If Bie can make it there, he can make it anywhere

The news leak was mostly correct, Takonkiet explains (with considerable generosity, as it turns out), except that the process of actually getting the show onto the Great White Way in New York is far from completed. 

By that he means it will take at least another year before everything’s in place for even the initial production off-Broadway. There is still the not-incidental matter of finding investors, for example. And finally the show has to win hardy enough applause to even “qualify” for the big leagues and a run on Broadway.

So, yeah, there are quite a few roads to travel before we reach the theatrical capital of the world. Don’t be saying, “Are we there yet?” over and over.

On the upside, Takonkiat has on the “Behind the Painting” team Jack M Dalgleish, an established Broadway producer whose most recent show was the Tony-nominated “Time Stands Still” starring Laura Linney, Eric Bogosian and Alicia Silverstone. (That title probably makes Boy nervous.)

Boy will be directing the Thai production – in English – and Bie will of course reprise his role as Nopporn – in English. This represents a bit of a nightmare for him.

Bie studied at Montfort College School in Chiang Mai, a posh academy where English is the primary language, but he says he’s never been able to get his tongue round the tongue. When he studied mechanical engineering at King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology in Thon Buri, where some of the classes were taught in English, Bie just borrowed Thai translations of the lectures from friends. He wouldn’t have passed without the linguistic chicanery.

So English had always slipped by Bie, or he slipped by it, even when he was being coached for TV’s “The Star” competition and became “Bie The Star”. Only when confronted by Scenario’s policy of improving its performers’ dancing, acting and, yes, English skills did he start taking the foreign language seriously.  

“I was thinking that learning English would be great just for when I’m at parties with farang friends and so I can chat with farang girls,” he chuckles. “When I was chosen for this project, it was like hitting the jackpot, but I do have to work harder because my English is still bad.”

Bie’s been flying back and forth between Bangkok to New York as preparations begin, and he hasn’t enjoyed it, actually considering quitting at times. The Big Apple leaves him feeling downhearted and lost. “There were moments I felt I was in a music video, walking alone on the streets of New York City and crying, but it was real.”

Bie was first runner-up on “The Star” in 2006. His dancing and singing still showed a lot of room for improvement, but he was heavily promoted and landed loads of acting and singing jobs. He’s never stopped honing his talents and has ended up as the most successful of all the entertainers from “The Star”. His popularity extends all the way to China, where fan clubs sprouted up while his TV series was airing there. Next up, then, New York New York!