A touch of sparkle
Colombo’s musicians have had a busy time of it lately, and the series of musical events taking the stage is not about to stop.
In Jith Peiris’ upcoming production- Champagne Toast, which will take place on September 15, several well known performers and young, upcoming artistes will come together in what Jith likes to call a celebration of their talent and potential- in other words, a toast to the youth.
Tickets for Champagne Toast priced at Rs. 2000, 1500, 1000, 850 and 600, are available at The British School Auditorium.
As he recalls several years in theatre, countless theatre and musical productions, Jith maintains his admiration of and pride in the youth who have grown up performing and those for whom he predicts a future of many more performances. “There is a certain passion and drive that I see in all our young performers; that sees them giving absolute commitment to their talent, despite the challenges of timing and other commitments, coupled with the inevitable stress and exhaustion that sets in when preparing for a performance. I believe this should be encouraged- where they are given the space and means to perform before an appreciative audience.”
This is exactly what Champagne Toast seeks to achieve. Considering Jith’s experience, putting together a show of this nature is a familiar experience. “Each time I put my mind to it though, I find that there are even more young performers than before; and that they are all deserving of the spotlight. And it is important to me that I make the time to watch and listen to all of them.”
Comprising a host of performances spanning an impressive list of genres, Jith looks forward to the thought of a performance that combines the best of the old with the best of the new.
“I always enjoy taking the audience back to a simpler, more charming time,” he says, “and in some cases attempt to inspire a revival of certain performance styles which go almost unnoticed in Sri Lanka today.
“The experience of working with Uncle Jith is nothing short of relaxing and enjoyable, even in the midst of other performances that are in the pipeline. There is never any shouting or unnecessary pressure exerted and he is one of the most nurturing and pleasant directors ever,” comments Gehan Cooray.
Shehan Wijemanne (of the recently established Vocal Enigma) agrees. “After the experience of our debut concert last week, we’re really looking forward to being a part of a production again, so soon. And there is always a measure of confidence that comes when working with Uncle Jith, in that he is very approachable and is always there to give us the right guidance.”
Performances from several other choral and dance acts and individual performances from Trudy, Dhanushi and Shenelle- to name a few- will also be a part of the show.
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