"The younger sister Lin falls from the sky, like a light cloud just flying from the back of the mountain." It is probably one of the most popular arias from the Yueju Opera, A Dream of the Red Chamber.

Adapted from Cao Xueqin's novel of the same title, A Dream of the Red Chamber is by far the most popular show in Yueju Opera. It focuses on a love story and the decline of feudal families. Two crossed lovers are destined by fate to be apart.

The story begins with the beautiful Lin Daiyu, who moves in with her grandmother's family after the death of her mother. There, Daiyu meets numerous relatives, one of whom is Jia Baoyu, her mother's nephew. Baoyu was borne with a jade tablet and so, is treated like a fragile egg and is spoiled by his grandmother. He often spends his time with his female cousins and maids instead of concentrating on his studies. One of the cousins he hangs around with is Xue Baochai. Baoyu and Daiyu eventually fall in love with each other, but Daiyu is not very well liked by the family, and instead, the family members favor Baochai.

Ever since it was filmed and released throughout the country in 1962, it has become China's best-selling opera film. The play, starring Xu Yulan as Baoyu and Wang Wenjuan as Daiyu, appealed not only to regular fans in East China's Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Shanghai where the Yueju Opera was born, but people from all over the country.

Wei Xiangdong, in his early thirties, grew up with the melodies of the play as he was raised by his grandmother who loved the soundtrack.

A former host of the local opera channel at Shanghai Cable TV and now at CCTV, Wei rarely missed the Yueju Opera shows and tried to record most of them. But he never dared to think that one day he would produce and direct A Dream of the Red Chamber himself.

In 2006, the Central News Documentary Film Company planned to produce a series of popular repertories to preserve the dying local operas. Gao Feng, director of the company who is also the vice-president of CCTV, immediately thought of Wei to drive the project.

The original plan was to revive the 1962 movie with a cast of young performers. But in early 2000, the Shanghai Grand Theater produced a version featuring new tunes accompanied by the symphonic orchestra. Then a reporter with Shanghai Cable TV, Wei was so impressed by the new production that he recorded the full-length play and made it into a rough movie.

"Though I grew up with that classic version and can sing all the arias, I was fascinated by the new one immediately," says Wei.

"If say, the 1962 movie is my sister, the 2000 production is my wife."

Reserving all the scenes, details and arias of the 1962 movie, the new-filmed classic version features all the major scenes such as Baoyu and Daiyu reading the banned book Romance of the West Chamber; Daiyu burying the fallen flowers; Daiyu burning her love poems manuscripts before her death; Baoyu mourning Daiyu's Death and Baoyu leaving home to become a monk.

Zheng Guofeng, disciple of Xu Yulan plays Jia and Wang Zhiwen, disciple of Wang Wenjuan stars as Lin.

The symphonic version is almost the revival of that 2000 production, starring Zhao Zhigang as Jia and Fang Yafen as Lin. It features many popular Yueju actresses such as He Ying and Tao Huimin who have been away from the stage for years but remained in Yueju Opera fans' hearts.

"You can expect nothing less than powerful symphonic music, highly elaborate sets, fashionable costumes and an unforgettable performance by a stellar cast," says Wei.

Both films premiered in Shanghai at the end of 2007. The classic version ran for 150 shows at the Shanghai Film Center. According to its staff, the movie even sold better than Ang Lee's Lust Caution.

Now the classic version will run 10 nights at Beijing's Capital Film from May 9 and followed by 10 nights of the symphonic edition from May 20.

Colm Wilkinson is perhaps best known as the voice behind the mask in The Phantom of the Opera and as Jean Valjean in Les Misérables. But in his Broadway & Beyond tour, he reveals a range that will surprise and delight you.

Beginning his career in his native Ireland in the 1970's, Wilkinson has become an internationally recognized vocalist. Today, his eclectic selection of music is as wide as his vocal range. He performs everything from folk to pop to country to rock, and samples just about all of it for this tour. He's also a fair guitar player, as he demonstrates in this show.

For his Broadway & Beyond tour, Wilkinson starts with Music of the Night from Phantom, goes on to perform a variety of his better--and lesser--known hits; some Irish drinking songs; a few numbers from other artists including Ray Charles, Leonard Cohen, Muddy Waters, and John Lennon; some of his own original compositions; and finishes up with Bring Him Home from Les Mis.

The show ran about two hours, not including a twenty minute intermission. It seemed shorter, such is Wilkinson's talent for keeping an audience enthralled. More than once Wilkinson remarked that the night was young, but he wasn't. Considering the strain his dynamic style must put on his voice, and his age--63, although he wears it well--the length was just about right.

There was no opening act. Quite frankly, there didn't need to be. Everyone was there to see Colm Wilkinson and there was no reason to keep them waiting.

Performing with Wilkinson were two well-known singers in their own right: Tony Award winning Gretha Boston, and Susan Gilmour who also performed with Wilkinson in Les Misérables. At times they sang backup for Wilkinson, but they also performed duets and solos. Their voices, while different from each other, were nevertheless complimentary and added a nice touch to the evening, in addition to giving Wilkinson's voice a rest between songs.

Leading the backup band was pianist and musical director Steve Hunter. The rest of the band included a base, electric base, electric guitar, cello, drums, organ, and a fellow playing multiple wind instruments. All of them were superb, and each had an opportunity to show off their talents.

Despite the excellence of the musical performance, the highlight of the show was really Wilkinson's playful banter with the audience and the stories he told between songs. Like his account of the time he was invited to perform at the Kennedy Center Honors and had to ask, "What's that?" Or his explanation for the variations on the song Danny Boy.

The only real weakness of this performance seems to be the choice of numbers. One member of the group we were with commented beforehand that she hoped he did his older work, since she preferred it to the songs on his latest album. While he did perform some of his older, better known hits from Phantom and Les Mis, there wasn't enough.

