THEATRE EVENTS

TWO CULTURES, TWO WORLDS COME TOGETHER IN WORLD PREMIERE MUSICAL

Come Fall in Love — The DDLJ Musical is the story of Simran, a young Indian-American woman whose future is set with an arranged marriage back in India to a family friend. But when she convinces her very strict dad that she should spend a summer of freedom and fun in Europe, she falls for the charming Rog and her careful, logical plans go out the window. Can she be true to both her heritage and her heart? Can the carefree American, Rog, win over her traditional father? Take a whirlwind trip from Boston to Europe to India as cultures collide in the stage musical adaptation of the beloved hit romantic comedy film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.

Director Aditya Chopra takes a fresh look at his landmark film, renewing it for a new generation and in a new medium. With an American audience in mind, he moves the action of the early scenes to America and not to England,as in the film. Instead, he focuses the story more precisely on Simran’s experience, adding gravity and power to her journey. While the original music from the film is quoted and celebrated, the musical includes 18 new English songs by the renowned Indian duo of Vishal & Sheykhar. They capture not only their distinctive fusion of Indian and pop musical styles but also integrate the famous and recognizable Broadway sound into their remarkable score. And Chopra returns to an idea that animated his earliest thinking about his story even before he made the film. Reimagining the character of Rog to reflect a more contemporary and inclusive cultural experience.

“The Old Globe’s sterling reputation as a birthplace for exciting new American musicals is well known,” Artistic Director Barry Edelstein said. “But with the world premiere of the joyous and thrilling Come Fall in Love — The DDLJ Musical, we take a bold step into the international musical theatre for the first time. A brilliant new version of one of the landmark films of Indian cinema, this charming, funny, and romantic story of love and family brings together the best of Broadway and the best of Bollywood and places them both center stage in Balboa Park. I know our audiences will find delight in this fusion of cultures, just as I find inspiration in the extraordinary artistry of the theatre makers lending their talents and imaginations to this uplifting show. Chief among them is Aditya Chopra, one of the world’s most important and impactful filmmakers. Just as his vision for the movie DDLJ brought joy to literally billions in India and around the world, so now his new musical will transport theatre audiences to a happy place where love, in every color, triumphs. I am beyond excited for San Diego to see this show.”

Director Aditya Chopra agrees: “I can’t wait for audiences to see Come Fall in Love — The DDLJ Musical with this amazing cast. I am thrilled to be making not only my stage debut but my American debut. Come Fall in Love with all new English songs by Indian composers Vishal & Sheykhar has allowed me to revisit my original vision for DDLJ and share with audiences this love story between an American man and an Indian woman. Come Fall in Love is truly an expansion of the success story of DDLJ. Any lover of the film will rediscover its beauty, and the English-speaking world will fall in love with Rog, Simran and India. Bollywood and Broadway will meet for an exciting theatrical experience.”

The family-owned Yash Raj Films, headed by Chopra, is the largest film studio in India and has produced some of the biggest blockbusters of Indian cinema. Chopra returns to directing for the 50th anniversary of the studio. He made his film directing debut with DDLJ, which premiered in 1995 and is still running in theatres. It is the longest-running movie in Indian cinema history and one of the highestgrossing films in India’s rich and diverse movie industry history.

The world premiere of Come Fall in Love — The DDLJ Musical will be performed on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage at TheOld Globe in San Diego’s Balboa Park. Performances run Thursday, September 1 through Sunday, October 16. theoldglobe.org

director aditya chopra

shoba narayan plays simran

austin colby plays rog mandel

ALASKA THUNDERFUCK’S DRAG: THE MUSICAL TO DEBUT ON STAGE

Following the thunderous arrival of a chart-topping soundtrack, select concerts and an appearance at LA PRIDE this year, DRAG: The Musical will finally be fully brought to life via a full-on production coming to The Bourbon Room in Hollywood. The show will run Friday, September 23 through Saturday, October 15.

The cast will boast a roster of drag icons, including Alaska, Jackie Cox, Jan Sport, Lagoona Bloo and Aria B. Cassadine, as well as theatre legends Nick Adams, Alysha Deslorieux and Peppermint, the lattermost being the first transgender woman to originate a principal role on Broadway in Head Over Heels.

“This musical we have been writing for the last six years is finally coming to life. It’s wild to see the seeds that we planted starting to bloom, and I’m so blown away by the level of artistry that the whole cast and team have brought to this,” Alaska said. “This musical speaks to a ton of issues that are really important today — gender identity; family, whether genetic or chosen, gentrification and a fucked economy, and most importantly . . . drag. I’m so excited to bring this story to life and share it with the world.”

“This is a once-in-a-career opportunity,” co-producer Matt Weaver said. “We are absolutely thrilled to be a part of this groundbreaking musical and debut it at The Bourbon Room.”

DRAG: The Musical will likely become a queer cult classic in the telling of a story of two rival drag bars that go head-to-head for survival amidst financial troubles. Though in the works for years, DRAG: The Musical first saw the light of day when the album dropped in May. It cracked the Top 10 of the iTunes Soundtrack Chart, debuted at No. 12 on Billboard’s Cast Albums charts, and earned coverage via Billboard, Entertainment Tonight, Entertainment Weekly, Playbill and more. The album was followed by several select concert performances in June and includes the No. 1 song “She’s All That,” which topped Pandora’s Musical Theater Charts for four weeks.

bourbonroomhollywood.com

Alfred Hitchcock meets Beach Blanket Bingo in this over-thetop dark comedy by New York playwright Charles Busch. The story focuses on Chicklet Forrest, a perky 16-year-old tomboy who’s desperate to be part of the in-crowd of Malibu beach surfers in 1962. She’s the typical American girl — except for one little problem: her personality is split into more slices than a pepperoni pizza. Among them is an elderly radio talk-show hostess, a male model named Steve, and the accounting firm of Edelman and Edelman. Her most dangerous alter ego is a sexually voracious vixen named Ann Bowman, who has nothing less than world domination on her mind. Join the “Party” at Palm Springs Desert Rose Playhouse. The show will play Wednesday, September 14 through Sunday, September 25. desertroseplayhouse.org

Before it became a hit comedy series on Netflix, Kim’s Convenience was a smash on stage. The play brought laughter to audiences, becoming the most successful new Canadian play of the last decade. Set in a familyrun Korean convenience store, Kim’s Convenience is a hilarious and heartwarming ode to generations of immigrants. Mr. Kim is a first-generation Korean immigrant and the proud owner of Kim’s Convenience for 30 years. Now he’s trying desperately — and hilariously — to grapple with a changing neighborhood landscape and the chasm between him and his second-generation offspring. It will be staged Wednesday, September 21 through Sunday, October 9 at Laguna Playhouse in Laguna Beach. lagunaplayhouse.com

Sanctuary City, by Pulitzer Prize winner Martyna Majokis, is the provocative, unforgettable story of two lifelong friends, their tenuous grip on living in America, and persevering through whatever comes their way with wit and grit. Profoundly human and undeniably universal, it begs the question: How much do we owe to one another? The play’s Los Angeles premiere will run Wednesday, September 14 through Sunday, October 9 at Pasadena Playhouse. The a new production is directed by queer, first-generation South Asian-American, culturally Muslim theater director Zi Alikahn, named one of Theatre Communications Group’s Rising Leaders of Color in 2021. The production will star Ana Nicolle Chavez (Apple TV+’s Truth Be Told) as G, and Miles Fowler (HBO’s Winning Time) as B. pasadenaplayhouse.org