A scene from Orang-Orang Drum Theatre’s ‘Kaka-Lala’, a frontrunner in the Dance category. (Orang-Orang Drum Theatre pic)
PETALING JAYA: For years, the BOH Cameronian Arts Awards (BCAA), fondly known as the “Cammies”, has stood as a pillar of support for Malaysian performing arts, championing local talent in the fields of dance, music, musical theatre, and theatre.
This year, the BCAA reaches a significant milestone as it turns 20, marking two decades of the transformative power of the arts. But as it moves towards an exciting future, it also keeps the lessons of the past firmly in mind.
This year’s theme “20 Years of Legacy: Igniting Inspiration For Tomorrow” will see organisers paying tribute to past award recipients and their contributions to the performing arts industry.
Held since 2002, the BCAA aims to recognise, reward and raise the bar of excellence for Malaysian performing arts practitioners. Prizes are presented annually for music, dance, theatre and musical theatre shows that are professionally produced, performed live, and staged in the Klang Valley.
The awards are organised by arts organisation Kakiseni and sponsored by BOH Plantations.
Kuala Lumpur City Opera’s ‘Opera Si La Bohemia’ received seven nominations in the Music category. (Goh Boon Hiang pic)
“This year, as we mark two decades of honouring artistic excellence, we reflect on how far we’ve come and ask the critical question: what does it take to keep the arts relevant for the next 20 years?” said Kakiseni president Low Ngai Yuen.
“We must actively cultivate physical immersion in the arts – beyond education, beyond appreciation, into true engagement.
“It’s about getting people to experience the arts, to be a part of it, to live it. The time to nurture this consciousness is now, and we invite everyone to be part of this movement.”
The nominees were announced today in a ceremony at the Experimental Theatre, Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus here. Some 41 productions are nominated across 38 sub-categories, with 12 in Dance, 10 in Music, seven in Musical Theatre, and 12 in Theatre.
The Dance Category is a crowded field. Orang-Orang Drum Theatre’s “Kaka-Lala” leads with five nominations, while the Kwang Tung Dance Company’s ‘Laluan Amaryllis – Still”, Pentas Project Theatre Production’s “Double Punctum”, ASK Dance Company’s “Tabula Rasa 2024 – Choreography: Reset, Reflect, Reimagine”, and The Actor’s Studio Seni Teater Rakyat’s “KonTra: Yueguang” are all close behind with four each.
‘The Bee’ by Pentas Project and W Productions received eight nominations in the Theatre category, as well as a ‘Best Of’ nomination. (Pentas Project Theatre Production pic)
The Music category sees the Kuala Lumpur City Opera’s “Opera Si La Bohemia” receiving seven nominations. Following closely are the Malaysia Century Chinese Orchestra’s “East x West: A Musical Journey” and “Symphonic Rock” by Tutan Entertainment, which both received five.
In the Musical Theatre category, The KL Men’s Chorus’ “Life Is…” leads the pack with 12 nominations. KULT Productions’ “The Working Dead” has 11 nods, while Revolution Stage’s “Teater Muzikal Sudirmania” has 10.
For Theatre, Pusat Seni Pentas Tradisional Aswara’s “Randai Macbeth” and “The Bee” by Pentas Project Theatre Production and W Productions are both frontrunners with eight nominations each. Studio Sedar Ruang’s “Teater Persiapan Seorang Aktor” received five nods.
‘The Working Dead’ is a frontrunner in the Musical Theatre category. (KULT Productions pic)
In addition to their category nominations, six shows are nominated in the “Best Of” category, which celebrates productions of the highest calibre last year. These are:
Malaysia Century Chinese Orchestra’s “East x West: A Musical Journey”;
Five Arts Centre’s “Mortal Man: Two Monologues”;
Pusat Seni Pentas Tradisional, Aswara’s “Randai Macbeth”;
TAS Seni Teater Rakyat and klpac’s “Spice, Magic and Mystique by the Young KL Singers”;
Studio Sedar Ruang’s “Teater Persiapan Seorang Aktor”;
Pentas Project Theatre Production and W Productions’s “The Bee”.
The 20th BOH Cameronian Arts Awards takes place at the Petaling Jaya Performing Arts Centre on May 4. For more information and the full list of nominees, visit Kakiseni’s website.
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