40 YEARS OF LIGHTS, MUSIC, ACTION!

Originally established as a song-and-dance troupe meant to boost the morale of Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) soldiers, the SAF Music & Drama Company (MDC) has developed into a premier entertainment arts group.

Jack Neo. Dick Lee. Gurmit Singh. These are but a few of the many prominent local artistes who have come through the doors of MDC. Today, the company is not only known for its alumni stars, but is also recognised in the entertainment industry as an outfit with high professional standards.

MDC is actively involved in national events, such as the National Day Parade (NDP) celebrations and the Chingay procession. On the international stage, it has also consistently taken part in military tattoos and festivals.

But the company had not always been this glamorous. Rewind 40 years, and you'll find that it had no costumes or a proper performing stage.

From humble beginnings

Formed in July 1973 by then Defence Minister, the late Dr Goh Keng Swee, MDC consisted of three distinct groups: the choir, the musicians and the drama actors. They put up their first-ever performance in October 1973 at Headquarters 2nd Singapore Infantry Brigade. Besides sing-alongs, there was only one dance item in the programme. Known as "Combat Dance", this was performed in Temasek green uniforms and meant to imitate military training.

Reminiscing fondly about her first performance, MDC pioneer Rashidah Arshad said: "At that time, the stage was just four three-tonners put together. We all had to perform in our military uniforms and there were no performance costumes. It was a really different experience."

Over the next few years, their performances expanded to include cultural music and dance items. MDC performers also began wearing costumes for their shows from late 1974, and skits soared in popularity. 1974 also marked the year when MDC performed their first public show, titled Melodies in Green, at the now-demolished National Theatre.

And imagine this: For their performances, MDC then only had six "par cans", two spotlights and a few mobile speakers, as compared to the sophisticated stage lighting and audio devices used these days. "Par cans" are floodlights lined along the sides of the stage which serve as mood lights, and they came in two colours: blue and red.

"We used to have a duty sergeant who would gather all the male members, be they musicians, technicians, or actors, to load up all the equipment onto the three-tonners, which served as our main mode of transport," said Ms Rashidah.

The company achieved another major milestone in 1977 as its show, Green Melodies, was produced by MediaCorp, then known as the Singapore Broadcasting Corporation. In 1978, the group performed overseas for the first time, in Brunei.

Making a name

The 1980s saw the rise of MDC as a recognised performing arts group in the industry as it became increasingly involved in national events and external shows.

MDC's repertoire also expanded as it adopted the Luigi Jazz and Tap Dance as basic forms of dance training, which were introduced by Ms Rashidah who was the first recipient of MDC's overseas dance scholarship.

After her eight-month scholarship stint in Manila, Philippines, from 1981, Ms Rashidah returned to MDC as the head of the artiste department. Serving as the instructor and choreographer for the dancers, she incorporated the different genres she had learnt, such as jazz ballet and disco which were very popular at that time, into the dance syllabus.

The company also began its annual participation in NDP in 1984. Every August, the MDC performers would become extremely busy with National Day-related shows. Out of 31 days in the month, there would only be three "free" nights. The artistes had to perform every day - even on weekends - in camp shows or public shows held at community centres. Despite the packed schedule, they remained enthusiastic and lively about their performances.

"Even if we sneezed, coughed or had a headache, we'd still come back to rehearse. Even if we fell sick on show day, we'd still come back and get the show up and running. We are always happy to perform," said Ms Rashidah with a smile as she recalled her first NDP show.

"We also supported one another when we were tired after rehearsing in the day and performing at night. Besides the passion (for performing), it was the camaraderie that kept us going."

Rise to prominence

Enter the 90s, and MDC started to make its presence felt in the arts scene as it began taking part in major arts events and festivals.

To kick things off, MDC collaborated with STARS, now known as the Singapore Repertory Theatre, in the musical Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance staged at the Kallang Theatre in 1990. The arts group also participated in two of the National Arts Council s musicals: Kampong Amber in 1994 and Sing to the Dawn in 1996.

To hone talents in the various musical fields, the SAF Musical Group - comprising the Chamber Ensemble, Chinese Orchestra and Choir - was set up in 1992. The group allowed non-combat fit musicians, who were serving their National Service, to sharpen their respective performance skills.

