MERCHANTS OF BOLLYWOOD

The Merchants of Bollywood makes debut in Newark and Atlantic City;

Shows set for Oct 14 and 15th at NJPAC and Oct 23 and 24 at Caesars Palace;

Show celebrates history of India’s Bollywood dance and Merchant family film dynasty;

With cast of 50, program features choreography by Vaibhavi Merchant and music of Salim and Sulaiman Merchant

“A huge blast of fun…high octane choreography…virtually wall-to-wall dance” The Times (UK)

After successful runs in Asia and Europe, including 16 sold-out performances in London, The Merchants of Bollywood makes its area debut October 14th and 15th at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center’s Prudential Hall and Oct 23rd and 24th at Caesars Palace’s Circus Maximus Theatre. The dance and theatre spectacle charts the extraordinary history of Bollywood, the world’s largest and most prolific film industry.

The Times of London recently called The Merchants of Bollywood “a huge blast of fun” with “high-octane choreography…..virtually wall-to-wall dance.” Already seen by more than 2 million people worldwide, the show features 50 performers, superstar choreography and music, 500 lavish costumes, and 3,000 pieces of glittering jewelry.

Loosely based on the real-life story of the Merchant family dynasty, whose members have been prominent choreographers and filmmakers since the beginning of the Indian film industry in the 1920s, the story is a classic tale of generational conflict and artistic dreams, and a celebration of Bollywood’s theatrical, high-energy delights.

The Merchants of Bollywood is an original production developed in Mumbai (formerly Bombay), the heart of the Indian film industry. The show features choreography by Bollywood superstar Vaibhavi Merchant, whose credits include the Oscar-nominated Indian crossover hit Lagaan, and other successful films, including Devdas and Kuch Na Kaho. The music is by the composing team of Salim and Sulaiman Merchant, whose recent hits include the movie Kaal, and its hit single “Tauba Tauba,” which reached #1 on the Indian pop charts. Salim-Sulaiman (as the team is known in India) are also musical arrangers for Indian tabla master Zakir Hussain.

Produced by Mark Brady, one of Australia’s leading entertainment promoters, The Merchants of Bollywood was written and directed by Toby Gough, whose credits include the Children of the Sea project (working with victims of the 2005 tsunami), and a number of Cuban musical theatre projects, including The Bar at Buena Vista.

Cast members feature Carol Furtado (Ayesha), an accomplished dancer who has toured with Indian vocal legend Asha Bhosle, appeared at MTV’s Bangalore launch, and toured the U.S. with the famed Bollywood composing duo, Laxmikant-Pyarelal; Dipender Singh (Uday), who has studied jazz and street dance in Los Angeles, as well as appeared in Bollywood films; Arif Zakaria (Shantilal), whose career ranges from Deepa Mehta’s 1947 classic Earth to lead roles in modern films like Sab Golmaal Hai and Highway 203; and Chander Khanna (Prabhakar Chavhan Budhan), who has appeared in over 60 feature films, on television, and in Indian theatre.

Costume design is by Falguni Thakore, one of the newest designers on the Bollywood film scene. Set and Lighting Design is by Liz Berry, whose credits include theatre, rock arenas (for pop artists including Bryan Ferry, Madness, and Human League) and stadiums, as well as TV work for Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. She is known for her integrated lighting, video and special effects.

THE MERCHANTS OF BOLLYWOOD
Thursday and Friday Oct 14 & 15, 2010 :: 8:00pm
New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC)
Newark, NJ
Ticket prices: $75 - $35
Ticket info: http://njpac.org/show_events_list.asp?shCode=15642

THE MERCHANTS OF BOLLYWOOD
Saturday and Sunday October 23 and 24. 2010 :: 8:00pm
Caesars Palace / Circus Maximus Theatre
Atlantic City, NJ
Ticket prices: $75 - $45
Ticket info: http://www.caesarsac.com/EventsDetail.do?locationCode=CAC&detailName=the-merchants-of-bollywood-detail&eventTitle=The+Merchants+of+Bollywood#upcoming