Lao Jiu is one of Kuo Pao Kun’s most popular and accessible works. In 2005, Lao Jiu was adapted into a dazzling musical for the first time, and this year it will be restaged as an entirely new creative production to be rolled out featuring an exciting new lineup of performers and creative collaborators!

As the only son in the family, Lao Jiu (the ninth born) realises that he should grasp the prestigious scholarship opportunity that has opened up for him; yet, he hesitates at the critical junction of attaining the academic prize. Where his passion lies instead is in mastering the traditional art of puppetry. Will Lao Jiu persist in pursuing his dream, or will he continue upon the well-trodden scholarly path? Caught in between what his heart dictates and what his family desires, what decision will he make?

Original script by Kuo Pao Kun
Script Adaptation : Liu Xiaoyi
Composer : Eric Ng
Lyricist : Xiaohan
Director : Kuo Jian Hong
Associate Director & Choreographer: George Chan
Arranger : Bang Wenfu
Music Director & Conductor: Julian Wong
Puppet Design : Benjamin Ho (Paper Monkey Theatre)

Cast:
Sugie, Marcus Chin, Lim Kay Siu, Inch Chua, Jeffrey Low, Goh Guat Kian
Gloria Ang Xiao Teng, Sing Chew, Edward Choy, Joanna Dong,
Hang Qian Chou, Zachary Ho, Edric Hsu, Hung Chit Wah, Lee Qian Yu,
Ric Liu, Lv Lin Xuan, Trev Neo, Candice Simone de Rozario, Jo Tan,
Tay Wei Liang & Catherine Wong

《老九》是郭宝崑最通俗易懂的作品之一。2005年，《老九》首度改编为音乐剧，今年将推翻首版《老九》音乐剧版本，以全新的创作和阵容再次出发！

老九，家中排行第九的独子。被家人寄以厚望的他，有机会问鼎一项极具声望的奖学金。就在即将迈向光辉前途的重要关头，他犹豫了。原来他想继续学习自己热爱而又濒临失传的传统木偶表演艺术。究竟老九会追求自己的理想，还是步上领取奖学金的光明大道？游走于理想与现实、传统与现代之间，他该作何抉择？

原著 ：郭宝崑
剧本改编 : 刘晓义
作曲: 黄韵仁
作词 : 小寒
导演 : 郭践红 副导演 / 舞蹈编排 : 田伟鸿
编曲 : 冯文甫 音乐指导 / 指挥 : 黄有杰
木偶设计 : 何家伟 (猴纸剧坊)

演员:
潘嗣敬, 陈建彬, 林继修, 蔡昀娟, 刘俊威, 吴悦娟,
洪小婷, 石欣卉, 蔡竞聪, 董姿彦, 韩乾畴, 何子详, 徐隆, 洪节华,
李阡语, 刘晋旭, 吕霖轩, 梁立德, 康蒂丝,陈思敏, 郑伟良及黄惠敏

EVENT DATE
12-29 Jul 2012
8pm (星期二至六 Tue – Sat)
2.30pm (星期六和日 Sat & Sun)

DURATION
Approx 2 hours 40 mins
(Inclusive of intermission)

VENUE
Drama Centre Theatre
戏剧中心剧院（国家图书馆3楼）

Tickets Available at SISTIC counters

A series of gigs will be happening at Chijmes (30 Victoria Street) starting on 27 April. It’s a rain or shine event and admission is free.

27 April
7pm – 7:30pm Shimona Kee
8pm – 8:30pm Hog’s Breath Resident Band, MJ
9pm – 9:30pm Rachael Teo

28 April
7pm – 7:30pm Hog’s Breath Resident Band, MJ
8pm – 8:30pm Deon Toh
9pm – 9:30pm Shelves

4 May
7pm – 7:30pm Maricelle Wong
8pm – 8:30pm Cuscaden Resident Band, Rumors
9pm – 9:30pm Le Baroque Resident Band, Shagies

5 May
7pm – 7:30pm Kevin Mathews
8pm – 8:30pm Cheating Sons
9pm – 9:30pm Le Baroque Resident Band, Shagies

11 May
7pm – 7:30pm The Fast Colors
8pm – 8:30pm Cuscaden Resident Band, Rumors
9pm – 9:30pm Insomnia Resident Band, All Access

12 May
7pm – 7:30pm I Hate This Place
8pm – 8:30pm Cashew Chemists
9pm – 9:30pm Insomnia Resident Band, All Access

Do you love to visit YouTube for videos? YouTube has helped the world discover many talented singers, and now 6 of the YouTube Stars are coming to Singapore to sing to you on a live stage. The event is on 5 May 2012, Sat, 7.00pm at The Coliseum, Hard Rock Hotel Singapore, Resorts World Sentosa. There is only one standard pricing of $70 for the tickets (excluding $3 SISTIC Booking Fees) and you can get 10% off if you are a StarHub Customer, PAssion Card Member or F3 Member.

