Bangalore is bursting with musical talent

Bangalore is bursting with musical talent, feels Leila Alvares who has entertained the city with several musicals over the past 11 years. 

After Broadway hits like The Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof, My Fair Lady, Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat and Grease, it's time for All Shook Up, a hilarious musical comedy inspired by songs of Elvis Presley. 

With a cast of 35 people, Leila says the entire atmosphere is charged with positive energy. "Among the older members of my cast are Arvind Kasthuri and Prem Koshy. They are not only marvellous, but are great to work with. Among the youngsters too there's tremendous commitment. They are so good; all you need to do is fine-tune them. I don't like people with attitude and if someone doesn't gel with the rest, I just let them go," she says. 

For a musical, the most important aspect is the art of choosing the right person for the right character. "For the main role, I opted for a shy person. He is a reasonably good singer and I noticed girls going crazy over him. Now, you find a t r a n s fo r m e d Neville De Nazareth playing the lead in All Shook Up," explains Leila. 

And when it comes to the musicians, this director prefers to tread the tested path. "My drummer and lead guitarist have been with me from the start. I've been very fortunate with them, everything in my production is live and I don't go with a new person as far as the music goes unless I know for sure he can play. On the contrary, I experiment with the singing, dancing and acting," says the director. 

Once inspired by the performance of Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat in America, it is one musical after another for Leila. "Musicals interest me because you are reaching out to a much bigger audience and to those who are not able to sit through theatre," she says. 

And which musical comes next? "I've finished with all the classics. After All Shook Up, there's Mama Mia based on the Abba song and Evita . I haven't got rights for both yet," says Leila. 



(August 29 to September 1. Chowdaiah Memorial Hall, 7.15 pm. 

Contact 25282602)