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[title]The year 2015 is coming to a close and Five Arts Centre is ending its 30-year anniversary celebration with ‘Cheras, The Musical!’. This musical will showcase first-time playwright June Tan as she takes on the representation of the titular city in a musical setting. ‘Cheras, The Musical!’ follows the adventures of lounge singer Cherrie Lum, a one-hit-wonder in the '80s who lives in her past, thinking she is still the star she once was. This causes tension between her and her children, Blossom and Jackson Lum. A singing contest comes to town and Cherrie, Jackson and Uncle Chong (Cherrie’s boyfriend) encourage Blossom to enter, thinking that if she wins, they all will have an opportunity to leave Cheras. Throughout the musical, the family reveals their individual motives to escape the lives they have built in Cheras while pinning their hopes on Blossom to lead the way out. Here, get to know this musical through the actors and the characters they portray.
Vernon Adrian Emuang
Vernon has an amazing repertoire having been involved in the theatre, television, radio, film and print industries. He received his acting training in Australia, and he has worked with local theatre directors such as Chin San Sooi, Mervyn Peters, Philip Chai, Joe Hasham, Datin Marion D’Cruz, and now Chee Sek Tim. Vernon plays Uncle Chong, Cherrie’s supportive and unassuming boyfriend who is her number one fan.
Tan Yon Lynn
An established vocalist, Yon Lynn has made a name for herself in various stage productions including ‘Uda dan Dara 2015’, ‘The Producers’, ‘Wizard of Oz’ and ‘Glitz & Glamour’. When she’s not acting, Lynn is an assistant producer with Primeworks Studios. In ‘Cheras, The Musical!’, she plays Blossom Lum, an overly-active entrepreneur who is constantly coming up with new ideas for projects.
Brian Chan
Brian is a rising performer and has already made stage appearances in a production of ‘Rent’ and KLPAC’s production of ‘Uda dan Dara 2015’. In ‘Cheras, The Musical!’, he plays Derrick, Blossom’s chat-room boyfriend-wannabe and programming enthusiast who helps her develop her chat application.
Jayson Phuah
Jayson’s résumé includes being a tenor in the choir that performed with Andrea Bocelli at Putra Indoor Stadium back in 2013, as well as the lead role of Meng in ‘MUD: Our Story of Kuala Lumpur’. In ‘Cheras, The Musical!’, he will take up the challenging role of Jackson Lum, the sensible cosmetic salesman and the family’s sole breadwinner, who is constantly mocking his mother’s fantasies and his sister’s ideas.
Nisya Aziz
A talent waiting to be discovered, Nisya made her first appearance in ‘Uda & Dara 2015’. She’s moving forward with her acting career with this musical as Win-Win, a talent manager with a knack for uncovering new talents. Will she be Cherrie’s way back into the scene?
Marina Tan
Marina started singing in the early 2000s with the Selangor Philharmonic Society and a capella group Six2Eight before venturing into acting. Her stage credits include the title character in Desmond Sim’s one-woman show, ‘Postcards from Rosa’ and various outings with the ‘Shakespeare Demystified’ ensemble. Marina has also received a Best Supporting Actor nomination in the 2015 Boh Cameronian Arts Awards for her portrayal of sassy hairdresser Chanel in ‘Shear Madness’. In ‘Cheras, The Musical!’, she plays Cherrie Lum, the one-hit-wonder from the '80s who struggles to stay relevant.