In most plays you will see that the atmosphere for the play is provided by the orchestra and also by the different people who sing certain items in the show. While the acting is an important consideration there are times when singing auditions play a significantly large role of importance. You will find this to be very true when the play in question is that of a musical.

In most plays and musicals there are lots of people who are involved in all sorts of parts of the play. For these people the role requires lots of time spent getting the motions, the words, the songs and even the tones correct. Now this entire process can be thrown into total disarray if the singing auditions don’t provide the right types of singers.

While the auditions for acting and stunts may be found in another part of the rehearsal hall the signing auditions will take place in a room where the acoustics provide a clear sound. The judges for these auditions will sometimes like to see if the prospective singers also have the ability of acting out a role while they are also singing.

The ability to sing and act with emotion and flair will help the selection process. In these situations being able to do both of these tasks will help the prospective actor or singer to have a wider role in the play. This does not mean that plays only have singing parts. For this reason when you are looking at the many details of the plays you can find that the parts where singing is needed is displayed.

Another item that is found in singing auditions is the parts which need to be assigned based on the voices that each successful candidate displays. As some of the parts in the plays can belong to alto singers, contraltos, bass singers and others it is necessary to match the voices to the parts required. The need for the play to continue unhindered, means that you will find an understudy and a main cast member being cast around about the same time.

Since the understudy needs to be prepared to take over at a moments notice, it is best if they memorize their parts as well. In addition to memorizing the singing parts of a play singing auditions for some plays require that the understudy and the main cast character have a familiarity with all of the non singing parts of the play. It is for this reason that you will find that singing auditions are very important.

Laura Schutter has been lighting up audiences all over the world, starring on Broadway and in London’s West End. She currently appears in the Broadway hit Mary Poppins. We took a few minutes to find out how her career began…

Q: We heard that you were discovered in a very dramatic way, like something out of 42nd Street…?
A: It was backstage during the Broadway tour of Thoroughly Modern Millie. I started the tour as an understudy to the lead and one night during the show the lead became ill after the start of Act II. The stage manager grabbed me and sent me to quickly get my wig and red dress, and within two minutes I was on stage singing the biggest number in the show. The funny part is that I am about a foot shorter than the girl who normally played the part, and when I entered the stage I could sense the audience's confusion. However, at the end of the show I still received a standing ovation.

Q: How would you say performing in a Corporate Event is different than a Broadway show?
A: Performing in a corporate event differs from a full Broadway production in that the show often has many production numbers from a variety of shows - every number is different and exciting. One of my favorite numbers to perform is "All That Jazz" from the musical Chicago. Most people have seen or heard of Chicago from either the movie or the Broadway show so the audience response is always amazing.

Q: Do you have any special memories of these “audience responses”?
A: My favorite show was a recent event in Hawaii for Prudential (and not only since it was in Hawaii!). There were many songs in the production that had the audience singing along. By the end of the show they were on their feet and dancing with us on the dance floor. It was such a thrill to see how much they enjoyed our show.

Laura Schutter is currently performing in the Broadway Production of Mary Poppins. Other Broadway credits include The Apple Tree, Kiss Me Kate and The Scarlet Pimpernel. Laura has toured with many Broadway productions including Thoroughly Modern Millie, Parade, Kiss Me Kate, and Showboat in London's West End. www.lauraschutter.com

In different cities in America some theater organizes special broadway and off-broadway show for children. In major cities and town there are many show organize each day. The local newspaper and the big hordings at the main road are the key source of information about the show. There are different types of show organized for the children’s where children gets the more entertainment. It is ideal to select the proper show from your children. Here are the tips to select the broadway show for your children.

1. First tips is to identify the show from the newspaper and magazine or hordings. You must have to discuss with your children and know their interest. There are broadway or off broadway shows organized so you have to select the proper one for your child. Also give some description about the show. Once your children get agree on the show you move further.

2. You must have to get the inquiry about the show time and availability of the booking. You must have to decide which class of ticket you need to buy from the booking office. Also confirm the timing of the show. You must have to through about various alternative for the tickets.

3. While booking the show ticket you must have to ask for discount. There are many show offer different types of discount if you book in advance or if you book the ticket in bulk. The theater give discount from 20 percent to 60 percent.

4. It is advisable to book your ticket in advance to avoid last time rush and get the good discount on the ticket.

5. It is essential to presence in the show early because you get the idea about the seat location and select the proper seat. Also interest with your child while show get start.

Mel Miller and Tony Stewart, have been performing on stages world wide for some ninety years, and as Tony so eloquently put it “We’re still standing!”

Tony started his career at 16 years of age in the circus, and went on to become an impressionist, by age 18 he was performing as a solo performer around the world, he has had his share of everything this industry has to offer including Television, Radio, international performance and local ovations.

Mel Miller, shot to fame in 1974 in South Africa’s first ever televised stand up comedy show, Biltong and pot-roast. Mel’s performances have been seen country wide and have shone through all the changes and developments in South Africa. Mel has headlined performances locally and abroad.

The two veteran superstars are back in full force, offering audiences two full performances, one after another. From Tony you can expect the wild antics, crazy music and mad impersonations, that he has become loved for. From Mel the topical antieverything humor that made him “The God Father of South African Comedy!”

The East Rand Italian Club is pleased to be hosting the event, which will take place on
the 21st September and will adorn the audience with finger snacks in support of the spring
theme. The Show will offer a full one man performance by Tony Stewart, an intermission
followed by a full one man show by Mel Miller. The tickets are only R120.00 for the show and snacks and are available from The Fairy Godmother - 084 502 1311 booking is essential.

A wide-screen TV, a DVD player, and speakers are typical components of a home theater system.

People who enjoy complete surround sound from DVDs and HDTV broadcasts use up to seven speakers and a subwoofer to enhance the experience. You may not consider features such as Pro Dolby Digital or 7 point surround sound as being very important. But if you want to sit at home, and enjoy the ambience of a cinema, you will relish the above features. Again, this depends on where your house is located. If you live in an area where your neighbors might complain of the noise, the surround sound may prove a disturbance.

You could opt for a powerful system, provided you have a separate room. For a large room, you will need an 80 watt receiver. If you are a newbie owner of a home theater system, you can start with a small number of quality speakers, and add more later, along with a sub woofer.

You need a large screen HDTV model that delivers a quality image to enhance your movie watching experience. HDTV sets are available with different display resolutions such as 720p (1280 by 720 pixels), 1080i or 1080p (1920 by 1080), 1366 by 768, and 1024 by 768.

In order to create the surround sound experience of a movie theater in the privacy of your home, you should opt for a perfect combination comprised of front and left speakers, a center channel speaker, surround speakers and a subwoofer. You want to make sure that the various speakers work together, as a single unit, in cohesion. Merely buying speakers of a recognized brand or model might only insure that they individually deliver great sound, while not working as a cohesive whole.