Below is a synopsis found at SISTIC website on the 6 artist lined up

1. DAVID CHOI (USA) David Choi is a musician and YouTube video producer from Los Angeles. His original songs and covers on YouTube have been viewed over 103,000,000 times and his YouTube channel ranks as the #66 Most subscribed-to all-time with over 1,000,000 subscribers.

To watch David Choi’s videos, log on to: http://www.youtube.com/davidchoimusic

2. TIFFANY ALVORD (USA) Tiffany Alvord is a 19-year-old from California who is quickly gaining well-deserved fame on YouTube. Tiffany has over 670,000 subscribers on YouTube and is a starlet who is captivating the attention of millions of viewers.

To watch Tiffany Alvord’s videos, log on to:http://www.youtube.com/tiffanyalvord

3. JOSEPH VINCENT (PHILIPPINES) Joseph Vincent is an acoustic singer-songwriter based in Southern California. He started playing guitar at 15 years old and his YouTube channel has garnered close to 50 million views and over 253,000 subscribers.

To watch Joseph Vincent’s videos, log on to:http://www.youtube.com/hoorahjencar

4. JASON CHEN (USA) Taiwanese-American rising R&B music sensation Jason Chen has mesmerised masses with his talented vocals and converted viewers into fans through YouTube. His cover songs have easily reached high viewerships of 500,000 views!

To watch Jason Chen’s videos, log on to:www.youtube.com/miniachilles

5. ANA FREE (UK) Ana Free is a British-Portugese singer, songwriter, musician and composer from Portugal with a series of Top 5 hit singles in her home country, including a #1 song. Ana has over 30 million views on her YouTube channel.

To watch Ana Free’s videos, log on to:http://www.youtube.com/anafree

6.CLO (SINGAPORE) Clo is one of Singapore’s homegrown talents. The 19-year-old singer and self-taught guitarist has earned a following from his Facebook and YouTube videos that demonstrated his smooth vocals. (Above)

To watch Clo’s videos, log on to:www.youtube.com/clarenceliewmusic

1.       Hi my name is   Shimona and I am a solo artist.  

2.       And I make the kind of music that enters your heart and stays in your head (hopefully)

3.       My first music memory is  banging on pots and pans in the kitchen. Ironically, I can’t play the drums (yet?) Hehe…

4.       A lot of my songs are inspired by unlikely aspects of ordinary life and love, the world around us, and things that happen that fill me to the brim until they spill out into the creation of song.

5.       And I like to write / produce them when it’s quiet and usually in the dead of the night. 

6.       I would describe performing live as a joy and a challenge. It’s a joy to be doing what you love and sharing your art with other people on a daily basis. But it can be exceptionally challenging when the sound systems are not idea, or the audience is not receptive. Every time I perform live, I have 3 aims: 1) Make music that I enjoy and am proud of, 2) Catch and maintain audience attention, 3) Give them goose pimples /chills! 

7.       Making music is a lot of multitasking, begging, practising and learning. Being open to new ideas and experiences as well as staying humble, is crucial to becoming a better musician. Having the courage to explore areas of your voice/instrument that you have never ventured before whilst having the discipline to work on your music technically. The combination of technically sound music plus an adventurous passionate spirit is what I believe makes an exceptional musician!

8.       My favorite song to play live is  usually the last song I’ve learned/written. Haha… In Psychology, that’s called the Recency Effect. I don’t have any one favourite, but I do have a few songs that I always enjoy playing more than others – songs that allow my voice to be free, songs that tell a story, songs that people can identify with. In particular, songs that can make you cry, smile or get chills. 

9.       The kind of clothes I wear on stage could be described as  comfortable and understated. Sadly, I’m no fashionista… but as an artist/performer, I try to just portray simplicity.

10.   My musical heroes are female singer-songwriters like Sarah Mclachlan, Tori Amos, Ingrid Michaelson, Lily Allen, Adele, Christina Perri, etc. 

