Image from the tailer; watch here.
Monsoon Wedding garnered tremendous acclaim upon its premiere in 2001. The film won the prestigious Golden Lion at Venice Film Festival and has been deemed one of the “best romance movies of the 21st century” by Indiewire and “one of those joyous films that leaps over national boundaries and celebrates universal human nature” by critic Roger Ebert. Beginning May 6, 2023, St. Ann’s Warehouse will present Mira Nair’s musical theater vision of her endlessly resonant and romantic love story, welcoming audiences inside the frenzied leadup to an arranged marriage beset by modern tensions. Monsoon Wedding, the Musical is Nair’s joyful and triumphant love song to family, Punjabi culture, and her home city of Delhi.
Monsoon Wedding, the Musical features a book by Arpita Mukherjee and Sabrina Dhawan; lyrics by Masi Asare and Susan Birkenhead; and music by filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj. Based on the motion picture of the same name and conceived and directed by Mira Nair with a screenplay by Sabrina Dhawan.
Two families converge on Delhi for an arranged marriage and what promises to be a glorious union. As festivities unfurl in song and dance, expectation and reality collide. The bride and groom are not who they appear to be, and dark family secrets begin to surface. Chaos ensues, and as the nuptials draw closer, so do the wedding planner and the house maid. Together they find love over a simple marigold flower. As the city pulses with the promise of relief from the heat, the ancient and unbroken ties of family are further tested, asking the question: how do we redefine love in a rapidly evolving world?
Monsoon Wedding, the Musical is conceived and directed by Mira Nair, with a book by Arpita Mukherjee and Sabrina Dhawan, music by Vishal Bhardwaj and lyrics by Masi Asare and Susan Birkenhead. Monsoon Wedding, The Musical finds the perfect home at St. Ann’s Warehouse for a resplendent Delhi wedding, teeming with endlessly complex characters, tangled relationships, unforgettable music, and exhilarating spectacle. Nair has engaged a dream team of collaborators to realize an authentic, layered vision of Delhi life among the rich and the working class. The story unfolds on Jason Ardizzone-West’s concrete split-level set, which is enhanced by lighting from Bradley King and projections by David Bengali. Costume designer Arjun Bhasin is creating 250 spectacular costumes. Vishal Bhardwaj’s luscious score—drawing on the many genres of Indian music, from classical to pop—comes to life with orchestrations by Jamshied Sharifi, music produced by Sunny Jain, and sound design by David Schnirman. Emily Whitaker serves as music director, conductor and keyboard player. Choreographer Shampa Gopikrishna and movement director Carrie-Anne Ingrouille are creating a staging both intimate and exuberant.
Monsoon Wedding, the Musical features an international cast of 22, including numerous actors traveling from India. They play roles spanning generations, class, and more. Casting will be announced soon.
