of nominees:
- Music
KL City Opera’s “A Grand Night of Opera” has picked up five nominations, including Best Solo Vocal Performance nods for Cecilia Yap and Mak Chi Hoe, and Best Production Values.
Philharmonic Winds of Malaysia’s “The Spirit of Celtic”, and “Jue Shi The Hidden Tune” by Orang-Orang Drum Theatre x Angelica Niescier Trio both have three nominations.
- Dance
This is a crowded field, with various dance companies from all over receiving nominations. Notably, Ballet Theatre Malaysia’s “Alice in Wonderland” is in the running for three awards, as is Five Arts Centre’s “Anggota”.
- Theatre
“Ibu” by Iron Gang Puppet Theatre has racked up six nominations, including for Best Ensemble/Group Performance and Best Director; while Revolution Stage x Liveinmypoetry’s “Bangsawan Indie: Raja Bersiong” comes in hot on their heels with five nods.
- Musical theatre
This is a two-horse race, with KuLT Productions’ “Fortune Kooky” and theatrethreesixty’s “Follow The Light” both nominated for three awards, namely Best Original Music & Lyrics, Best Original Book, and Best Ensemble/Group Performance.
Curiously, a number of awards are absent from this category, such as Best Set/Visual Design, Best Director, and Best Actor in a Supporting Role – subcategories that appear in the Theatre field.
Special prizes
In addition, five productions have received “Best Of” nominations, recognised as outstanding productions in their respective categories. They are:
- “A Notional History” (Five Arts Centre, Theatre category)
- “Dark Light” (Young Choral Academy, Music category)
- “Dream of the Red Chamber” (Lee Rubber Chinese Orchestra KL, Music category)
- “Follow The Light” (theatrethreesixty, Musical Theatre category)
- “N2” (La Danza Theatre, Dance category)
Meanwhile, Kuching-born sound mixer and producer Alvin Wee – whose work includes “Kung Fu Panda 3”, “Encanto”, and “No Time to Die” – has been named this year’s Game Changer, in recognition of the role he plays in elevating the quality and status of creative arts on the global stage.
The 18th BOH Cameronian Arts Awards is slated to take place on May 14 at PJPAC, 1 Utama shopping centre, Selangor. Visit Kakiseni’s official website or Facebook page for further information.