"Smoke on the water...and fire in the sky!"

Just as i stepped outside, "BOOM!" the the dark night was set afflame by these red fireworks streaking acros the sky...

This huge explosion reminded me of the Mc Gyver TV series way way way back then... hehe anyone remember that show? i used to love it to pieces..gosh i feel old now :p

The place was surprisingly (or not) crowded and the massive audience "ooh"-ed and "ahh"-ed as each burst of light sprinkled the sky with millions of falling stars.

Merdeka!!! Merdeka!! Merdeka!! woo-hoo... you give us a public holiday and we'll give you all the 'semangat patriotik' that you want. Went to see fireworks during the countdown last night...have to admit i was quite impressed with the 20 min show... been a while since i saw live fireworks like that...

The solo guitar bits were really interesting.. a fusion of different styles and flavours united by a jazzy undercurrent that just draws you in.

"...and he played a soft serenade to the moon."

Grooveunction really rocked the stage specially when Mia came on stage to sing with them... magic, pure magic. It's just amazing to see these musicians perform with such passion. and of course, the saxaphone was entrancing...

It's friday night and i had a looooooong week of submissions and sleepless nights.. it's time to sit back, get a drink and relax with some good friends at a jazz festival under the stars *ahhh* Cheers!!

The wine cellar was really cool.. this glass room with the racks and bottle silhouetted against the warm yellow glow..

MmMmmmm.. strawberries and cream...this picture really doesn't require any further explanation.. just *mmMmMmmmMm*

Hmm so they finally got the food ready but we STILL had to wait for some people and all.. *sigh* some of us went to scour the buffet table and look longingly at the spread.. i was, of course, drawn immediately to the sushi..so close yet so far away.. :(

On Sat, the cast party was held at Chinoz on the Park. You could tell that we all really missed each other..even though some didn't want to admit it! Oh well, the candles were pretty, the food wasn't ready and i was running round as usual.. *hee*

Have i mentioned before how much i love taking shots of the rumble scene?? yes.. oh well. it's prob the only time where the people on stage stay (semi) still and also prob the only time when i can relax backstage n not have to rush off for costume changes, hair, cues etc :p

On closing night, my parents were such sweethearts.. they bought me n my sis each a bouquet of bea-oo-tiful lillies from Floristika (which i love!!). The both of em have just been amazingly supportive bout the whole thing.. *awww...* Love you guys!!

So while everyone's supposed to be warming up singing "mee-ah mee-ah mee-ah..." i'm happily snapping away with my new toy.

The king has arrived....

After the last night of performance, we went to MAKAN again.. i think this is probably why most of us think that we've gained a few pounds over this past week.. *sigh* the things we sacrifice to preserve the sanctity of mamak culture

Ok time to go technicolour again!! I was just so excited bout the bulb-by mirror light things you know... there is no point in having dressing tables backstage if they aint got no lights!!

For some reason, my sis deeply hates this picture of her.. i really don't think it's that bad. In fact, i kinda like it..though i doesn't really look very much like her eventhough it is her but not her from the usual viewpoint but you get my point but i don't have a point but nevermind :)

*chomp chomp chomp* hmm so we're not supposed to be eating in the changing rooms but.. oh well :) hmms every one says that Adrene n i look alike... really?? We can't, for the life of us, see why but what do you think?

You gotta love black & white photography.. there's just something about it that just intrigues me so...This is yet another shot of the Rumble scene during the West Side Story segment of the musical.

Make up, hair do, costume, stand by....and one..two..three.. you're on!! Mandy, during the make up session before the show.

The girls in our cute lil 70's outfits. Honestly, the combination of high swingy ponytails, glitter, hair spray and nauseatingly bright costumes makes you feel like bouncing around and saying things like "Awe-some!!"
 

On opening night, flowers were presented to Chong and San Sooi. These were later dismantled & distributed among the cast members. Playing around with my super macro-mode on my new cam, i took a shot of one of these lonely flowers and preserved it forever in my photograph.

In the midday heat, the clear blue sky throws a quiet light on the exterior of the Panggung DBKL.

