What's The Secret?

According to ancient hieroglyphics, fossil evidence and other written documents, grapes have been around for quite some time. Anything that's endured thousands of years of change must be good. This is what keeps King Herod and the crew going during the long late night hours - crunchy red seedless grapes from Sheng Siong! Shh... it's a secret!

Who Is This Crazy Bunch?!

Jonathon Wong - Angel

It is hard to miss Jonathon, decked in his signature long-sleeved blue shirt over a white tee and black corduroy pants, with his trusted foldable bicycle in his hands.

Tell us a little about yourself.

Occupation - In IT. Wide gamut of experiences, from micro-level (think "hacks") coding with Assembly/C/C++ to macro ERP systems. I'm a geek. No, I'm the "Angel" in the musical. I think I'm sprouting wings soon. A halo will worsen my already bad hair style, so I doubt God will even allow that.

Hobbies - Writing, learning languages, accents (Singlish is my favorite now, though I tend to expend a lot of energy and I think slower in Singlish). Engaging in life-threatening adventures.

I love having peace and quiet.

How did your role as the Angel come about?

Funny you ask. I'm a painfully shy person. When I joined the choir, I had hoped to receive lots of training to overcome my inhibitions (or just plain bad singing). After my audition for choir, I was told to come on a Sunday afternoon to "meet some evangelists". I didn't realize that was analogous to the phrase "audition for musical". Nah, no misgivings on my part. Kinda fun fighting to overcome my stage fright, though nowhere near "life-threatening" kind of exciting.

What is the most difficult moment you've encountered since the start of production?

My role itself! My song has a terribly wide range of pitch, from very high to very low. I need to train my lower registers more. I’m a small guy with a flimsy voice. Sing like a big man! I also need to act with much gravity, which happens to coincide with a very depressingly busy time in my life.


Which is the most memorable moment for you since the start of production?

Seeing the Joseph character scream his heart out at Mary. He really got it this time. Even brought a tear to my eye, as I felt his intense sense of being (supposedly) betrayed by Mary. I could imagine him running out to some field to cry his heart out, tear his hair out, scream his voice out. Poor guy. Great actor!

If you had the choice of playing the role of another character, who would it be and why?

King Herod. I always wanted to be a big man. The "Angel" is a bit too surreal to be, you know, "man".

How do you prepare yourself before you go on stage to perform?

Shake myself up. Loosen up. Pour myself into a different mold. Think myself into a new image, new shape. "I am Angel. I am from God. Hear me. Hear me!"

Share one quirky habit of yours.

Buy lunch first before finding a seat. I believe a seat will always present itself then. Trust God's Providence.

Regina Ng - Michelle (Little girl)

Don't be fooled by this little girl as she smiles sweetly at you. She bursts with more energy than a pack of power energy bars as we chat excitedly at the playground. Her cheerfulness and bubbly nature is infectious as I kick off my shoes and join her on the swings flying higher and higher in order to catch her replies. Oh be still, my butterflies!

Tell us a little about yourself!

I'm a student currently studying in Pasir Ris Primary School. I just love staying in front of the google box and computer screen for hours on end! Favourite things to do include burying myself in a book the whole day (if you're wondering why I do not wear glasses yet, soon, people, soon...) and sleeping on my bed. To sum it up, I'm a 'lame' individual who loves to do 'lame' stuff and 'lame' around but in actual fact, is not lame. Go figure.

Have you had past experiences in a musical or drama production?

I did write and perform in a school play when I was in P3 for a Teacher's Day concert before. More recently, I put up a sort of variety show entitled "The Regina & Amanda Show" with me and my friend on frontline as the show hosts. It was a comedy sketch to put it simply, where we created our own TV ads and all. In other words, I was never involved in a major drama production or musical unless it required me to sit and eat popcorn while shaking my legs.

I guess if you're 'lame' and can't walk, you can always shake your legs. Ok, I'm pretty 'lame' myself! *roll the eyes* What made you agree to playing the role of the little girl?

Simply because I LOVE drama. And being able to serve God while indulging in my passion is a dream come true for me! Plus point is I get to work with such a united and harmonious cast and crew so as you can probably tell, I'm totally enjoying myself!

What does your role require of you?

Um... to act really cute, childish and mischievous all at once. I fail terribly in all three areas! Auntie Jingle has to keep reminding me, "Do what you usually do with your father. Regina, you gotta be more mischievous and cheeky."

What would be the most memorable moment for you since the start of production?

