Mirror Magazine

Mirror Magazine

Experience the ‘Rag’
It will be a glimpse of what is to come next October. As CentreStage presents the best of Rag the audience will get a preview and a taste of next year’s full-blown musical Rag. Directed and choreographed by Jehan Aloysius the best of Rag will be a dazzling evening of song and dance, titled The CentreStage Festival.

Initiating a new theatre tradition this year with CentreStage Festival where they stage a preview of their works-in-progress to an exclusive audience of invitees and then to theatre lovers, they hope to encourage feedback on the work and showcase the talents of newcomers to the theatre scene.

“I feel that if you go straight ahead with a full-blown production it might not always be that successful,” says Jehan stressing that it is important to give out quality stuff to the audience. Hence “The Centre Stage Festival.”

With 17 of the songs performed from the 34 that are in the musical Rag, The Centre Stage Festival is a preview only at the very basic. “We are treating this as a full-blown musical in every sense,” says Jehan.

Rag is a musical based on the ragging deaths and violence in local universities. Considering this is a story audiences are familiar with, this according to Jehan, is what makes Rag different from other musicals. “The play has proven to be uncannily prophetic foretelling events that took place several years after the play was written,” says Jehan whilst adding that they hope this will open a forum for dialogue when it comes to ragging.

The music is composed by Jehan Aloysius with orchestrations by Avanti Perera, while the Old Joes Choir, directed by Deshan Cooray, will provide the ensemble chorus. The lead roles will be played by Dushyanth Weeraman, Anjuli Gunaratne, Samantha Ferdinand, Shanaka Cooray, Ruveen Dias and Jehan Aloysius.

Theatre lovers will have a chance to experience the best of Rag on September 26 at 7.30 p.m. as the Punchi Theatre comes alive with the premier CentreStage Festival. The Main Sponsor of the festival is The British Council. Tickets will be available at the venue.

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