[StraitesTimes]S'pore musicals get for leap to world stage
(fc worldtour樓梯又響了,計劃巡迴個幾年...這次是玩真的?)
Sep 18, 2006
by Marcel Lee Pereira
MADE-IN-SINGAPORE productions could be heading for Broadway and the West End
under a new initiative by the Singapore Repertory Theatre (SRT).The local
theatre company has roped in four former members of the highly successful
Cirque du Soleil circus show to help take its productions to the world stage.
Their first task will be to fine-tune SRT’s musical, Forbidden City, and
prepare it for an opening in London’s West End in 2008 - the first stop on
its world tour.
The team will also scour the world to bring overseas productions here.
To achieve this, non-profit SRT has set up a commercial arm - SRT
International Productions. The four ex-Cirque members will serve as its
consultants.
They are: Mr Jean David, former marketing vice-president at Cirque; Mr Danny
Pelchat, a former Cirque managing director in Europe; Mr Andrew Watson, who
was one of Cirque’s creative directors; and graphic designer Therese Mondor,
who was in charge of the visual branding of Cirque shows such as Quidam, O,
and Mystere.
They were brought together by SRT’s production consultant Helene Larivee,
formerly Cirque’s Asia-Pacific managing director, who joined SRT two years
ago.
The Dick Lee musical Forbidden City, set in ancient China, tells the story of
Empress Dowager Cixi, and explores the numerous myths surrounding her reign.
The team would not say how they would improve the show, but Mr Watson said he
found it ‘extremely inspirational’.
‘There’s room in the world for Asian culture,’ added Mr David. ‘Singapore
has the capacity and the openness to look at all of those cultures, see the
best of it, and bring it to the world.’
They are now out to raise the US$8 million (S$12.7 million) needed to stage
the musical in London for six weeks. SRT executive director Charlotte Nors
disclosed that the company is in talks with the Economic Development Board
and the Singapore Tourism Board.
Ms Nors aims to recoup the US$8 million investment in five years, by holding
200 performances a year at 1,500- to 2,000-seat venues around the world.
Forbidden City will be the first local commercial musical to embark on a
world tour, said SRT’s artistic director, Mr Gaurav Kripalani. Many
productions have gone overseas, but those were primarily one-city stops, or
as part of arts festivals, he added.
Forbidden City, however, could tour for years, and this would mean steady
jobs for those in the industry, including technicians, costume makers,
singers, dancers and musicians.
Exporting local productions could be a multi-million dollar business, added
Mr David.
‘When we created Cirque in 1984, circus shows from Canada almost didn’t
exist. Now it’s worth almost C$750 million (S$1.07 billion) in annual
turnover.’
Players from the local arts industry backed the move.
Mr Robert Liew, director of arts presenter Arts Management Associates, said
Broadway and West End seem to be ‘crying out for a new product, so now’s
the time to go for it’.
Forbidden City is now playing at the Esplanade until Sept 30.
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