My Fair Lady, Hello Dolly, Sound of Music, Monty Python’s Spamalot , Fiddler on the Roof and most recently Ghost the Musical . Every musical Leila Alvares has directed has gone for gold. Cause Foundation, a not-for-profit, volunteer driven organisation, presents their new production: Young Frankenstein , based on the Mel Brooks’ movie this weekend. “I always gravitate towards musical comedies,” says Leila
The plot is about how Frankenstein leaves his everything to his grandson, who is also a doctor. When he comes to settle his grandfather’s estate, he a dead man to life who promptly escapes. This leads to a monstrously hilarious musical.
Apart from the humour, it is the music, directed by Vivek Menzel, Leila says that it is one of the stars of the production. “Like all musicals, the plot is thin. It is the music and dancing that are important. It is what makes it entertaining.” She adds that she has taken a few elements from the film version.
Leila says the cast is a young, talented bunch and that right casting has always led to successful productions. “I have an eye for casting, especially when it comes to main roles.” And the other reason for her musicals being such hits, Leila says: “I have 18-years experience! I enjoy doing this, it is second nature.”
Leila says that she was good at organising, directing and choreographing during her college days. It was when she watched Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat as a student abroad that she decided that directing musicals would be the first thing she would do when she returned. “The music was great. Joseph didn’t have any spoken words and it had this incredible harmony.”
One of the main aims of Cause Foundation is to promote local talent. “Cause is a volunteer organisation. They come from different professions, such as doctors and engineers. They love to showcase their talent and do something worthwhile, so they keep apart some time every year for this. Young Frankenstein has a lot of young talent. Some of them even want to further their career in musical theatre.”
Cause give proceeds to charitable organisations from all their productions. The proceeds of Young Frankenstein will go towards three kinds of charities: children, animals and women. It will go to small trusts and not large NGOs. Leila explains: “We deliberately looked for local charities that are fledgling and have been started by individuals.”
The tickets are priced at Rs. 300, Rs. 499 and Rs. 700. “We keep the cost of tickets as reasonable as possible as I believe that my productions are for families to enjoy,” concludes Leila.
The dance directors for Young Frankenstein are Alisha D’Souza, Lionel DeNazareth and Akshay Tiwari, and the production features Shyju Varkey, Nitya Samuel, Rahael Thomas, Kenishaa Francis, Bhumika Anantaraman, Arvind Kasthuri, Chirag Prince and Prem Koshy.
Young Frankenstein will be staged at Chowdiah Memorial Hall on August 27 at 5 p.m. and on August 28 at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Tickets available on www.bookmyshow.com and at the venue an hour prior to each performance. Call: 9844169903.
