Dick Lee happy to return to musicals

Dick Lee happy to return to musicals

SINGAPORE - It's been five years since home-grown songwriter Dick Lee worked on an original score for a musical and, for the multi-award-winning artist, getting back to that had been on his mind for a while.

"I'd been itching to get back," said Lee, who was speaking at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) on Wednesday.

The 57-year-old will be lending his magic touch to a multi-million-dollar fantasy musical, Lightseeker, which will be the third resident in-house show at the integrated resort.

The 90-minute production, which opens in November, is set in a fantasy world, and will feature singing and dancing, interspersed with acrobatic stunts. It replaces magical production Incanto, and will run till next March.

Speaking at the press conference, the fashionable Lee said: "Musicals are my favourite medium of music. I get to write what I feel. I get to write a suite of songs, instead of one pop song. I love the way I can use the songs to tell a story."

The talented composer is behind iconic local musicals such as Beauty World and Fried Rice Paradise. The last time he penned music for a musical was in 2007 for P. Ramlee, a tribute to the legendary Malay entertainer.

Fans of Lee will be able to hear nine of his songs performed by an international ensemble cast, including stars from London's West End.

Lightseeker trails a general's hunt for a mystical power on his emperor's orders, leading him to capture a girl who appears to have the ability to conjure up the coveted power.

The story is the brainchild of Andrea Teo, who created well-loved local sitcoms Under One Roof and Phua Chu Kang.

Teo, 47, Lightseeker's executive producer and creative director, revealed that it was her long-time friend Lee who got her back into the creative process last year.

The straight-talking Teo, who joined RWS as its vice-president of entertainment in 2008, promised that the new production, boasting a "lavish" set design, will be a "huge spectacle".

Having worked on over 10 musicals, theatre veteran Lee said that there's a big plus working with a large integrated resort.

He said: "(The resort has a) casino which has a bigger budget than what a normal theatre company would have. It's quite a dream to have an opportunity like this."

nggwen@sph.com.sg

Lightseeker opens at the Resorts World Sentosa Theatre on Nov 24. Tickets go on sale on Monday at RWS ticketing counters and website and all Sistic outlets. Visit www.lightseeker.com.sg for more details.


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