‘Propping up’ The Sound of Music
A grand setting for a grand show. Pix by Indika Handuwala
The much awaited production of The Sound of Music hits the Nelum Pokuna stage this week, from February 14 – 18 with five daily shows and two matinee performances. The much loved musical has been brought to Colombo by CinnamonLife in collaboration with David Ian Productions Ltd, Company Onstage Ltd and the Broadway Asia Company LLC.
This will mark the third tour of the production, the theatre company having previously performed in China, New Zealand, Jakarta, Maui, Hong Kong, Manila and Macau to name a few. This is the first time the company is staging the production in South Asia.
With a 16-ton set arriving in the country for the show – production managers are in a frenzy to recreate the Alps in the centre of our very own Nelum Pokuna. From the hills, chapels, to the mansion equipped with its mammoth staircase, the sets will recreate the beloved backdrops of the famous movie for local audiences.
The Brand Marketing Team of Cinnamon Life is working closely with their international counterparts to transport props and set changes in 10 to 40 ft containers which will then be assembled at the Nelum Pokuna within 48 hours.
Over the years the Nelum Pokuna has hosted close to 100- 200 events, however this will be the first time the theatre will accommodate a production of this nature. Nelum Pokuna CEO, Brigadier Sudantha Thilakarathne is confident. Currently managed by the Forces the Brigadier affirms the over 100 member staff will be all hands on deck during the 7 shows of The Sound of Music.
Nelum Pokuna CEO Brigadier Sudantha Thilakarathne
The construction of the theatre began in 2006 under the collaboration of the Beijing Institute of Architecture and Design (BIAD) and Professor Nimal De Silva of the Cultural Trust Fund. The total cost of construction was provided by the People’s Republic of China through a grant and the theatre opened its doors in 2011.
With the flexibility of stage space, the abundant availability of fly bars, moving stages, a comprehensive light and sound system – the main theatre has a seating capacity of 1269, Brigadier Thilakarathne informs us.
According to Nelum Pokuna’s Chief Technical Engineer, “Most theatres in China have a similar structure as seen at the Nelum Pokuna theatre” allowing them the “flexibility to host any kind of theatrical productions”.
However there will also be “considerable additions to existing theatre system at Nelum Pokuna,” he added. With JBL speaker systems, state of the art sound crafters and much European equipment used within their light and sound systems – the teams at Nelum Pokuna and Cinnamon Life are ensuring that audiences receive only the most superior sound and light quality.
“We hope that this type of event will go down in the annual calendar of the country,” the Chief Technical Engineer said. 75% of the show tickets are already sold.
Cinnamon Life is already planning to bring down more international theatre productions with Broadway classics like “Cats” or “Evita” possibly next in line.
| Making Colombo an entertainment hub | |
| Since 2009, Sri Lanka has witnessed far-reaching development when it comes to the hospitality and travel industry. The current room capacity of 3- to 5-star hotels is 5,367 and will increase by a whopping 3,585 by 2021 to total 8,952. Moreover, by 2020, there will also be an increase in apartments: a corollary of the tourism boom, perhaps. A realistic but ambitious prediction at this juncture is that Colombo has the opportunity to be seen as a hub for entertainment; Commenting on this, Sutheash Balasubramaniam, Managing Director of the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau stated, “The current activities in Colombo are limited to dining and shopping; what may be desirous is to proffer more discerning entertainment options: this can be a memorable experience for high-spending tourists with an interest to visit and explore Sri Lanka.” The Sound of Music will take centre stage at the Nelum Pokuna Theatre from February 14 to the 18. The five main shows will take place at 7.30 pm and the two matinee shows (February 17 and 18) will take place at 3 pm. Tickets are priced at Rs. 3,500 (Restricted view), Rs. 4500 (Restricted View), Rs. 7,500, Rs. 10,000, Rs. 15,000 and Rs. 20,000. Tickets can be purchased via www.cinnamonboxoffice.com. |