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“Beauty & the Beast” Set to Debut on India’s Stage
Disney’s magic will be put to the test this month when it gives India its first official taste of Broadway.
The French fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, immortalized by Disney’s 1991 animated classic, is all set to make its theatrical debut in India — but it has big shoes to fill.
The stage adaptation was one of Broadway’s longest-running productions, chalking up more than 5,400 performances over a span of 13 years.
Photo Credit: Disney India
While the new production will retain the original script and music, the show promises to have “Indian influences," including 100 local performers who will bring life to the iconic roles.
“We have the talent; we have great talent, actually,” says the show’s director, Vikranth Pawar, to HuffPost India. “All we needed is a platform for them to shine. Something like this.”
Meher Mistry should know. The 26-year-old theatre actress snagged the coveted lead role of Belle (aka Beauty) in an audition process that lasted more than three months.
“Well it’s just one whole other avenue that’s opened up in the Indian market so that’s great and a show I think that’s going to be at this scale is just going to be huge in terms of exposure,” says Mistry in an interview with the BBC.
Meher Mistry (Belle), with Anil Chandiramani (who will be playing Maurice)
Photo Credit: www.thehindu.com
While musicals have been a part of English theatre in India in the past, Beauty and the Beast in India will set a new precedent. According to Pawar, the production is the largest of its kind that Disney has ever done anywhere in the world.
Pawar might not be exaggerating. The production includes a sprawling set, complete with a 270-degree stage, ramps, and pathways that criss-cross between sections of the audience to give what he calls “a completely immersive [experience]."
Productions like these offer a glimmer of hope to tens of thousands who clamour for a select few opportunities in showbiz. If Broadway-style entertainment catches on in India, it could mean better prospects for performers.
It’s not just actors who stand to benefit. Directors, set designers, stylists and a whole host of theatre professionals all hope the show could bring a new edge to India’s arts scene.
Still, the biggest challenge is attracting audiences, especially when the majority of audiences would be more inclined to pay for a ticket to a big-budget Bollywood release than a pricier live performance.
As India’s middle class continues to flourish, it may develop a taste for alternatives from the typical Bollywood fanfare.
And that would be music to Disney’s ears.
Beauty and the Beast debuts on October 23 in Mumbai, with other cities, including Delhi, slated later in the year.
For more information, visit: http://events.disney.in/batb-stage-musical/about
Main Image Photo Credt: www.variety.com
Abbas Somji
Author
Abbas Somji is a broadcast journalist and producer, and has worked for media outlets across the country, including the CBC and Omni Television. A Toronto native with a background in delivering the hard news, he enjoys covering stories on pop culture & entertainment. Twitter: @abbassomji
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