Our seats, mid-way from the front on the orchestra level, ran about $85 CDN. The range at other venues seems to be from $60 to $90. Whether you feel this is worth it or not depends, naturally, on your taste. The audience we were a part of certainly seemed satisfied. They gave Wilkinson a warm standing ovation at the end and after each of his three encores.

The Broadway & Beyond tour is, at this point, strictly Canadian. It began in Halifax, Nova Scotia on October 6th, 2007, and after hitting Vancouver, British Columbia on November 9th, will bounce back to wrap up on November 11th in Regina, Saskatchewan. However, given that Wilkinson holds international fame, it's likely you'll find this tour or another in a country near you before too long.

Colm Wilkinson is a true virtuoso, a talented performer with a stunning range and an engaging personality. He demonstrates both in Broadway & Beyond.

Michelle Blakely is an incomparable actress who has worked on Broadway alongside Bernadette Peters and Rosie O'Donnell. An alum of many of our corporate events, we caught up with her to reflect on her life on Broadway.

HOB: You were fantastic in Annie Get Your Gun. What was it like performing in such a beloved musical opposite Bernadette Peters?
MB: Bernadette has always been one of my idols. In one of our scenes, she got the giggles after flubbing a line. Some of the cast started to "break scene" and laugh with her. I was stone-faced and the last hold out until I couldn't stand it anymore and joined in. At this point, the audience applauded wildly and cackled with joy. It was truly an authentic Broadway moment.

HOB: How funny! Do you like getting such a big response from the audience, or is it distracting sometimes when people are singing or clapping along with your song?
MB: Those personal interactions with the audience are the most gratifying part of performing. Whether attendees are a group of scientists, bankers, real estate agents, or doctors, those audience interaction moments are pure energy. You feed off the audience and, in turn, they feed off of you. When you have that synergy, it's very powerful. It's definitely an experience that you won't get at a movie theatre or watching TV!

HOB: Speaking of movies and TV, how do you feel audiences respond to live entertainment, when filmed performances seem to be more prevalent?
MB: At the reception after our recent event for Citi, I met a man who had never seen a Broadway show. He said that he was aware that there would be entertainment throughout the evening, but he was surprised at how engaged he became during the performance. He was thoroughly amazed by the talented singers and dancers, and ended up singing along and bopping to the beat!

HOB: Have you ever had an experience like that with an entire audience?
MB: One of the groups that really stands out in my mind was a Bayer corporate audience in Colorado Springs, many of whom were from Germany. Before going to Colorado, I was concerned that our show may not translate. But the audience was one of the most appreciative and vocal audiences I have ever experienced with a corporate event. After the finale, the CEO made an impromptu speech about our wonderful performance and how the magic of Broadway had influenced his life. It was a very moving night for us all.

HOB: Sounds like a fantastic evening. What are some of your favorite Broadway shows?
MB: There are so many memories I have of brilliant performances that I've seen on Broadway. Jennifer Holliday bringing down the house during a matinee of Dreamgirls, Lilly Tomlin single-handedly mesmerizing the audience with her one-woman show, The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life... Even recently watching Fantasia's star turn in The Color Purple. I'm constantly inspired and reminded why I was drawn to the live theatre.

HOB: One last question, what song from Broadway do you feel a personal connection to?
MB: The song "Something's Coming" from West Side Story is very special to me. It's about how you never know what the future can hold, and what wonderful thing is waiting for you around the corner. I feel it encapsulates the entertainment business, as well as the human experience. The power of the unknown future gives you hope for a better tomorrow.

Michelle Blakely's Broadway credits include Annie Get Your Gun as the standby for Bernadette Peters, later playing opposite Ms. Peters as "Dolly Tate," Grease with Rosie O'Donnell as "Patty Simcox" and understudy for "Sandy," Tom O'Horgan's Senator Joe as "Dorothy Kenyon," and The International Tour of Grand Hotel as "Trude." Her films include You've Got Mail, Mr. Jealousy, and The Twilight of the Golds.

We spoke with Laurie Gayle Stephenson, Star of The Phantom Of The Opera, to discuss performing on Broadway and for Corporate Audiences.

HOB: You starred on Broadway in Phantom. How do audiences relate to songs from the show?
LGS: Seeing the Broadway cast of any show is very appealing to an audience – going to any Broadway show is an event since the cast is “The Real Deal!” In a show like Phantom, even if they are not familiar with the show, they have heard the music.

HOB: How is performing for corporate audiences different from Broadway?
LGS: A Broadway audience knows exactly what they are getting. A corporate audience may know nothing about what they are about to see. For that reason, it is critical that the audience is immediately brought in and completely WOWED!

In my experience, I always find that these corporate audiences love the luxury experience of Broadway and enjoy meeting and taking photos with the cast after the show. As a performer it is a very fulfilling and gratifying experience.

HOB: What is one of your favorite experiences from a corporate event?
LGS: At a Hot On Broadway performance last month, our cast performed for 400 of the top leaders and scientists from a major pharmaceutical company. As Broadway performers, we were honored to be entertaining and meeting some of the most renowned scientists and doctors in the world. They expressed equal enthusiasm for our work and performance. The evening of Broadway songs incorporated a specific thematic message: we celebrated their global efforts in drug research and the ongoing efforts in finding cures for diseases including cancer and diabetes. It was a powerful and rewarding experience.

Laurie Gayle Stephenson has enjoyed an acclaimed career on Broadway in many shows including The Secret Garden, The Phantom of the Opera, The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, and continues to perform as a soloist across the country. www.lauriegayle.net

The spectre of recession is hanging over the UK economy and if that comes to fruition it will means tough times ahead for most businesses and many individuals, especially those in the entertainment and leisure industry.

