 |
|
Thursday, July 01, 2004
Heaven's Own : Paul Seow Interviewer : Peter Loke "... a full-time Christian theatre company established in the future [and] a Creative Arts School that would teach, nurture and disciple Christians ministering in the area of drama, dance, voice, worship and music. Big dreams huh? But I believe in a Big God!" Paul Seow hails from Ipoh. He has been working full-time in Church Of Our Saviour (COOS) for 3 years and is currently heading the Creative Arts department. Peter: What do you do in your free time? Paul: I have been convicted more and more of the importance of carving chunks of free time because creativity cannot grow and flourish unless there is time for reflection, self examination and observation. Well on those rare days, in the last three years, when I had free time - I would spend a whole day at book shops. That's where I get a lot of my ideas and inspiration. My favourite haunts are Kinokuniya and Borders. Peter: What are your likes/dislikes/hobbies? Paul: I like food, sharing time and life with people, traveling to other countries, singing. I dislike narrow-minded people who box you in with their preconceived ideas. My hobbies are baking and cake decorating, hey it's an art form! I have included some of my creations - bet you didn't expect this!!! Peter: When and how did you accept Christ? Paul: I accepted Jesus as my Saviour and Lord when I was 16 years old at a youth camp. I was born in a Christian family, went to Sunday School from very young but was never told that I needed to make a personal decision to invite Jesus into my life. At this camp the speaker spoke about how tragic it would be if we were to leave this camp walk out and get killed by a car on the road and then we would spend eternity in hell. That really scared me and I responded to the altar call. It was years later and having to walk through a lot of life's difficult moments that I came to know the reality and power of Jesus love and grace in a very deep and personal way. Peter: How did you get started in drama? Paul: My "brush" with drama started when I was 16 years old. I auditioned for a musical "South Pacific" in school and made the chorus, but I found the rehearsals very boring as we (the chorus) were always sitting around and getting scolded. We were made to feel very stupid as we didn't know what to do as it was our first time then. Anyway I thought that I had better things to do with my time than to be involved in drama, if this was what drama was all about, so I left the production. The following year while waiting for my "O" Levels results I got roped in to audition for "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat". This time, the experience was very different but I still found the process of putting the drama together rather tedious and started to miss rehearsals. I was away from rehearsals for about 2 weeks and I thought, "Okay I'm sure even if I want to come back to the production now they wouldn't want me." But a couple days after that I got a phone call from the director asking me what had happened to me. I shared with him what I felt and he encouraged me to be patient, he explained to me the rehearsal process and I decided to come back to the production. He was right. As we went on with the rehearsals I began to see the musical take shape. I became very excited by the process and by the time the costumes, lighting, sets, makeup, etc, came on I was hooked and there was no turning back ever again. Peter: What kinds of drama/theatre have you acted/been involved in? Paul: I have been involved mainly in Musical Theatre and have played the lead in two original full-length plays; "Icarus And The Flight Of A Thousand Swans", and "Ashgar, The Temple Is Burning!" Peter: So what's your background...what musicals have you acted/been involved in? Paul: After my secondary school days in Anglo-Chinese School (Ipoh), I went back and was involved in the following musicals produced by them; "Brigadoon" (where I played Sandy and was also part of the chorus), "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" (did it twice with them, where I played Asher the first time and Joseph the second time), "Icarus And The Flight Of A Thousand Swans" (where I played the lead role, Icarus), "Ashgar, The Temple Is Burning!" (where I played Ashgar, the lead character), "Fantasticks" (where I also played the lead role, El Gallo), "Camelot" (where I played Mordred, the illegitimate son of King Arthur), and "South Pacific" (where I was the director and also played Lieutenant Cable). I did these when I was 17 until I was 23. I also acted in "West Side Story" (where I played the lead role of Tony), "Les Miserables" (where I played Marius), and "Fiddler On The Roof"(in which I was the director) with the Perak Society of Performing Arts in 1998 and 1999. I've also been involved in producing/acting/singing musicals for Christmas outreach events at the Ipoh Stadium. In 2002, I was a producer and actor in "Rainbow Fish", produced by Story Theatre in May and November that year. In 2003, Creative Arts Network (CAN) and All Good Gifts Limited (AGGL) produced "Case Of The Missing Bodies", in which I was the producer and director. That same year also saw me involved in "The Quest For The Paper Gifts" (produced by Story Theatre) as the producer, and "Darkest Before Dawn" (COOS' Christmas musical) as the producer/director. Most recently, in Easter this year I was the producer of "Godspell", which was produced by AGGL. Peter: You're Malaysian, Paul, which I hope will not affect our relationship. *grin* Why did you come to Singapore? Paul: