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PHOTO EDITORS: Photos of the The Old Globe and Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical can be found here.
SAN DIEGO, CA (October 22, 2021) — A global announcement was made today that The Old Globe will present the World Premiere of Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical, produced on Broadway by Yash Raj Films, the biggest film studio in India.The studio will adapt its most popular film, DILWALE DULHANIA LE JAYENGE (DDLJ as it is called throughout India) for the Broadway stage. Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical will debut in San Diego from September 1 to October 16, 2022, with the official opening on Wednesday, September 14. The limited engagement will play on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Conrad Prebys Theatre Center.
The film DDLJ premiered in 1995 and is the longest running film in Indian cinema history, which is still running in theatres.
Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical is the story of Simran, a young Indian-American woman whose future is set: an arranged marriage back in India to a family friend. But when she convinces her very strict dad that she should spend a summer of freedom and fun in Europe, she falls for the charming Rog, and her careful, logical plans go out the window. Can she be true to both her heritage and her heart? Can carefree American Rog win over her traditional father? Take a whirlwind trip from Boston to Europe to India as cultures collide in the stage musical adaptation of the beloved hit romantic comedy film Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.
The family owned Yash Raj Films is the largest film studio in India and has produced some of the biggest blockbusters of Indian Cinema. Headed by Aditya Chopra, he returns to directing for the 50th anniversary of the studio. DDLJ was Chopra’s directorial debut, the historic romantic film is one of the highest grossing movies in the history of India’s rich and diverse movie industry.
The creative team will bring together Indian and US based artists. Based on an original story by Chopra, the musical will feature book and lyrics by Nell Benjamin (Legally Blonde, Mean Girls), top Indian songwriters Vishal Dadlani & Sheykhar Ravjiani will serve as composers. Tony and Emmy winner Rob Ashford (Frozen, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Boys from Syracuse) will choreograph with associate choreographer Shruti Merchant. The design team will also include set design by Emmy and Tony Award winner Derek McLane (Moulin Rouge!, Hairspray Live!, 33 Variations) and music supervision by Bill Sherman.
Adam Zotovich serves as Executive Producer.
The Old Globe's ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion will be evident in programming that reflects the vast chorus of voices echoing through communities all around San Diego. With productions such as Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical, the theatre continues to present even more of what San Diego audiences have come to know and love about it - great theatre made by great artists, that entertains, enlightens, and reminds us why this artform truly matters.
“The Old Globe is beyond delighted to bring ‘Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical’ to our stage. To collaborate with the brilliant director Aditya Chopra as he makes his stage debut is a real honor for all of us at the Globe,” said Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein. “And it’s a special privilege to bring India’s most popular movie to vivid theatrical life in San Diego, as we build on the Globe’s storied legacy of premiering exciting and important new musical theatre.”
A global casting search begins shortly headed by Duncan Stewart of Stewart/Whitley casting and Yash Raj Films casting head Shanoo Sharma.
Information on Broadway dates, casting and additional creative team members will be announced at a later date.
Tickets for The Old Globe’s 2022 Season including Come Fall in Love – The DDLJ Musical are currently available by subscription. Four-play subscription packages start at $140. For more information or to purchase a subscription, visit www.TheOldGlobe.org or call at (619) 23-GLOBE (234-5623).
The Old Globe continues to prioritize the safety of its audiences, artists and staff. All patrons who attend an event or performance at the Globe will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and present proof of vaccination, or provide proof of negative results of a COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of entering the theatre. Additional details are available here.
Financial support for The Old Globe is provided by The City of San Diego.
The Theodor and Audrey Geisel Fund provides leadership support for The Old Globe’s year-round activities.
