da blogs da thang

(be prepared for several video views.)

Googling “Frogway the Musical” and here are a few things I came across. This picture (to the right) is the cast of the upcoming production for one. A fine looking bunch don’t you think? The director is also an actor of renown. There is also a Malaysian Idol finalist and another emerging Pop Star as well as a former Miss Malaysia/Universe in the present cast. (Here are some other cast photos.) The power creative team includes the likes of a Musical Director who composed this and of course my always amazing collaborator Mike (seen here playing with… believe it or not… my cousin, Jeremy at a recent concert). Even a couple of the Malaysian tourism sites have it listed as an event. Dang… it’s quite a change from 27 years ago.

If you have followed this blog you’ve been privy to how this project came up again… to part of this latest rewrite process and working again with Mike here & here. So, how did this all begin?

On… meeting Mike
Mike and I met through a mutual friend (David Lim aka Kien) who was playing in a couple of bands together – Windjammer & Vintage. (There may have been another club band but the name escapes me at the moment.) Being a student at the time (HSC) I was somewhat of a “hanger-on” for the most part. I think it was during one of the Jazz Festivals/Concerts that Mike used to organize, that he may have first really noticed me. On the day of the concert they were short a group to perform… so they cobbled something together with musicians from several of the existing groups and called themselves “Lost Hopes”. I was called in at the last minute to narrate a story of sorts backed by the band… their cue to break off into an extended jazz jam was me finally ending the story with the words “lost hopes”.

Mind you, the concert had already begun when I got a call at home that this was happening. I jumped into a taxi… got to the venue with 5 minutes to spare before having to be on stage… all the while Mike and David were talking me through the idea. Got on stage… music backing started, I did my thing and I think this Zappaesque experiment was pulled off. It was after this over roti chanai that Mike asked me if I was interested in putting words to a tune he was writing. Shortly after that I brought the idea of Frogway to him.

On… our original working methods
We would usually work at Mike’s place of business. He was giving organ lessons and we would steal into one of the practice rooms to hash out the songs. Sometimes he had the tunes that I would lyric to and at other times it worked the other way around. I recall one afternoon within a 2 hour period we managed to crank out 3 complete songs. We went to a local coffeeshop right after to celebrate buzzing with excitement over what had just occurred. I remember Mike exclaiming “Sometimes I wish I had 3 or 4 hands so I can play all the musical parts!” To which I replied, “I’d just settle for the other one I have to be functional.” Back then… and again recently our collaboration always involved a healthy dose of good natured jibing of each other and laughter.

On… the original production in Malaysia
Mike was leaving to attend the prestigious Berklee School Of Music in Boston. I was left back in Malaysia to attempt putting a production of the show together. The plan was when he came back for Summer holidays we would mount the show. In March of 1980 I received news that I was accepted to college in California. This ramped up my own efforts to get the play produced before the end of August.

There was a certain naive “let’s put on a show” Andy Hardy quality to the beginnings of all of this. I recruited potential cast & crew members from college mates, boy scout friends and friends of friends. My cousin Anna Kronenberg had her own dance studio. She kindly allowed us the use of it for rehearsals – rent free… all we had to pay was the utility bills… and also agreed to choreograph the show.

Then things got a little complicated. We needed an already established organization to produce the show because of all the red-tape, permits, etc that was going to be involved. (I remember having to send the script to 7 government departments for approval.) This proved to be a challenge as none of the established local theatre folk were really willing to go in with a bunch of upstarts. We finally approached NAMEO who agreed to umbrella us… Mike and I borrowed money from our parents and we began nailing the production together.

Well, things were moving along pretty well… then 2 weeks before opening I was in a car crash and split my nose open. One of the lead dancers and promotions manager was also in the car. It could have been a set back but the show went on to open with the 3 of us injured jumping back onto the stage. Mike and Anna kept things going in rehearsals and probably fixed some of the more glaring major mistakes I had made as a first time director.

The show opened at the University Kebangsaan Auditorium, July 30, 1980 (I think). It played for 5 performances to a total audience of about 1500. (I think again) For the most part everyone had a good time and we fulfilled at least the requirement of entertaining them. The entire cast and crew was made up mostly of unknowns and first timers… all of whom put effort, energy and joy on that stage… and it showed. The reviews in the press were mixed to say the least. Each of the 3 newspapers had reviews that ranged from excellent… to fair… to scathing. After recovering production costs the profits were donated to a couple of charities.

On… the production in America
In Fall 1980 both Mike and I were studying on different coasts in America. In 1981, I had switched majors from journalism to theatre at which time I had shown the script to one of my Professors. A staged reading of that under the Playwrights Theatre program was mounted. After that, my professor, Edward EmanuEl mentored me on the rewrites. Structurally the script became a lot more sound and 4 more songs were added. Mike and I wrote those over the phone and used the US Postal Service quite a bit back then. The current revision was conducted via Skype.

The play was picked up for production by the University’s Experimental Theatre Company in the Spring of 1983. It was directed by french student Eric Duret with musical direction by Robert Paul and choreography by Chris Mathias. The show played to 4 sold out performances in the Arena Theater California State University, Fresno.

Impressions of the show
Both the original in Malaysia and American productions had several common characteristics.

• An infectious enthusiasm and charm.
• A raging “can-do” attitude.
• A good natured horny cast. LOL!

Both productions had their unique challenges. Though I can’t help but feel that there is a certain vibe with this show that ultimately inspires those involved to go above and beyond. I don’t think anyone has walked away from the show not being pleasantly surprised at how far their capability reached.

It’s not Shakespeare… at best it is a bauble… but one with an infectious heart and soul that winks and dares the different… and the brilliant music sings that. I did however rediscover during the latest retooling, that the show does indeed have a special hard to be explained magic about it. I think both Mike and I have been happy to come across that on our paths again after 27 years.

To the cast and the crew of this upcoming “re-premier”… my sincere hope is that you too will find that magic… and hold on to it. It is that which all these years I have held on to in all the creative projects I have undertaken to date… and it continues to serve me well. In essence, Frogway 2007 really is a brand new show… but Mike and I took special care to preserve the original magic and charm in it.

CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE… AND GO SEE THE SHOW!

To everyone who has been involved in this hopping joyous insanity over the years… a big THANK YOU. And Mike… once again thank you for throwing your trust to this quirky serani hanger-on so many years ago.

EDIT: August 6
I have created a FROG BLOG HERE! (Forgive me Lord for the bad rhyming couplet puns.)

EDIT: For other Picture Daze posts form my old blog CLICK HERE!