If you wish to be hassle free, not having to worry about whether your receiver and speaker set match, then, a Home theater in a box (HTiB) system is just what the doctor ordered.

If you want a powerful, pure and complete home theater experience, opt for a Denon 4308. A Denon AVR-4308CI model has many features to enhance your enjoyment of high-end Denon audio/video performance.

These include a single unit that functions as an amplifier/ preamplifier/ control center, with a built-in DVD/ CD player or changer, a surround sound decoder that can decode all the major surround sound formats, including Dolby Digital, DTS, and Dolby Pro Logic II, six speakers, and wireless remote control, all incorporated into this system.

It comes with a versatile HDMI switching, wireless PC networking, a built-in HD Radio tuner, and flexible multi-room A/V options. It even includes Dolby True HD and DTS-HD Master Audio decoding aimed at providing superior surround sound performance with high-def disc players and discs.

The 4308 receiver also supports digital to analog conversion for multi-zone applications and second zone component video output. Faroudja FLI2310 processing is used in 4308ci, which is found in the Oppo DVD players.

Denon offers two years warranty on parts and labor.

Decades of dominance have made Denon products synonymous with unquestionable quality among audiophiles. Denon are undoubtedly the world's foremost manufacturers of high-end audio and video equipment for professional studios and consumers.

Buying a Denon (including the Denon AVR 4308) from a reliable source does make a difference.

Highly successful Murder Mystery Weekends are based on exclusive use of a country house hotel for your own private Murder Mystery Weekend House Party, as you will not need to worry about other guests getting in the way of your murder mystery party, so you can set the party mood to be as outrageous as you like. Murder mystery weekends are very well suited to corporate groups, private clients or friends and families wishing to celebrate a special occasion or event.

Your Country House Weekend

Your Murder Mystery weekend should begin with a three course meal on Friday evening with the first whodunnit murder already taken place. Saturday should start with breakfast and the guests should be divided into Murder Mystery groups. As part of a murder mystery team building weekend, you can participate in activities such as quad biking, karting, paintball, golf, fishing, horse riding, clay pigeon shooting, surfing etc, so location and venue are of the upmost important.

The Murder Mystery

The Murder Mystery takes place on the Friday evening when all of the "guests" assemble in costume in the bar for a pre-dinner drink and a "set the scene" briefing. Professionally organised murder mystery weekend whodunnits do not lend themselves to participation by the guests, as they are performed by professional actors. The murder mystery dinner party unfolds over the courses of a three-course evening dinner during both Friday and Saturday nights and is solved on the Sunday morning after breakfast. Your hosting characters could become your personal butler or maid - what else would you expect for your country house murder mystery weekend?

Professionally organised murder and mystery should have a theme and you should be provided with with the character resumes played by the actors. We also suggestthat you consider fancy dress costumes, as they add to the murder party fun. Your organiser should host the murder mystery weekend and participate wherever necessary to ensure that you and your party have an enjoyable Murder Mystery Weekend.

Sunday mornings should for Murder Mystery weekends start with a breakfast, at a time chosen by you to meet the needs of the party after the night before. After which you can make your way home, having enjoyed a memorable murder weekend house party.

The Murder Mystery Party Package Cost

The fully inclusive price of the Murder Mystery package is wholly dependent on the location of your venue and the star rating of your venue, should include two nights dinner, bed & breakfast.Extras to consider are the bar, wine and any additional items or activities.

When as play is shown to audiences very seldom is a thought given to the immense amount of hard work which has gone into the production of a play. One of the key elements for any play is that of a script. While it is important to have a script it is even more important that the play script be ones that is very good at capturing the imagination of the audience.

You will find great examples of play scripts which have gone on to successfully capture its target audience. These will of course include the famous My Fair Lady, Cats and also Starlight Express. These plays are ones that many people have gone to see many times while they were offered for the publics’ pleasure. you should understand that the script which is behind these various plays is the main reason why the popularity of these plays still linger even when they are not in our sights.

While there are many ways of getting a good play script it is still a good idea that the script reflects original ideas. This way the audience is going to see an item that will hold their interest instead of a play where the dialogue and even the play theme are well known. Some of the best play scripts that you can find are immortalized in memorable plays like South Pacific, My Fair Lady, Cats, The King and I, Rent among others.

The play scripts which have been developed by the creators of these plays allow talented actors, actresses, dancers, singers of stage and drama to show their incredible talent. There is another use for these play scripts. For the actors these scripts allow them the ability to remember the lines they need to say.

Likewise the places where the other actors need to insert their lines are clearly depicted. This means that each person will know where they need to start and finish. A play script is ideal for the directors of the play as well as the other people like the musical director. For these people the script will have various details which can help them steer the play in the direction that it needs to go.

As you see for us to enjoy a great play there are a multitude of items which need to be thought of. And among these a key item is that of a well thought out play script. Play scripts are therefore among the most important items that you can find to make any type of play a roaring success.

Some of the most thrilling aspects of stage performances involve combat. For example, what would Hamlet be without its numerous battles? What would Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirates of Penzance be without its piratical swashbuckling? Whether the performance is a comedy or tragedy, a "straight" play or a musical, there may be scenes of combat.

Of course, real fighting on stage is not advisable, simply because it would be highly dangerous for the performers involved. Theater creates convincing illusions; combat is no exception to this. Therefore, an entire array of practices has been developed by directors and choreographers. Usually, they incorporate actual moves from martial arts or other disciplines, but change them to be less dangerous for the actors involved. These techniques are collectively known as "stage
combat."

One of the more common types of stage combat is stage fencing. Stage fencing uses many of the moves and techniques common in traditional fencing, but modifies them. For example, a move may be altered so that the sword used does not travel near the actor's face.

Stage fencing may incorporate several different weapons. Among these are the stage foil, which resembles a regular foil, the dagger, and the broadsword. Rapiers may also be used. Stage combat moves vary depending on what sword is used; for example, a rapier fight will be more "nimble" than one using larger weapons. The swords may either be real, or props constructed to look like weapons. The latter, of course, is less dangerous for the actors, but requires more work to seem real.

In most productions, the stage fencing routines are developed by the choreographer of the play or musical. For larger scale productions, or for routines involving many intricate techniques, a separate fight choreographer may be used. These
choreographers are trained especially in stage combat, and are more skilled in developing flashier routines.

Stage combat, when executed in the theatre, is highly routine. Although the moves may seem thrilling and immediate, they have been rehearsed time after time at varying speeds. Improvisation cannot be a part of swordfights on stage, simply because it would be dangerous to introduce an unexpected change when swords are involved. Despite this routine, however, when done well, stage combat can be spectacularly done and extremely convincing.

Some of the most popular plays that teens want to be in, help produce, and work on are The Wizard of Oz, Grease, Lil' Abner, The Helen Keller Story, Beauty and the Beast, and Phantom of the Opera. These are great plays and the characters can be played by teens and the characters themselves are also teens. Wizard of Oz and Lil' Abner are huge productions with a lot of characters.

