SMARTER Gala Night Musical: Oddy's Quest

Heya folks.

Have blogs fallen out of trend in favour of things like facebook and twitter? I'm talking about personal blogs, like the ones practically every one of my friends had years ago. Here I am showing off my messy room and hamster genitals (unintentionally zomg, pointed out by a friend. I wonder if she's a furry to notice? lel but I digress.).

 I just had my first exam today. It was BROUWAHAHAHAHArrible. I won't be having my next exam until next week and I didn't want the pictures to digitally rot away in their digital storage. So hear ye, hear ye! Here be a picture-filled post about Oddy's Quest, which I am proud to say, my brother took part in as well, a tale of young lad on a journey to find the cure of social awkwardness!

Well, booooy, I sure hope you guys aren't here for my hotz picture-taking skillz bcoz they're hahaharible t00 kthxbai. My camera's crappy most of the time and I didn't want to get too close to the stage, so there. Please accept this excuse... THANK YOU! ;__;

Okay, I was actually supposed to, planning to TRY TO sound poignant and all that for this part of the post but that feels like an awkward transition.

Donation boxes were placed at the entrances.

It starts with a dollar :)

Brief intermission: Pretty sunset!

The appetizer. I love, love, love bread and butter. It's the one thing I look forward to every time I go eat in a fancy restaurant or airplanes, but I'm too lazy to actually have it at home.  

The show is starting! Uncle Malai President of SMARTER Brunei, Malai Hj Abdullah gives the opening speech

L-R: Mikhail, Kaka Noni, Unchu! Thank yooou for coming ♥

L-R: Bu Iti, Pa' Teh, Adam (the kid suited up for the show!) Thank yoouu for coming! ♥

Uncle Susis, Auntie Yun and Co.! Thank yoouuu for coming! ♥

Awesome huge screens are awesome. And huge.

Teacher Arlene, modeling for the latest, hottest and trendiest accessory the world has ever seen, ZE WALKIE TALKIE!

Waiting for their cue. I see Ridwan--!! (my bad. Thanks, Didi! :P)

*peek* OH! HUMANS!

*peek* OH! A CAMERA!

AND THEY ARE OUUUUTTT!

Once upon a time, there was a place. The place was called SMARTERLAND, where children were very smart and very disciplined. They would go to sleep at the same time and wake up at the same time. They will wash their face together, brush their teeth together, comb their hair together and go to school together. All of them, together, but one boy named Oddy. 

He was the odd one out and he did not go to school. He began to question himself when his fairy god mother appeared with twinkling music in the background. He said, "I want to be normal!" 

"Smile," sang the fairy god mother, "smile, even if it is hard. Go find the old wise one, for she will grant your wish." Giving him her magic umbrella as a protection, he sets on a harsh journey of life. 

This is where really awesome music played by Ehsan/Ihsan/Ishan (flute - I'm sorry, I couldn't catch his name! D:) and Hafiz (acoustic guitar). I WANT that song. Maybe they should make a soundtrack of the musical, especially for the original songs and maybe even include Feez Madea's songs. (I really like Fantasi.) MOAR MOOLAHS FOR THE ORG!

And so he walks on. He encountered a thunderstorm with dramatic music drumming it up. After being antagonized, he opened his umbrella, summoning a group of guardian angels who shield him from the storm.

Meanwhile, back in his homeland, people were worried, wondering where he went. They broadcasted a telethon as an effort to look for him. The first segment featured Feez Madea, singing her song 'Fantasi' (lovely song, might I add).

Oddy continued walking on, ending up in a forest. He came during the time when the bear cubs come out to play and have a picnic. They played around and ate all they could. When they heard a sneeze coming from behind a tree, they scampered away. Oddy was puzzled. He was about to come out when more strange creatures appeared! This time, ants!

The ants were working, carrying corns twice, thrice their sizes with them! The ants go marching one by one, HURRAH, HURRAH! The ants go marching one by one, HURRAH, HURRAH! The ants go marching one by one, the little stops to suck his thumb, and they all go marching down to the ground to get out of the rain, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!

And by the end the ants were marching ten by ten, HURRAH, HURRAH! The ants go marching ten by then, HURRAH, HURRAH! The ants go marching ten by ten, the little one stops to say, "THE END!" and they all go marching down to the ground to get out of the rain, BOOM, BOOM, BOOM!

Oddy, feeling hungry, was about to snatch one of the corns before and even more peculiar sight than before appeared before his very eyes! This time they were, oh no, they were most definitely... DANCING TREES!

Hey loook, it's Udin! ♥

He asked the queen where the Old Wise One was. She told him that the Old Wise One is one the other end on the forest. However, she will show him the way...the way TO DANCE! They continued dancing off the stage (and turns out some of the audience joined them, including Nisa XD)

(okay tbh I couldn't remember this part well, too busy trying to get Abang's pictures, lol)

A second intermission for the Oddy telethon, this time featuring SMARTERLAND's own singing sensation, Aidil!

Might sound crazy;
But it ain't a lie;
Bye, bye, bye!

A long, long, colourful caterpillar came about, sliding its way through the ground. It surrounded Oddy and claimed to be the Old Wise One. "Hello Oddy, I have been expecting you."

 "But how can you be the Old Wise One?" Oddy exclaimed. "You're green, old and you have a huge wart on your face!"

"Ah, but this is how you see me now," the Old Wise One replied with a knowing look.

"Dear Old Wise One, I want to be normal. Please give me the cure!"

"My dear Oddy, there is no such thing." She shook her head. "Let me show you someone who used to be like you." She clapped her hands, and Feez Madea appeared.

She greeted Oddy. "Hello, Oddy. I used to be an awkward child like you when I was younger."

"But, but you're so beautiful!"

"Let me sing you a song."

Fly high,
And close your eyes
Let it lift you up up up

Fly hiiiigh~

And the credits roll.

When I see your face,

There's not a thing that I would change

Because you're amazing,

Just the way you are,

The way you aaaare~

OKAY GUYS. POST-EVENT PICTUUUURES.

Udin looks like he's sort of posing along, lol.

Uncle Malai's speech interrupted by their very own aspiring Bilal! :D

Nisa... cosplaying the Umbrella Guardian Angels?

Taking pictures with Uncle Susis!

I didn't actually plan on taking any pictures of myself. 

Until I found this little beauty lying around.

Bibbidy-bobbidy-BOO!

Pseudo-Fairy God Mother endorses recyclable bags!

 Even others wanted to take pictures with it!

And that is the end of my rather inaccurate recap of the night. I didn't even plan for it to be that way actually, but I just wanted to see how much I could actually remember of the play.

All in all, it was a great night for all of us and I want to thank everyone who was involved, the director, the volunteers, the STARS for making that night a reality. It sounded far-fetched to me when my father first told me about it, mainly concerning the kids who were going to star in it. In the end, I realise, just like their actual training in SMARTER, they can do anything with all the combined efforts of the therapists they put in. They did it.

They did it, and I want to see more.