Normally, when a recession bites luxuries such as trips to the theatre are the first casualties as consumers look to tighten their belts and cut out unnecessary spending. With the doom-mongers predicting that 2008 will be a bad year for the UK economy and 2009 will be even worse, on the face of it entertainment spending looks to worst hit. But, that might not tell the whole story. Traditionally, in times of real economic gloom and hardship people look to entertainment as a form of escapism from the harsh realities of everyday life.

Also, the flip side of an economic downturn is that for those with cash to spare there are usually some real bargains to be had as businesses cut their prices and introduce special offers. So, if theatres and retailers do start to feel the pinch throughout the year, then they will also be forced into offering great deals to attract customers - meaning that if you are in a position to be able to afford it then 2008 will be a great time to visit the capital to watch a West End show.

And because shops are already reporting reduced revenues during the run-up to Christmas last year, sales are already in full flow and look set to continue for some time, meaning there will be some great bargains to be had. Also, just about every hotel in Oxford Street and the rest of the West End will doubtless be offering discounted deals over the next few months as it is a traditionally slow time for visitors.

So, keep your eye open for great West End Theatre deals throughout the year; and when it comes to choosing something to watch there is a huge choice from popular musicals, great drama and comedy. There is bound to be something that will appeal to you and even if it’s not from the mainstream West End selection the fringe theatre scene is alive and well in London and offers some great alternative productions.

Plus, staying for a weekend will leave you plenty of time to take in some sightseeing in the nation’s Capital. The UK’s most popular tourist attraction, the London Eye, is a stone’s throw from the West End and just over the Thames from the historic Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. Or, perhaps you could visit Covent Garden and the great boutiques, market stalls and mainstream shops that proliferate in the area.

Regardless of whatever it is that would draw you to London, be assured that there will be some great deals to be had as the recession starts to bite.

Online PC game publisher YNK Interactive announced the open beta date for their highly anticipated massively multi-player online role-playing game, Rohan: Blood Feud. Open beta will begin on Tuesday, May 27th at 6:00pm PST. Having been working around the clock since the end of the Closed Beta fixing bugs and making many refinements and improvements, YNK Interactive has added several of players' suggestions into the game, and will continue to welcome player input during the Open Beta phase.

Highlight in Rohan

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Enchanced monster AI: Through Link AI and Help AI,monsters share their attacking properties so when one monster is being attacked,other monsters nearby will assist the attacked monsters so that attributed attacks and deathblows can be used in a more tactical way.

Stage work would definitely be very difficult to carry on without the use of an all-purpose item such as gaffer tape. Often called gaff tape, this is a very common tool used by photographers, film and theater directors to organize any form of artistic performance; basically consisting f cotton cloth with an adhesive part, gaffer tape is sensitive to pressure and incredibly strong at the same time. Where is gaffer tape actually used on stage? Well first of all, think about all those countless cables that seem to be in the way all the time; when going backstage you'd be surprised to see all the “cable” web that hides behind a scene.

Hence, gaffer tape is mainly used for securing light and motion cables directly to the floors, the walls or to any other surface where they're needed. Gaffer tape actually covers two main roles: on the one hand it ensures a safe work background by eliminating exposure to electric sources, and on the other hand, it camouflages the cables from the audience. Nevertheless, there are plenty other situations when gaffer tape works wonders: very often a simple, but absolutely necessary, fix is required, and gaffer tape sheerly makes the easiest and safest solution to it.

Some other times, gaffer tape replaces the so called artist tape in the fixation of a prop or in the labeling of the special broadcasting channels used for a certain show. There are all sorts of gaffer tape models, and they are special not just in size and design but in color as well. First of all, narrower gaffer tape may be required for certain applications, whereas others depend on wide sizes. Moreover, the color of the gaffer tape is equally important when it comes to integrating a certain prop in the background without showing any sign of differentiation.

For people who'd like to have it customized according to some particular specifications, gaffer tape can be ordered with many online manufacturers. Yet, the most common and widely used variates are the black and gray ones since the are generally applied to electricity cables that have this very same color. After being removed, there are no traces of gaffer tape left behind, which is a great feature for the clean use on occasions when residues are completely bothersome. It is not uncommon to try and substitute gaffer tape with duct tape for instance, but the latter is definitely lower in quality, leaving lots of residues behind.

Sometimes Asian ways can be baffling to those in the West. Perhaps the following story can help shed some light on the mystery

Once there was an art dealer who had a painting depicting a young farm boy leading a horse across a bridge. The lad was facing the horse, his body leaning back, and he looked like he was exerting great effort. One day a buyer came in and had to have this painting. He didn’t have enough money on him to buy this rather expensive artwork right away, however, so he asked the seller to hold the painting for him while he went home to get the funds. As the seller took the painting down, he noticed it was missing the rope the boy should have been using to lead the horse. Without much thought, he picked up an ink brush and added a rope to fix this apparent flaw in the painting. When the buyer came back and saw the new rope, he was terribly upset. He told the buyer: “I was only willing to spend so much on this painting because of that rope that wasn’t there but could still be felt!”

It is this appreciation for what is implied rather than what is in plain sight that truly seems to set Asian art apart. Chinese traditional dance, for example, is less precise and strict in form than its Western counterpart – ballet, but that is partially because it attempts to evoke a different sort of feeling. Like a claret with subtle undertones, this kind of dance leaves plenty of room for imagination and, as a result, truly leaves a lasting impression.

It is true, after all, that the more something is described in a concrete way, the smaller the range it covers. For example, the phrase “hot water” describes not only water but its temperature, so although “hot water” is more specific than “water,” it precludes “warm water,” “cold water,” and other kinds of water and is therefore more limited. Perhaps this is why so much of Chinese art seems to speak in generalities. Ink landscape paintings with their broad brush strokes and wide swaths intentionally left blank are particularly hard for the Western eye to grasp. These paintings can often seem vague and unclear, but to the discerning viewer, each brush stroke speaks volumes.

