‘A MILLION DREAMS’ A one-act Story in Song
The mesmerising voice of Dmitri Gunatilake was the pleasing sound that greeted us as we walked into one of her rehearsals, last Friday evening. Everyone appeared to be hard at work and in the process of bringing the show together, with just a few days left. We allowed ourselves a few moments to truly enjoy Dmitri’s beautiful voice, before going in to have a chat with the cast.
Being the first time that a play of this concept is being performed in Sri Lanka, “A Million Dreams” talks about a young artist who aspires to make something of herself in the industry, despite the endless barriers and challenges that come her way. It truly is an inspiring story and of course, there is none to match Dmitri in her portrayal, as aside from being exceptionally talented, she relates this to her life and performs with heartfelt emotions.
In our last interview, Dmitri spoke of how this play predominantly relates to people involved in the performing arts, as it is centred around the struggles of a young artist. However, after understanding the script more and speaking to Dmitri further, she said, “This is a story relatable to anyone that is simply stuck in one place and is finding it hard to go further in life because they receive no help from anyone regardless of whether you are in performing arts or in the corporate world. It mainly speaks of the ups and downs people face, and the importance of helping each other. Everyone deserves an equal opportunity in life and shouldn’t be left out as each person is of the same importance.”
Although this is a recital done by Dimitri, there are a dozen other people that have pitched in to convey this inspirational story. Shala Amarasuriya, an unbelievably skilled actress and dancer who has taken part in numerous plays in Colombo, is part of the ensemble for this show. Speaking about the show, she said, “Dmitri and I have been friends since school, and when she called me to be in her show I was absolutely ecstatic! I think from a dancer's point of view, we are simply a shadow trying to create a background and different emotions only to compliment Dmitri’s recital and to make it more attractive visually. As a performer, I believe it’s very relatable to everyone, and it’s honestly like all our stories together are being told by Dmitri. I can’t think of anyone better conveying such a beautiful message.”
“Working with Dmitri in a public production is an absolute honour. I have never been in a production solely to dance, so it’s a new experience. The song selection is amazing and I think everything is falling into place perfectly” says Rithmaka Karunadhara, a present schoolboy of Ananda College who, although young, has many years of acting experience to his credit.
The wonderful selection of music for this show features a range of genres, varying from Broadway, Jazz and Pop, and includes popular hits such as “A Million Dreams”, “Fix You”, “You’ll be in my Heart” and “Don’t Rain on my Parade”, each one bound to ensure that this performance will stay close to your heart.
The youngest member of the cast, little Sanuki Seneviratne who is just 7 years old, said that she found the play interesting and was happy to be acting in it, and is having loads of fun.
Celina Randeniya, who is just 13 years and will be singing, says that she is extremely excited and looking forward to the show. This was certainly true, as even while she spoke to me, she was jumping about with excitement.
Each actor, no matter how small their role, seemed to be mesmerised by the idea of getting on stage and performing and we can be sure that if the actors are showing this much enthusiasm to perform, then the audience will certainly have the time of their lives.
Making this musical production an unforgettable one, the show will also have a live band featuring Shashini Pandithasundera, Tehani Tissera, Shalintha Rodrigo, Charith Fernando and Pathum Fernando (Malla) and Johann Peiris. “The music is lovely and most are songs that the audience can sing along to and enjoy. It’s wonderful to see Dmitri perform because she brings out so much emotion and feeling into the whole show” says Johann Peiris, the organist and musical director of the show.
Adding more to its glamour, the show will also feature a number of guest artistes such as Chrishantha De Silva (CC), Sanuki Seneviratne and Celina Randeniya, as well as a supporting cast, including Onara de Silva, Rangika Fernando, Ayudya Gajanayake, Shala Amarasuriya, Rithmaka Karunadhara and Lithmal Jayawardhana, who will help bring out this remarkable story to life.
“A Million Dreams” is a musical that empowers all dreamers out there not to be disheartened by the push and pull of life, but to seize every opportunity and allow your passion within to drive you to stardom. Come and witness this extraordinary performance, as it’s bound to be an experience that you will never forget.