Watching the whole cast come together and the whole musical forming. The process is really satisfying and cool. Everyone doing their part will make it a success. It's the sense of unity the cast and crew exhibits that makes you look forward to long rehearsals all the time despite the lethargy later on.

If you had the choice of playing the role of another character, who would it be and why?

Hmm... I really can't decide. Each character has their own strengths and weaknesses that would be really fun to portray. If I really had to choose, it would be King Herod. From young, I always liked to play the villain or the antagonist in a production. MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Not that I'm a bad girl, but I think antagonists are more fun to act out. The way they behave, talk etc. just strikes me, especially since King Herod gets to be really, really angry and evil in the show!

How do you prepare yourself before you go on stage to perform?

Recently, I've been trying to imitate Gabriella in High School Musical 2 where she does the vibrating lips thingie with her fingers like rain going down her face three times and finally goes "Mahk!" to see if it works in trying to calm you down. Results and effects will be updated soon. Other than that, I do some stretching exercises to warm myself up and say a short prayer.

Share one quirky habit of yours!

I wouldn't call it quirky; it's sort of paranoia, but when I leave a table or chair at a certain place like the food court, classroom, library, etc, I tend to always look back several times to check if I’d left anything there. Sure, it did prevent me from losing some of my stuff on a few occasions but most of the time, it just resulted in me receiving why's-that-weirdo-looking-behind-her-so-many-times stares from strangers especially in the food courts when someone else gets my table. How did it come about? Well, blame it on my one time forgetfulness when I accidentally left something behind in a food court. At least I managed to retrieve it but it resulted in this "Turn Your Head To Check For Stuff Left Behind Syndrome" otherwise known as ANPS which stands for Acute Neck Pain Syndrome.

At this point, I realise I'm starting to suffer from ABPS - Acute Bum Pain Syndrome as the swing is a tad too small for me. This gives us perfect excuse to run to the nearest mama shop to buy a Paddlepop. Catch this little girl with a big voice, live in BPMC on Dec 23rd 7.30pm and Dec 25th 10am.

Shannon Chau - Mary

Shannon Chau greets us in a polite and soft-spoken manner. She exudes courage and a persevering spirit as she tackles the 'O' levels alongside the many hours of rehearsals. Not only that, she impresses us during her audition with the complete lyrics of 'Your Will Be Done' memorized!

Tell us a little about yourself.

I am currently still a student - the only occupation I can have now. I like the colour blue very much and I also like shopping, my form of therapy. Contrary to many, I do enjoy studying.

Have you had past experiences in a musical or drama production?

I was in the choir from primary 1 to 3, then drama club from primary 4 to 6. I got to sing and act in school productions. I got to act in a Lasalle-sia production called "Aida" as well. All these ended as I joined a uniformed group in secondary school.

What made you want to get involved in this production?

I wanted to serve God somewhere and be more involved in church activities. There was a point in my life that I felt I should do something for God after I stopped serving for a year and a half. It was also due to the change of environment. I only joined BPMC in December 2005. This musical happened to come at that point of time so I was like "why not?" and gave it a shot.

Which is the most difficult moment you've encountered since the start of production?

Getting into character. Mary and I have totally different characters. I tried to emote Mary but it was difficult to imagine that you’re pregnant. You have to break the news to your fiancé hoping he would understand and facing rejection, you are confused and unsure and fearful of what others will think of you but you have to do it as it is the Lord’s will... there is a lot going on around there. However, all is not lost as every rehearsal allows me to improve and think deeper.

What is the most memorable moment for you since the start of production?

I had to juggle studies and rehearsals due to my 'O' levels but I’m very grateful of the support given by the cast. Their prayers have been a great help to me and it is a joy working with them and watching them act out their characters. They bring laughter to life!

If you had the choice of playing the role of another character, who would it be and why?

Ah Beng! This character is hilarious and I like dealing with humour. I like being happy and that is what Ah Beng is: happy and free- spirited. Mary is not bad as well lah!

One quirky habit of yours:

I must read something everyday or I'll "itch"! This applies to me when I'm studying and I think I haven’t put in a lot of effort so I’ll keep on studying and studying until the "itch" is gone. I don’t know why...

It is no wonder this little lady memorizes her script within the second rehearsal! Kudos to you, Shannon!

Rachel Yong - Stage Manager

Rachel Yong, Stage Manager a.k.a. Wonder Woman turns a tender age of 15 on 23rd November '07 so this folks, is her birthday present (besides a bunch of grapes)!

