Theater: Bombay Dreams

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Bombay Dreams is a very popular new musical based. Bombay Dreams is based on India's "Bollywood" movie musicals. The show has been produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber; featuring a great cast of thirty nine singing an enthralling score by A.R. Rahman. This huge hit of London has been coming to hit Broadway. The show has been based on a thorough idea by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Shekhar Kapur; the show tells the enthralling story of a good looking young slum-dweller and his incredible dreams of really becoming a Bollywood movie star. The soulful and highly acclaimed music is contributed by A R Rahman with lyrics by Don Black. The play is based on a book by Thomas Meehan and Meera Syal, the show amazingly weaves together the deep glamour of the movies, with heart-aching romance, and sizzling epic spectacle.

The show starts in the dirty slums of Bombay, in a crowded neighborhood firmly occupied by a very poor but scrappy community of so called Untouchables. In this deep part of slums the audiences are introduced to Shanti; she has been the revered elder of this bunch, a witty, wise and pragmatic old lady. There is Sweetie, who is quite passionate and very outspoken young eunuch; and witty Akaash, Shanti's only grandson and Sweetie's one and only best friend; Akaash is a young and very handsome fellow who ekes out a famous living offering tours of the city to some wealthy and rich visitors and who blindly dreams of becoming a star in the world of Bollywood films. The show is better described as a "Bollywood" musical about day dreamer Akaash who belongs to the family members of untouchables and eventually they are threatened by developers. Finally, Akaash goes off to become a big movie star and during this process he learns a few unusual and common things about himself. The well known name of Andrew Lloyd Webber is quite synonymous with some hugely popular and ground breaking musical entertainment like: Cats. The appealing story of Bombay Dreams is based on one of universal themes; and these themes are dreams and ambitions, the deep desire to really accomplish something and the great importance of culture and firm roots. The beautiful story is articulately set against the real backdrop of the very colorful and thoroughly magical Indian movie industry, known as 'Bollywood' - in Bombay; Bombay a city of dreams, stark contrasts where this romantic fantasy and very harsh reality live side by side.

The show is provides a dazzling spectacle very well set amid India's huge and bustling film industry. This tremendous show "Bombay Dreams" features a beautiful and lush score with glittering costumes, lavish sets and some truly exotic dance numbers. The well accepted story of a good looking young actor who passionately dreams of romance and fame; this tremendous musical journey is rated as an thorough exploration of the real importance of true cultural heritage, the huge price of success, the deep and firm bonds of friendship and the immense power of true love. According to the Time Magazine the show "Something gorgeously new" and The New York Times calls it a "Feel-good fantasy!"

The well defined and big cast of the show comprises: Manu Narayan (as Akaash), Anisha Nagarajan (as Priya), Ayesha Dharker (as Rani), Sriram Ganesan (as Sweetie), Marvin L. Ishmael (as Madan), Deep Katdare (as Vikram) and Madhur Jaffrey (as Shanti). The ensemble comprises Jolly Abraham, Mueen Jahan Ahman, Aaron J. Albano, Celine Alwyn, Anjali Bhimani, Shane Bland, Gabriel Burrafato, Wendy Calio, Tiffany Cooper, Sheetal Ghandi, Krystal Kiran Garib, Tanvir Gopal, Tania Marie Hakim, Dell Howlett, Suresh John, Ian Jutsun, Aalok Mehta, Ron Nahass, Michelle Nigalan, Zahf Paroo, Danny Pathan, Bobby Petska, Kafi Pierre, Sarah Ripard, Darryl Semira, Neil Jay Shastri, Lisa Stevens, and Kirk Torigoe.