The same holds for the Chinese language -- known for being extraordinarily concise and yet also rich and descriptive precisely because it is so succinct. Indeed, many Chinese words and proverbs contain concepts that could take paragraphs to explain in another language.

Asian-themed performances like NTDTV’s Holiday Wonders or the Chinese New Year Spectacular offer an entirely new experience partially because they are so different from Western, narrative-driven forms. They ask something different from the audience – a slight shift in expectations, a shift in sensibility.

And yet the NTDTV shows seem to have struck a balance between the more refined traditional dance forms and the simple pleasures of rousing music, impressive large scale dances with dozens of dancers moving in synch, and, of course, gorgeous costumes and backdrops. The shows offer enough new flavors to be intriguing without being overly foreign. The more subtle elements may be lost on many in the audience, but there presence nonetheless enriches the entire performance for everyone. Ultimately, stories of grace and virtue told through song and dance will forever speak to us all.

We spoke with Laurie Gayle Stephenson, Star of The Phantom Of The Opera, to discuss performing on Broadway and for Corporate Audiences.

HOB: You starred on Broadway in Phantom. How do audiences relate to songs from the show?
LGS: Seeing the Broadway cast of any show is very appealing to an audience – going to any Broadway show is an event since the cast is “The Real Deal!” In a show like Phantom, even if they are not familiar with the show, they have heard the music.

HOB: How is performing for corporate audiences different from Broadway?
LGS: A Broadway audience knows exactly what they are getting. A corporate audience may know nothing about what they are about to see. For that reason, it is critical that the audience is immediately brought in and completely WOWED!

In my experience, I always find that these corporate audiences love the luxury experience of Broadway and enjoy meeting and taking photos with the cast after the show. As a performer it is a very fulfilling and gratifying experience.

HOB: What is one of your favorite experiences from a corporate event?
LGS: At a Hot On Broadway performance last month, our cast performed for 400 of the top leaders and scientists from a major pharmaceutical company. As Broadway performers, we were honored to be entertaining and meeting some of the most renowned scientists and doctors in the world. They expressed equal enthusiasm for our work and performance. The evening of Broadway songs incorporated a specific thematic message: we celebrated their global efforts in drug research and the ongoing efforts in finding cures for diseases including cancer and diabetes. It was a powerful and rewarding experience.

Laurie Gayle Stephenson has enjoyed an acclaimed career on Broadway in many shows including The Secret Garden, The Phantom of the Opera, The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, and continues to perform as a soloist across the country. www.lauriegayle.net

Saatchi Gallery is now hosting an Art Showdown, which is an online competitive event that allows artists to upload images of their work and make them available to an online voting audience. Those who would like to enter must be registered members of Saatchi online or of the Stuart Artist group.

Saatchi Gallery is now hosting an Art Showdown, which is an online competitive event that allows artists to upload images of their work and make them available to an online voting audience. Those who would like to enter must be registered members of Saatchi online or of the Stuart Artist group. However, registration is easy, free, and readily available on the site. Once registered, Showdown accepts one image from each artist every period beginning on Monday at 9 a.m. until the following Sunday evening at 6 p.m.—a one-week period. During the time the work is uploaded to the site, all visitors will be free to view and vote on the quality of the work. Each visitor is permitted only one vote for each work, but may vote on as many works as is preferred. The voting is done on a scale of one (1) to ten (10). Once the scores are tallied for the first week in each period, the two artists with the highest scores are given the chance to compete against each other for additional votes for the period of another week.

These two remaining artists go head to head, vying for a chance to enter for the final prize of £1000. The competition continues for twelve rounds, after each of which, one winner is selected. The final knock out round has the twelve finalists going head to head in a bid for the £1000 prize, yet Saatchi’s support does not end there. This coveted prize will not be the only benefit of the competition, as the runner up is also granted the sum of £750. And even further benefits exist, as all the artists who enter gain the exposure that comes with having your work viewed on the site that welcomes thousands of visitors on a regular basis.

Michelle Blakely is an incomparable actress who has worked on Broadway alongside Bernadette Peters and Rosie O'Donnell. An alum of many of our corporate events, we caught up with her to reflect on her life on Broadway.

HOB: You were fantastic in Annie Get Your Gun. What was it like performing in such a beloved musical opposite Bernadette Peters?
MB: Bernadette has always been one of my idols. In one of our scenes, she got the giggles after flubbing a line. Some of the cast started to "break scene" and laugh with her. I was stone-faced and the last hold out until I couldn't stand it anymore and joined in. At this point, the audience applauded wildly and cackled with joy. It was truly an authentic Broadway moment.

HOB: How funny! Do you like getting such a big response from the audience, or is it distracting sometimes when people are singing or clapping along with your song?
MB: Those personal interactions with the audience are the most gratifying part of performing. Whether attendees are a group of scientists, bankers, real estate agents, or doctors, those audience interaction moments are pure energy. You feed off the audience and, in turn, they feed off of you. When you have that synergy, it's very powerful. It's definitely an experience that you won't get at a movie theatre or watching TV!

HOB: Speaking of movies and TV, how do you feel audiences respond to live entertainment, when filmed performances seem to be more prevalent?
MB: At the reception after our recent event for Citi, I met a man who had never seen a Broadway show. He said that he was aware that there would be entertainment throughout the evening, but he was surprised at how engaged he became during the performance. He was thoroughly amazed by the talented singers and dancers, and ended up singing along and bopping to the beat!

HOB: Have you ever had an experience like that with an entire audience?
MB: One of the groups that really stands out in my mind was a Bayer corporate audience in Colorado Springs, many of whom were from Germany. Before going to Colorado, I was concerned that our show may not translate. But the audience was one of the most appreciative and vocal audiences I have ever experienced with a corporate event. After the finale, the CEO made an impromptu speech about our wonderful performance and how the magic of Broadway had influenced his life. It was a very moving night for us all.

