Page 197 - Proceedings Collega2023

Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts (KLPAC) is a private theatre company in Malaysia. The art centre
has many performance spaces in the building. In this research, Pentas 1 and Pentas 2 are the subject study
since both spaces are the main spaces for events in KLPAC. Pentas 1 is a proscenium theatre, whereas
Pentas 2 is a black box. Both spaces are suitable for different types of events due to the technical abilities
and quality of the space. A bigger production may choose to perform in Pentas 1. A more experimental
group may favour performing at Pentas 2. KLPAC has a slightly different idea of performing arts than Istana
Budaya and Panggung Bandaraya. Most productions in KLPAC are higher-income groups with an interest
in other than Malay language theatre, such as English and Mandarin language theatre. In other words,
KLPAC is an alternative for audience members looking for other than Malay language performances. There
are Malay language productions in KLPAC. However, most of the productions in each calendar year are in
English.

International productions are also keen to perform here. Most of the productions are
contemporary in ways of making works. Postmodernists love to perform their hybrid works of traditional
and modern have more changes to perform shows here. Some shows are public awareness, such as mental
health, bullying, and feminism. Short + Sweet is a yearly event in KLPAC to promote emerging theatre
makers to perform their contemporary works quickly.

Moreover, KLPAC also produces workshops for young theatre makers from The Actors Studio
Academy, known as TAS Academy. Other productions that perform in the space are Shakespeare dramas,
theatres related to public awareness campaigns, and hybridity of modern and traditional like Kebaya Jazz.
Mainstream theatre productions that performed in Istana Budaya and Panggung Bandaraya are usually
less keen to produce their works in KLPAC due to viewers' different demographics and interests. In addition
to KLPAC as a private performing arts space, the theatre shows are more provocative than Istana Budaya
and Panggung Bandaraya, which cater to mainstream audiences.

Damansara Performing Arts Centre (DPAC) is a performing arts space in Damansara which has two
main theatre spaces: DPAC Theatre and DPAC Blackbox. DPAC Theatre is a proscenium space, whereas
DPAC Blackbox is a black box. DPAC is in Empire Damansara Shopping Mall, which is always synonymous
with higher-income people and makes DPAC’s audience members almost similar to KLPAC. Contemporary
alternative theatre shows always perform here. Similar to KLPAC, public awareness productions also
perform their work in DPAC. In addition, DPAC also hosted dance festivals, workshops, and music festivals.
In 2022, Instant Cafe Theatre and Parastoo Theatre produced a narrative play And Then Came Spring
(2022), in DPAC, about Afghan refugees living in Malaysia. The performance also featured refugee actors
from various countries, making the show unique.

DPAC also has in-house dance programmes with dance studio facilities. Owing to this reason, most
early years productions in DPAC are dances. Karya Lengkap Shakespeare (Abridged) (2014) is the first
Malay language theatre performance in DPAC. The trend was followed by Aloy Paradoks’s show Neo
Romantik and Nam Ron with his Teater Kompilasi Namron Vol 2 in the same year. More theatre productions
are using the space until today and one of the reasons is the strategic location and good stage facilities in
DPAC. DPAC offers more experimental styles of theatre and alternative ways of making performances.
Thus, DPAC is known for alternative theatre groups.

International Conference on Local Wisdom of the Malay Archipelago (COLLEGA 2023) Page - 184 -