Akshen are Five Arts Centre’s youth theatre group. Akshen is a collective of young people dedicated to generating original Malaysian work that is relevant, thought provoking and empowering.

Anne James was trained in theatre at Universiti Sains Malaysia and Northwestern University (USA). She is a much respected actor and dancer who has been performing for 29 years with directors who include Krishen Jit, Ong Keng Sen, Joe Hasham, Will Gluth and Hiroshi Koike, as well as with Marion D'Cruz and Dancers.

Chee Sek Thim is a potter by profession. He started performing with Marion D’Cruz and Dancers in 1994 and has since gone on to acting and most recently directing. Sek Thim also runs Reka Art Space, fast gaining a reputation as a gallery that supports exciting and alternative artists.

Chew Kin Wah is a versatile performer who has been performing on the Malaysian stage since the 1980s. He has performed in numerous Five Arts Centre productions. Kin Wah is one of the most well-known faces on the Malaysian television screen, appearing in 2 of the most popular local television shows, the long-running Kopitiam and Homecoming.

Ivy N. Josiah began dancing with Marion D’Cruz and Dancers in 1983. She has danced and acted in several productions of Five Arts Centre. Ivy is presently the Executive Director of the Women’s Aid Organization (WAO) and is well known for her work in the women’s movement.

Janet Pillai is the foremost children's theatre practitioner in Malaysia. Janet graduated with a BA in Social Science from Universiti Sains Malaysia and an MA in Children's Theatre from the University of Hawaii, USA. She has been doing children's theatre since 1979 and has developed a unique integrated arts training program where children learn various creative forms both traditional and contemporary. Her thrust in this program is to teach as much as to elicit alternative creativity from young people. Janet has directed several productions. In recent years Janet has developed Theatre-In-Education and Arts Education programs for young people. A pioneer in her field, Janet teaches theatre at Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang.

Jerrica Lai has worked in theatre for the past 10 years and is now one of the most sought-after performers in Kuala Lumpur. She has acted in numerous plays. She has also taught theatre to young people with Shelter for Girls, Kiwanis Foundation, The Actors Studio Academy and in Five Arts Centre’s Teater Muda and Taman Medan Community Arts Project.

Krishen Jit is a pioneer in shaping the identity of post-colonial theatre in Malaysia. He is a founder member of Five Arts Centre and one of the region’s most influential theatre practitioners. His writings about theatre can be found in newspapers, culture magazines and academic journals and his directorial achievements cover a span of over 35 years. Krishen is known for his experimental style of theatre, fusing traditional with contemporary forms, and continues to create works that reflect a fast changing psyche, particularly in urban contexts. A collection of Krishen’s essays and articles on the arts in Malaysia and South-East Asia, Krishen Jit: An Uncommon Position was released in 2003.

Lew Chee Seong is a lawyer by profession and a theatre enthusiast. He has been doing production work for Five Arts Centre since 1995 and continues to do so actively. In July 2002, Chee Seong was the tour manager for Akshen when they performed Stadium at the Contacting The World Youth Theatre Festival in Manchester.

Marion D'Cruz is a founder member of Five Arts Centre. She graduated with a BA in Performing Arts and an MA in Dance from Universiti Sains Malaysia and has studied classical, modern and contemporary dance in Malaysia, Indonesia, London and New York. In 1983 she formed Marion D'Cruz and Dancers who have performed extensively both locally and internationally. Marion's focus is to create a contemporary Malaysian identity in dance and to create works that speak of what she is passionate about. Marion now teaches, produces, choreographs and performs – concentrating more on working with young people in multi-arts work.

Ravi Navaratnam Ravi has been active on and off stage especially with Five Arts Centre since 1985. His most notable stage appearances were in KS Maniam's The Cord, Kee Thuan Chye’s 1984 – Here & Now and Chin San Sooi’s Yap Ah Loy, The Play. Ravi has also produced and been the business manager/financial advisor for Five Arts Centre. Ravi works in senior management in a Malaysian public listed company.

Suhaila Merican is a senior manager in Nestle Malaysia. In the 1980s, Suhaila used to act in productions like Lady White Snake. She has produced many productions for Five Arts Centre and continues to be active in this area.

Sunetra Fernando lectures in music at the University of Malaya, teaching ethnomusicology and music-culture courses. She is the artistic director and musical director, as well as composer and musician for the Rhythm In Bronze gamelan ensemble. She has composed music for many theatre and dance productions in Malaysia. In 2002, Sunetra was the first Malaysian composer to be commissioned by the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra (MPO).