HOB: Sounds like a fantastic evening. What are some of your favorite Broadway shows?
MB: There are so many memories I have of brilliant performances that I've seen on Broadway. Jennifer Holliday bringing down the house during a matinee of Dreamgirls, Lilly Tomlin single-handedly mesmerizing the audience with her one-woman show, The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life... Even recently watching Fantasia's star turn in The Color Purple. I'm constantly inspired and reminded why I was drawn to the live theatre.

HOB: One last question, what song from Broadway do you feel a personal connection to?
MB: The song "Something's Coming" from West Side Story is very special to me. It's about how you never know what the future can hold, and what wonderful thing is waiting for you around the corner. I feel it encapsulates the entertainment business, as well as the human experience. The power of the unknown future gives you hope for a better tomorrow.

Michelle Blakely's Broadway credits include Annie Get Your Gun as the standby for Bernadette Peters, later playing opposite Ms. Peters as "Dolly Tate," Grease with Rosie O'Donnell as "Patty Simcox" and understudy for "Sandy," Tom O'Horgan's Senator Joe as "Dorothy Kenyon," and The International Tour of Grand Hotel as "Trude." Her films include You've Got Mail, Mr. Jealousy, and The Twilight of the Golds.

Mel Miller and Tony Stewart, have been performing on stages world wide for some ninety years, and as Tony so eloquently put it “We’re still standing!”

Tony started his career at 16 years of age in the circus, and went on to become an impressionist, by age 18 he was performing as a solo performer around the world, he has had his share of everything this industry has to offer including Television, Radio, international performance and local ovations.

Mel Miller, shot to fame in 1974 in South Africa’s first ever televised stand up comedy show, Biltong and pot-roast. Mel’s performances have been seen country wide and have shone through all the changes and developments in South Africa. Mel has headlined performances locally and abroad.

The two veteran superstars are back in full force, offering audiences two full performances, one after another. From Tony you can expect the wild antics, crazy music and mad impersonations, that he has become loved for. From Mel the topical antieverything humor that made him “The God Father of South African Comedy!”

The East Rand Italian Club is pleased to be hosting the event, which will take place on
the 21st September and will adorn the audience with finger snacks in support of the spring
theme. The Show will offer a full one man performance by Tony Stewart, an intermission
followed by a full one man show by Mel Miller. The tickets are only R120.00 for the show and snacks and are available from The Fairy Godmother - 084 502 1311 booking is essential.

Highly successful Murder Mystery Weekends are based on exclusive use of a country house hotel for your own private Murder Mystery Weekend House Party, as you will not need to worry about other guests getting in the way of your murder mystery party, so you can set the party mood to be as outrageous as you like. Murder mystery weekends are very well suited to corporate groups, private clients or friends and families wishing to celebrate a special occasion or event.

Your Country House Weekend

Your Murder Mystery weekend should begin with a three course meal on Friday evening with the first whodunnit murder already taken place. Saturday should start with breakfast and the guests should be divided into Murder Mystery groups. As part of a murder mystery team building weekend, you can participate in activities such as quad biking, karting, paintball, golf, fishing, horse riding, clay pigeon shooting, surfing etc, so location and venue are of the upmost important.

The Murder Mystery

The Murder Mystery takes place on the Friday evening when all of the "guests" assemble in costume in the bar for a pre-dinner drink and a "set the scene" briefing. Professionally organised murder mystery weekend whodunnits do not lend themselves to participation by the guests, as they are performed by professional actors. The murder mystery dinner party unfolds over the courses of a three-course evening dinner during both Friday and Saturday nights and is solved on the Sunday morning after breakfast. Your hosting characters could become your personal butler or maid - what else would you expect for your country house murder mystery weekend?

Professionally organised murder and mystery should have a theme and you should be provided with with the character resumes played by the actors. We also suggestthat you consider fancy dress costumes, as they add to the murder party fun. Your organiser should host the murder mystery weekend and participate wherever necessary to ensure that you and your party have an enjoyable Murder Mystery Weekend.

Sunday mornings should for Murder Mystery weekends start with a breakfast, at a time chosen by you to meet the needs of the party after the night before. After which you can make your way home, having enjoyed a memorable murder weekend house party.

The Murder Mystery Party Package Cost

The fully inclusive price of the Murder Mystery package is wholly dependent on the location of your venue and the star rating of your venue, should include two nights dinner, bed & breakfast.Extras to consider are the bar, wine and any additional items or activities.

VOCAL TIPS FOR STORYTELLING
By Diane Brandon

Your voice, along with your face and your body, is a major tool that you rely upon in storytelling. If your voice is not in optimum condition, then your storytelling performance may suffer accordingly.

Here, then, are some tips for maintaining that intrinsic element of your work.

Your voice is part of your body. Keeping your body healthy will help to keep your voice healthy. Sleep can be critical to the condition of your voice: if you get too little sleep, you may find that your voice is husky or hoarse or has more phlegm than normal, or that your throat is scratchy.

Drinking milk before a performance may "coat" your throat and produce phlegm. Some people are sensitive to any milk products, including cheese and yogurt, and you may need to avoid them prior to a performance.

Drinking alcohol can impair your vocal performance, as it relaxes the vocal folds and makes it harder for them to approximate.

When performing in cold weather, the throat should be kept warm. If the throat is unusually cold and the voice is used, hoarseness or vocal strain could result.

Before a performance, vocal warm-ups are a good thing to do. Just as a dancer or athlete needs to warm up his or her muscles, so too does a performer need to warm up the voice, as the vocal folds are
muscles. In warming up, you should start out lightly and gradually work up to more intensity or volume. The specific exercises you do don't matter as much as easing into and gradually working up to intensity, volume, or higher or lower ends of your range.