BIOGRAPHIES
ADITYA CHOPRA (Director)is the biggest film-maker of India. At just 23 years of age, he directed Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ), one of the biggest blockbusters in the history of Indian cinema which is still running in theatres, 26 years since its release. He is also the first Indian director who delivered a hat-trick of blockbusters with his first three directorials DDLJ, Mohabbatein and Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. Aditya’s vision for cinema in India has shaped and reshaped pop-culture as he directed and produced some of the biggest cult classics that the country has ever witnessed. His vision and trend-setting excellence over the years has elevated Yash Raj Films (YRF) to become one of the most reputed and iconic brands in India today. Aditya Chopra became an avid film buff from his early childhood. And while his schooling in film started with viewing films, his college and university were his father, the legendary Indian film-maker Yash Chopra's home productions. At the age of 18, Aditya’s own film career kicked off. He started working as an assistant to his father in some of the iconic classics like CHANDNI (1989), LAMHE (1991) and DARR (1993).His directorial debut, DDLJ is still running theatrically for more than 1000 weeks after it was originally released on 20th October 1995. His singular touch was evident in every frame of the movie; and its freshness, wit, romance and chemistry between the lead pair –and the unique marriage of a hip modern sensibility married to a belief in Indian traditions won every heart over. DDLJ was truly an Aditya Chopra product in every sense. He was responsible for the story, screenplay and dialogue in addition to direction. He won every conceivable award for this film, including 10 Filmfare awards, India’s equivalent to the biggest global awards. The master-storyteller, Aditya Chopra, is unanimously regarded as a visionary and a cinematic trendsetter. As a director, he is synonymous with the ‘idea of romance’ among Indians globally. As a producer, he is known for exploring genre-shifting trends and has redefined entertainment across generations. He also holds the record for producing the maximum number of films in Hindi language. He is the first Indian film producer to move towards a film studio model through independent projects helmed by producers, writers and directors under the YRF banner. He is also the biggest star-maker who has launched numerous generation-defining youth icons of India through his films. As Chairman and Managing Director of YRF, Aditya Chopra is the driving force behind creativity at YRF Studios. He oversees the development of YRF’s business strategy and implementation of the company vision. Apart from emerging as one of the most successful movie moguls of Indian cinema, Aditya Chopra today has emerged as the most sought-after equitable brand in Indian entertainment.
NELL BENJAMIN (Book & Lyrics).Wrote the lyrics to the Tony-nominated Mean Girls: The Musical and co-wrote the score to Legally Blonde: the Musical, (Olivier Award, Tony nomination).with Laurence O’Keefe. She has written book and/or lyrics for Dave The Musical, Because of Winn Dixie; Cam Jansen (Drama Desk Nomination); Half Time; Pirates! (or Gilbert and Sullivan plunder’d), Sarah, Plain and Tall; The Mice (from 3hree); I Want My Hat Back, How I Became A Pirate, The New York Philharmonic New Year’s Eve celebration and Young People’s concerts. Her play, The Explorers Club won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Play, a Drama Desk nomination, an Edgerton Foundation New American Plays Award, and an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation grant. For Television, she has worked on “Unhappily Ever After;” “Whoa! Sunday with Mo Rocca;” “The Electric Company;” “Best Time Ever With Neil Patrick Harris;” “Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway;” “Julie’s Greenroom.” Nell is working on an original musical movie for Universal and three new animated films for Netflix. She is a proud recipient of the Jonathan Larson award and Kleban Foundation grant, and a member of ASCAP and The Dramatists Guild.
