Fourteen of the most gorgeous and talented girls take centre stage in a beauty pageant. Only one will become the ultimate Malaysian Girls. And with any beauty pageants, there is drama, suspense, back-stabbing and of course, lots of smiles. That is the premise of the new musical by The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac), at klpac’s Pentas 1 from 20-30, December 2011. Led by director Joe Hasham, producer Dato’ Faridah Merican and with a script written by Mark Beau de Silva, you should expect catchy songs, explosive dance moves, and glitzy costumes. Ahead of the opening night we catch up with three of the cast members to get a sneak peek of what to expect.

Aananthan, a radio DJ at THR, plays the flashy Ray Sanjay.

Tell us about your character.
He is mysterious, confident, a ladies’ man, focused but not without his flaws. He also has a softer side to him.

In your own words, what is Malaysian Girls all about?
It’s a feel-good musical! Expect a lot of original songs, dances, laughter and tears!

The best thing about being part of this production?
It has always been a dream to work at klpac and with the likes of Joe Hasham and Dato’. We have a fantastic team and we get along wonderfully. Sometimes, they even think I am one of the girls. Hmmm….

The hardest part?
Rehearsals are very engaging physically and mentally. Also, as it finishes at 10:30pm every day, I have to then think about my radio work that starts at 6am!

Opening night is just around the corner. Thoughts?
Really excited! It’s going to be a lovely journey. Tell your friends and family!

Your definition of a true Malaysian Girl?
She is beautiful, has a lovely heart, is your closest friend and your confidante. She is constantly searching for herself but she doesn’t need to, for all she needs is inside her. She needs to trust herself more.

Anything to tell the public?
There are a lot of hot single ladies in this production! If you want, I can introduce you to them!

Beauty pageants are…
A test of a woman’s capabilities and a rush in a man’s capillaries!

Min’z, one of the five songwriters for the production.

In your own words, what is Malaysian Girls all about?
If you are glued to the TV when it is the finals for a beauty pageant or when America’s Next Top Model is on, well, this is the super local version of that. The best thing about it is that you get to watch it live, onstage! You can’t get anymore Malaysian than this.

You wrote some of the songs. Which is your favourite?
Definitely ‘Death of Beauty.’ Anything that is dark is lyrically satisfying for me. Just like how dark chocolates are so satisfying and feed the craving one can have. But don’t worry – I am a happy well-rounded child in person.

The best thing about being part of this production?
Like car drifting, you are out of control but in control at the same time. The best thing is that we are free to do whatever we want and yet we still have to stick to what we do.

The hardest part?
How to say no to Joe Hasham! It is my first attempt at writing songs for a musical. I was a little worried at first because I was afraid my lyrics would not fit into the storyline.

Opening night is just around the corner. Thoughts?
I am really excited to see everything come alive. It’s a great honour for a singer songwriter like myself to have my music up on stage and performed by the very talented cast.

Anything to tell the public?
If you had a good time laughing at the ‘Booms’ and the ‘Prings’ (yeah, you know what I am talking about), believe me, Malaysian Girls can pull any ‘Prings’ and ‘Booms’ better!

A Malaysian Girl is…
All-you-can-have buffet dinner.

Tabitha Kong, plays Serenity Billion, she has also acted in ADAM The Musical and The Last Five Years.

Serenity Billion sounds like an interesting name. Does it mean anything?
I’d love to tell you but maybe I shouldn’t. Watch the musical and find out!

In your own words, what is Malaysian Girls all about?
It is about Malaysian Girl Power. It is about knowing your identity and believing you can be who you are and make a difference without trying to be someone else. It is about being proud of whatever has made you who you are today.

The best thing about being part of this production?
We all have at some point in our lives wondered what it is like to be a beauty queen. This is the closest thing we can get to actually experiencing that feeling!

The hardest part?
Wearing heels the whole time throughout rehearsal and performances. Kills my feet! I am a ‘love-walking-in-flats’ sort of girl.

Which is harder – the singing or the acting?
They both have their challenges, depending on the role or the song. But because this is a musical, you are expected to excel in both. I strive to give the best I can in both areas.

Your definition of a true Malaysian Girl?
She is proud of her heritage, of where she comes from, of who she is, and unafraid to use the best of who she is to give her best to everything she does.

Everyone should come and see Malaysian Girls because…
We have the hottest, truly Malaysian Girls in town. The real stuff!

Catch the glamorous Malaysian Girls from 10th to 30th December 2011 at klpac, and 10th to 15th January 2012 at penangpac. Tickets are sold for RM32 to RM110. Weekday promotions are available. For more details, call 03-4047 9000 or visit mgirls.klpac.org.