Deep breathing can not only help to relax you before a performance, but can also help to support the voice.

Any tension in the face, jaw, or neck should be eased. Tightness in these areas can produce a "tight" voice and lead to strain. Doing the beginning of a yawn in conjunction with deep breathing can help reduce tension and open up these areas.

You don't want to "push" your voice too much, by overdoing the volume or yelling. This type of misuse can lead to strain and hoarseness and, if done over time, can produce nodes on the vocal folds. Any ongoing, chronic hoarseness may be indicative of this condition.

Your throat and voice give you wonderful, built-in feedback whenever you're doing something wrong: if your throat gets tight or sore after using your voice or your voice gets hoarse from use, you're getting feedback that you've done something injurious.

As a storyteller, you may be concerned about strengthening your
voice. Your voice, however, will naturally strengthen over time and with practice. The key is to use it healthily and not to "push" it too much or strain it. As your voice strengthens (through the vocal folds developing), you'll gradually be able to do more with it and use it in ways you couldn't before.

(This article was originally published in "Journal of Tar Heel Tellers" in the March 1995 issue.)

On 2nd November 1965 a normal occurrence happened at the Talwar Nursing Home in New Delhi. Just like many newborns, I was born with the umbilical cord entangled around my neck. A nurse said that it was by the blessings of Hanuman and that I would be a very lucky child. I don’t know if I believe in it but it is the one thing I was told by my parents about my birth that I remember.

We lived in Rajinder Nagar, I even remember the house number it was F-442. I have vague memories of my playschool, I think it was called Tiny Tots and was right next to our house.

After playschool I began my formal education at St. Columba's High School, New Delhi. It was near Gole market, run by Irish brothers who believed in discipline and a very high standard of education.

I can recall my first day and the teacher who interviewed me, Mrs. Bala, asked me to tell her what my father’s profession was. And at that point my father had a transportation business, I had seen him dealing with tempos, trucks, etc. I believed anyone having anything to do with vehicles was a driver. So I replied that my dad was a tempo driver. Mrs. Bala told me that I had very cute dimples and then asked me to kiss her. That was my first kiss. Oh yes, and I was admitted to the school.

We were given black and golden stars for our behaviour and test results. Five black stars meant lying across Mrs. Bala’s lap and getting spanked three times, I think. Being quite naughty I was spanked a lot. I wish the same treatment was meted out to me even now. Looking back one realizes that what one thought punishment was actually quite pleasurable.

Overall my early years of schooling were quite wonderful. I had my share of spanking, and was often made to stand in the corner with my finger on the lips. I was forced by my teacher to learn how to swim by being thrown into the water and expected to survive with gallons of water in my stomach, eyes and ears. Till date I hate swimming…and my teacher for subjecting me to this torture.

But all said and done I love all my teachers. They were very kind and sweet. I guess the essence of one’s life is developed during these formative years. And I feel I had the best formative years because of the nice teachers I had.

Here’s to all of them…good morning ma’am and thank you ma’am.

Incidents & Accidents

One important turning point in my life occurred because I was very bad in Hindi. I used to get 2 or 3 on 10 and always failed in this subject. Once, my mother told me that if I got full marks in Hindi she would take me to see a Hindi film in the theatre. I had never been to a movie hall before. So I stayed up all night and studied my butt off and managed to get full marks and my mother took me to see my first Hindi film, in a theatre.

Two things happened because of this incident. One, I became quite the Hindi pundit and later always did very well in Hindi. And secondly, I got the feel for Hindi films. My command over the language helps me immensely to essay my roles in films today. The moral of the story is, if your mom tells you to study hard, do it. You may just become a film star and your education will help you one helluva lot. But if your mother is insisting on anthropology or biochemistry or perhaps aromatic therapy, then ignore her.

I remember sitting on the wall and blowing flying kisses to the schoolgirls passing by. Once a girl came complaining to my dad but my father was sure that it could not be me as I was too young. He made the girl wait so that she could see me and realise that it was the neighbour’s son who was teasing her and not me. But to my father’s embarrassment I walked in without my pants on and on seeing the girl blew her a flying kiss and told my dad that this was my sweetheart. This was the first and last girl I ever made a pass to.

St. Columba's School

Right or wrong…east or west, my school is the best. St. Columba's was a strict disciplinarian school run by Irish brothers. One could not wear the wrong uniform or grow their hair beyond a certain length. Many a times I had to get my hair cut in front of the whole assembly of students early in the morning. The barber used to be from a nearby street-side shop who hadn’t bathed or brushed his teeth. He was as sorry to be there as I was to be sitting on his uncomfortable chair. And before beginning his hack job, he would ask if I wanted a Dharmendra or an Amitabh cut. By the time he was through, I just hoped I didn’t look like a porcupine or a pineapple. My hair never recovered from these frequent attacks. ;-) This truly is the secret of my hairstyle, if one can call it that.

I was quite a good student, though I never studied throughout the year. The only time I studied was the night before the exam, when I wouldn’t sleep a wink and go straight for the exam. I did rather well and this gave me the opportunity to do a whole lot of interesting stuff in school.

In School…

My favourite soccer stars are Socrates, Pele, Maradona and Mattheus. And I loved Aslam Sher Khan and wanted to be like him and represent the country.

Electronics was my favourite subject at my A levels, and I think I got the highest marks in it when I passed out.

Mathematics was my weakest subject in school and I still have a problem with numbers. So much so if someone tells me a phone number I have to ask for it several times before I can write it down on paper. I even forget my office and residence phone number.

English, and especially Shakespeare, was my other favourite.

Mumtaz…

Mumtaz was my absolute favourite. We used to listen to the radio at night and this is when all my dancing abilities were best showcased. One had to just tell me that the song on radio was from a Mumtaz film and I would move 20 frames per second, like the way people move in the old Charlie Chaplin films.

