Birmingham Repertory Theatre, also known as Birmingham Rep, recently announced the UK premiere of ‘Bhangra Nation – A New Musical’, a pulsating new show about competitive Bhangra dancing.
When Mary and Preeti’s Bhangra team qualifies for nationals, they set off on opposing quests to dance to their own beat. Drawing from competitive Bhangra and mixing it with other Indian and Western dance forms, ‘Bhangra Nation – A New Musical’ is a bold, intoxicating and joyous musical comedy for today, think the organisers of the musical.
The Tony award-winning producers Mara Isaacs and Tom Kirdahy will produce the musical.
Commenting on the musical, Isaacs and Kirdahy said: “Bhangra Nation – A New Musical is a joyful, exuberant celebration of Bhangra and a deeply felt exploration of identity and community among young people finding their own way forward in the world. We can’t imagine a better home to help launch Bhangra Nation than in Birmingham!”
With a book by Mike Lew and Rihanna Lew Mirza, music and lyrics by Sam Willmott, direction by Stafford Arima and choreography by Rujuta Vaidya, this ambitious and exhilarating new musical will be built and rehearsed at The Rep.
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The Rep’s double Olivier Award-winning artistic director Sean Foley said: “To be partnering with Bhangra Nation’s world-class creative team and co-producing this new musical with Mara Isaacs and Tom Kirdahy in the City that is the home of modern Bhangra is a thrill for everyone at The Rep.”
First seen at La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego in 2022 under the title ‘Bhangin’ It’, the reworked musical comedy ‘Bhangra Nation – A Musical’ will run in The House from 1 February to 9 March 2024.
Alongside the musical, the Rep has also announced that Birmingham Rep is honouring the memory of comedy legend Victoria Wood by creating the first-ever major playwriting prize dedicated to the art of comedy in partnership with the Victoria Wood Foundation.
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The winner of the Victoria Wood Playwriting Prize For Comedy announced on what would have been the star’s 70th birthday, will receive £25,000 (£10,000 of which will be the play commission). Submissions will be accepted from September this year, with the winner announced next spring.
*Info: Bhangra Nation – A Musical
