Merrily We Go Along Pan Productions

Thanks to Pan Productions, Malaysians have the opportunity to watch their productions of famous musicals such as Cabaret and The Producers. These productions would not have been possible without the efforts of director, Nell Ng who puts her heart and soul into each and every Pan Productions musical. “How much are we willing to sacrifice for our dreams?” is the main theme of ongoing Pan Productions musical at Pentas 2, KLPAC, Stephen Sondheim’s “Merrily We Go Along”. It’s a musical that leads to some soul-searching and perhaps we can identify with some of the characters in this musical. I had the opportunity to chat with Nell Ng recently.

What inspired you to produce Merrily We Go Along?

I watched it last year at London’s West End. I wanted to bring an international repertoire work to Malaysia. It was a bold step to bring Merrily We Go Along here. Stephen Sondheim is a brilliant lyricist and composer who was completely immersed in his work. When you watch the characters in this musical, you are bound to recognize some people in them.

What’s the story in this musical?

It revolves around 3 friends and goes back in time, from the 70s to the 50s. They start off old and get younger and younger.

What’s the support from MAC Cosmetics this time?

This time, we don’t have a full support team from MAC as in previous years as they have internal activities throughout the musical but they have provided custom made face charts for each character and they each received individual product packs.

When did casting for the musical start?

From October 2013 to March 2014. Rehearsals were from end of March 2014 so we had about 5 to 6 weeks. I looked for people with personality and good energy.

How many are in the cast?

17 with a 9 piece band.

How have you adapted the musical to Malaysian audiences?

There’s been no adaptation of the original work. We stuck to the original music and there’s a replica of the same things on stage.

What’s unique about a Stephen Sondheim musical?

They’re fulfilling and rewarding musicals, they are complicated but beautiful with crazy harmonies and notes. The cast are beyond thrilled to be in a Stephen Sondheim musical.

What challenges have you faced in producing this musical?

It’s been a tough year as we have less money than previous years and are in the red now. We hope to cover the costs of the musical with ticket sales.

What do you hope to give to Malaysian audiences?

That they don’t have to go overseas to watch good shows.