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‘Taj’ Starring Kabir Bedi & Lisa Ray Launches 7-City Tour
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Sampradaya Dance Creations launches seven-city tour of TAJ, starring internationally acclaimed actors Kabir Bedi and Lisa Ray.
Taj is a unique Canada-India collaboration bringing together theatre, dance and visuals to tell a deeply evocative story of an era filled with grandeur, ambition, love and revenge.
Imprisoned by his son, former emperor Shah Jahan (Bedi) gazes upon the Taj – his wife Mumtaz’s final resting place and whose memory inspired the construction of this spectacular edifice, Taj Mahal.
In the show, Bedi engages in an impassioned dialogue with his devoted daughter Jahanara (Ray), taking the audience on an emotional journey that explores the emperor’s life.
Sampradaya Dance Creations is renowned for its innovative dance productions under the artistic direction of Lata Pada. The play was commissioned for Toronto’s 2011 Luminato Festival and was written by the Governor General Award-winning playwright John Murrell.
After the success of four sold out shows at 2011 Luminato Festival, it was recently announced that TAJ is heading out on a seven-city tour of Canada in October and November 2013.
Featuring the renowned Bollywood film, mainstream television and theatre star Kabir Bedi (Octopussy, Sandokan, The Bold and the Beautiful, Taj Mahal: An Eternal Love Story) and Canada’s acclaimed global actress Lisa Ray (Food Network Canada’s Top Chef Canada host, Water, Bollywood/Hollywood, Cooking With Stella), the stage production is supported by an international creative team of award-winning artists.
"In a word, John Murrell's 'TAJ' is a spell-binding experience of powerful theatre, multi-media visuals, Indian dance, telling the lyrical yet tragic story of the Moghul Emperor who built the Taj Mahal, imprisoned by his son who overthrew him, and of his daughter, imprisoned with him. Great Indian story by John Murrell, great Canadian production by Lata Pada, great Candian director, Tom Diamond. Great Indo-Canadian cast including myself, Lisa Ray and 10 dancers from India. It's a great evening out," says Bedi.
Celebrated through poetry, music, dance and projection, Pada takes you to the 17th-century Mughal India in a 90-minute, multimedia, dance-theatre production.
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Built around exquisite kathak dance choreographed by 82-year-old South Asian legend Padmabhusan Kumudini Lakhia, ten dancers from India along with Toronto’s Sashar Zarif, who performs as a Sufi mystic will come together for the international ensemble.
“I am so pleased to tour this unique Canada-India collaboration to audiences across Canada and transport them to 17th century India. Through theatre, dance, multi-media and original music, they will glimpse some of the passionate history and court intrigues behind one of the wonders of the world. Stories are important repositories of human truth and the story of the Taj Mahal is one of the world’s celebrated epics. As well, I am extremely excited that our acclaimed stars – Lisa Ray and Kabir Bedi – are able to join us once again for this dream project,” says Lata Pada.
Crew and Cast :
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Concept, Artistic Direction – Lata Pada
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Playwright – John Murrell
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Director – Tom Diamond
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Choreography – Kumudini Lakhia
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Music Composition – Praveen D. Rao
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Lighting & Set Design – Phillip Silver
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Projection Design – Jacques Collin
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Costume Design – Rashmi Varma
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Featuring – Kabir Bedi and Lisa Ray
The tour is as follows:
October 19 Mississauga, ON Living Arts Centre
October 23 Kingston, ON Grand Theatre
October 26 Sault Ste. Marie, ON Kiwanis Theatre
October 30 Gatineau, PQ (Ottawa, ON) Museum of Civilization
November 1 Markham, ON Flato Markham Theatre
November 6 Sherwood Park, AB Festival Place Theatre
November 9 Banff, AB The Banff Centre
Feature Image: Taj poster/ Mansa and Sid Sawant
Source: PR, DW Communications Inc.
Images: Sampradaya Dancers: Divine Method Photography
Lisa Ray : Sid Sawant
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