Ghafir Akbar © 2022

Ghafir Akbar

Actor | Director | Educator

Ghafir Akbar is an actor, director and educator with an MFA in Acting from the Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training at Florida State University and a BA in Theatre Performance from Western Michigan University.

He directed The Language Archive (PH7 Productions), which won Best of 2016 at the Boh Cameronian Arts Awards. His other direction includes Ombak! (2014), Bites of Delights (2012) both in collaboration with renowned gamelan group Rhythm in Bronze. These productions earned awards in music and sound design, original score, musical direction, and set design. Ghafir also directed Cinta Sang Arnab (Kakiseni Arts Festival 2013); This is Our Youth (York Arena Theatre 2007) and in 2018, he was the Associate Director for Enfiniti’s award winning blockbuster musical: OlaBola The Musical at Istana Budaya.

As a regional actor, he was recently seen in Acting Mad (TNS) and Who's There (The Transit Ensemble/New Ohio Theatre Festival, NY). Other credits include: Gold Rain and Hailstones (Instant Cafe Theatre); Rubber Girl on the Loose, Temple, Medea (Cake Theatrical); MERDEKA / 獨立 / சுதநததிரம், HOTEL (Wild Rice/Singapore Theatre Festival/OzAsia Festival); The Lifespan of a FactGuards at the Taj,Disgraced (SRT); Civilised, Those Who Can’t, Teach (TNS); Lord of the Flies (Blank Space Theatre); The Good, The Bad, and the Sholay (Checkpoint Theatre); Another Country and Public Enemy (Wild Rice). Other Malaysian credits include Raj and the End of Tragedy (Cake Theatrical/Instant Café), White Rabbit Red Rabbit, The Baltimore Waltz, Gross Indecency (Instant Café); Nama Kamu Atas Perahu (Manifesto Poetico); 7-10 (Five Arts Centre); and Hamlet (Actors Studio).

He is an independent educator at various educational institutions in Malaysia and Singapore including National Academy of Arts, Culture, and Heritage, Malaysia (ASWARA) and University Malaya. Additionally, he has worked with schools, after school programs and arts education advocates regionally and the US on youth educational programs, which includes devising and facilitating theatre workshops, performances, collaborations, and tours. Ghafir is also active in diversity and inclusion programs for multinational corporate clients (Microsoft, Millennium, Visa) using Forum Theatre as a platform for engagement.