In 1998, the company transformed from an SAF unit into an Executive Agency and then an Enhanced Executive Agency in 2004. The rationale was to make MDC more cost-effective and cost-efficient, granting the unit autonomy to manage its finances and procurements.

This allowed MDC to pursue alternative revenue streams through external engagements, such as performances at the opening of the Esplanade in 2002 and the Dream of the Red Chamber Grand Concert created by renowned composer Wang Li Ping in 2006.

After 14 years of independent management, MDC became an SAF unit once again under the Ministry of Defence Public Affairs in 2012.

Shining forward

Looking ahead as the company turns 40, what else does MDC aim to achieve? To be an extremely versatile entertainment arts company that represents Singapore, as well as the values and identities of Singaporeans, said Head MDC Loh Aik Khoon.

"The entertainment and arts scene in Singapore is constantly developing, so we have to keep pace with the trends and production disciplines in the industry, and look out for the new styles and techniques that we can adopt."

To that end, MDC has an Advisory Arts Board, consisting of local practitioners and academics, in place to provide expert advice on current practices and the types and variety of performances.

The company is also actively looking for new ways to improve and upgrade their performances, such as using multimedia elements to enhance their show visuals, added Mr Loh.

"Over the years, we have become known as ambassadors of the SAF, and we reach out to a wider audience through our performances," he said.

"We've done lots of different things, but ultimately, our main objective is to use entertainment to not just boost the morale of SAF soldiers, but also to salute our NSmen who make up the majority of our national defence force."

Stardust memories

Six celebs recount their fondest times in MDC.

Sheikh Haikel
NSF (1992-1994)
 

"During my time in MDC, we were reminded that it was always SAF before MDC, and that was the kind of training we had. We had uniform inspections every Monday, like other SAF units, and we had to be disciplined in whatever we did. And even though we were entertainers, every time we performed, whether at camps or in public shows, we were always respected as soldiers, as part of the SAF."

Siva Rai
NSF (1997-1999)

"Joining MDC was like a dream come true. Remember when you were young and had the dream to become a performer, but everybody around you kept telling you that you couldn t do it because it s not practical? MDC gave me the chance to take that first step in making my dream - which is performing as a musician - a reality."

Alaric Tay
NSF (2002-2004)

"MDC was really a good platform that pushed my performing abilities to another level. Besides acting, I learnt a lot in other disciplines, such as dance and hosting, where I was exposed to ballet and cultural dance, as well as hosting for both formal and informal occasions. All in all, MDC helped me develop into an all-rounded performer."

Sezairi Sezali
NSF (2010-2012)

"MDC taught me some of the simplest but most important things, especially regimentation. It is extremely important for artistes to have the discipline to keep on practising until we re satisfied with our own performances, and MDC really drilled that into me. As a musician and performer, I wouldn t have been who I am without MDC."

Jeremy Monteiro
NSF (1978-1980),
Bandsman (1981)

"Travelling to and performing in Wellington Town Hall, New Zealand, in 1978 as part of MDC counts as one of the most memorable experiences in my 36-year career as a musician, because it's one of the most prominent performing spaces in the world, and the Count Basie Band played there the week before we did."

Jack Neo
Drama Director (1982 - 1987)

"Everyone here is a professional. We re always thinking and talking about creative ideas, from the concept of the performance to the design of the costumes. A lot of popular stars hail from MDC, and I m proud to be one of them. Without MDC, I might not have started my career in the entertainment industry."

For your entertainment

To commemorate its 40th anniversary, the MDC will be putting up a concert named 40 Stories: Salute to NSmen in appreciation of the contributions made by Operationally-Ready National Servicemen (NSmen) and their families.

In collaboration with the SAF Band and the SAF Military Police Command's Precision Drill Squadron, the 90-minute variety show will be hosted by deejay Elliot Danker of Power 98FM, and feature a line-up of Singapore s biggest stars, which include Dick Lee, Jack Neo, Sezairi Sezali, Alaric Tay and Siva Rai.

The concert will be held at 3pm on 21 Nov as well as at 8pm on 20 and 21 Nov at the Kallang Theatre. More than half the tickets will be given out to NSmen and their families.