JCPAC opens in Malaysia after investment exceeding RM200 million
The performing arts centre at Sunway Square includes a 1,200-seat theatre and a smaller venue for experimental productions and workshops.
The Jeffrey Cheah Performing Arts Centre (JCPAC) has opened at Sunway Square in Petaling Jaya following an investment of more than RM200 million. At the launch, Sunway Group founder and chairman Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah said the venue was intended to help Malaysian performers develop their skills and careers.
Cheah outlined ambitions to establish links with international performing arts institutions, giving local practitioners opportunities to exchange ideas and present original work abroad. He said the centre should be judged by the opportunities it creates for emerging artists and professionals, as well as its role in bringing audiences together.
Sound and acoustic equipment accounted for roughly RM30 million of the investment. The 1,200-seat Grand Theatre uses L-Acoustics L-ISA immersive sound and Ambiance active acoustics technology, allowing its acoustics to suit different performances without structural changes. A second venue, The Studio, accommodates 150 people and has an adjustable stage and seating arrangement for smaller productions and workshops.
Conceived in 2018 within the RM1.8 billion Sunway Square development, JCPAC was designed to support education at Sunway University and serve the wider community. Its architecture takes inspiration from Sunway City's tin-mining past.
The opening gala, Brand New Day: A Symphonic Broadway Celebration, was directed by Kevin Field and featured 22 vocalists, eight dancers and the 73-piece TUTAN Festival Orchestra. Scheduled productions include Puteri Gunung Ledang The Musical from 31 October, Dama Asia's The Butterfly Lovers The Musical in November, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory The Musical from 22 December to 10 January, 2027.
