Curtains up: local performing arts highlights in July

PETALING JAYA: We’re entering the second half of the year, and the local performing arts scene continues to dazzle with a variety of exciting dance, musical and theatre productions.

Here’s a rundown of what’s in store.

THEATRE

‘Teater Ihsan dan Hikmah’

This staging by Qum Actors Production brings together two works by national laureate Mana Sikana, adapted into a powerful story of personal and family conflict.

Driven by greed and blinded by arrogance in his pursuit of paradise, Kamal falls prey to Tuan Basurd’s deception, sending him spiralling into a life of sin. Now, everything rests in the hands of Kamila, his half-sister, who is determined to bring him home.

Is there still enough light within Kamal to guide him back to the path of repentance?

• When: July 4 & 5
• Where: The Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (klpac), Sentul, Kuala Lumpur
• Get your tickets here.

‘Betisnya Bunting Padi’

In this comedy, Kamal, an accomplished painter, and his wife Aziah, a talented radio drama actress, seem destined for a life of happiness.

But when Kamal becomes captivated by Betis, the mysterious woman he chooses as the subject of his latest portrait, the boundaries between art and desire begin to blur.

• When: July 7
• Where: Universiti Malaya Experimental Theatre, Kuala Lumpur
• Get your tickets here.

‘A Chef’s Confession’ – Murder Mystery Dinner

An immersive walk-through experience set in the intrigue and elegance of 1930s Malaya. Enjoy a delicious Peranakan feast before splitting into groups to walk through the rooms of the house, encounter characters, uncover clues, and work together to crack the case.

• When: Weekends from July 11-Aug 8
• Where: Garden@Heeren, Melaka
• Get your tickets here.

‘A Bowl of Warmth’

Li Shun and his wife run a long-established bak kut teh shop, but trouble and conflict brew when their son Li Dingnan decides to move his whole family to the US in pursuit of a better future. Presented by CHKL Drama Society.

• When: July 11 & 12
• Where: Chong Hwa Independent High School, Kuala Lumpur
• Get your tickets here.

‘Teater Tarik Picu’

This crime thriller by Mask Team explores the meaning of loyalty and lost dignity, while revealing the darker side of life, the pressures of reality, and the consequences of past decisions that leave its characters trapped in their search for a way out.

• When: July 16
• Where: Stage 1, Petaling Jaya Performing Arts Centre (PJPAC), 1 Utama, Selangor
• Get your tickets here.

‘Cerita Kedai Runcit’

Experience eight site-specific monodramas by artistes from Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Thailand and Singapore. The performance sites are located around the Aswara campus, so come prepared to walk!

• When: July 17 & 18
• Where: Aswara Theatre Faculty, Kuala Lumpur
• Get your tickets here.

‘Why Are You Here?’

A play created collaboratively by seven final-year students of Taylor’s University’s performing arts programme. Set in 2030 in a crisis-stricken Malaysia where resources have nearly run out, a family forced to flee their home waits for the last bus out of the city.

• When: July 17-19
• Where: Damansara Performing Arts Centre (DPAC), Petaling Jaya, Selangor
• Get your tickets here.

‘Festival Teater Antarnusa 2026’

This artistic exploration weaves together diverse theatrical styles and experimentation from across the Nusantara region.

Showcase 1 features Songkhla Rajabhat University (Thailand), 247 Studios (Brunei), and Semarak Kreatif (Sarawak), while Showcase 2 features Garasi Performance Institute (Indonesia),Teater Ekamatra (Singapore), and Fakulti Teater x Kejar Tayang (Kuala Lumpur).

• When: July 17 (Showcase 1) & July 18 (Showcase 2)
• Where: Universiti Malaya Experimental Theatre, Kuala Lumpur
• Get your tickets here (Showcase 1) and here (Showcase 2).

‘The Last Tribute’

DW Collective presents a Mandarin-language double bill, “Spirit Paper” and “Remembrance” – both examining death, memory and forgiveness.

• When: July 23-26
• Where: Yuespace, Kuala Lumpur
• Get your tickets here.

‘Being Carried’

An interdisciplinary theatre collaboration between Malaysia and the UK, this production by Access Path Productions blends movement, spoken word, soundscapes and visual storytelling.

Through intimate and deeply personal stories, “Being Carried” explores themes of care, connection and resilience, while shining a light on the lived experiences of disabled, deaf and neurodivergent people in Malaysia.

• When: July 24-26
• Where: klpac, Sentul, Kuala Lumpur
• Get your tickets here.

MUSICAL THEATRE & OPERAS

‘The Merry Widow’

Set in glamorous 1920s Paris, this classic romantic operetta by Franz Lehár tells the story of Hanna Glawari, a wealthy widow who becomes the focus of political and romantic schemes.

