DIRECTOR’S NOTE

“Beautiful Forever. That’s what we’re going to be.”

After four years of wanting to work on this production and two years of waiting for the rights, we were finally given the chance to explore
the world of Annawadi. From the outset, we were keen on researching a contemporary and truthful story geographically
(if not economically) close to home. A story about hope, dreams, walls and trash. It seemed a relevant play for our times.

“Here we are, sitting in the way beside the airport, stopping the economic miracle being a miracle”

The process, over several weeks in June, took us back to the school playground and childhood games that meant life and death to us
back then; obstacle courses, playing houses, anything that built the ensemble and our world of the play. Research, improvising and
documentation of each house started to grow as we ploughed our way through Annawadi and the characters who proudly resided there.
We loved the youtube access we managed to find to get into the lives and see how conscious the people were of washing and cleaning
throughout the day to prevent sickness and to maintain their pride.

“It’s not just that rich people don’t know what they’ve got. They don’t even know what they throw away. They don’t notice. We notice”

We spent time with previous Director of Sustainability Nathan Hunt and talked through the issues with trash and waste and recycling
systems. ‘Zero Wasters’ took time to speak to us in rehearsal and helped us understand the value of the materials in our products.
Some of the cast visited the recycling event with Buddist Tzu Chi in Tampines where we again learned more about categorizing and the
different perspectives from experts and members of the public.

“There’s a market in people just like there’s a market in rubbish.”

Once we felt more confident in the world we were creating, we focused on the characters, their relationships, their issues and the day
to day living. Although the blocking of the play was relatively simple, we made life hard for ourselves by wanting to keep the ensemble
on stage for the whole time and worked on bringing the slum alive throughout. Our numerous locations caused numerous challenges
and we, therefore, spent hours working on ways we could recreate our setting using the ensemble out of the slum. A social and political
director Bertolt Brecht inspired us to enhance moments of corruption and unjust decisions and judgements. We wanted to contrast the
slum and the non-slum locations and so developed a different style to do so. We hope it connects with the audience in a more impacting
way.

“They built walls so the guests wouldn’t have to look at us, so the guests wouldn’t know we were here”

We became a bit obsessed with walls during our ensemble work and created walls with whatever we could find in the trash we brought
in for each rehearsal. We hope the walls during the performance allows you time to think about the obstacles you find in your life and
how you overcome them bit by bit. Our intention was to find and communicate little moments of hope the characters found and the
dreams they held onto just like you and I.

“They built walls so the guests wouldn’t have to look at us, so the guests wouldn’t know we were here”

The production elements were overwhelming and challenging throughout. Our set was a hard one to get right from the get-go and
Manuel produced magic to make it happen with a team of incredible carpenters and artists working day and night to recreate our special
Annawadi. Theresa as always has designed and created beautiful costumes for our characters to be reborn in. We are so grateful to
Nadiah who has worked throughout to manage this enormous event. Ticketing being the biggest one to design and launch. The interns
have been the most out of this world team to have working on everything they can to make the process and production run smoothly.
This includes our three recent graduates Bailee Prescott on props, Kate Fourie designing the beautiful soundtrack and Kate Elliott on
the website and displays as well as Shi Han from Republic poly who amongst many things analysed the script, helped design, plot and
run the lights. Kaz and his A team worked to ensure we had our 16 speakers and video mapping set perfectly. Laith and Izzy spent hours
recording, trawling through and managing the ridiculous number of props we had to have. Noshin was a tremendous assistant director
loving every moment of being involved in as many aspects as she could! To produce an image capturing the essence of Annawadi was
illustrated beautifully by Lawrence McGrath-a huge thank you for his time and skill in that. This particular production would absolutely
not have happened without this beautiful team of creative and hardworking individuals.