Tell us a little about yourself.

I'm currently studying in Tanjong Katong Girls' School and man, it's like a military school where all of us have to wear green uniforms. Other than that, I kinda enjoy school 'cause its where most of my close friends are. I really hate it when my brothers (gosh, the terror when you have THREE of them) intrude into my private space and irritate me.

Aww... but your brother's quite cute in a big bear kind of way! (her brother Sam Yong plays the role of one of the Wise Men)

Haha HE IS??!! Yeah maybe he is lah, but when he's angry, he's a big angry bear. Don't tell him I told you about the angry bear part. He'll eat me up!

Ok, my lips are sealed! *wink* I hear you have had some experience in drama productions. Tell us a bit more about that.

I used to take drama as a subject when I was 14, although it was time-consuming but well, that's what drama is. It takes up like, 75% of your life, but I don't really mind since it's my passion, and I thank God for granting me this passion so that I can serve Him. Drama really opened my eyes, and it actually helped me to be a better person, because through drama, you actually learn to walk in other people's shoes and think as them.

If you could play any character in the musical, who would it be and why?

Actually, I wanted to act as Mary in the musical but I didn't get the role, so Auntie Jingle approached me to be part of the backstage crew as Stage Manager, yay! It's kinda time-consuming like I said, being part of a production, so you have to be prepared to commit lotsa time in the process.

We're all impressed with your level of commitment in this musical, that is why you're also known as Wonder Woman! What does your role as stage manager require of you?

Being the stage manager includes contributing ideas during rehearsals, forwarding emails and letting the crew know what they have to do. I also have to make sure that people come on time for rehearsals (or Auntie Jingle will "hantam" me) and help out with props and costumes making. But Auntie Jingle has been really nice, and she helps me out most of the time.

Which is the most difficult moment you’ve encountered since the start of production?

The most difficult moment was somewhere at the start of productions. I felt really small because everyone else who was involved is older than me and I felt daunted with all the things I have to do and settle by the deadline. But God is good, and He helped me through, placing Auntie Jingle in my life so that I can turn to her. Other than that, every rehearsal has been quite memorable for me, because when I see the fun the cast has practising their scenes, I get "infected" too!

Share one quirky habit of yours.

Haha, one of my quirky habits is to have weird poses when I take pictures. Like sticking out my tongue and opening my mouth, pretending I'm some phantom. I wonder how my I/C picture will turn out to be. Hmm...

If people were to describe you in one word, what would it be?

LOUD!

Ahh!! *interviewer falls off chair*

MSN Pic Logo

For all MSN users, we've resized our logo for you so you can save this icon into your computer and use it as your MSN pic! You can also add this website address to your MSN, as well as details of the musical. Simply right click on the icon and go to 'Save image as'. It should fit perfectly in that little MSN window.

Sky Lin - Ah Beng

We find our big, burly, bespectacled Ah Beng seated on the sidewalk, finishing up a conversation on his pink, limited edition Micky Mouse phone and a pink PSP in his other hand. He grins at us with childlike innocence, making us even more excited to find out what lies beyond this Beng in pink stripes.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I am currently a customer service officer for an outsource company, I love music, playing instruments and singing. I only sing Mandarin, Japanese and Hokkien songs, the only English songs that I sing probably are worship songs. A jack-of-all-trades but master of none. I also love to play the Drum Simulation in the arcade known as Drum Mania because it’s the only time you dun need to co-ordinate with the band and jam!

Have you had past experiences in a musical or drama production?

Not really…. Only been part of a crew as there was some troupe here from UK - a chance to earn some extra cash!

What made you agree to playing the role of Ah Beng in this musical?

Because I am the one and only Ah Beng!

What is the most difficult moment you've encountered since the start of production?

Memorising the script! Sob sob…

Which is the most memorable moment for you since the start of production?

Wah…countless…ok one…sleeping on stage! Check out my snores!!!

If you had the choice of playing the role of another character, who would it be and why?

Wise Man 3…because he has only one line in the script! Ok lah joke joke only lah…its actually Joseph bah. One time can angry angry, then feel cheated, then the other minute can romantic romantic mah…aiya… you people dun understand de lah…. Anyway my ang moh Engrish is way too powderful to be Joseph liao!

How do you prepare yourself before you go on stage to perform?

Sleep, Pray, Read, Play my guitar and sing love songs to the nearest person available (no guys please…) or play my PSP.

Tell us one weird thing about yourself.

