ActOne: ActOne accuses Lush Productions, a theatre production company managed by Usama Qazi and Waqas Bukhari, of mis-commitments, dishonesty, lying and bribery.
ActOne, Karachi’s oldest and most prestigious center for arts and wellness has been in operation since 2006.ActOne has made numerous contributions to the world of dance and theatre since its inception. The center has been responsible for the first ever documented flash mob, a world record for conducting the highest number of flash mobs, the first ever underground reality dance show and the first BBoy battle. ActOne has single-handedly ensured that the people of Pakistan get the best possible dance instruction. To serve this purpose, ActOne has flown in internationally renowned dance instructors to teach at the institute. To date ActOne has instructed more than 6,000 students which includes giving workshops at Indus Valley and other institutes.
ActOne has been involved with musicals like Chicago, Conversations and Karachi, The Musical.
Lush Productions (Usama Qazi and Waqas Bukhari) contacted ActOne last November for a musical “la Cage Aux Folles“. A mutual agreement was reached that ActOne will be providing them with choreography, a rehearsal studio, and the dancers. In return the revenues generated from the third night would be given to ActOne.
Five days before the show, Lush informed ActOne that the third night had been sold to a sponsor. Upon hearing this ActOne responded by asking them to pay the revenues of the third night. They refused and misbehaved with the female management of ActOne.
ActOne has been a home of dancers, who dance with passion and ambition. Sometimes, dance is their only source of income. They are hard-working and underpaid artists who earn a living through such gigs. In protest, ActOne stopped the rehearsals. Lush tried bribing dancers and convincing them to join them. ActOne dancers refused.
Two days before the rehearsals ActOne contacted Lush again and this time asked them to pay Rs. 350,000/- so the cost of the dancers and choreographers could be covered. Lush refused.
They kept contacting the dancers offering them thrice the amount and upon receiving the same reply from them they contacted some other choreographer to do their show. ActOne is left with no choice but to file a case against Lush productions. It’s time we stood for the rights of underpaid performers and against mis commitments of those who think they can take advantage of artists.
ActOne
