In 1995, two individuals created history by building the first privately owned and operated theatre in Malaysia below Dataran Merdeka. The individuals were Faridah Merican and Joe Hasham and the theatre was the The Actors Studio@Plaza Putra.

Then in 2003, flash floods inundated KL and destroyed The Actors Studio’s underground complex entirely. It was out of this tragedy that The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac) was born.

The arts community needed a new home and history was made yet again. The Actors Studio, YTL Corporation and Yayasan Budi Penyayang joined hands to establish the country’s first fully-integrated arts centre. The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac), a non-profit organisation, opened its doors in May 2005.

It has not only been a home to the arts community and a foster home for foreign troupes but it has become the very lifeline that keeps the arts and cultural life in Malaysia breathing.

An arts and cultural icon. Historical landmark. Award-winning architectural design.

There is nothing quite like klpac, really.

Timeline:

10^th June 2003:
Floods devastated The Actors Studio @ Plaza Putra complex

20^th June 2003:
In search of a new space, Ng Seksan invited Joe and Faridah to an old National Railway (KTM) warehouse in YTL Corporation’s Sentul West.

9^th & 10^th August 2003:
At the fundraising event Banjir, the late Datin Paduka Seri Endon Mahmood (then Chairman of Yayasan Budi Penyayang) was informed about the potential space.

Late Aug 2003 – Early Sept 2003:
Datin Paduka Seri Endon met Tan Sri Francis Yeoh of YTL Corporation and mentioned The Actors Studio’s interest in the old warehouse

September 2003:
Joe and Faridah presented a proposal of klpac to Tan Sri Francis Yeoh who responded with the now famous words “Go for it!”

21^st May 2004:
Launch of klpac attended by members of the media and arts community

9^th May 2005:
We opened our doors!!!

Photos by Allan Wong