La Cage aux Folles: Tan Kheng Hua

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1 Fever Avenue Catch the fever, Stay in the know Entertainment Fashion Food Think Tank Lifestyle Gimme! Photography Recreational Technology Travel Like 0 0 Tweet 2 by Guo Wei Ho on July 19, of 8 19/7/12 12:21 PM

2 Tan Kheng Hua is probably the jock of the cast; even she admits it herself. But this jock cannot wait to don on some feathers and sequins to prance on stage as Jacqueline in Wild Rice s upcoming production of La Cage aux Folles, opening this week. I am only in one dance in The Best of Times and I wish there was more! I love it! Kheng Hua discloses. But I am also glad that it is just one dance because it emphasizes on ballroom dancing and it is really quite tough on the knees, you know! So if you want to see Kheng Hua dancing ballroom, you know that you will be able to find her on the Esplanade Theatre stage. Fresh off swinging herself on the pole, Kheng Hua steps into a more zesty role as Jaqueline in La Cage aux Folles. Here in this Tony-award musical now adapted to Singapore by our very own Glen Goei, Kheng Hua plays the role of the fabulous Jaqueline who is the resident fag-hag of her neighbours, George and Albin, the gay couple who own La Cage. She is a good friend and a part of George and Albin s world (played by Malaysian lead Tony Eusoff and our homegrown talent Ivan Heng). Yet other than being their best friend who loves her to bits, Jaqueline also owns a restuarant next to La Cage so you can expect her to pop in at the most convenient of times throughout the musical. And together, Kheng Hua backs up her friends in the main story-line: where George and Albin gets to meet the prospective parents of their daughter-in-law who is the ultraconservative politician who hates the infamous club. 2 of 8 19/7/12 12:21 PM

3 But Kheng Hua never knew what she was in for when she first said yes to Glen Goei, the director of the musical. In the middle of Malaysia somewhere (back in 2011), I got this long-distance call from Glen asking me if I was free in June the following year to do La Cage aux Folles she laughs. Sure, I said. Any phone call from Glen or Ivan grants me a yes. Don t need to give me the script, don t need anything, as long as I am free. I didn t even know what role I was playing, I could have been one of the Cagelles (the enthusiastic dancing chorus) for all I knew! 3 of 8 19/7/12 12:21 PM

La Cage aux Folles, Kheng Hua admits, is quintessential Glen Goei style. To bring the story closer to home, Glen has plucked the original story and adapted it to our life.

Yet as all these local characters take their place on stage, the story of La Cage aux Folles is a universal story about acceptance. Jaqueline is a part of their (George and Albin s) world.

4 La Cage aux Folles, Kheng Hua admits, is quintessential Glen Goei style. To bring the story closer to home, Glen has plucked the original story and adapted it to our life. The club La Cage aux Folles is now situated in the heart of Tanjong Pagar and their neighbours include the local coffeeshop owners, Ah Beng and Ah Lian played by Andrew Lua and Judee Tan respectively. Yet as all these local characters take their place on stage, the story of La Cage aux Folles is a universal story about acceptance. Jaqueline is a part of their (George and Albin s) world. And we see them right through the feathers, and they are just people after all, and they are our friends. And that is what makes La Cage such a beautiful story. Kheng Hua shares. We asked Kheng Hua if she was more like the toned-down Albin or the fabulous Zaza and she professes, I think neither! I think i am more George! La Cage Aux Folles will run from 20 July to 4 August at the Esplanade Theatre. Tickets start at $35 (excluding SISTIC charge) and can be purchased from all SISTIC Authorized Agents, SISTIC 4 of 8 19/7/12 12:21 PM

Hotline (65) 6348 5555 or the SISTIC Website www.sistic.com.

for Senior Citizens aged 55 years and above / Students / NSF.

5 Hotline (65) or the SISTIC Website Early Bird specials start now till 13 June: 10% Discount for OCBC Credit & Debit Cards, 15% Discount for Senior Citizens aged 55 years and above / Students / NSF. For more information and discounts, visit W!ld Rice at their website here. Image Credits: Harris Sim Like 0 0 Tweet 2 Sign up to receive exclusive giveaways and the latest news. Address Subscribe You might also like to check out our other posts: La Cage Aux Folles: The Glitter, The Drama and All That Jazz La Cage aux Folles: Andrew Lua More Than Just Sequins and Feathers 5 of 8 19/7/12 12:21 PM

He constantly finds himself singing ballads tunelessly in the shower, complete with embarrassing dance moves. Oh and he thinks that he will be eaten by his cat, go figure.

6 BOOM: Benjamin Kheng Takes To The Script of Boom Contact the author Article by Guo Wei Ho Entertainment Sub-editor. Content to be a hermit surrounded by novels, Guo Wei strongly believes in having cold cereal in bed watching endless reruns of Grey's Anatomy. He constantly finds himself singing ballads tunelessly in the shower, complete with embarrassing dance moves. Oh and he thinks that he will be eaten by his cat, go figure. He tweets useless nuggets of information Guo Wei has written 226 articles for Fever Avenue. Subscribe to feed via RSS or to receive updates. { 0 comments add one now } Leave a Comment Name * * Website 6 of 8 19/7/12 12:21 PM

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W!LD RICE presents. W!LD RICE will be pulling every trick out of the hat to give this favourite of fairy tales a modern local twist.

W!LD RICE presents. W!LD RICE will be pulling every trick out of the hat to give this favourite of fairy tales a modern local twist. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE W!LD RICE presents 15 September 2008 - Be prepared for something totally wicked this Christmas as W!LD RICE returns for the 5 th edition of its highly popular musical pantomimes,