When the lights have dimmed and the curtain has closed, the magic of the night fades into reality and finds its place amongst our many memories :)

Tim's rendition of 'Bring Him Home' during the Les Mis medley always gives me goosebumps. A beautiful song coupled with a beautiful voice is just pure magic..

Lee Mei and YK doing their phantom duet...

If you notice certain trends in all my stage shots.. they have all been taken from stage right. i was planning on taking shots from stage left the next day.. but.. oh well, since the powers that be didn't want shots taken backstage during the show :p so much for all my plans.

I didn't realise how addicted i was to taking pics till i started seeing frames around certain people or composition when i encountered a good photo op.. i should get some help.

Okay.. so i really didn't want to post this up here for Liang's sake but..but..but... it's just priceless!! Zoom in and take a look at the utter shock & horror on Praveen's face!!

Lip gloss - RM30, Look on Praveen's face - PRICELESS...

Half time gets a lil crazy backstage with the costume changes and everyone running around in these perky bright coloured outfits.. i think the lip gloss and eye shadow really got to some of em *hee* (Sorry Liang, but i just had to post this up here!! So cute!! hahaha..)

While the guys were bellowing out the Rumble, Maria was a picture of serenity in the balcony above the chaos :)

A shot of Soo Aun & Greg during the Rumble...

"Make of our hands, one hand..."

A quiet scene during the west side story segment just before maria (michelle) and tony (philip) sing "One Hand, One Heart".

A moment of mutual understanding as two shutter bugs take pics of each other.

Hmmm as i was running around backstage as usual, i sneaked into the guys' changing room and snapped their phantom tops hanging there all in a row. *jealous* i want cool tops & capes too!!

hmmm so what do you do when you're in this theatre with no one around and nothing to do? You climb up the catwalks and snap photos of course!! haha up there, you get real close to the ceiling and you can see all the pretty details.

And here are the beaoooootiful ladies who came all the way from Stella.in, Penang, to paint our faces.. elvira n mandy pose with em after getting 'sparkle-fied' for the joseph scene.

On the first night, all these make up artists and hair stylists came with their bags n bags of stuff... oOoOoohh.. i sat there with two, three people working on my makeup simultaniously and *gosh* for a moment there i felt like i was in a Disney movie.. you know the kind where the girl sits there and she gets this complete makeover?? My 'diva moment' i call it. hehe... people preening all over you.. makes you kinda feel like a superstar!!

All the leng lui's backstage waiting for the show to start :)

Ok so i know that most of you are wondering why i have yet to post pics of PEOPLE instead of doors and ceiling and all that kinda stuff.. truth is... if i DO post pics of people up here... they will probably kill for for doing so.. *hahah* but heck.. i'm a dead man walking anyways so i'm just gonna post at whim and... if you have a problem with it... bribe me!! *muahahahaha* oks.. so the first pic in my 'bapok' series (and beware all TCS guys... NO ONE is spared from this series *cue evil laugh again*) is of YK.. siting pretty with his eye shadow and all... haha i have a funnier version of this... so... anyone care to bid for it?? yes? no?

Another pic to add to my "reflections" (so-called) series. Something i took with the cam on the very shiny vip coffee table on balcony.. kinda cool init?

hmm... guess what we were fed for dinner today ('fed' - i feel like a chicken :p ) hmm last two days was Sushi King.. today it's *pa-da pa-pa-PA* i'm lovin' it!! yeap.. we got Mc-ers.. all those pretty burgers lined up in a row..

This is a pic of the 'Dark Hole' that i wrote about in my fairytale heheh... i love the eerie blue light and yellowish highlights. You can almost hear the steady footsteps echo in the tunnel... *thud thud thud thud*

ooOoH.. i love all the coloured lights backstage.. they make everything look so good. Normal things that look crappy in daylight are brought to life under the glow of the stage lights.

This is probably the only shot i have taken with my new cam so far that is perfectly clear... and that i didn't need to edit in any way. Panggung DBKL is actually a pretty cosy hall. The warm lighting makes the place look pretty stunning too.. ahhhh...the wonders of smoke and mirrors.