Vishal Dadlani & Sheykhar Ravjiani (popularly called Vishal & Sheykhar in India) are one of the biggest Bollywood music directors today. With a career spanning two decades, they are one of the most prominent names in Indian film and music industry, having delivered some of the biggest musical hits. This multi-faceted musical composers are not only adored as composers, but also as singers, songwriters, music producers and live performers. It was the soundtrack for the 2003 film Jhankaar Beats which brought them instant major-league recognition. Vishal & Shekhar haven't looked back ever since as they have delivered some of the most streamed songs in the history of Indian music. With Yash Raj Films (YRF) and Aditya Chopra, their journey began in 2004, after they registered massive successes with film soundtracks like Musafir, Bluffmaster and Dus. Their first YRF film Salaam Namaste was a musical phenomenon in India and among Indians globally. Vishal & Shekhar have gone on to compose songs for several YRF Films like Ta Ra Rum Pum, Tashan, , Bachna Ae Haseeno, Sultan, Befikre, Fan, Tiger Zinda Hai and WAR. The music for all of these films had ground-breaking success and set several records worldwide. ‘Nashe Si Chad Gayi’ from the film Befikre was the first Indian song to cross 300 million views and currently has more than 600 million views on YouTube! Vishal & Shekhar also composed a mega chartbuster for the film Fan starring global icon Shah Rukh Khan. The song ‘Jabra Fan’ became an anthem in 11 languages. For Tiger Zinda Hai, the song ‘Swag Se Swagat’ became a dance floor anthem and the fastest song in the world to hit 100 million views and clocked up to 650 million views on YouTube in its first year! While the song ‘Dil Diyan Gallan’ from the same movie has remained the perfect love song for millions of fans. Their most recent compositions ‘Ghungroo’ and ‘Jai Jai Shivshankar’ from WAR have both crossed over 300 million and still counting! Vishal & Shekhar are the superstars of the Indian music industry. They have composed trend-setting and blockbuster music for films like Taxi No. 9211, Golmaal, Honeymoon Travels Pvt. Ltd., Cash, Om Shanti Om, Dostana, Anjaana Anjaani, I Hate Luv Storys, The Dirty Picture, Kahaani, Shanghai, Student of the Year, Chennai Express, Happy New Year, Bang Bang!, to name a few. In 2011, Vishal & Shekhar did the much talked about international collaboration with American popstar Akon for the track ‘Chammak Challo’ in the Shah Rukh Khan starrer Ra.One. This was another definitive moment for Indian Film Music as a reigning global pop megastar was brought to India and introduced to the colossal Indian Film and Music audience, in Hindi, through a Vishal & Shekhar composition that is still a staple on every Indian dance floor, and several International ones. Vishal & Shekhar have been nominated for and won almost every Indian music award, and have been judges on almost every Music Reality TV show, like Indian Idol and The Voice, which are official Indian spinoffs of international hit reality shows. Their unique brand of music has had a huge and lasting influence on Indian popular music and thus, Vishal & Shekhar have been rightfully called the architects of the modern sound of Bollywood.
AKSHAYE WIDHANI, Senior Vice President of Yash Raj Films: Akshaye Widhani oversees and manages business affairs for all businesses at YRF. A banker who saw real value and potential for maximum revenue from quality entertainment, Akshaye joined YRF as a studio manager in charge of setting up operations of YRF Studios in 2005, 16 years ago. During his tenure, he has been instrumental for optimization of value from diversified businesses within the company. Ever since, he has built cross-functional media experience in corporate finance, strategy and operations, overseeing matters related to finance, legal and strategy in business businesses. In a recent endeavour at the studios, Akshaye played a key role in launching the company’s own in-house Visual Effects facility – yFX. Presently, Akshaye is Group Business Head and is responsible for management and handling of corporate and business development activities inclusive of finance, TV licensing, global business extensions, such as YRF Entertainment, strategic alliances, joint ventures related to the company’s content properties and studio facilities. A graduate from Kelly School of Business, Indiana University with a degree in Finance and Entrepreneurship; Akshaye Widhani continues to focus on business development and asset maximization for YRF’s entertainment properties.
