Local Artistic Talent Celebrated as ‘Cammies’ Turns 20

A Pillar of Support for Malaysian Performing Arts

PETALING JAYA: For years, the BOH Cameronian Arts Awards (BCAA), fondly known as the “Cammies”, has stood as a pillar of support for Malaysian performing arts, championing local talent in the fields of dance, music, musical theatre, and theatre.

A Legacy of 20 Years

This year, the BCAA reaches a significant milestone as it turns 20, marking two decades of the transformative power of the arts. But as it moves towards an exciting future, it also keeps the lessons of the past firmly in mind.

This Year’s Theme

This year’s theme “20 Years of Legacy: Igniting Inspiration For Tomorrow” will see organisers paying tribute to past award recipients and their contributions to the performing arts industry.

Who is Eligible?

Held since 2002, the BCAA aims to recognise, reward and raise the bar of excellence for Malaysian performing arts practitioners. Prizes are presented annually for music, dance, theatre and musical theatre shows that are professionally produced, performed live, and staged in the Klang Valley.

The Awards

The awards are organised by arts organisation Kakiseni and sponsored by BOH Plantations.

A Look at the Nominees

A scene from Orang-Orang Drum Theatre’s ‘Kaka-Lala’, a frontrunner in the Dance category. (Orang-Orang Drum Theatre pic)

The nominees were announced today in a ceremony at the Experimental Theatre, Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus here. Some 41 productions are nominated across 38 sub-categories, with 12 in Dance, 10 in Music, seven in Musical Theatre, and 12 in Theatre.

Dance Category

The Dance Category is a crowded field. Orang-Orang Drum Theatre’s “Kaka-Lala” leads with five nominations, while the Kwang Tung Dance Company’s ‘Laluan Amaryllis – Still”, Pentas Project Theatre Production’s “Double Punctum”, ASK Dance Company’s “Tabula Rasa 2024 – Choreography: Reset, Reflect, Reimagine”, and The Actor’s Studio Seni Teater Rakyat’s “KonTra: Yueguang” are all close behind with four each.

Music Category

The Music category sees the Kuala Lumpur City Opera’s “Opera Si La Bohemia” receiving seven nominations. Following closely are the Malaysia Century Chinese Orchestra’s “East x West: A Musical Journey” and “Symphonic Rock” by Tutan Entertainment, which both received five.

Musical Theatre Category

In the Musical Theatre category, The KL Men’s Chorus’ “Life Is…” leads the pack with 12 nominations. KULT Productions’ “The Working Dead” has 11 nods, while Revolution Stage’s “Teater Muzikal Sudirmania” has 10.

Theatre Category

In the Theatre category, Pusat Seni Pentas Tradisional Aswara’s “Randai Macbeth” and “The Bee” by Pentas Project Theatre Production and W Productions are both frontrunners with eight nominations each. Studio Sedar Ruang’s “Teater Persiapan Seorang Aktor” received five nods.

‘Best Of’ Category

In addition to their category nominations, six shows are nominated in the “Best Of” category, which celebrates productions of the highest calibre last year. These are:

• Malaysia Century Chinese Orchestra’s “East x West: A Musical Journey”;
• Five Arts Centre’s “Mortal Man: Two Monologues”;
• Pusat Seni Pentas Tradisional, Aswara’s “Randai Macbeth”;
• The Actor’s Studio Seni Teater Rakyat and klpac’s “Spice, Magic and Mystique by the Young KL Singers”;
• Studio Sedar Ruang’s “Teater Persiapan Seorang Aktor”;
• Pentas Project Theatre Production and W Productions’ “The Bee”.

Conclusion

The 20th BOH Cameronian Arts Awards takes place at the Petaling Jaya Performing Arts Centre on May 4. For more information and the full list of nominees, visit Kakiseni’s website.