Broadway in Bombay: The Von Trapps come to Mumbai’s Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre

Last month, when the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) opened with two art exhibitions and a performance of Feroz Abbas Khan’s rousing play The Great Indian Musical: Civilization to Nation, it seemed as if the country’s most grandiose cultural moment of this century was playing out. Fame — from Bollywood, Hollywood and everywhere in between — graced the opening few days’ red carpets. Shah Rukh Khan danced to Jhoome jo Pathaan under unprecedented razzle-dazzle; supermodel Gigi Hadid got a taste of Indian hospitality in a temple-inspired Abu Jani-Sandeep Khosla ensemble; the fashion quotient on the red carpet was nifty, everybody who walked tried looking like a million. We would know because the social media scroll of any culture nut that week had interminable reels of scenes from the NMACC red carpet.

This kind of spotlight on a cultural space or vision — of its founder and chairperson Nita Ambani, and executed by a team that includes stage technology experts, among other specialists — is so rare in India that it was a thing of hope and empowerment for artists and performers who never get as much attention, love and support like Bollywood’s charmed aristocracy does.

The Grand Theatre, Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, Mumbai.

NMACC’s performance spaces clearly steal the show. The Grand Theatre, built to host the biggest Indian and international theatricals, is the most technologically-advanced theatre in India. Its state-of-the-art facilities include Dolby Atmos Surround Sound System and Virtual Acoustic Systems and an ingenious seating arrangement featuring specially elevated rakes for sweeping views of the action on stage.

All 2,000 of its seats are made by the makers of Ferrari’s seats, and the theatre’s ceiling is studded with over 8,400 Swarovski crystals. These crystals can light up and even sync to the music on stage.

The 250-seater Studio Theatre is more intimate, designed to showcase immersive performances by both veterans and emerging talent. This is a space experienced rather differently by both performers and their audience, as its telescopic seating system can transform, depending on the performance.

The third space, The Cube, has a moveable stage besides moveable seating, and can adapt to artistic innovations, the spoken word and music gigs. Its versatile design features a Panasonic Laser projection system and an assisted listening system with infrared emitters.

The Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre representative, during my tour, said of the micro-perforated walls of the performing spaces, “The tiny pores are instrumental in producing the perfect sound. There’s a guy in Greece who is the world’s best-known expert of this technology. We sourced from him.”

The Grand Theatre, NMACC, Mumbai

The technology is NMACC’s signature flourish. The Great Indian Musical: Civilization to Nation, which opened The Grand Theatre, grand in scale, and hearteningly a robust ode to the syncretism of India. From the reciting of the Bhagavad Gita in Amitabh Bachchan’s voice, it moves to Buddhism, the Mughal empire and the Taj Mahal, Sikhism, Sufism, British rule, Independence, and speeches by Jawaharlal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the musical was extravagantly mounted. Ironically, that same week, the NCERT was under fire for modifying chapters on Mughal history in its school textbooks.

How Indian artists can showcase their work in the art gallery spread over three floors or performers can showcase the auditoriums at the NMACC — whether it is by invite or for hire — one will have to wait and watch. But Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah, Shabana Azmi, Anupam Kher, Pratik Gandhi, musicians Kamakshi & Mali, Sarang Kulkarni, poet-writer-theatre actor Sapan Saran, The Dharavi Dream Project, Mahesh Raghvan, and dancers Nandini Shankar and Harinie Jeevitha have already performed here. An NMACC representative says, “Residency programmes for emerging artistes where they share learning space with maestros and experts in their respective artistic fields in the works. The Centre’s community- nurturing initiatives also include inter-school and inter-college competitions for art, music, dance.”

Jill-Christine Wiley with the children in the play 'The Sound of Music', which is travelling to NMACC, Mumbai.

The Centre’s next big feat is getting the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, Rodger & Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music directed by Jack O’Brien, to run at The Grand Theatre from May 3 onwards (See below for an exclusive interview with its lead actors, Jill-Christine Wiley as Maria and Trevor Martin as Captain von Trapp). NMACC founder-chairman Nita Ambani says, “It is our vision to showcase the best of India to the world and bring the best of the world to India! After the stupendous success of The Great Indian Musical: Civilization to Nation, we are thrilled to present one of the most celebrated international musicals of all time The Sound of Music for the very first time in India. We can’t wait for our people to experience this iconic Broadway musical in their own country and make memories with their family and friends!” Tickets, available on nmacc.com and BookMyShow.com, starts at Rs 1,100 for gallery seats and goes up to Rs 42,500 for one of the 18 diamond boxes which connects to a luxury lounge with personalised service. The entry fee for the centre, which allows access to the art galleries and the futuristically designed structure with numerous mammoth-sized, commissioned art across every level and restaurants, including Indian Accent, is Rs 199.

A space like the NMACC takes the cultural conversation beyond the mass versus elite or aesthete versus philistine binaries. It shocks you, impresses you and leaves you curious: Can the NMACC really change how India, and who in India, consumes “art and culture” and change the conversation around support for emerging talent? When you are there, at the heart of its pomp and beauty, taken in by its opulent vibe, it’s difficult to imagine how. But going by what it has already showcased in just a month, the arts in India have new hope.