ROB ASHFORD (Choreographer) is a Tony Award, Olivier Award, Emmy Award, Drama Desk Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award winning director and choreographer. Broadway theatre credits include Frozen on Broadway, Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, Evita (Tony Nom.), How To Succeed (Tony Noms. Direction and Choreography), Promises, Promises (Tony Nom.), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Tony Award for Best Choreography), Shrek, John Water's Cry Baby (Tony Nom., Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Fred Astaire Awards), Curtains (Tony Nom.) and Wedding Singer (Tony Nom.). Other credits include The Entertainer (Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company), Romeo and Juliet (Kenneth Branagh), The Winter’s Tale (Kenneth Branagh; Olivier Nom. Best Direction), Harlequinade (Kenneth Branagh), Macbeth (Park Avenue Armory, New York / Manchester International Festival), the Olivier Award winning productions of Anna Christie, A Streetcar Named Desire (Olivier Nom. for Best Revival), and Parade (all Donmar Warehouse, Olivier Noms. Direction & Choreography). Rob directed and choreographed Peter Pan Live! and The Sound of Music Live! for NBC (DGA Noms. for both), and directed The Barber of Seville and Carousel (Lyric Opera Chicago). He choreographed and staged the 2015 Academy Awards with Neil Patrick Harris, the 2014 Academy Awards with Ellen DeGeneres, and the 2013 Academy Awards with Seth MacFarlane. Rob won the Emmy for Best Choreography for his work on Baz Luhrmann's 2009 Academy Awards production number featuring Hugh Jackman and Beyoncé. Rob has also choreographed the opening number for The Tony Awards for 9 years which includes hosts Neil Patrick Harris (4), Sean Hayes, Kevin Spacey, Josh Groban and Sara Bareilles, and James Corden (2). He has staged tributes at the Kennedy Center Honors for Barbra Streisand, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Jerry Herman, Barbara Cook, Tom Hanks, Shirley MacLaine and Meryl Streep. Films include choreography for Death On The Nile, Disney’s Cinderella, Ted 2, A Million Ways To Die In The West, and Beyond The Sea. He was Kenneth Branagh’s Associate Director for Murder On The Orient Express. Upcoming...he will direct Glenn Close in the highly anticipated musical remake of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard.
SHRUTI MERCHANT (Associate Choreographer) comes from a family of choreographers, dancers and filmmakers. Her grandfather, Late B. Hiralal was a renowned film choreographer and was one of the founding fathers of classic Bollywood cinema songs. She is trained in Indian classical dance, Kathak and Bharatnatyam. Her professional choreography career began at an early age assisting her sister Vaibhavi Merchant in more than 50 films and made her debut as a Choreographer in Bollywood films with ‘Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl’ and won several nominations and awards. Prior to directing Taj Express, she toured with travelling musicals for over 9 years as an Associate Choreographer. She has performed in USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain and Netherlands to name a few. It was during this time that she experienced the global theatre scene first-hand. Touring Internationally she has gained experience and knowledge in the field of Choreography, Direction and Production of stage shows. In January 2011, Shruti started "QUINTESSENCE ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTIONS" with the aim to bring commercial theatre into the Indian Entertainment Market. With Taj Express she has created a ground- breaking song, dance and drama extravaganza that has been entertaining and enthralling audiences of all ages, world-over. During this tenure she has worked closely with promoters and venues such as Mr. Harvey Goldsmith, Sadlers Wells, Columbia Artists, Live Nation, Base Entertainment and many more. Taj Express has completed 500 shows worldwide and is slotted for a North America tour in early 2023.
DEREK McLANE (Scenic Design). Designed for more than 300 shows. His 43 Broadway designs include Moulin Rouge!, American Son,Parisian Woman, Beautiful, Follies, Anything Goes, How to Succeed in Business, Bengal Tiger…, Million Dollar Quartet, Ragtime, 33 Variations (Tony Award), Little Women, The Pajama Game, I Am My Own Wife, The Women. Off-Broadway: The True, Ruined, Lie of the Mind, Hurlyburly, Abigail’s Party. He designed Academy Awards 6 times as well as 4 live musicals for television. Winner of multiple Obie, Lucille Lortel, Art Director’s Guild, Emmy Awards, Drama Desk Awards and the Tony Award.
Bill Sherman (Music Supervisor) is a Tony, Grammy, and Emmy Award-winning music director, producer, and composer best known for his work on "In The Heights'', “Sesame Street, "Hamilton'', and “Donkey Hodie.” He is the music supervisor for "&Juliet", a musical featuring the music of Max Martin in the West End. Most recently, he served as executive music producer for the film adaptation of “In The Heights” and “tick, tick….Boom!”