Actually coming to Singapore was not in my plans at all. I was sensing that God was bringing me to a crossroad in my ministry. I had a few offers to serve in a few different churches and I took time off to pray and seek the Lord. The furthest I was willing to go at that time was Kuala Lumpur and not anywhere else. Out of that time of seeking I did not get a confirmation of taking up any of the offers but sensed the Lord saying that I had to have my ears firmly plastered to His heart. That spoke to me of the need to constantly be close to Him so that at anytime when He gave the go-ahead to any offer, I would hear and be ready to move. When I got back from my retreat I was told to call Singapore’s Church of Our Saviour. That was when I first spoke to Gerald Png, head of the Creative Arts Ministry of COOS. He wanted to ask if I was open to coming down to Singapore to help him with their Easter production of "The Tale Of The Three Trees" and then we could talk some more about other possibilities. He said that I would be given a love gift during this period. He also said he wasn’t promising me a job but that we would see how the Lord was going to lead. I wasn't very keen as that would mean spending one month away from home, and with no income. I told him I would pray about it and get back to him in a few days time. I shared this with some of my close friends in Ipoh and they prayed for me. After two days I received two confirmations from two other friends who had prayed for me on their own accord and they both had the same word for me; that God was taking me out of my comfort zone and stretching me and that I was to go. Being the anxious type and a planner by nature, the Lord spoke very clearly to me that while I was in Singapore, I was not to ask how much love gift I was going to be getting from COOS (this was to teach me FAITH; faith to know that God knows how much I would need to survive). I was also not to initiate any conversation with Gerald about working in Singapore (this was to ensure that I didn't plan or manipulate the situation). So I very reluctantly called Gerald back and told him I would be coming down. So I spent 1 month in Singapore in 2001 working with the COOS team on their Easter Musical. By the end of the musical Gerald spoke to me about coming over to Singapore for a full-time position in drama. By that time I already knew in my heart that this was the Lord's desire for me; to be in Singapore for this season. Peter: Were there any other reasons why you chose to go full-time with COOS? Paul: It was more God choosing it for me than any other way but I must say that this decision for me to come and work in COOS was definitely deeply influenced and made more attractive by the fact that Pastor Derek, the senior pastor of COOS, has such a heart for the ARTS and the artists. I have never come across any pastor who believes in the arts the way he does. His concern for the artist in church as well as in the market place in Singapore deeply moves me and inspires me. Together with a strong team of colleagues in the Arts Department of COOS under Gerald's leadership, I would say that this is a dream team to work with. Peter: You're also involved in All Good Gifts Limited, an arts company that has seen very exciting work in the christian arts scene. What is your role in AGGL? Paul: I am the manager of drama and Events. I plan and produce productions for Story Theatre which is a children's theatre company producing musicals for children between the ages of 6 to 12 years old. Besides this I network with other drama practitioners from other churches and also professional freelance theatre practitioners, to find out how we can encourage and serve them. Peter: What are your plans and dreams for the future? Paul: My dream and desire, which I believe is planted in my heart by the Lord, is to see a full-time Christian theatre company established in the future. The setting up of this company is not just for doing Christian drama although we would do that, but more for using this as a platform for creating theatre that would bring wholesome, truthful, life-giving and inspiring content to the world around us. This company would enable the artist to find a place where they are affirmed and esteemed, and where the environment would encourage creativity and growth rather than competition, back-biting and bitchiness. In other words, this would be a Christ-centered theatre company operating on Christ-centred values and principles. Besides the company, another dream of mine is to see the establishment of a Creative Arts School that would teach, nurture and disciple Christians ministering in the area of drama, dance, voice, worship and music. Big dreams huh? But I believe in a Big God! Peter: What other productions are in store for COOS and AGGL? Paul: For Christmas this year, COOS is producing "From Heaven's Throne". In 2005, COOS will be producing "The Bridge" for Easter and a yet-to-be-named Christmas musical. AGGL will be producing "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" and "You Are Special" (by Story Theatre). AGGL is also at this time planning for a Christians in Arts Conference in 2006. This conference will feature workshops in the areas of drama, dance, worship-leading, band and stage production.
|
| All articles, files and materials are copyright of CreateLeVoyage.com unless otherwise stated. Views of the writers, artists and contributors may not be taken to be the views of CreateLeVoyage.com. To reprint, reproduce or link to our website requires written permission. Email us at createlevoyage@gmail.com |
 |
 |