Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) theater and arts group shines in the Penang State Level 2013 Malaysia Theatre Festival 2014 held last weekend at P. Ramlee Auditorium, Penang organised by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture through the National Department for Culture and Arts.

The festival saw the participation of 26 teams competing in the monodrama category and 9 teams in the modern theater category from all over Penang.

In the Modern Theatre category, third year student majoring in Acting and Directing, School of the Arts, Intan Farhanim Othman from the Kersani Group won the Best Director award through her work Bisikan Cinta.

USM alumni, Kayrol Unwar, won the Best Actor award at the same theater performance.

Masters student at the School of the Arts, Ismaliza Ishak won the Best Supporting Actress performance by Barabah theater, a Gasewap group presentation.

Barabah theater also gives a runner-up title to a PhD candidate at the School of the Arts, Lena Farida Chin, who is the director.

Meanwhile, Meow Meow Production comprising USM Alumni, won the Best Set Design for the theater performance Siapa Bunuh Osama.

Another artist who is also USM staff at the School of the Arts, Mohd. Yusuf Bakar, won third placing as a modern theater director for Biarku Dukung with the group Bakawalee Pulau Pinang. USM alumni, Nur Faizatul Akmal, also won the Most Promising Actress title under the same theater performance.

For the Monodrama category, USM alumni, Amelina Jamil, clinched the champion prize for theater performance titled Nisya Khaleed. Amelina also bagged the Best Actress award and the same theater performance also won the Best Director award.

Actor and theater enthusiast from USM Dewan Budaya, Norhelmi Othman, won the Second Prize for his theater performance titled Misi 2.0, besides bagging the Best Cinematography award.

The team from USM Dewan Budaya also participated in the modern theater titled Sesudah Subuh which won a consolation prize.

Congratulations to all the winners. Arts and culture enthusiasts, particularly the theatre group, would continue to shine in the local theatre scene.

Translation: Yong Check Yoon/Photo courtesy: Mohd Yusuf Bakar