“Flowers die in your hair because you never dare to speak out what you feel”

Actor UWCSEA Alum of ‘96 Stephanie Street was Asha in the original production in the National theatre in UK and wrote to say to
the cast:

“Sending you all the very best vibes to your Annawadi”

In turn, we would like to send the very best vibes to the cast as they head off to chase their dreams in 2020. As in life “Wherever you go
you’ll find a new wall”, think back to the resilience of the people you have been playing and the hope in their hearts daily. Be kind, love,
laugh and cherish. We will miss you in the drama department and hope you keep the theatre close to your hearts as long as you can in
your future.

Anna Parr (Director) and the Drama Department of UWCSEA East

 ASSISTANT DIRECTOR’S NOTE
Behind the Beautiful Forevers is the play I have been waiting to watch for years. Katherine
Boo opened the Western eye onto the unbelievable world of the South Asian slum. The
authenticity and otherworldliness that the source material is laced with paints each scene
with a thick stripe of reality; society is not limited to the luxuries and privileges that I myself
have gotten used to. It is not always air-conditioned airplane cabins or brick-walled and
glassy city skylines. But while ‘Beautiful Forevers’ forced me to look through the shelter of
the life I lead, it helped me understand that no community, no matter the level of its wealth
or financial success, is without joyous celebrations and interpersonal bonds.

Working alongside the incredible director, and dedicated cast and crew to put on a show unlike any other has been the
pinpoint of my theatrical experiences at UWCSEA East. I have no words that could accurately describe the feeling of
sitting wide-eyed as the production slowly came to life from the planning stages. Not a second of our process came to
fruition without our cast and I racing through stylised ensemble moments or grappling with hard-hitting themes and
ideas that undercut each and every breath of air we took. Assistant directing ‘Behind the Beautiful Forevers’ taught me
more about myself, the world around me, and the significance of one piece of metal or rubber or plastic than any lesson
I have ever had. It lifted the curtain upon the complexity of the process behind building a production from the floor up.
I could not have asked for a better experience to end the productions I have done at East, and hope the Annawadi our
audience watches will linger in their minds as long as it has in mine.

Noshin Saiyaara
Assistant Director

ABOUT THE PLAY

Pulitzer Prize-winner Katherine Boo spent three years in Annawadi recording the lives of its residents. From her
uncompromising book, winner of the National Book Award for Non-Fiction 2012, David Hare has fashioned a tumultuous
play on an epic scale. India is surging with global ambition. But beyond the luxury hotels surrounding Mumbai airport
lies a makeshift slum, full of people with plans of their own. Zehrunisa and her son Abdul aim to recycle enough rubbish
to fund a proper house. Sunil, twelve and stunted, wants to eat until he’s as tall as Kalu the thief. Asha seeks to steal
government anti-poverty funds to turn herself into a ‘first-class person’, while her daughter Manju intends to become the
slum’s first female graduate. But their schemes are fragile; global recession threatens the garbage trade, and another slum-
dweller is about to make an accusation that will destroy herself and shatter the neighbourhood. (NT website)