11.   I love them because they are musicians who have their own unique musical style and are not afraid to flaunt it – who often go against the grain of what is expected in mainstream music and yet have emerged successful. Also, they are fantastic vocalists, songwriters, musicians and even produce their own music!

12.   When I get on stage I feel like  magic happens. Especially when I play with other musicians. There’s something that happens while we’re making music – playing the same song on a different day is always a different experience. We don’t have to speak to each other – we let the music we make speak and interact for us, and when that happens, you feel it in your heart – MUSIC MAGIC! 

13.   When I’m not making music you can find  me teaching young and aspiring singers to sing! I am actually a certified educator, and combining my expertise in music/singing with my love for teaching is incredibly gratifying. Other than that, I also work on improving my own musical skills in as many areas as possible, from musical theory, new vocal techniques and exercises, practising new songs, watching and observing other people’s music. When I want to get away from music for a bit, I love to watch Korean dramas, How I Met Your Mother, play with my dog (I take TONS of pictures of her), and catch up with friends over coffee or good food!

14.   One day I will  learn to play the cello! I’ve always wanted to but can’t commit to buying such a big and expensive instrument and make the time commitment to mastering an entirely new instrument… yet. I will though. Definitely, one day.

Guess which is  Don and win a prize.

1.       Hi my name is Don  and I play for  a little known band called Cheating Sons.

 2.       And I make the kind of music that that soothes our soul, kind of like a good tequila with a twist of lime. 

3.       My first music memory is The End Of The World by Skeeter Davis. Heavy stuff for a young boy but that was what Dad was playing in the car at the time.

 4.       A lot of  our songs are inspired by the great music we surround ourselves with coupled with the drive to write music that is relatable, timeless and beautiful.

 5.       And I like to write / produce them when it’s quiet and distractions are kept at bay.

 6.       I would describe performing live as having a shot of your favourite cocktail… the more you do it, the more you’d want to do it, in other words, it’s addictive.

7.       Making music is a lot of fun.

 8.       My favorite song to play live is “Pale Rider”. It’s not on our debut record, “Masters, Wives, Daughter” but will be on our second record due for release in the 2^nd quarter of 2012!

 9.       The kind of clothes I wear on stage could be described as late 70s, maybe early 80s.  

10.   My musical heroes are David Lindley (Jackson Browne, El Rayo-X) and David Hidalgo (Los Lobos, Latin Playboys).

11.   I love them because amongst many other instruments, the first David plays the lap steel, while the second David plays the accordion. Real talented Davids!

 12.   When I get on stage I feel like a smoky and peaty single malt whiskey being poured out… The aroma is intoxicating and I enjoy every sip and every moment of performing live! 

13.   When I’m not making music you can find  me at home, helping out with my kids… changing diapers, putting them to slee  or hanging out with the boys at the kopi tiam and plotting world domination over a couple of local brews.

14.   One day I will learn how to play the fiddle. 

(p.s. I’m not alcoholic).  

1.      Hi my name is Saiful and I play for the Great Spy Experiment.

2.      I make the kind of music that is full of heartfelt melodies and honest words.

3.       My first music memory is hearing John Lennon’s voice on the third chorus of I Should Have Known Better and falling in love with the Beatles. And being in a band with my older brother and 2 cousins called the Wildcats. We didn’t know how to play any musical instruments so we just mouthed them. And writing a Malay sentimental rock song called “Everlasting Love” which we recorded in my wardrobe. I can’t remember which came first. But I guess those would be the earliest music memories.

4.       A lot of my songs are inspired by things that I see, think and feel. Because those are things that I can honestly say I know. And I only write about things I know. Except love. I write songs about love even though I’ve come to realise I know nothing about it.

5.       And I like to write / produce them when I’m in the toilet or shower. That’s when I’m most productive.

6.       I would describe performing live as a conversation. A way to connect with people directly, a musical heart-to-heart of sorts.  A conversation that’s louder on one side, but a conversation no less.

7.       Making music is a responsibility. As a music-maker, you have a responsibility to the listener to make sure that whatever they hear is the best version it can be. Until it is, keep working on it.

8.       My favorite song to play live is Class A Love Affair. Because it’s the song that people sing along to the loudest. We’ve been playing it for 7 years but we’re still not tired of it.

9.       The kind of clothes I wear on stage could be described as what you’d wear on a date with 300 people (and their parents).

10.   My musical heroes are mostly songwriters. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Paul Draper, Alex Turner, Paul Banks, Thom Yorke, Julian Casablancas, etc. And also local bands like Force Vomit, the Stoned Revivals, B-Quartet, Caracal, Cheating Sons, Muon, etc.

