By Andrew Gans
29 Nov 2005

Bombay Dreams, the Andrew Lloyd Webber-produced musical that first played London and later Broadway, will play a limited engagement in Toronto in 2006.

A recent casting notice reveals that the Bollywood-themed musical will play Toronto's Hummingbird Centre for the Performing Arts in summer 2006. Produced by Nick Manos and Atlanta's Theater of the Stars, the engagement is just one stop on the forthcoming North American tour. No other details have been announced.

The musical — featuring a score by A R Rahman and Don Black and a book by Meera Syal and Thomas Meehan — was based on an idea by Shekhar Kapur and Lloyd Webber, who co-produced the London mounting. The New York production at the Broadway Theatre played 31 previews and 284 regular performances before closing Jan. 1, 2005.

Bombay Dreams tells the story of Akaash, a brash young slum dweller who dreams of becoming a Bollywood movie star and meeting his idol, the voluptuous screen siren Rani. And wouldn't you know it, his dreams come true—but not without some personal costs and a good dousing in an on-stage dancing fountain.

The production mirrors many a Bollywood musical in its lavish and plentiful production numbers, which find a good portion of the grinning Bombay population joyously dancing in unison to a propulsive beat. The show's centerpiece is perhaps the disco-ish "Shakalaka Baby," in which Rani and Akaash dance in and around a growing fountain.

The musical was directed by Steven Pimlott and choreographed by Anthony Van Laast and Farah Khan. The show, which brought East Indian-flavored music and dance to the West End and later to Broadway, had its world premiere at London's Apollo Victoria Theatre on June 19, 2002.

Song titles include "Salaa'm Bombay," "Bollywood," "Love's Never Easy," "Lovely, Lovely Ladies," "Bhangra," "Shakalaka Baby," "I Could Live Here," "Is This Love?," "Famous," "Chaiyya Chaiyya," "How Many Stars?," "Hero," "Ganesh Procession," "The Journey Home" and "Wedding Qawali."