Following the buzz generated by the clip from 1965 of Lim Kay Tong portraying Lee Kuan Yew, actor Adrian Pang has been chosen to play the former prime minister in The LKY Musical coming in July.
The LKY Musical will show Lee’s early life, from his time in Raffles College, to achieving an independent Singapore. The musical is Metropolitan Productions’ passion project, a mega multi-million-dollar musical in the works for up to three years, reports The Straits Times.
“We are delighted that Adrian Pang will play Mr Lee. Not only is he a brilliant actor, he has the gravitas required for the role,” said Mr Tan Choon Hiong, director of Metropolitan Productions.
He said that they had contemplated “many actors” to play Lee, but finally decided on Pang.
Mr Tan added that when people were aware of Pang’s casting, they would mention he bared a striking likeliness to the adolescent Lee.
49-year-old Pang called the task a “daunting project”. He was convinced by the creative team who he had worked with in the past on Forbidden City.
The project is the partnership of an international collaboration of artists. The team comprises of Singapore’s stalwart musician Dick Lee, seasoned director Steven Dexter of London and globally recognised Singaporean writer Meira Chand, who wrote the script.
The musical is expected to begin late July and will continue over National Day. Further details of the musical, including who will be cast as the late Mrs Lee, will be made known in a few weeks.
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