11.   I love them because they make great music. That’s pretty much it.

12.   When I get on stage I feel like I owe it to the people watching to not mess up. And then I do anyway. But I’ve come to accept that mess-ups are just a part of the honesty. We know we’re not the most technically proficient band out there and we’ve given up pretending to be one.

13.   When I’m not making music you can find me sitting at the local coffee bean watching other people live life.

14.   One day I will figure it out. And when I do, I’ll write a song about it. Whatever ‘it’ is.

Singaporean singer-songwriter

Inch Chua, with her unique indie-pop sound, is invited back to the prestigious South by Southwest (SXSW) music festival in Austin, Texas. Together with her backing band, The Metric System, they will perform multiple showcases from March 10-14, 2012 during SXSW.

Following SXSW, Chua will debut at Canadian Music Week (CMW) in Toronto from March 21-22, 2012.

[Specific tour dates and details below.]

Chua will be performing a mixture of tunes from her last album Wallflower (2010) and songs from her upcoming album The Colour Wheel with her backing band and are certain to generate much excitement and buzz at her showcases. “I am always as nervous as I am excited when revealing new material,” confessed Chua. “The new album is still in development and for the past few months I have been experimenting and recording with my band. As exhausting as songwriting can be, the process has been immensely liberating to incubate my ideas and develop as an artist.”

Chua is now signed and represented by Mighty Fresh, an award-winning talent management company based in Santa Monica, California. Mighty Fresh has represented/developed/produced some of the Internet’s most famous and successful cross-over artist including KevJumba, Michelle Phan, iJustine, Esmee Denters, Rhett & Link, and David Choi. Mighty Fresh is well-known for producing projects with Justin Timberlake, Richard Marx, Jalen Rose, Jessica Alba, Baron Davis, Carson Daly, Iyaz, Tiësto, Auburn Williams & A-Track.

Her current tour is co-funded with her appearance at SXSW kindly supported by Aging Youth, Media Development Authority (Singapore) and Singapore International Foundation for the Canadian Music Week.

1.       Hi my name is
Leonard Tan… artiste moniker Leonard T & StarFunk.

2.       And I make the kind of music that
Makes people dance, laugh and cry.

3.       My first music memory is
Prancing around to 70′s disco records by Boney M, Bee Gees and Abba, played on the turntables by my parents.

4.       A lot of my songs are inspired by
Early 80′s electronic bands like The Human League, Alphaville, Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys… and old-school hip hop / electro rap bands like Run DMC, Beastie Boys…

5.       And I like to write / produce them when
I’m sad… it’s because I draw the most inspiration when I’m feeling down, and the music-making perks me up again.

6.       When performing live
I rely alot on my songs’ guest singers to pull off live performances. I’m more of a behind-the-scenes producer. My own live shows involve DJing at private events and parties.

7.       Making music is a lot
Like working… at least for me. I’m committed to giving my best at whatever I do, especially when it involves using my creativity. I do not need to “get high” or drunk like some musicians claim they need to be in order to express themselves fully. I’m sober when I work on my music, though I wish I could have a few drinks while at it. But I can’t, I need to concentrate and focus on all those flashy lights and buttons on my synths!

8.       My favorite song to play live is
“The Lights Have Gone Out”…. that’s my own song! (Both my vocals and Maia Lee’s are in it)

9.       The kind of clothes I wear on stage could be described as
I don’t really notice, but everyone asks me why I’m always wearing the same Bruce Lee T-shirt. It’s not the same, I have dozens of them. Now that you mentioned it… hmm, yeah, my stage clothes…

10.   My musical heroes are
Too many to mention, but similar to those bands I mentioned earlier. I wish I could be making music like Prince though.

11.   I love them because
I grew up with them, they were my childhood companions throughout, in a way. Their music was on my cassette Sony Walkman all day, even in school.

12.   When I get on stage I feel like
They say God is a DJ… but nah, I don’t feel godlike in any way when I spin to a crowd, I just feel I’m lucky to be in such a position, controlling the mood and energy of the crowd.

13.   When I’m not making music you can find  me…………or……………………..
Drinking red wine and beer, in my boxing class, at the gym, cycling… but mostly drinking red wine and beer

14.   One day I will
Die. But before that happens, I want to make sure I leave behind an endearing musical legacy, a stamp on Singapore’s music scene as the No.1 dance / electronic pop music songwriter and producer who ever lived. Oh well, that’s my dream at least!