While her country tries to ensure she marries a fellow compatriot to keep her fortune at home, true feelings complicate everyone’s plans. Presented by Kuala Lumpur City Opera.

• When: July 3-5
• Where: klpac, Sentul, Kuala Lumpur
• Get your tickets here.

‘The Academy of Heroes & Villains’

In this Monday Show School production, a new group of students arrive for orientation day at The Academy of Heroes & Villains. As they journey through a series of lessons, challenges, songs and surprising discoveries, they begin to question everything they thought they knew.

• When: July 4 & 5
• Where: DPAC, Petaling Jaya, Selangor
• Get your tickets here.

‘Live & Learn’

A showcase of musical theatre favourites, contemporary hits, and moving moments. Meet characters who dare to take risks, learn from their mistakes, and discover that nobody has life completely figured out.

• When: July 4 & 5
• Where: DPAC, Petaling Jaya, Selangor
• Get your tickets here.

‘Tide Arts – Opera Dream’ 6th Year of Student Performance

This year’s presentation features displays of iron-rod puppetry alongside Teochew music, opera and percussion. Veteran Teochew opera performer Liu Xiaoli and Thai performer Chen Yunlong will join the students’ performance.

• When: July 11
• Where: Auditorium P Ramlee, Penang
• Get your tickets here.

‘Teater Muzikal Kesuma Santubong’

Explore the myth of Puteri Santubong through story and song. The original score blends traditional Sarawakian instruments with contemporary musical arrangements.

Presented by Sifar, a Kuching-based creative group dedicated to reimagining Sarawakian heritage through performance.

• When: July 24 & 25
• Where: Balai Budaya Tun Syed Nasir, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, Kuala Lumpur
• Get your tickets here.

‘The Fragrance of the Dharma’

Drawing inspiration from the Buddhist text “Dhammapada”, this “musical and yoga performance” follows the changing seasons to explore life’s journey – from new beginnings and growth to loss, renewal and rebirth.

• When: July 31-Aug 2
• Where: D Theatre Malaysia, Selangor
• Get your tickets here.

‘Anak Sarawak’

In this original musical, Thomas, a teenager struggling with cyberbullying and a sense of disconnect from his identity, embarks on a transformative journey with the legendary Iban warrior Rentap.

Audiences are taken on a journey that celebrates Sarawak’s rich cultural heritage through music and song.

• When: July 31-Aug 2
• Where: St Joseph’s Private Secondary School Kuching, Sarawak
• Get your tickets here.

DANCE

‘A Decade of Becoming – Frozen’

Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Sven, Olaf… It’s “Frozen”, as presented by Arch X Dance.

• When: July 5
• Where: Permaisuri Zarith Sofiah Opera House, Johor
• Get your tickets here.

‘The Little Red Riding Hood’

The beloved fairytale is retold through dance in this collaboration between Incheon City Ballet and Dreamwork Production.

• When: July 5
• Where: The Platform, Menara KEN, Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur
• Get your tickets here.

‘Love and Loss on the Beach of Eternity’

In this presentation by Tripsichore Yoga Theatre, meet a collage of characters whose lives are disrupted by sudden catastrophe – a pandemic, a war, the collapse of certainty.

Beginning in innocence and hope, the work gradually descends into tension, grief, survival and transformation.

• When: July 9 (KL) & July 11 (Johor)
• Where: KuAsh Theatre, Kuala Lumpur / Auditorium @ INFINITY8 Medini Iskandar, Johor
• Get your tickets here.

‘A Midsummer’s Night Dream’

In this reimagining of Shakespeare’s play, three women stand at the edge of transformation, each bound by her struggle with desire and identity – into an enchanted forest where magic distorts reality. Presented by Yen Hen Ballet Foundation, Zurich.

• When: July 11 & 12
• Where: klpac, Sentul, Kuala Lumpur
• Get your tickets here.

‘Contours in Motion’

A showcase of classical ballet alongside a variety of dance styles that reflect the limitless possibilities of movement and performance. Presented by Assemblé Ballet & Music.

• When: July 19
• Where: DPAC, Petaling Jaya, Selangor
• Get your tickets here.

‘Don Quixote’

The Dance Society of Malaysia presents this beloved classical ballet, bringing together young dancers and distinguished guest artistes from The Royal Ballet (UK), Japan, Australia and the Netherlands.

• When: July 25-26
• Where: Stage 1, PJPAC, 1 Utama, Selangor
• Get your tickets here.

Putting on a show? Email us the details at lifestyle@freemalaysiatoday.com.