Bangkok will be the venue for the world-premiere of a unique and rare musical. It’s called ‘THE WORKSHOP, A Dress Rehearsal for Life!’ written by the globally renowned ‘Transformational Life Coach’ Dr. Chérie Carter-Scott, and based on the numerous coaching-workshops she has conducted, in more than 30 countries of the world, over a four-decade career.
Like the famed Broadway musical ‘A Chorus Line’ which was about various artists auditioning for the chorus line in a stage-production, this musical is about various characters gathering together for a ‘Personal Development’ workshop.
That’s why the musical is called ‘The Workshop, A Dress Rehearsal for Life!’
The play is comprised of eleven individuals, of diverse ethnicity, occupation, sexual preference, who have individual challenges, and seek solutions. Their stories are funny, sad, and moving. What they all enjoy in the workshop, is the shared human connection.
Dr Cherie and her sister, Lynn wrote the play in order for larger audiences to share this human experience. After all, the characters in the play are everyday people who share the same challenges of contemporary society-boundary management, overweight, overwork, abuse, discrimination, communication breakdown.
“They break down, and break through!” that in essence, is what her famed ‘Inner Negotiation’ workshops are about, where Dr Chérie invites her participants to a zone of ‘emotional safety.’
Known as the ‘Mother of Coaching,’ American-born Dr. Chérie Carter-Scott, who started her work in 1974, has written more than 20 books on the subject, including #1 NY Times Best Seller, which was translated into 40 languages. She has been on the Oprah Winfrey Show twice, featured on numerous TV, radio, print media, and conducted her workshops in more than 30 countries around the world. Her diverse range of clients have included the UN, many Fortune 500 companies, universities, hospitals, cruise liners, private individuals.
Throughout the last ten years, Dr. Chérie, her coach-husband Michael Pomije and sister Lynn Stewart (who co-wrote ‘The Workshop’) have been based in Thailand, conducting workshops, training corporate coaches, travelling to various other countries, to maintain their numerous Coach Training assignments.
The idea of writing a stage musical production based on her experiences, had been in her head for many years. Dr. Chérie had her first draft monitored by a script-doctor in New York, did a full reading with theatre-artists, hired an ‘arranger’ to make the music in her head translate to the piano keys. It was a step-by-step process, which all came to life later, in Bangkok.
It was to make the drama enjoyable and entertaining, that Dr Cherie created more than 17 songs, writing the lyrics herself, and setting them to a diverse range of genres- classical, Gospel, Country Western, even a German beer song.
Every character has his/her own special song, which defines and differentiates them. There are many inspiring group songs like ‘I want,’ which sums up their collective desire for ‘change.’
According to Dr. Chérie, ‘The Workshop, A Dress Rehearsal for Life!’ is a musical for the young and old. It is for anyone who has ‘challenges’ and wants ‘changes’ in their lives. She is sure that all the audiences who watch the play, will connect and be transformed in some manner.
The multi-million-baht musical has a live band and an excellent technical team.
The Artistic Director is renowned opera singer Stefan Sanchez, CEO of the Grand Opera Thailand company in Bangkok. He describes this production as “One of the most unique, moving, and amazing musicals” he has undertaken.
The Choreography and Movement Director is Darren Royston, who has worked with RADA and the National Theatre in UK.
Most exciting about this English-language musical, is that the entire cast and the Director are Thai artistes. The ensemble has been intensively trained by English language dialog and diction coaches, and they are all are set to take the stage by storm.
Two Thai names to watch out for, are the well-known singer Pete Pol (of ‘The Star’ fame), who has a huge fan following, and TV star Yah Janya.
The rest of the cast are top singers who graduated from Mahidol University. The Stage Director, Napisi Reyes, also teaches at Mahidol and has directed multiple musical productions. The team has been rehearsing actively for more than four months.
Dr. Chérie describes her maiden stage-production as ‘A dream come true,’ since it amalgamates her four-decade long career in an entertaining, ninety-minute capsule of music, dance, and theatre.
In fact, many of her ‘clients’ from around the world, are expected to fly down to Bangkok, for this world-premiere musical.
Theatre Producer, Ken Davenport describes The Workshop as “A uniquely gripping and unprecedented experience, that will encourage many people to find their own inner truth!”
‘THE WORKSHOP, A DRESS REHEARSAL FOR LIFE!’ will be held at the Thailand Cultural Centre (Small Hall), on MAY 18 &19, as also on MAY 29/ 30/ 31 & JUNE 1, at 7-30 pm.
For Tickets
Phone: 02 262 3838
EARLY BIRD Discounts are available on Tickets, until 20 April.