This can be great with a large school where there are a lot of teens that want to be in the play. You also have plenty of singing and dancing and some of the greatest songs ever for the students to sing. I think what makes this play so great is that that teens even now have seen the movie and everyone wants the chance to sing the songs and do the dances that go along with the Wizard of Oz. Lil' Abner is another large play with lots of singing and dancing.

There are some very funny and strange characters in this play and the songs are wonderful and easy to learn. This is another great play where lots of teens that want to be involved can be and it brings in the family and friends to see the productions. Next, is Grease and with the recently released High School Musical that has come, Grease has become more popular than ever. Grease is a fun and lively play that all teens want to be a part of for the fun and energy that the play offers. The characters are great with girls wanting to be Sandra Dee or Rizo and the guys wanting to Zuko.

The play is timeless even though it is set in 1950's, it's still a favorite among teens and adults. The Helen Keller Story is wonderful because it is based off of Helen Keller herself and there is so much for teens to learn from the story and stretch their acting capabilities. Needing a student to be blind and for there to be crying and many emotions happening. Lastly, there is Beauty and the Beast and The Phantom of the Opera. These two are huge productions that have been done all over the world.

They have some of the most beautiful songs and were written and composed by Andrew Lloyd Weber. These are the type of plays that if can be done in high school every teen who wants to act and even those who had never thought of it before, want to be a part of the play. All of these plays are wonderful introductions to theater and plays, between the music, dancing, and singing, these are the plays that teen want to be in and be a part of.

Stand Up for Sundays
If your Sunday seems dull and boring, and you reminisce of the days when you had some fun entertainment to keep you busy. We have a solution, “Stand Up for Sundays!” A fresh and witty crew of local Stand Up comedians has high jacked the Old Mutual Theatre on the Square and is occupying her stage for a month of Sundays.

The Comedy Shop is not new to the theatre; their previous performance of “Stand Up for Sundays” was in December 2005 and won mass critical praise. The troupe of five comedians offers fresh fast paced humor coupled with audience interaction and smooth roll of the tongue punch lines. The Five piece show includes, Mel Miller, Al Prodgers, Kedibone Mulaudzi, Etienne Shardlow and Alistair Plint.

Al Prodgers, has just returned from Canada, where he represented South Africa in the Yuk Yaks comedy festival. Al is not new to performing abroad he was part of the “Stand Up South Africa” show in London, is regularly seen on stages in Abu
Dhabi and left Dubai in raucous laughter. Al Prodgers is a regular headline act on local stages and was the perfect choice to open for Steven Wrights visit to Cape Town, never the less Al seems eager to be listed as part of the team on “Stand Up for Sundays.”

Kedibone Mulaudzi, has a never ending biography of impressive shows, he was invited to perform for the Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s 50th Wedding anniversary and after the show the Arch bishop went to Kedibone and said “You good, no actually you very good!” he went on to host the Comedy Nine Nine festival, Arts Alive and the Wits He, he festival’s.

Mel Miller has been performing on South African stages for over 40 years, his diverse humor and no topics untouched attitude, wrap together to bring audiences a laugh per minute performance of unstoppable joy! The veteran performer is known in the stand up market as “The Godfather of South African Comedy” and his title is evidently deserved when seen strutting punch line after
punch line from any stage.

Alistair Plint and Etienne Shardlow, are part of the original “Stand Up for Sundays” cast, the two crazy stand up comedians have been hard at work since last they visited the theatre, Alistair a regular show producer, entertainment agent and
comedian, has been responsible for many a successful show including the “comedy supper club”, “five funny guys” and “The shortcut to Pluto”. Etienne’s character “The Schoolboy” stole the hearts of avid television viewers when he won the reality comedy competition on MNets Laugh Out Loud, but that never stopped him, he currently runs two comedy venues and is always surprising
audiences with new characters that you think you’ve met at work.

This team of local comedy stars, will launch into a laugh a millisecond routines and raucous antics at The Old Mutual theatre on the square, in Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton on the 24th February, and through the Sundays in March. You areinvited to join them.

Tickets are available from Computicket and the theatre box office at (011) 883 8606. Fortunately, the show caries a 18 age Restriction, so a cash bar will be available. Should Eskom grace with great service, we may have
a fully enlightening performance. Show starts at 7pm, see you there!

Colm Wilkinson is perhaps best known as the voice behind the mask in The Phantom of the Opera and as Jean Valjean in Les Misérables. But in his Broadway & Beyond tour, he reveals a range that will surprise and delight you.

Beginning his career in his native Ireland in the 1970's, Wilkinson has become an internationally recognized vocalist. Today, his eclectic selection of music is as wide as his vocal range. He performs everything from folk to pop to country to rock, and samples just about all of it for this tour. He's also a fair guitar player, as he demonstrates in this show.

For his Broadway & Beyond tour, Wilkinson starts with Music of the Night from Phantom, goes on to perform a variety of his better--and lesser--known hits; some Irish drinking songs; a few numbers from other artists including Ray Charles, Leonard Cohen, Muddy Waters, and John Lennon; some of his own original compositions; and finishes up with Bring Him Home from Les Mis.

The show ran about two hours, not including a twenty minute intermission. It seemed shorter, such is Wilkinson's talent for keeping an audience enthralled. More than once Wilkinson remarked that the night was young, but he wasn't. Considering the strain his dynamic style must put on his voice, and his age--63, although he wears it well--the length was just about right.

There was no opening act. Quite frankly, there didn't need to be. Everyone was there to see Colm Wilkinson and there was no reason to keep them waiting.

Performing with Wilkinson were two well-known singers in their own right: Tony Award winning Gretha Boston, and Susan Gilmour who also performed with Wilkinson in Les Misérables. At times they sang backup for Wilkinson, but they also performed duets and solos. Their voices, while different from each other, were nevertheless complimentary and added a nice touch to the evening, in addition to giving Wilkinson's voice a rest between songs.

Leading the backup band was pianist and musical director Steve Hunter. The rest of the band included a base, electric base, electric guitar, cello, drums, organ, and a fellow playing multiple wind instruments. All of them were superb, and each had an opportunity to show off their talents.

Despite the excellence of the musical performance, the highlight of the show was really Wilkinson's playful banter with the audience and the stories he told between songs. Like his account of the time he was invited to perform at the Kennedy Center Honors and had to ask, "What's that?" Or his explanation for the variations on the song Danny Boy.

The only real weakness of this performance seems to be the choice of numbers. One member of the group we were with commented beforehand that she hoped he did his older work, since she preferred it to the songs on his latest album. While he did perform some of his older, better known hits from Phantom and Les Mis, there wasn't enough.

Our seats, mid-way from the front on the orchestra level, ran about $85 CDN. The range at other venues seems to be from $60 to $90. Whether you feel this is worth it or not depends, naturally, on your taste. The audience we were a part of certainly seemed satisfied. They gave Wilkinson a warm standing ovation at the end and after each of his three encores.