CHARACTERS
Sunil Sharma
twelve

Deepak Rai aka Kalu

fifteen

Manju Waghekar
eighteen

Abdul Hussain
maybe sixteen

Rahul Waghekar
fifteen

Mirchi Husain
fourteen

Meena Chinnu
fifteen

Noori Shaikh
eight
 QUOTES FROM THE CAST
“The beauty of this production is that
there is no sole director telling us how
the production should go about, rather,
it is a collective effort of the entire
team coming together to create the
production into its best form.”
- Jasmine Leong
“Performing a play about real, living
people is at once a unique opportunity
and a great responsibility.”
- Quentin Veron
“My one takeaway from the experience
of having participated in three school
shows will definitely be how important
it is to create the right atmosphere, one
where everyone works well together and
feels invested in what is being created.”
- Thomas McLaughlin
“This piece has made me a lot more
conscious about the waste I produce
and the sustainability of how I live. It
also opened my eyes to a whole new
culture that I lack much understanding
in as this play is based in Mumbai.”
- Rania Pamantika
“We are all in this together, thinking
cooperatively, building on each others’
ideas, assisting one other at small
victories.” - Masa Sara Holocsi
“This play is very special for me as it is
set in Mumbai, which is where I lived
before moving to Singapore and having
the opportunity to portray the harsh
realities of slum life in Mumbai was one
I could not pass up.” - Varun Patel
“This play has taught me values not
only relating to India, but also about
universal relationships, loyalties and
lessons.” - Aashna Singh
“I think what’s great about this play is
that it’s not just a story that happened
at one specific moment in time but that
it really belongs to the people living in
the slums. This is their everyday life,
the way they live, talk, eat and interact
with the world.” - Sophie Lau
“We have been given a lot of freedom
with the creative process, being able to
give a lot of input into the direction and
creation of the play.” - Emily Goovaerts
“Being a part of this production taught
me that there is power in tenacity,
collaboration and mutual respect. Being
a part of this production taught me that
there are fewer things more rewarding
than seeing your visions and ideas come
to life.” - Megha Jain
“Inserting myself into the premise of my
character, no matter how momentarily,
I have been forced to rework my
perceptions of the world around me
and have had to question things from
poverty to social position.”
- Meghna Abrol
“During our stages of research and
development it became increasingly
clear to me that this production had a
serious nature and an air of gravitas that
other productions may not offered.”
- Sophie Hoet
“I think that the teamwork in both on
stage action as well as supporting each
other through the busy times is what
will remain most important for me after
the final show.” - Saskia Lilli Lehtsalu
“We have all truly become a family
through all the hard work and dedication
we put into this production, and words
cannot explain how proud and thankful
I am for all us in this show we have put
on.” - Quinn Aldrich
“This contemporary production about
a slum in Mumbai has opened my
eyes to the culture and life of people in
poverty. I never imagined that a slum
was so complex and that the people live
lives similar to ours.” - Natasha Went
“Through this adventure, I have truly
grown as an individual and with this
being Grade 12’s last production all I
can wish for is to have joined earlier.”
- Jai Singhal
“The opportunities we were given
to create our own work within a
bigger piece and understanding how
everything connected together was very
valuable as a cast member.”
- Emily Jayamohan
“This production has been new and
special to me in the sense that we are
performing something that is in the
now, the character which I portray
(Abdul) lives as we speak.”
- Hector Martin dit Neuville
“The play has helped me appreciate the
amount of work that goes into every
moment on stage.” - Jingying Wang
“It taught me about the disparity in
human’s moral scruples, the feeling
of utmost desperation and the extent
humans take to survive one more day.”
- Pear Kritika Krachaiwong
“The ensemble quality of the
performance has made the process
infinitely more complex due to the
dynamic nature of it which is not only
more interesting as a performer, but also
overwhelming at times.”
- Isabella Griggs