For some strange reason i was really amused by the icon names on this guys comp.. they were fiddling around with the LCD projector screen for the performance on stage so the evil smiley face icon was unsually large and wickedly cute! If you click on the pic adn see the enlarged version you can read the icon names.. 'Galactic Civilizations', 'Yaiba the revenge' and my favourite 'Manhunt' (hmmm....)

And the pictures are BACK!!! WeEEeEeee i finally finally finally got my very own digicam! Was bouncing (literally) all around college and backstage with my new toy :) Was so excited the whole day yesterday..got my new cam, went back to coll to see everyone (ok so not so excited about starting col again but i miss everyone!) and (*breathe*) it was opening night for the musical (*eEeEee*).

Only sad part was that Hsullynn and Maggie were leaving lkw :( (*sob*) will miss em both very much round coll... Hsuz gave evryone lil koala bears with the cutest outfits which she made from baby socks!! (talk about cute!) all of em are adorable.. i'll take more pics of em if i get the chance. For now this is Aaron's hoodie bear (awww....)

P/s: also note that for ONCE the background of pics that i take in coll isn't BLACK!!! it's WHITE!!! everybody say *wooOAHhhH* hahaha..

i feel sick.

*ugh* just when i thought i got over the sore throat, i now.. officially have the flu :p talk about bad timing too! Tonight is preview night for the musical. Oh Crap.

Feeling kinda psyched or perhaps i'm just a little dizzy from the medication *woOOoOOooOo* heheh.

i should get some rest.. really. Gosh, wanted to write a blog yesterday but was just too exhausted when i came back from Panggung DBKL last night..morning...whatever. Still can't believe i spent more than 12hours there.. but it's all for a good cause. We were so weirded out that we started running around the theatre opening every door we could find. We found one with an iron rung ladder leading upwards into this dark mysterious looking hole in the ceiling *cue scary movie music*. So being bored (and high on medication), we decided to brave the deep dark unknown and embark on a little adventure. It goes something like this...

The Adventures of Princess Grace in Panggung DBKL
Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, lived a beautiful princess named Grace (but of course!). Anyways, one day, the princess and a few of her fellow friends were playing in the old theatre when suddenly, (gasp!) they stumbled upon a mysterious doorway.

" I'm bored of running around the hallways all day," said the princess "Let's climb up the ladder and see where it takes us!"

So the happy friends clambered up the old ladder. It was dark... and a soft deep blue light glowed faintly in the distance.. the space was wide enough for all of them but they had to crouch down to avoid bumping their heads.

"This is so cool!" squeeled Amanda in glee.

In a state of hush excitement, the friends creeped through the twisting narrow pathways going deeper and deeper into the labriynth with each forbidden step. As they journeyed on, they encountered many wonders and chanced upon many enchanted openings from which they gasped as they saw the theatre as never before.

But darkness never sleeps and in the distance, they could hear the faint sound of footsteps... steady. soft. approaching. The friends were seized by a sudden surge of anxiousness.

"We have to get out of here soon!" they thought as they hurried along the cramp pathways.

*TWACK*

"CC are you okay?!? What happened?" exclaimed the princess in horror as she gazed down upon her poor friend. CC was sitting half dazed on the pathway, rubbing his forehead.

"*Groan* I ran into the wall" he said.

The friends were appalled to see that there was a glistening stream of crimson trickling from the wound on his head. But the footsteps in the distance had intensified.. they were nearer, louder, faster!

Despite their wounds, the friends hurried along. Driven by their fear to make it to the ladder - to escape from the lair of the unknown beast that lurked in the shadows. In a last desperate move, they flung themselves out of the hole, down the ladder and out into the bright sunshine once again...

The gentle glow of the morning sun embraced them in a warm soothing light.

They were free.

Now in the brightness of day, their past fears melted away. They could now sing and laugh happily at their triumph against the Monster of the Black Hole.

Days passed, weeks, months, years and soon their little adventure was nothing more to than a memory. A wiff of smoke from a blown out candle from the past, leaving only small scars as a constant reminder of their Journey into the Unknown.

- fin -



okay...so real life wasn't as dramatic but you get the idea don't cha? *cheers*