The Broadway & Beyond tour is, at this point, strictly Canadian. It began in Halifax, Nova Scotia on October 6th, 2007, and after hitting Vancouver, British Columbia on November 9th, will bounce back to wrap up on November 11th in Regina, Saskatchewan. However, given that Wilkinson holds international fame, it's likely you'll find this tour or another in a country near you before too long.

Colm Wilkinson is a true virtuoso, a talented performer with a stunning range and an engaging personality. He demonstrates both in Broadway & Beyond.

Highly successful Murder Mystery Weekends are based on exclusive use of a country house hotel for your own private Murder Mystery Weekend House Party, as you will not need to worry about other guests getting in the way of your murder mystery party, so you can set the party mood to be as outrageous as you like. Murder mystery weekends are very well suited to corporate groups, private clients or friends and families wishing to celebrate a special occasion or event.

Your Country House Weekend

Your Murder Mystery weekend should begin with a three course meal on Friday evening with the first whodunnit murder already taken place. Saturday should start with breakfast and the guests should be divided into Murder Mystery groups. As part of a murder mystery team building weekend, you can participate in activities such as quad biking, karting, paintball, golf, fishing, horse riding, clay pigeon shooting, surfing etc, so location and venue are of the upmost important.

The Murder Mystery

The Murder Mystery takes place on the Friday evening when all of the "guests" assemble in costume in the bar for a pre-dinner drink and a "set the scene" briefing. Professionally organised murder mystery weekend whodunnits do not lend themselves to participation by the guests, as they are performed by professional actors. The murder mystery dinner party unfolds over the courses of a three-course evening dinner during both Friday and Saturday nights and is solved on the Sunday morning after breakfast. Your hosting characters could become your personal butler or maid - what else would you expect for your country house murder mystery weekend?

Professionally organised murder and mystery should have a theme and you should be provided with with the character resumes played by the actors. We also suggestthat you consider fancy dress costumes, as they add to the murder party fun. Your organiser should host the murder mystery weekend and participate wherever necessary to ensure that you and your party have an enjoyable Murder Mystery Weekend.

Sunday mornings should for Murder Mystery weekends start with a breakfast, at a time chosen by you to meet the needs of the party after the night before. After which you can make your way home, having enjoyed a memorable murder weekend house party.

The Murder Mystery Party Package Cost

The fully inclusive price of the Murder Mystery package is wholly dependent on the location of your venue and the star rating of your venue, should include two nights dinner, bed & breakfast.Extras to consider are the bar, wine and any additional items or activities.

While there are many different types of plays that you can see, all of these have different themes to them. As the patron you will have the chance to choose which of these different plays you want to see. From a variety of comedy to drama to even action type plays there is something for everyone. In these plays the best ones are given a twist to their script. This twist provides a sense of wickedness. The wicked scripts are ones which will leave you with a heightened sense of anticipation.

These scripts will have all of the action and thrills that you crave. In general you are feeling like having which can usually be seen in movies and television shows. You may need to think twice about taking someone whom you are just acquainted to one of these shows which has a wicked script.

The really nice thing about these shows is that the dialogue between the characters is snappy and full of energy. You will be drawn into the show without really knowing it. You should however be prepared for anything to occur as the script of these shows is wicked – in terms of energy - and the action just pours out of them. A wicked script will help you to see just how an ordinary scene can be changed.

The only items that need to be remembered with a wicked script is that as the play is being shown in front of an audience it is best if the level of wickedness is toned down to an acceptable level. In these plays as well as the ordinary ones you will find that people enjoy seeing twists and turns that are not that familiar.

A wicked script that is well written will therefore be acceptable if the play is not one that the will cause the theater patrons to turn away in total horror. Since the plays which are written for audiences with tastes for the dramatic you will find that various scenarios have been given new takes.

All in all you could say that a wicked script has more going for it than your usual one. As the final link this is creative process you will be the recipient of programs which are wonderful. Plays that use a wicked script will help you to see life around you in a different manner. For this reason you may need to take a while to live the play and let your mind absorb all that is being conveyed in the play.

Mel Miller and Tony Stewart, have been performing on stages world wide for some ninety years, and as Tony so eloquently put it “We’re still standing!”

Tony started his career at 16 years of age in the circus, and went on to become an impressionist, by age 18 he was performing as a solo performer around the world, he has had his share of everything this industry has to offer including Television, Radio, international performance and local ovations.

Mel Miller, shot to fame in 1974 in South Africa’s first ever televised stand up comedy show, Biltong and pot-roast. Mel’s performances have been seen country wide and have shone through all the changes and developments in South Africa. Mel has headlined performances locally and abroad.

The two veteran superstars are back in full force, offering audiences two full performances, one after another. From Tony you can expect the wild antics, crazy music and mad impersonations, that he has become loved for. From Mel the topical antieverything humor that made him “The God Father of South African Comedy!”

The East Rand Italian Club is pleased to be hosting the event, which will take place on
the 21st September and will adorn the audience with finger snacks in support of the spring
theme. The Show will offer a full one man performance by Tony Stewart, an intermission
followed by a full one man show by Mel Miller. The tickets are only R120.00 for the show and snacks and are available from The Fairy Godmother - 084 502 1311 booking is essential.

Stand Up for Sundays
If your Sunday seems dull and boring, and you reminisce of the days when you had some fun entertainment to keep you busy. We have a solution, “Stand Up for Sundays!” A fresh and witty crew of local Stand Up comedians has high jacked the Old Mutual Theatre on the Square and is occupying her stage for a month of Sundays.

The Comedy Shop is not new to the theatre; their previous performance of “Stand Up for Sundays” was in December 2005 and won mass critical praise. The troupe of five comedians offers fresh fast paced humor coupled with audience interaction and smooth roll of the tongue punch lines. The Five piece show includes, Mel Miller, Al Prodgers, Kedibone Mulaudzi, Etienne Shardlow and Alistair Plint.

Al Prodgers, has just returned from Canada, where he represented South Africa in the Yuk Yaks comedy festival. Al is not new to performing abroad he was part of the “Stand Up South Africa” show in London, is regularly seen on stages in Abu
Dhabi and left Dubai in raucous laughter. Al Prodgers is a regular headline act on local stages and was the perfect choice to open for Steven Wrights visit to Cape Town, never the less Al seems eager to be listed as part of the team on “Stand Up for Sundays.”

Kedibone Mulaudzi, has a never ending biography of impressive shows, he was invited to perform for the Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s 50th Wedding anniversary and after the show the Arch bishop went to Kedibone and said “You good, no actually you very good!” he went on to host the Comedy Nine Nine festival, Arts Alive and the Wits He, he festival’s.

Mel Miller has been performing on South African stages for over 40 years, his diverse humor and no topics untouched attitude, wrap together to bring audiences a laugh per minute performance of unstoppable joy! The veteran performer is known in the stand up market as “The Godfather of South African Comedy” and his title is evidently deserved when seen strutting punch line after
punch line from any stage.

