Getai

A getai (literally song stage) (Traditional Chinese: 歌臺; Simplified Chinese: 歌台), is a usually boisterous live stage performance held during the Ghost Festival commonly held in Singapore, Malaysia and some parts of Indonesia (mainly in Riau, Riau Islands and North Sumatra), in contrast to the generally solemn mood of the festival. However the performance is also routinely played at other Chinese festivals. The stage setup is usually composed of temporary structures and situated in the suburbs of the city in any empty field or even in parking spaces or housing estate.

Not to be confused with Getae.
Getai at Esplanade
The Current Stage setup for major getai events C:2014
The Current Stage setup for major getai events C:2015

In the past, live performances at festivals were usually of Chinese operas or puppet shows. The performances are meant to be for the spirits but also for people during the seventh month. With the decline of Chinese opera and traditional puppet shows as popular entertainment, these public performances evolved to become what is known today as Getai.

The backdrop of the stage is usually made of cardboard and clothes painted in bright colours, vibrantly illuminated by coloured spotlights. The performers normally don loud and glittery clothing.[1] Some getai hosts indulge in crude humour; others maintain a quick-witted dialogue, joking about local and current affairs, sometimes switching between Mandarin, local Chinese dialects, and even English and Indian languages. Younger people in Singapore may relate to Getai as kitsch, while older people enjoy dancing and singing along to familiar songs, often in Hokkien.[1] Traditional singers such as Liu Lingling tend to dress conservatively, while young performers drawn to getai may choose more revealing outfits.[2]

Getai has been increasingly accepted and celebrated by the mainstream media. Royston Tan's 2007 movie 881 is based on a pair of getai singers. The Straits Times's social networking and citizen journalism portal STOMP holds the Getai Awards annually to honour popular getai artists.[3] These artists are selected via voting by the general public.

History
Getai in 2006
Introduction of LED Panels let the audience know who is this singer is
Getais are popular among residents in Singapore, as they are held only occasionally.

Getai emerged in Singapore in the years of Japanese occupation in the 1940s.[4] An early getai was built in Weiyang Gong in the New World Amusement Park, however it was bombed by the Japanese and a new stage Gongkai Tai was built. The early getai performed mostly songs. Later dancing, drama and acrobatics were also added by performers from gewutuan (歌舞团 or song-and-dance troupes), another kind of entertainment show that had begun to decline in popularity by that time. Getai became increasing popular, and by the 1950s, there were 4 getai stages in the New World,[5] and many other getai were also set up in other amusement parks.

Getai in amusement parks declined in popularity in the late 1950s and began to be closed in the 1960s. It had however become established by the 1970s as popular entertainment on makeshift stages set-up along streets and in other public spaces during Ghost Festival.[6] In more recent years, getai has also been organized for other Chinese festivals, such as the Mid-Autumn Festival. Resorts World Sentosa's casino included getai in its 2010 Chinese New Year celebrations.[7] Loyang Tua Pek Kong Temple arranged getai for the 2010 Mid-Autumn celebrations.

A groundbreaking getai was held in 2006. This was a twelve-hour marathon getai that saw many famous performers gracing the stage and bringing the crowd to their feet. The organiser was Peter Loh, a veteran in the getai scene. The marathon was a one-of-a-kind and it really awed the whole of Singapore. 2011 was another milestone when getai performances were held at Orchard Road Ngee Ann City Civic Plaza for the first time, and the stage design and sound system have major changes throughout the years with including LED Panels.

In 2015 & 2018, Singapore Mediacorp Channel 8 held a competition for getai singers called GeTai Challenge (歌台星力量).[8] The show run for two seasons with the most recent season premiered on April 20, 2018 and ended on August 10, 2018.[9]

In a more recent attempt, in 2020, Getai performances were now held digitally via various streaming platform websites such as YouTube and its government website gov.sg, in an effort to promote social distancing during the coronavirus outbreak in Singapore.[10][11]

Regulation

A Copyright Permit (for Ad-Hoc Events) is needed for public performances, like getai. This can be acquired from COMPASS - Composers and Authors Society of Singapore Ltd.[12]



Wang Lei
阳光可乐 Getai singer
  • Chen Jinlang
  • Zhong Yaonan
  • Lin Li (林利)
  • Lee Pei Fen (李佩芬)
  • Anddi Goh (天悦)
  • Angel Law (罗恩琪)
  • Zhu Feng (朱峰)
  • Liu Lingling (刘玲玲)
  • Hao Hao (皓皓)
  • Cola Lau (阳光可乐)
  • Yahya （雅雅）
  • Chen Xiao Xin (陈晓欣)
  • Mai Hui (麦卉)
  • Marcus Chin (陈建彬)[13]
  • Wang Lei (王雷)[1]
  • Zhuang Qing Yu (庄清玉)
  • Sam Loo (吕伟伦)
  • Anna Lim (林茹萍)
  • Apple Zheng (郑晓慧)
  • Ming Zhu Sisters (明珠姐妹)
  • Choo LiLi (朱莉莉）AKA 小明珠
  • Hsu Chiung Fang (许琼芳)
  • Wu Pei Zhi (吴佩芝)
  • The Babes (宝贝姐妹)
  • Liz Low (刘丽芝)
  • Jessica Tan (陈诗婷)
  • Alice Ong (王文玲)
  • Desmond Ng (黄振隆)
  • Lee Bao En (李宝恩)
  • Xie Wen (谢温)
  • Sherraine Law (罗翊绮)
  • 2Z Sisters (2Z姐妹)
  • Wina Xie (谢伟娜)
  • Leon & Febe (承泽 秀萍)
  • Leonard Lim (林健辉)
  • Huang Hao Feng （黄浩峰）
  • Jessie Yeong (杨千荭)
  • Angie Lau (刘心玲)
  • Jason Chung (曾詠恒)
  • Huang Yi Wen (黄怡雯)
  • Samurai
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See also

References
  1. Foreigners invade getai, The Straits Times, Aug 23, 2009
  2. Getai: Sexy, not sleazy, The New Paper, July 7, 2009.
  3. "STOMP honours getai artists". The Straits Times. July 15, 2010.
  4. Chan Kwok-bun and Yun Sai-shing (2014). Kwok-Bun Chan (ed.). Chinese Entertainment. Routledge. p. 24. ISBN 9781317977995.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  5. Chan Kwok-bun and Yun Sai-shing (2014). Kwok-Bun Chan (ed.). Chinese Entertainment. Routledge. p. 26. ISBN 9781317977995.CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link)
  6. "Getai". Singapore infopedia.
  7. "Getai not pantang". The New Paper. AsiaOne. March 1, 2010. Archived from the original on March 5, 2010. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
  8. "GETAI CHALLENGE 歌台星力量". Mediacorp Pte Ltd. Archived from the original on 2015-07-22.
  9. "抗癌成功首参赛 刘心玲《歌台星力量兴旺发》决赛夺冠". zaobao.com.sg. Retrieved 2018-06-05.
  10. 《e-Getai 歌台直播秀》-YouTube
  11. "E-getai entertains the elderly at home". tnp.com.sg. 2020-04-16. Retrieved 2020-05-01.
  12. Intellectual Property Office of Singapore. "Collective Management Organisations". July 12, 2010.
  13. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-07-19. Retrieved 2015-07-18.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)


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