I loved the way she moved her hips. I think nobody in this world can be as beautiful a sight as she used to be. She was sensual, innocent, naughty and very energetic, all at the same time. She was the first personality I mimicked. I loved to walk like her and dance like her.

Usually actors have very important personalities and performers as their idols. Mine was Mumtaz. Not to say that she was unimportant or not special. What I mean is that for a guy she was an unconventional role model. To me she was the single most important cause of my tilt towards anything that had vaguely to do with the performing arts.

My favourite song used to be from a Shammi Kapoor film, Brahmachari. Its lyrics still intrigue me: “Chakke pe chakka, chakke mein gaadi, gaadi pe nikli apni swaari...” Anyone who can explain the meaning of "chakke" to me, please send me an e-mail. (If you're serious about this, you can get the email address at www.srkworld.com!)

My Father

My father, Mir Taj Mohammed, was 10 years older to my mother, Fatima, and therefore much older to me. I remember him as a gentle giant - 6’2” tall with typically Pathan good looks, grey eyes and brown hair. But he was very well-read and well educated too. He did MA, LLB and knew six languages - Persian, Sanskrit, Pushtu, Punjabi, Hindi and English. He was, in his time, the youngest freedom fighter.

Even today whenever I bump into people who knew him, they talk about his sense of humour, and how he was a gentleman. And I remember the same about him. I wish I could be like him or bring up my child in the same way that he brought us up but I don’t know if I will be able to because I am more temperamental than he was.

Somehow, my sister and I listened to him more than we listened to our mother. He was gentler than her. Of course, my mother loved us too but with my father we were friends. We used to sit for hours and listen to him talk on various topics. We used to call each other ‘yaar’. I did call him ‘papa’ but yaar was used more often. Probably because he never cajoled or pampered us like people do their children but instead, always treated us as individuals, as adults. It was always one-to-one.
My father had a great sense of humour. We used to stay on the top floor of our building. Once, an old couple staying on the ground floor complained to my father, “Upar se cheese neeche aati hai.” My father laughed at the comment and said, “Newton discovered that long ago."

In another incident, I was teasing a south Indian girl next door by blowing up their letter boxes. Her mother came home to complain and my father opened the door. The lady could not speak Hindi well and she said, “Aapka ladka ladki ko chedta hai meri.” He replied, “Is she as pretty as you are?” She said, “What?” My father repeated his question. She replied, “Yes…” My father said, “Then I don’t blame him. If I had met you earlier even I would have been after you!” She smiled.

Besides his sense of humour, another quality I have imbibed from my father is his passion for reading. My father was a very good human being. I try to imbibe that too. I think I have inherited his goodness, though not to the full extent. The only aspect I didn’t inherit was his love for gardening. My father even enjoyed talking to flowers but I have never done that. Perhaps when I am older…

I have definitely inherited my absent-mindedness from my father. I have seen him walk out of the house in just a shirt, shoes, socks - without his pants! He would eat his breakfast in the toilet! He would just forget he was in there. I too forget names, I forget to eat sometimes. But where work is concerned I do not forget anything.

My father never screamed or shouted at my sister and me. My mother did that; even fulfilling his quota. He never hit us but scolded us once or twice. Even if he got serious for even a second, it would scare me but after a while he would laugh it off. He once told me, “Shit, I can’t even get angry with you.”

In another incident, he told me, “Look, your sister is now supposed to be studying. So I will go into her room and throw the novel she is reading, out of the window. You go and get the novel back.” He went, shouted at her and threw the book out. It was a joke and his method to tell us what is to be done.

My dad had a hot temper, not like an Army officer, but he liked correct behaviour. He didn’t expect me to get up and touch the feet of elders but a certain kind of respect had to be shown towards them. Even today if an elderly person is seated next to me, I cannot keep my feet on the table. He never told me not to do so. His persona made me realize that I should not do it.

One routine which formed on its own was my dad giving me milk in the morning. It started because my mother could not get up sometimes. Then it became a routine. He would warm the milk and give me but later decided against it. So every morning we would we would walk to the Mother Diary booth (a milk dispenser typical of Delhi). He would insert a token and I would cup my hands and drink milk directly.

I never got irritated or angry with my father. In fact, I used to love watching my father come home in the evening. My dog would react to him when he was 15-20 feet away from the house. I would rush down take his bag and walk back with him or pick him at the bus stop if he came in a bus or car.

Because of my father, every activity in the house, every duty, was transformed into a game. He charged us with the idea that we were doing such-and-such work because we were having fun. Because of this, I find work fun. That is why, I guess, I’m so energetic. I enjoy small things like sitting and watching a squirrel climb a tree or sleeping on the terrace in the Delhi summers. It becomes a game for me - the best thing that could happen to me that day.

At four years of age, my father taught me that I alone would have to deal with my screw-ups. I was very naughty in school and in the colony and I regularly got into trouble. Once, during a game, I threw a rock at a boy called Tara. The rock bounced on the ground, hit his face and broke his teeth. He began bleeding. We were very scared. I had not done it on purpose. The boy’s father got drunk in the night and armed with a knife, came knocking on our door. As soon as my father opened the door, that man began abusing and screaming: “Your son hurt my son. I’ll kill him.”

He was a rowdy kind of a guy but my dad asked him if he wished to speak to me! Imagine, there was this drunk person with a knife in his hand and my father sent me to speak to him! My father closed the door, came inside and questioned me, “Shah Rukh, have you hurt somebody?” I said, “Yeah.” My mother was hyper but he coolly said, “He is standing outside, go deal with him.” I told Tara’s father, “Uncle I am really sorry. I didn’t mean to harm Tara. It just happened.” I was literally in tears. Of course he didn’t mean to hurt me. My father had that much confidence in human nature, I guess. Dad later opened the door and asked if everything was sorted out. He told that man, “If you have a problem with me, you talk to me. If you have problem with my son, you talk to him.” I could have taken my father’s stand to mean that he didn’t want to stand by me, but I realised that it was his very nice way of teaching me that if I got into trouble, I would have to sort it out myself.