Alistair Plint and Etienne Shardlow, are part of the original “Stand Up for Sundays” cast, the two crazy stand up comedians have been hard at work since last they visited the theatre, Alistair a regular show producer, entertainment agent and
comedian, has been responsible for many a successful show including the “comedy supper club”, “five funny guys” and “The shortcut to Pluto”. Etienne’s character “The Schoolboy” stole the hearts of avid television viewers when he won the reality comedy competition on MNets Laugh Out Loud, but that never stopped him, he currently runs two comedy venues and is always surprising
audiences with new characters that you think you’ve met at work.

This team of local comedy stars, will launch into a laugh a millisecond routines and raucous antics at The Old Mutual theatre on the square, in Nelson Mandela Square, Sandton on the 24th February, and through the Sundays in March. You areinvited to join them.

Tickets are available from Computicket and the theatre box office at (011) 883 8606. Fortunately, the show caries a 18 age Restriction, so a cash bar will be available. Should Eskom grace with great service, we may have
a fully enlightening performance. Show starts at 7pm, see you there!

5th Asian Film Festival under the joint ageis of Aashay Film Club, the Indira School of Communication and in association with the Asian Film Foundation, was successfully held in Pune at twin venues, -between 1st - 8th November at City Pride,Multiplex Kothrud, and the National Film Archives theatre.

The concept of the festival being screening of majority of Asian Cinema which has now become the major attraction in the 21st century and even in the Oscars. Asian movies are making ground entries Even when we compare European and Hollywood movies with the Asian Cinema the Asian movies are making a mark for itself due to its realistic scripts and stories.

India, China, Japan and Iran are pioneers in the Asian Cinema Industry which is closely followed by Korea, Israel, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Srilanka
and Taiwan who are also setting a mark of their own stream in the European market. Cultures of these places are being publicized through the screening of these movies in Delhi, Pune and Mumbai.

Senior Film Drama Actor Dr.Mohan Agashe was the convener of this year's festival. Kirloskar group were the 'Main Partner'.The co-partner City Pride Kothrud, with Media partners being the Sakal & Maharashtra Herald group of News Papers.

Madhur Bhandarkar, young and talented film maker, inaugurated the festival by lighting the traditional lamp. Noted Film maker Yash Chopra, received the 3rd Zenith Asia award. Well received film of International Film Festival, Poet of the Wastes directed by Mohammad Ahmadi, was the opening film,which was screened to packed houses, whereas, Umesh Kulkarni's film in Marathi, 'Valu' - The Wild Bull was screened on the closing day.

Highlight of the festival being, the screeing of exclusive films from Japan, China, Israel, Iran, Taiwan, Thailand, Srilanka, ,Korea, Bhutan, Phillipines, Kyrgystan

As of Indian films, a mix of regional films ...Kannada, Bengali, Malayalam, Assamese and other language films were screened.

The festival saw separate section on Chinese films, where seven films made during the last seven years from China, were screened.

Tribute to Master, section, saw films of World known Japanese master Akira Kurosava.

Off Beat Hindi Cinema: A section is devoted to some of the off- beat films of last year from Bollywood were screened.

Mai Marathi: In this section last year's best seven Marathi films were screened. Some of the films were premiered in presence of their
Director and Crew.

Best of Asia: This section saw a combination of films from Asia which were discussed in the last five years.

Retro of recent Hindi Film Director Nageskh
Kukonoor, whereby his four films were screened.

The recepient of this year's Dadasaheb Phalke award,Director Shyam Benegal's films were sreened.

Liv Interactions with Director and Artist made the festival more eventful and lively.

Debut Film: A special section devoted to screening Debut film of a director from different Asian Countries was also the highlight of the 5thAsian film festival

On 2nd November 1965 a normal occurrence happened at the Talwar Nursing Home in New Delhi. Just like many newborns, I was born with the umbilical cord entangled around my neck. A nurse said that it was by the blessings of Hanuman and that I would be a very lucky child. I don’t know if I believe in it but it is the one thing I was told by my parents about my birth that I remember.

We lived in Rajinder Nagar, I even remember the house number it was F-442. I have vague memories of my playschool, I think it was called Tiny Tots and was right next to our house.

After playschool I began my formal education at St. Columba's High School, New Delhi. It was near Gole market, run by Irish brothers who believed in discipline and a very high standard of education.

I can recall my first day and the teacher who interviewed me, Mrs. Bala, asked me to tell her what my father’s profession was. And at that point my father had a transportation business, I had seen him dealing with tempos, trucks, etc. I believed anyone having anything to do with vehicles was a driver. So I replied that my dad was a tempo driver. Mrs. Bala told me that I had very cute dimples and then asked me to kiss her. That was my first kiss. Oh yes, and I was admitted to the school.

We were given black and golden stars for our behaviour and test results. Five black stars meant lying across Mrs. Bala’s lap and getting spanked three times, I think. Being quite naughty I was spanked a lot. I wish the same treatment was meted out to me even now. Looking back one realizes that what one thought punishment was actually quite pleasurable.

Overall my early years of schooling were quite wonderful. I had my share of spanking, and was often made to stand in the corner with my finger on the lips. I was forced by my teacher to learn how to swim by being thrown into the water and expected to survive with gallons of water in my stomach, eyes and ears. Till date I hate swimming…and my teacher for subjecting me to this torture.

But all said and done I love all my teachers. They were very kind and sweet. I guess the essence of one’s life is developed during these formative years. And I feel I had the best formative years because of the nice teachers I had.

Here’s to all of them…good morning ma’am and thank you ma’am.

Incidents & Accidents

One important turning point in my life occurred because I was very bad in Hindi. I used to get 2 or 3 on 10 and always failed in this subject. Once, my mother told me that if I got full marks in Hindi she would take me to see a Hindi film in the theatre. I had never been to a movie hall before. So I stayed up all night and studied my butt off and managed to get full marks and my mother took me to see my first Hindi film, in a theatre.

Two things happened because of this incident. One, I became quite the Hindi pundit and later always did very well in Hindi. And secondly, I got the feel for Hindi films. My command over the language helps me immensely to essay my roles in films today. The moral of the story is, if your mom tells you to study hard, do it. You may just become a film star and your education will help you one helluva lot. But if your mother is insisting on anthropology or biochemistry or perhaps aromatic therapy, then ignore her.

I remember sitting on the wall and blowing flying kisses to the schoolgirls passing by. Once a girl came complaining to my dad but my father was sure that it could not be me as I was too young. He made the girl wait so that she could see me and realise that it was the neighbour’s son who was teasing her and not me. But to my father’s embarrassment I walked in without my pants on and on seeing the girl blew her a flying kiss and told my dad that this was my sweetheart. This was the first and last girl I ever made a pass to.