ADAM ZOTOVICH (Executive Producer)is a producer unlike any other on Broadway, performing in and producing Tony Award winning shows at the same time. He has produced dozens of plays, musicals, tours and international productions such as The Color Purple, Dear Evan Hansen, Driving Miss Daisy, An American in Paris, Of Mice and Men and scores more. He has performed with and produced a dazzling necklace of stars from the theater, music industry and Hollywood such as Cynthia Erivo, Ben Platt, Angela Lansbury, Vanessa Redgrave, James Earl Jones, Scarlett Johanssen, Liev Schreiber, Ricky Martin, James Franco, Adam Driver and more. He is active in Broadway finance, investing in all companies of Hamilton, and is the recipient of 2 Tonys Awards and 2 Olivier Awards. Upcoming stage projects include an untitled original musical about infamous Italian slow-poisoner Giulia Tofana with music and lyrics by Jennifer Nettles, Richard Rodgers Award winning Maybe Happy Ending by Will Aronson and Hue Park as well as planned revivals of Steel Magnolias by Robert Harling and Alfred Uhry's The Last Night of Ballyhoo. Adam also has a first look deal with A and E Studios and is actively developing both scripted and unscripted television content.
YASH RAJ FILMS (YRF). Films. Music. Artistes. At our core, we’re storytellers. From making high-budget blockbusters to youth-oriented films, from working with the biggest actors of the industry to launching young talent in films, from being the distribution house with the strongest global foothold to pioneering new formats of distribution and exploring newer territories, from launching compelling story-telling forms to the numerous digitally led innovations, Yash Raj Films (YRF) has maintained its flagship position across all businesses since its genesis. YRF was founded by the Late Yash Chopra, a veteran of the Indian film industry, in 1970. It’s the only privately held and fully integrated studio in India producing and having produced over 80 films. YRF is now a 50-year-strong production house and a vertically integrated studio in every sense, controlling almost every part of the value chain from production to post production, domestic & international distribution, music & home entertainment, marketing, design, digital, licensing, merchandising, talent management, brand partnerships, music studios and film studios –all in-house facilities, which make it one of the most coveted entertainment conglomerates in the country. YRF has its own state-of-the-art fully integrated studio that houses shooting stages, sound studios and is headquartered at one of Mumbai's prime properties where the heart of the entertainment business beats. Over the last five decades, YRF’s catalogue of films could be easily India's most enviable film catalogue in the entertainment business. YRF’s top grossers have already placed the company in the big league of producers worldwide, making it one of the largest film-making entities in the nation. YRF has been one of the key makers of modern cinema and has heralded cinematic trends since its inception -the way films are made, the way films are marketed and the way films are consumed.
THE OLD GLOBE. The Tony Award–winning The Old Globe is one of the country’s leading professional not-for-profit regional theatres. Now in its 87th year, the Globe is San Diego’s flagship performing arts institution, and it serves a vibrant community with theatre as a public good. Under the leadership of Erna Finci Viterbi Artistic Director Barry Edelstein and the Audrey S. Geisel Managing Director Timothy J. Shields, The Old Globe produces a year-round season of 16 productions of classic, contemporary, and new works on its three Balboa Park stages, including its internationally renowned Shakespeare Festival. More than 250,000 people annually attend Globe productions and participate in the theatre’s artistic and arts engagement programs. Its nationally prominent Arts Engagement Department provides an array of participatory programs that make theatre matter to more people in neighborhoods throughout the region. Humanities programs at the Globe and around the city broaden the community’s understanding of theatre art in all its forms. The Globe also boasts a range of new play development programs with professional and community-based writers, as well as the renowned The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program. Numerous world premieres—such as 2014 Tony Award winner for Best Musical A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Bright Star, The Full Monty, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! — have been developed at The Old Globe and have gone on to highly successful runs on Broadway and at regional theatres across the country.
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