Singing on the street OUT LOUD!!! No choice mah…The feeling come, cannot siam…

At this point, Ah Beng breaks into an unfamiliar hokkien song, oblivious to his surroundings, leaving us in complete bewilderment. As a crowd gathers, we 'siam!' in order to avoid being caught in the center of attention.

More Than Just a Story 1

Gayle Goh - Scriptwriter

19 year old Gayle currently resides in Cambridge, UK, but nothing will stop us from getting to know such a lovely, young and talented lady. Our crew goes the distance to bring you a step closer into her world, with much thanks to Facebook!

Tell us a little about yourself.

I'm currently an English student in the UK, and I'm loving it! Reading and writing have long been my passionate interests, and I'm glad to be finally exploring them fully. I have also always enjoyed listening to, playing and composing music, watching TV, movies and theatrical productions, sky-watching, and swimming. Recently I've discovered a penchant for shopping that scares me!

Have you ever been involved in a drama production?

I was involved in drama club activities throughout primary and early secondary school, and I've sung in choirs, but I've never actually been a cast or crew member in a production before. So this is a fantastic new experience.

What made you agree to write the script for this musical?

I'm usually up for anything, and I say 'yes' to challenges pretty quickly - sometimes without even thinking about what they might entail. This has gotten me in trouble in the past, as you can imagine. I'm glad I took up this particular task though; it's a great feeling to be working with my sister and friends on a project that has a definite purpose and value.

What does your role require of you?

Only my health and sanity! Well no, I deeply exaggerate :) Really it requires me to script, as well as write lyrics and music, and arrange musical accompaniments. Anything beyond that is simply advisory.

What is the most difficult moment you've encountered since the start of production?

I've been away pursuing my studies from late-September to early-December, so I'm sorry to say I missed out on a lot of agony. As I write this, I'm still in the UK, so I look forward to plenty of pain and woe upon my return!

If you had the choice of playing the role of another character, who would it be and why?

It would be the geek. I identify deeply with many of the challenges that he faces, with regards to his secular environment and his intellect.

Tell us one interesting thing about yourself:

I randomly hum the note 'E' because the universe seems more harmonious that way.

One word to describe yourself:

Onion.

Roy Soh - King Herod

25 year old (or so he says but we all doubt it) Roy Soh breezes through this interview with an air of confidence and self-assurance. At the end of it all, I am left almost breathless …in fear and trembling. But he ain’t so bad - he offered me grapes!

Tell us a little about yourself.

I'm a teacher by day and an accomplished theatre performer at night, especially when everyone's asleep! I like to think that I'm rather athletic (look past the size, people!) and I enjoy playing sports and various card games (not tai dee, but cool games like Citadels). All in all, I think of myself as a fun-loving, gregarious, idiosyncratic individual who enjoy making others laugh.

Have you had past experiences in a musical or drama production?

Well, I took Theatre Studies and Drama as an A Level subject (don't ask what grade I got!) and I've had the opportunity to perform in front of actual audiences (more than 5 persons throwing peanuts at you) and even play games in front of close to a thousand people. Plus, in my job, I have gotten used to addressing the whole school during Assembly and giving Value Talks and the like. So it's safe to say I don't get stage fright easily. Unless of course lots of people are throwing stuff at me when I get on stage.

*note to reader: Summon the peanuts! *

What made you agree to playing the role of King Herod?

Well, I do enjoy performing and I've had the opportunity to perform this musical on two Mission Trips to Thailand and Indonesia, which means that I'm already very familiar with the script. Of course, the chance to bring the real Christmas Story to an audience that may not already know it was a very good reason in itself. That plus Bridget's promise of a more meaty role and a share of whatever profits the musical makes.

* More peanuts!!! *

What does your role require of you?

As King Herod, I've got to be this scheming, egomaniacal, so-mean-he's-willing-to-kill-babies, paranoid jerk who plots to kill Jesus Christ Himself. As you can tell, it's a complete, total, absolute departure from my warm, amiable, gentle, loving self. So it takes a lot for me to get into character - lots of preparation, character study, beat-up-some-people-first-to-get-into-the-mood stuff. It's tough being so bad, although it does get fun, but I think it's worthwhile in the end. Opening Night would be unbelievable.

If you had the choice of playing the role of another character, who would it be and why?

I would love to have a shot at playing Ah Beng, simply because he's just so different from me as well, but I simply love playing King Herod.

How do you prepare yourself before you go on stage/perform?