St. Columba's School

Right or wrong…east or west, my school is the best. St. Columba's was a strict disciplinarian school run by Irish brothers. One could not wear the wrong uniform or grow their hair beyond a certain length. Many a times I had to get my hair cut in front of the whole assembly of students early in the morning. The barber used to be from a nearby street-side shop who hadn’t bathed or brushed his teeth. He was as sorry to be there as I was to be sitting on his uncomfortable chair. And before beginning his hack job, he would ask if I wanted a Dharmendra or an Amitabh cut. By the time he was through, I just hoped I didn’t look like a porcupine or a pineapple. My hair never recovered from these frequent attacks. ;-) This truly is the secret of my hairstyle, if one can call it that.

I was quite a good student, though I never studied throughout the year. The only time I studied was the night before the exam, when I wouldn’t sleep a wink and go straight for the exam. I did rather well and this gave me the opportunity to do a whole lot of interesting stuff in school.

In School…

My favourite soccer stars are Socrates, Pele, Maradona and Mattheus. And I loved Aslam Sher Khan and wanted to be like him and represent the country.

Electronics was my favourite subject at my A levels, and I think I got the highest marks in it when I passed out.

Mathematics was my weakest subject in school and I still have a problem with numbers. So much so if someone tells me a phone number I have to ask for it several times before I can write it down on paper. I even forget my office and residence phone number.

English, and especially Shakespeare, was my other favourite.

Mumtaz…

Mumtaz was my absolute favourite. We used to listen to the radio at night and this is when all my dancing abilities were best showcased. One had to just tell me that the song on radio was from a Mumtaz film and I would move 20 frames per second, like the way people move in the old Charlie Chaplin films.

I loved the way she moved her hips. I think nobody in this world can be as beautiful a sight as she used to be. She was sensual, innocent, naughty and very energetic, all at the same time. She was the first personality I mimicked. I loved to walk like her and dance like her.

Usually actors have very important personalities and performers as their idols. Mine was Mumtaz. Not to say that she was unimportant or not special. What I mean is that for a guy she was an unconventional role model. To me she was the single most important cause of my tilt towards anything that had vaguely to do with the performing arts.

My favourite song used to be from a Shammi Kapoor film, Brahmachari. Its lyrics still intrigue me: “Chakke pe chakka, chakke mein gaadi, gaadi pe nikli apni swaari...” Anyone who can explain the meaning of "chakke" to me, please send me an e-mail. (If you're serious about this, you can get the email address at www.srkworld.com!)

My Father

My father, Mir Taj Mohammed, was 10 years older to my mother, Fatima, and therefore much older to me. I remember him as a gentle giant - 6’2” tall with typically Pathan good looks, grey eyes and brown hair. But he was very well-read and well educated too. He did MA, LLB and knew six languages - Persian, Sanskrit, Pushtu, Punjabi, Hindi and English. He was, in his time, the youngest freedom fighter.

Even today whenever I bump into people who knew him, they talk about his sense of humour, and how he was a gentleman. And I remember the same about him. I wish I could be like him or bring up my child in the same way that he brought us up but I don’t know if I will be able to because I am more temperamental than he was.

Somehow, my sister and I listened to him more than we listened to our mother. He was gentler than her. Of course, my mother loved us too but with my father we were friends. We used to sit for hours and listen to him talk on various topics. We used to call each other ‘yaar’. I did call him ‘papa’ but yaar was used more often. Probably because he never cajoled or pampered us like people do their children but instead, always treated us as individuals, as adults. It was always one-to-one.
My father had a great sense of humour. We used to stay on the top floor of our building. Once, an old couple staying on the ground floor complained to my father, “Upar se cheese neeche aati hai.” My father laughed at the comment and said, “Newton discovered that long ago."

In another incident, I was teasing a south Indian girl next door by blowing up their letter boxes. Her mother came home to complain and my father opened the door. The lady could not speak Hindi well and she said, “Aapka ladka ladki ko chedta hai meri.” He replied, “Is she as pretty as you are?” She said, “What?” My father repeated his question. She replied, “Yes…” My father said, “Then I don’t blame him. If I had met you earlier even I would have been after you!” She smiled.

Besides his sense of humour, another quality I have imbibed from my father is his passion for reading. My father was a very good human being. I try to imbibe that too. I think I have inherited his goodness, though not to the full extent. The only aspect I didn’t inherit was his love for gardening. My father even enjoyed talking to flowers but I have never done that. Perhaps when I am older…

I have definitely inherited my absent-mindedness from my father. I have seen him walk out of the house in just a shirt, shoes, socks - without his pants! He would eat his breakfast in the toilet! He would just forget he was in there. I too forget names, I forget to eat sometimes. But where work is concerned I do not forget anything.

My father never screamed or shouted at my sister and me. My mother did that; even fulfilling his quota. He never hit us but scolded us once or twice. Even if he got serious for even a second, it would scare me but after a while he would laugh it off. He once told me, “Shit, I can’t even get angry with you.”

In another incident, he told me, “Look, your sister is now supposed to be studying. So I will go into her room and throw the novel she is reading, out of the window. You go and get the novel back.” He went, shouted at her and threw the book out. It was a joke and his method to tell us what is to be done.

My dad had a hot temper, not like an Army officer, but he liked correct behaviour. He didn’t expect me to get up and touch the feet of elders but a certain kind of respect had to be shown towards them. Even today if an elderly person is seated next to me, I cannot keep my feet on the table. He never told me not to do so. His persona made me realize that I should not do it.

One routine which formed on its own was my dad giving me milk in the morning. It started because my mother could not get up sometimes. Then it became a routine. He would warm the milk and give me but later decided against it. So every morning we would we would walk to the Mother Diary booth (a milk dispenser typical of Delhi). He would insert a token and I would cup my hands and drink milk directly.

I never got irritated or angry with my father. In fact, I used to love watching my father come home in the evening. My dog would react to him when he was 15-20 feet away from the house. I would rush down take his bag and walk back with him or pick him at the bus stop if he came in a bus or car.

Because of my father, every activity in the house, every duty, was transformed into a game. He charged us with the idea that we were doing such-and-such work because we were having fun. Because of this, I find work fun. That is why, I guess, I’m so energetic. I enjoy small things like sitting and watching a squirrel climb a tree or sleeping on the terrace in the Delhi summers. It becomes a game for me - the best thing that could happen to me that day.

At four years of age, my father taught me that I alone would have to deal with my screw-ups. I was very naughty in school and in the colony and I regularly got into trouble. Once, during a game, I threw a rock at a boy called Tara. The rock bounced on the ground, hit his face and broke his teeth. He began bleeding. We were very scared. I had not done it on purpose. The boy’s father got drunk in the night and armed with a knife, came knocking on our door. As soon as my father opened the door, that man began abusing and screaming: “Your son hurt my son. I’ll kill him.”

