A Musical Spin News Archive News

An artist straight off West End is thrown in with a bunch of talented, eager amateurs 8212; and they come up with a musical along the lines of Broadway 8212; on Broadway.

Written by Richabhatia

October 4, 2008 12:00 AM IST

3 min read

Four years after it was first staged in Delhi, the musical Magic of Broadway returns with the story, songs and razzmatazz of the American stage

An artist straight off West End is thrown in with a bunch of talented, eager amateurs 8212; and they come up with a musical along the lines of Broadway 8212; on Broadway. 8220;This is essentially a musical that traces the history of Broadway from 1925 to 1986,8221; says Jyotsna Laroiya, the producer of the musical, fittingly titled The Magic of Broadway.

Laroiya, who had staged the production earlier in 2004 in Delhi, has collaborated with performing artist Fiona Hedger-Gourlay to transform the musical into a Broadway-style performance. 8220;There are lots of movements with flashy costumes, and lighting is very important,8221; says Hedger-Gourlay who has energetically put together her ambitious directorial venture. A West End artist, Hedger-Gourlay has acted in productions like The Hot Mikado and My Fair Lady, played the clarinet for a band and acted with two pop groups in the 1980s. Currently, the spirited lady runs an all-woman choir group called Delhi Divas. The 75-minute musical will see some snappy dance sequences with contemporary jazz, rock and roll and the customary, old-school-style dancing seen in West Side Story. 8220;We begin with Yanky Doodle Dandy and a comic bluster act. And we have made sure that every cast member is grooving throughout the musical,8221; says choreographer Angela Samantha. So, picture the chorus girls warbling from Annie Get Your Gun with expressive gestures.

Laroiya says she has always been fascinated by Broadway. 8220;I believe the musical would be quite educational as it exposes the audiences to 60 different shows in a short span of time,8221; she explains. The proceeds from the concert will go to HelpAge India.

The musical, which opens in mid-October with 18 singers and half-dozen dancers, will have the cast singing songs from Broadway hits like Oklahoma, Les Miserables, Sweeney Todd, Les Cage aux Folle, Grease and Phantom of the Opera. 8220;We begin with songs from traditional American shows like Yankee

Doodle Dandy and Crazy Girl,8221; says Hedger-Gourlay.

Squeezing in all these different styles of music and blending them into a 90-minute performance was no easy task. 8220;We chose some of the best shows and we won8217;t be singing entire songs,8221; says Hedger-Gourlay. Most of the cast members manage a day job and rehearsals. 8220;We have a student, a management consultant, a corporate trainer and publisher who are all part of the musical,8221; says Laroiya.

The seven-act show promises syncopated passages with amazing ease under the baton of Hedger-Gourlay. 8220;You have a mix of choruses followed by a solo. The tempo is kept high throughout,8221; says Hedger-Gourlay. Situ Singh Buehler, who heads the Delhi Opera Ensemble, will sing Think of me from the Phantom of the Opera while Hedger-Gourlay will sing the title song Cabaret from the show Cabaret. The finale song is from the delightfully melodic A Chorus Line.

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The musical is on October 18, 19 at Kamani auditorium. For tickets, contact jolaroiyagmail.com

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