The CAUSE Foundation, Bengaluru, is a non-profit organization that is “committed to promoting local talent with profits donated to local charities (orphanages, destitute homes, animal welfare organizations and sustainable environmental ventures),” says Leila Alvares, Founder/President of the Foundation.
Leila is back in Bengaluru from her getaway in Coorg, to present the annual musical production. This time it is Monty Python’s Spamalot. “This entertaining story of King Arthur and the Lady of the Lake and the search for the Holy Grail will delight audience.”
A theatre enthusiast, Leila has brought musical productions to Bengaluru in the past including The Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof, My Fair Lady, Grease, The Addams Family and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Monty Python’s Spamalot, Leila says, was staged 13 years ago by CAUSE. “I felt it was time to stage it again. The music is great and it has been one of my better productions after Fiddler on the roof and Something Rotten. It is also one of my favourite plays, the cast has changed, there are new people in Bengaluru who would not have seen the play.”
Blessed with finding good actors, Leila says, in comedy half the battle is won with the right cast. “If the actor has great comic timing, it becomes easier to work with them. I always look for a person who looks and behaves like their stage characters in real life and so does not have to act on stage.”
Normally reaching out to the pool of people she already knows, Leila says, only when this fails do they audition. “The challenge with auditions is you do not know the person well, but only what they present to you. This has failed on stage at times and I try and avoid repeating the mistakes I made during auditions.”
Leila runs a homestay in Coorg and comes to Bengaluru for three months every year to work on her musicals. “I often get asked if we have a theatre school. No, we don’t, but work with people who are already actors and fine tune the performances.”
The challenges Leila faces are non theatrical. “Rains and traffic woes, which are outside my control bother me. Finances and finding willing sponsors is difficult, but our shows do well. The Bengaluru shows cover a lot of our expenses, while the ones in Goa and Mysuru strain our pockets.”
This year, Leila has introduced a digital brochure. “People have to scan a QR code and download the brochure for free. Paper is precious and people generally throw away the brochures.”
During the rehearsals, Leila met with an accident that left her with a black eye, swollen face, and a fractured elbow. “I missed losing my eye when I hit my temple on the edge of the stairs. The only thing running through my mind as I lay on the floor was that the show must go on. Arvind Kasturi, a member of CAUSE, is a doctor, and immediately took me to the hospital and the team continued rehearsing.” Arvind and Leila are the only ones active from the original team. “Three sadly passed away and one left the board, however he is still an active donor.”
At all shows, Leila greets people before and after the show. “I hope they will not ask what has happened to me or wonder why a woman with a black eye is waving at them at the entrance!”
Monty Python’s Spamalot, says Leila, will feature some of Bengaluru’s finest new and old singing, acting, dancing and musical talent including Arvind, Deepa Jacob, Kieren Alvares Lynn, Rahael Thomas and Prem Koshy. “As always, we will also have a live band, directed by Aashish Paul and assisted by Sabarisha R”.
The dances are choreographed/directed by Elexer Fernandes, Kieren Alvares Lynn and Keira Alvares Ganapathy.
Monty Python’s Spamalot, will be staged at Chowdiah Memorial Hall, on September 6 and 8 (7.30pm on both days and 11.15am on Sunday). Tickets, ₹ 800, ₹600, ₹400, ₹200, available on BookMyShow or call 988441 69903.
Published – September 05, 2024 10:39 am IST