He was a rowdy kind of a guy but my dad asked him if he wished to speak to me! Imagine, there was this drunk person with a knife in his hand and my father sent me to speak to him! My father closed the door, came inside and questioned me, “Shah Rukh, have you hurt somebody?” I said, “Yeah.” My mother was hyper but he coolly said, “He is standing outside, go deal with him.” I told Tara’s father, “Uncle I am really sorry. I didn’t mean to harm Tara. It just happened.” I was literally in tears. Of course he didn’t mean to hurt me. My father had that much confidence in human nature, I guess. Dad later opened the door and asked if everything was sorted out. He told that man, “If you have a problem with me, you talk to me. If you have problem with my son, you talk to him.” I could have taken my father’s stand to mean that he didn’t want to stand by me, but I realised that it was his very nice way of teaching me that if I got into trouble, I would have to sort it out myself.

My dad taught me that in the long run, honesty always pays. In my school, St Columba’s, whenever we took a day off we had to submit a leave letter or we would get caned. My father never stopped me from doing anything. If I said, “I don’t want to go to school today,” he would say, “If you don’t feel up to it, it’s okay.” And he would give me a leave letter next day.

One day, he called me and said, “Today you go to school and tell your teacher that you don’t have any excuse for being absent yesterday. I used to be really scared of Brother Morris, our tall, well-built Irish teacher. When he caned us, it really hurt. I told him, “My father normally gives me the letter but today he didn’t. Not because he did not want to but he said I have no excuse for not coming yesterday.” Brother said, “That’s the right attitude. At least you did not lie. You were honest.” And he let me go. My father had seen the whole world and had wonderful experiences in his life. He had fought for the freedom of the country, joined Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan, fought the elections against Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad and lost. He enjoyed the fact that he had lost even his zamanat, perhaps he was happy to lose to a great person. When he was 16 years old, he left his home in Peshawar and walked to Kashmir, India. He studied law in a girl’s college, in Delhi. He had no place to stay, so he went to the principal, an Englishman and asked him to let him stay in the hostel. There he was the only guy. It was illegal. He said he pulled it off because he was a charming and decent guy.

(To be Continued in Part - II)

Audi engineers the parts and accessories of their vehicles under strict supervision. The car manufacturer specifically wants its models to have highly efficient systems and components as so to derive peak performance. This is actually not new to the world of automobile production. Most companies compete at a lock-horn level just to stress their products’ functionality. However, a particular company proves to be a notch higher than most of its competitors. Receiving countless awards and recognition, Audi produces parts like the Audi brake caliper and the Audi brake dust shield, regarded to be two of the best in the industry.

A brake caliper is basically the assembly that houses the brake pads and pistons. There are two types of calipers. First is the fixed caliper. It cannot be moved relatively to the disc, and uses one or more pairs of pistons to clamp from each side if the disc. Second is the floating caliper. This type is the one that moves or slides in synchrony with the disc. This happens when a piston on one particular side of the disc applies pressure on the inner brake pad until it makes contact with the braking surface. After this, the piston pulls the caliper body with the outer brake pad so pressure is applied to both sides of the disc. Audi brake calipers ensure efficient braking every time the brakes are pressed.

On the other hand, the Audi brake dust shield provides compact protection against dust accumulation in the brake system. Brake dust shields are usually aluminum plates that are installed between the rim and the brake disc just like a hub cap. The Audi brake dust shield is securely tucked under the wheel and safeguards the area where dust accumulation mostly occurs.

These are just two components that Audi manufactures with great care. Immediate replacement of a faulty brake caliper or dust shield is necessary to maintain efficient performance output and longevity of the Audi automobiles.

Tucked away in the corner of a busy tech room, Ken Chieh Hsu focuses on his computer panel, tapping expertly on it with his electronic pen. On the enormous flat-screen mounted on the wall in front of him, a mythical paradise rises out of the clouds, complete with golden colonnades and marble steps. He taps once, and the clouds at the foot of the screen begin rolling across the scene. Once more, and a shining light appears, slowly descending from a corner of the sky.

You might think that Hsu is animating a scene for the next Hollywood fantasy epic, but he is actually a digital design expert for New Tang Dynasty Television, a non-profit Chinese television network based in Manhattan. Hsu is a four-year veteran of the network’s annual Chinese New Year performances, having worked on the digital backgrounds for the show every year since its inception.

These digital backgrounds are a unique part of NTDTV’s performances, and are especially eye-catching on the gigantic LED screen at Radio City, site of the 2007 Chinese New Year Spectacular. Using the uncluttered set space like a giant canvas, Hsu and his team paint scenes of ancient Chinese palaces, tall mountains and billowing seas, and even a quiet Chinese village on New Year’s Eve—hushed, expectant, and with lantern-hung streets traveling far into the horizon. “Every year,” says Hsu, “we try to make it more detailed, more realistic.”

The end result is breathtaking, but the complex creation of one of these backgrounds is amazing in itself. According to Hsu, the process starts with the artistic director, who comes up with the concept of a performance. Then the needed backgrounds are decided, and the meticulous research begins. The digital designers go through stacks of books, researching paintings from the period and gathering whatever sources they can find in order to make it as authentic and believable for the audience as possible.

But even though many backgrounds are based on traditional images and paintings, there is still plenty of room for innovation. In last year’s performance, the background for the dance “Fairies’ Flutes” was from a classical painting of a Han Dynasty-style palace. The color of the painting, however, had dimmed with age. Hsu learned through his research, as well as though his background in fine arts, that classical Chinese paintings were colorful and bright, but their pigments did not have the staying power of Western oil paints. The designers decided to restore color to the image, creating the soft, radiant feel of a watercolor. In addition, says Hsu, some of the classic paintings have a limited scope, whereas the digital artists need to create a much bigger space.

After the scene is drawn, it is time for the technological wizardry. Each year the backgrounds become more technically challenging, with more scenery changes and more animations. In “Fairies’ Flutes,” for example, the team filmed dancers in rehearsal, then used digital effects to render these three-dimensional images onto the two-dimensional background. In the show, the audience saw distant fairy maidens, flying down from the sky, only to appear on stage moments later.

The ultimate goal of these backgrounds is to use modern technology as a tool to transmit the true spirit of traditional Chinese culture. The audience should feel like the dancer is truly in the place created by the background. The audience does not just see the picture of a ship or ocean but is actually riding across the waves. The background opens the stage, expanding the space beyond its boundaries. In short, it is the creation of a world.

Such a world can only be created through an immense amount of collaboration. After all, the digital background is one part of this whole, along with the costumes, the music, and the performers. The colors of the background must harmonize with the colors of the dancers’ costumes; the animations and scene changes must be timed to shift exactly with the music; the backgrounds must often be tested during the dancers’ rehearsals, and then worked on once again. Each background may go through extensive revisions, but with each the artists reach deeper and deeper levels of meaning in the performances.