My dad taught me that in the long run, honesty always pays. In my school, St Columba’s, whenever we took a day off we had to submit a leave letter or we would get caned. My father never stopped me from doing anything. If I said, “I don’t want to go to school today,” he would say, “If you don’t feel up to it, it’s okay.” And he would give me a leave letter next day.

One day, he called me and said, “Today you go to school and tell your teacher that you don’t have any excuse for being absent yesterday. I used to be really scared of Brother Morris, our tall, well-built Irish teacher. When he caned us, it really hurt. I told him, “My father normally gives me the letter but today he didn’t. Not because he did not want to but he said I have no excuse for not coming yesterday.” Brother said, “That’s the right attitude. At least you did not lie. You were honest.” And he let me go. My father had seen the whole world and had wonderful experiences in his life. He had fought for the freedom of the country, joined Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan, fought the elections against Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad and lost. He enjoyed the fact that he had lost even his zamanat, perhaps he was happy to lose to a great person. When he was 16 years old, he left his home in Peshawar and walked to Kashmir, India. He studied law in a girl’s college, in Delhi. He had no place to stay, so he went to the principal, an Englishman and asked him to let him stay in the hostel. There he was the only guy. It was illegal. He said he pulled it off because he was a charming and decent guy.

(To be Continued in Part - II)

A headshot is a 10 x 8 (inches) or similar sized portrait. It commonly has person’s head & shoulders, and focuses on the face. The headshots that include a person’s shoulders are called ‘three quarter’ shots.

A 10 x 8 headshot is a business card for actors or entertainers and is presented to casting directors who decide whether a person’s look is right for the particular role.

In the UK actors headshots are traditionally black and white, whereas in USA they are often in colour. Therefore it is important to make sure that your photographer knows what market the actor intends to present their headshots to.

The best headshot should show a person as they are (age, look, style, etc.) and reflect their best qualities. It should be natural and reflect person’s current look. Therefore, for example, if an actor/actress has cut and coloured their hair, he/she would then require a new headshot… that includes scars ageing.

It is also important that an actor/actress wears simple neutral coloured (usually black or white) clothing that does not contain prints. The focus and attention should be emphasised on the face and not the t-shirt with imprinted flowers or palm trees or logos!

Headshot should invite the viewer in and make them want to know a person better. It should also provide a glimpse into the person’s character or present their potential for the role a casting director is looking to fill. It is the only thing casting director is judging you by and there is no a second chance.

Commercial – typically (not always) has the person smiling and projects warmth and friendliness.

Theatrical – usually serious, focused and actors are NOT smiling.

How much does the headshot cost?

Actors’ headshots could cost anything between £50 and £250. Going for the cheapest or the most expensive options may not be the best choices sometimes. There could be possibilities of either not getting a good quality or simply overpaying for the services that could be obtained elsewhere.

Many photographers offer different service packages that may include make-up, hair styling, an option of costume changes, variations on hours and number of photographs taken. Some photographers also offer cheaper sessions because they shoot from home and do not have large overheads from hiring studios. It is up to an Actor to decide, which option is the most appropriate for them. Make sure that it is safe and professional.

Therefore, it could be advised:

Firstly a person planning to do their headshot needs to look at photographer’s portfolio (online or a hard copy) to determine if their style of headshots photography is right for them.

Second, enquires if services such as make-up and a costume change are available. Many photographers collaborate with professional make-up artists that could be hired for an extra fee.

Perhaps you’ve always promised yourself a trip to London to catch a show you’ve always wanted to see, but have never had the time. Well, now is the ideal time as the West End goes through a mini-revival, offering a fabulous choice of productions.

Theatres in London regularly feature exciting new productions, but there are also a handful that have been playing to packed audiences for many years, including one notable mystery thriller that has been performed continuously for well over half a century.

The current longest running production, beating its nearest West End rival by an incredible 23 years is Mousetrap. The classic ‘whodunit’ first opened at the New Ambassadors theatre on 25th November 1952, and after enjoying a 22 year residency moved to the St. Martins theatre where it still thrills audiences today, notching up well over 20,000 performances.

The musical with the longest current run in the West End is Les Miserables, recording 23 years of continuous performances. Close behind comes another classic musical, The Phantom of the Opera. Indeed, musicals account for seven out of the top ten longest running productions in the West End. Here is the top ten, including the genre of the production, and the amount of time they have been packing in the crowds:

Mousetrap (thriller) – 56 years
Les Miserables (musical) – 23 years
The Phantom of the Opera (musical) – 22 years
Blood Brothers (musical) – 20 years
The Woman in Black (ghostly thriller) – 19 years
Chicago (musical) – 11 years
Mamma Mia (musical) – 10 years
The Lion King (musical) – 9 years
We Will Rock You (musical) – 6 years
Stomp (vaudeville) – 6 years

In addition to the phenomenal long-running successes there has also been a glut of new productions over the last two years; many are musicals inspired by high-profile TV reality show competitions in which the public vote for their favourite unknown to appear as the lead in the stage production.

As a result, popular productions such as Grease, The Sound of Music, Joseph and several others are packing them in every night as the UK population clamours to see the stars they voted for to star in the new West End productions in person. The enduring popularity of West End theatre isn’t about to diminish allowing many a hotel in Oxford Street and nearby Piccadilly to cash in on their proximity to the most popular productions.

If a trip to London is on your mind, then make sure that you do your research, get a hotel close to the production that you are going to watch, and book as early as you can.