Balcony view: The Sound of Music

‘Rodgers-Hammerstein’s music still is the shining focus of this production,’ says actor Trevor Martin

Trevor Martin with the children in the play The Sound of Music

The original Broadway production of The Sound of Music opened in 1959, and it and won five Tony Awards. There have been numerous productions and revivals since then. The 1965 cinema version, starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, is a classic known to the world. With music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, it is based on the 1949 memoir of Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers.

This production has travelled worldwide and is in India for the first time. Jill-Christine Wiley, who plays Maria, is a Lancaster, Penn theatre actor known for her lead performances in Disney musicals such as Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid. Trevor Martin, also a New York-based actor, has performed a variety of lead musical theatre and operetta roles, including Sweeney Todd, Beauty and the Beast, Guys & Dolls, White Christmas and West Side Story.

In an interview, both actors talk about the challenges of performing such a widely popular story and their first India gig. Edited excerpts:

What are some of the challenges of doing a story that has won audiences through movies and various productions over the years?

Jill-Christine Wiley: I try not to look at it as a challenge but rather as an exciting opportunity to dive deeper into the text and musical orchestrations. As Maria, a role that has been most notably portrayed by Julie Andrews in film, it was of utmost importance to me to not try to replicate her performance and to find my interpretation of Maria that I could share with our audiences. Each night, while standing in the wings, I remind myself to keep her as grounded and human as I possibly can, to enjoy the journey, and to never stop playing. For me, Maria is constantly discovering and growing.

Trevor Martin: It is obviously difficult to perform such a popular show, in which most folks have a pre-conceived notion of how the story and the characters are to be portrayed. But I think we have built a production that stands alone in its vitality and poignancy. Of course, I am aware of all the brilliant performances of Captain von Trapp that have occurred before me — whether it is Christopher Plummer in the film, or Theodore Bikel from the original Broadway cast. That being said, this character is based on a real person who went through these experiences himself, and that gravity is what keeps me grounded in reality every night. As long as I am doing that story justice and telling it honestly in that moment, I don’t ever think of the versions that have come before. The importance of telling this story right now, in this particular world, is never lost on me. These themes of family, love, faith, courage to stand up for what you believe in, and most of all the power of music are timeless.

What can we expect to be the highlight or singularity of this production?

JCW: There is nothing like watching children light up the stage, from their smiles to their ability to play and bring their characters to life in each performance. We tour with eight incredibly talented, hard-working, and so very kind young performers who complete our Von Trapp Family. Being that I share so much of my time on stage with each of them, I feel that they are a true standout highlight of this production. There is no better masterclass in acting than witnessing the genuine smiles of these children on stage. It’s pure magic.

TM: At the end of the day, the music of Rodgers-Hammerstein still is the shining focus of this production. Whether it be our incredible female ensemble of nuns singing acapella Latin chant, or our leading lady Jill-Christine Wiley’s gorgeous interpretation of Maria, or the powerhouse Lauren Kidwell who brings down the house every night singing Climb Every Mountain.

Tell us a bit about the sets, are they elaborate? And does that make it difficult to travel with them? 

TM: The sets look absolutely fabulous. They are built to be able to transport easily, and so I was completely shocked to see just how stunning they looked from the audience’s perspective. The opulence of the Captain’s house, the grandness of Nonnberg Abbey; all stand out as almost their own character in the story and help drop the audience into these new areas with ease and directness. Our crew does a stellar job of making sure that our set is recreated exactly the same way from theatre to theatre, and we are so grateful for all of their hard work.

Since the first time you made the production, have there been any changes to the cast or script or music? 

JCW: Our Sound of Music family is quite a large one and while some faces have come and gone and new company members have joined us along the way, the story and the production itself have remained a constant for us all. I first joined the show while touring in the US for two years and have since portrayed the role of Maria well over 500 times. When we got the opportunity to bring our production here, to audiences throughout Asia, I was over the moon!

TM: Ever since the original production put on by Jack O’Brien, there haven’t been any changes to the script or music. However, Jack did make some very useful and poignant edits from the original Broadway script that have really helped streamline the story. Additionally, Andy Einhorn, the original music director, has written some stunning new underscoring and transitional music that really gives the production a sense of momentum, even in between scenes. But don’t worry, all your favourite songs and moments from the show are still there!

Have you ever visited India with any of your productions and what are you looking forward to here?

JCW: I am very much looking forward to experiencing the culture, cuisine, all the colours and sights that India has to offer. This will be my first time not only performing in India but also visiting and experiencing Mumbai. I am elated to be bringing our show to this brand new, gorgeous performing arts venue.

TM: I have never been to India, and I am so excited to bring this show to this beautiful country. I am honoured to be a part of the first production of The Sound of Music in India, and in particular to open at this beautiful new theatre for arts and culture. I am beyond elated to immerse myself in your culture, get to know the people, see the sights, and, most importantly, eat all the food!

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