I run around the dressing room (I hope there is one) naked to get my energy up, beat up some random people to get into the role, then breathe in deeply forty seven times - not more, not less.

One quirky habit of yours:

I enjoy stepping on cockroaches whenever I see them and hearing them go snap, crackle and pop (not necessarily in that order) under my feet!

One word to describe yourself:

JUSTINCREDIBLE

Bridget Goh – Scriptwriter, Production Co-ordinator

In order to get Brigo to do this interview, we had to buy her chicken. She is oblivious to the pile of chicken bones that accumulate in front of her as she devours chicken by the bucket. Watching her eat makes us hungry too, but the interview must go on!

Tell us a little about yourself.

I love music, diving, wakeboarding, and anything to do with nature. I'm very much a dreamer and I believe in living life with a passion. I don't like having to settle for mediocrity. If I commit to something, I give my utmost 110% (which is why I don't say 'yes' easily!). Most of the time, I'm very much in my own world... I'm either laughing at my own jokes or the joke's on me.

We understand that you're a violin teacher and music is very much a big part of your life. If you were to describe music in one sentence, what would it be?

Music is to the soul, what water is to the body.

How did you come up with the songs in the musical?

I've never really seen myself as a composer but most of the time when I'm experiencing extreme emotions, songs naturally come to me – both melody and lyrics at the same time. Being surrounded by nature inspires me too. I can't sit down and force myself to write just like that. In fact, the songs ‘Your Will Be Done’ and ‘Fool For You’ were not written for the musical. They were actually written during a point in my life where I had to make some important decisions that would affect my future. I was struggling with fear and doubts, yet I knew that God was telling me something and I couldn’t say ‘no'. You know how it is when one decision or action you take affects the course of your life and if you don't do it, you'll be walking off the path that was designated to you by God? As much of a chicken I am, I don't ever want to miss out on God's best plan for me so sometimes I just gotta hold my breath and jump.

Have you had past experiences in a musical or drama production?

When I was a kid, I used to love writing plays and forcing my friends to act in it. One day, my teacher asked if we could perform for the class. My scripts never had an ending so we were just making it up as we went along. We only ended it when someone asked, "Is it over yet?" That was the only experience I've had in such things. I've always wanted to write a musical for Easter or Christmas but never quite put my ideas on paper.‘More Than Just A Story’is the first musical I've ever written and it's an honor to write it with my sister as it is written with the purpose of bringing people to Christ. In terms of a real production, I know almost nuts about it. That's why I'm very grateful for Auntie Jingle and Rachel!

We hear that this musical was originally written for a Christmas outreach during a missions trip to Thailand. Would you like to tell us more about that?

The musical was originally 20 minutes long and it was titled 'The First Christmas'. It was performed by eight of us in 2005. We brought the musical to the slums, schools, neighbourhoods and evangelistic outreach events. When I returned to Singapore, I felt it would be cool to perform it in our church (BPMC) too, with an expanded script as we don't have to be overseas on a missions trip to do something like this. The deep hunger and need for God is universal and very much right here at our doorstep. Auntie Jingle was more than enthusiastic about it and that's when we got together with my sister (Gayle) to discuss the expansion. This was some time back in September 2006, I think.

What has been the most memorable moment for you since the start of production?

Rushing the postcard designs with Adam and working on the videos through the nights, trying to beat the break of dawn with the help of grapes, a bag of Lays and the Holy Spilit! Quite the adrenaline rush! Seeing the postcards and holding them in my hands at the printer's was euphoric. Ask Adam!

Share one of your quirky habits with us!

Pulling strings of veggie (kang kong, to be precise) from the back of my braces. It's therapeutic. I don't wanna take my braces off! Here, check this out!

* Brigo opens mouth, sticks hand in …*

More Than Just A Story

It's just another Christmas, and just another year. Little Michelle doesn't want anything special - just a husky or two! But what she receives instead is a story that isn't quite like anything you've heard before. After all, what would an Ah Beng be doing in Bethlehem? Or an innocent shepherd on a busy stretch of Orchard Road? Join BPMC for a night of fun, laughter, song and truth. We've brought a Singaporean flavor to the gospel truth but it remains universal, intact and eternal. With your friends, family, loved ones and all, come and discover just why we've got more than just a story to tell...

Dates: Dec 23rd '07 7.30pm
Dec 25th '07 10am with a Christmas service

Venue: Bethesda Pasir Ris Mission Church
11 Pasir Ris Drive 2
Singapore 518458
(opposite Loyang Point)