“I really hope this play evokes more
than the natural reaction of pity people
feel towards the poor, and instead leaves
the audience in a deep state of sonder.”
- Aarushi Sachdeva
“As a performer, to be able to tell the
stories of real people has been an
experience that has helped me grow and
improve. I have thoroughly enjoyed the
process of learning about my character
and doing the best I can to do her story
justice.” - Chhaya Nayar
“It gave me an insight into the
problems faced by others and made
me more empathetic. It has risen my
consciousness towards the growing
problem of sustainability.”
- Shivani Pandey
To see the full reflections and more please visit
https://behind-the-beautiful-forevers-uwc.weebly.com/
“I’ll never forget the exploration - our
energy and involvement in making this
piece alive. It has been a compelling
journey getting to know these
characters in real-life events.”
- Lydia Tang
“This production has been an incredible
experience so far, due to the fact that it
is has been different to anything I have
done in the past.” - Syed Fayyaz Ahmed
“It touches on themes that are extremely
relevant to us today which includes
trash, sustainability, and poverty.”
- Sitanun Sae-Seung, Winnie
“It is unique in the sense that we are
portraying real life characters in a real
life story, and sharing their individual
stories is an extremely sensitive and
challenging portrayal.” - Lia Shoshani
“This last production has been a
totally unique experience in contrast
to previous productions I’ve been in.
Surrounding themes that I’ve never
explored before in theatre; poverty,
suicide and just the idea of struggle and
living hand to mouth.” - Kyle Hunter
“This short amount of time has really
developed me as a performer as I have
had to catch up on the context regarding
the culture and slums in Annawadi.”
- Joshua Parr
“I will never forget the incredible
experience I have had with the cast,
everyone has worked incredibly hard to
put together a fantastic piece and I look
forward to being able to share it with
the school community.” - Ali Shah
 CAST
Abdul Husain Syed Fayyaz Ahmed (Tue/Thur)
Hector Martin dit Neuville (Wed/Fri)
Zehrunisa Husain Natasha Went (Tue/Thur)
Aashna Singh (Wed/Fri)
Asha Waghekar Aarushi Sachdeva (Tue/Thur)
Pear Kritika Krachaiwong (Wed/Fri)
Sunil Kyle Hunter (Tue/Thur)
Ali Shah (Wed/Fri)
Meena Chinnu Lia Shoshani (Tue/Thur)
Chhaya Nayyar (Wed/Fri)
Manju Waghekhar Isabella Griggs (Tue/Thur)
Meghna Abrol (Wed/Fri)
Kehkashan Husain Sophie Hoet
Abdul Shaikh, The Master Thomas McLaughlin
Pavan Paikrao, Mahadeo Waghekar Quentin Véron
Rahul Waghekhar, Nagare Joshua Parr
Laxmi Chinnu Megha Jain
Cynthia Ali Emily Goovaerts
Kulkarni, Tanisha, Ensemble Emily Jayamohan
Kalu, Karam Husain Jai Singhal
Mirchi Husain Shivani Pandey
Sub-Inspector Shankar Yeram Varun Patel
Fatima Shaikh Quinn Aldrich
Noori Shaikh Lydia Tang
Judge Chauhan, Doctor 2 Saskia Lilli Lehtsalu
Airport Director, Judge Dhiran Sophie Ka Ling Lau
Dealer, Officer Syed Fayyaz Ahmed
Prosecutor Winnie Sitanun Sae-Seung
Defender Rania Risqilla Raiqa Pramantika
Rania Kamble, Doctor 1 Masa Sara Holocsi
Guard Jingying Wang
Clerk Jasmine Leong
 PRODUCTION
Director Anna Parr
Production Manager Manuel Garrido
Assistant Director Noshin Saiyaara
Assistant Producer Bailee Prescott
Lighting Designer Manuel Garrido
Lighting Technicians Georgina Woo, Shi Han Ong (RP)
Lighting Programmer and Operator Shi Han Ong (RP)
Costume Designer Theresa Chan
Costume Assistants Shireen Afiqah, Aniq Danish (RP), Nurhazirah (RP)
Set Designer Grace Lin, Manuel Garrido & Anna Parr
Set Building Ihsan Friday
Scenic Artist Natalie Chung Therrien
Props Master Joyce Gan
Props Assistants Bailee Prescott, Nadiah Yusof
Makeup Design Kate Elliott
Sound Design and Operator Kate Fourie
Sound Technician Elza Cheok
Projection Design Kazly Kas Kazan & Elza Cheok
Projection Operator Elza Cheok
Stage Managers Laith Duffy & Isabel Chapman
Publicity Illustration Lawrence McGrath
Publicity Design Nandita Gupta
Ticketing Nadiah Yusof
Programme Design Nadiah Yusof
Website Design Kate Elliott & Noshin Saiyaara
Photography Paul Chapman of Noodle Photography
Rehearsal Photography Laith Duffy
Special Thanks To UWCSEA East Facilities Events Crew
UWCSEA Communications Department
Nathan Hunt
Rick Hannah
Zero Wasters
Buddhist Tzi Chu
Red Leap (NZ theatre company)
Republic Polytechnic (RP)
https://behind-the-beautiful-forevers-uwc.weebly.com/