This entire process starts seven or eight months before the first show. As the work gets more intensive, Hsu and the ten or so other designers dedicate most of their time to the backgrounds. Hsu may only sleep in his own bed once every three or four days, but while he jokes about his starving-artist ways (“No money, no wife, but it’s still good”), he waxes enthusiastic about his work: “Where else could I do something so wonderful? As an artist, I can reflect the best traditional art through the best modern technology.”

Hsu hopes that the audience will be pleased with what they see at this year’s show, and is confident that it is of the highest quality. “I never knew before that traditional art was so beautiful. I want to tell people: you should really take a good look, because you’ve never seen this kind of beauty before.”

5th Asian Film Festival under the joint ageis of Aashay Film Club, the Indira School of Communication and in association with the Asian Film Foundation, was successfully held in Pune at twin venues, -between 1st - 8th November at City Pride,Multiplex Kothrud, and the National Film Archives theatre.

The concept of the festival being screening of majority of Asian Cinema which has now become the major attraction in the 21st century and even in the Oscars. Asian movies are making ground entries Even when we compare European and Hollywood movies with the Asian Cinema the Asian movies are making a mark for itself due to its realistic scripts and stories.

India, China, Japan and Iran are pioneers in the Asian Cinema Industry which is closely followed by Korea, Israel, Kazakhstan, Thailand, Srilanka
and Taiwan who are also setting a mark of their own stream in the European market. Cultures of these places are being publicized through the screening of these movies in Delhi, Pune and Mumbai.

Senior Film Drama Actor Dr.Mohan Agashe was the convener of this year's festival. Kirloskar group were the 'Main Partner'.The co-partner City Pride Kothrud, with Media partners being the Sakal & Maharashtra Herald group of News Papers.

Madhur Bhandarkar, young and talented film maker, inaugurated the festival by lighting the traditional lamp. Noted Film maker Yash Chopra, received the 3rd Zenith Asia award. Well received film of International Film Festival, Poet of the Wastes directed by Mohammad Ahmadi, was the opening film,which was screened to packed houses, whereas, Umesh Kulkarni's film in Marathi, 'Valu' - The Wild Bull was screened on the closing day.

Highlight of the festival being, the screeing of exclusive films from Japan, China, Israel, Iran, Taiwan, Thailand, Srilanka, ,Korea, Bhutan, Phillipines, Kyrgystan

As of Indian films, a mix of regional films ...Kannada, Bengali, Malayalam, Assamese and other language films were screened.

The festival saw separate section on Chinese films, where seven films made during the last seven years from China, were screened.

Tribute to Master, section, saw films of World known Japanese master Akira Kurosava.

Off Beat Hindi Cinema: A section is devoted to some of the off- beat films of last year from Bollywood were screened.

Mai Marathi: In this section last year's best seven Marathi films were screened. Some of the films were premiered in presence of their
Director and Crew.

Best of Asia: This section saw a combination of films from Asia which were discussed in the last five years.

Retro of recent Hindi Film Director Nageskh
Kukonoor, whereby his four films were screened.

The recepient of this year's Dadasaheb Phalke award,Director Shyam Benegal's films were sreened.

Liv Interactions with Director and Artist made the festival more eventful and lively.

Debut Film: A special section devoted to screening Debut film of a director from different Asian Countries was also the highlight of the 5thAsian film festival

Online PC game publisher YNK Interactive announced the open beta date for their highly anticipated massively multi-player online role-playing game, Rohan: Blood Feud. Open beta will begin on Tuesday, May 27th at 6:00pm PST. Having been working around the clock since the end of the Closed Beta fixing bugs and making many refinements and improvements, YNK Interactive has added several of players' suggestions into the game, and will continue to welcome player input during the Open Beta phase.

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Laura Schutter has been lighting up audiences all over the world, starring on Broadway and in London’s West End. She currently appears in the Broadway hit Mary Poppins. We took a few minutes to find out how her career began…

Q: We heard that you were discovered in a very dramatic way, like something out of 42nd Street…?
A: It was backstage during the Broadway tour of Thoroughly Modern Millie. I started the tour as an understudy to the lead and one night during the show the lead became ill after the start of Act II. The stage manager grabbed me and sent me to quickly get my wig and red dress, and within two minutes I was on stage singing the biggest number in the show. The funny part is that I am about a foot shorter than the girl who normally played the part, and when I entered the stage I could sense the audience's confusion. However, at the end of the show I still received a standing ovation.

Q: How would you say performing in a Corporate Event is different than a Broadway show?
A: Performing in a corporate event differs from a full Broadway production in that the show often has many production numbers from a variety of shows - every number is different and exciting. One of my favorite numbers to perform is "All That Jazz" from the musical Chicago. Most people have seen or heard of Chicago from either the movie or the Broadway show so the audience response is always amazing.

Q: Do you have any special memories of these “audience responses”?
A: My favorite show was a recent event in Hawaii for Prudential (and not only since it was in Hawaii!). There were many songs in the production that had the audience singing along. By the end of the show they were on their feet and dancing with us on the dance floor. It was such a thrill to see how much they enjoyed our show.

Laura Schutter is currently performing in the Broadway Production of Mary Poppins. Other Broadway credits include The Apple Tree, Kiss Me Kate and The Scarlet Pimpernel. Laura has toured with many Broadway productions including Thoroughly Modern Millie, Parade, Kiss Me Kate, and Showboat in London's West End. www.lauraschutter.com

Laura Schutter has been lighting up audiences all over the world, starring on Broadway and in London’s West End. She currently appears in the Broadway hit Mary Poppins. We took a few minutes to find out how her career began…

Q: We heard that you were discovered in a very dramatic way, like something out of 42nd Street…?
A: It was backstage during the Broadway tour of Thoroughly Modern Millie. I started the tour as an understudy to the lead and one night during the show the lead became ill after the start of Act II. The stage manager grabbed me and sent me to quickly get my wig and red dress, and within two minutes I was on stage singing the biggest number in the show. The funny part is that I am about a foot shorter than the girl who normally played the part, and when I entered the stage I could sense the audience's confusion. However, at the end of the show I still received a standing ovation.

Q: How would you say performing in a Corporate Event is different than a Broadway show?
A: Performing in a corporate event differs from a full Broadway production in that the show often has many production numbers from a variety of shows - every number is different and exciting. One of my favorite numbers to perform is "All That Jazz" from the musical Chicago. Most people have seen or heard of Chicago from either the movie or the Broadway show so the audience response is always amazing.

Q: Do you have any special memories of these “audience responses”?
A: My favorite show was a recent event in Hawaii for Prudential (and not only since it was in Hawaii!). There were many songs in the production that had the audience singing along. By the end of the show they were on their feet and dancing with us on the dance floor. It was such a thrill to see how much they enjoyed our show.

Laura Schutter is currently performing in the Broadway Production of Mary Poppins. Other Broadway credits include The Apple Tree, Kiss Me Kate and The Scarlet Pimpernel. Laura has toured with many Broadway productions including Thoroughly Modern Millie, Parade, Kiss Me Kate, and Showboat in London's West End. www.lauraschutter.com