A musical plans to celebrate Delhi's capacity to stir up passion

A musical plans to celebrate Delhi's capacity to stir up passion

ROMANCE isn't just smoke made up of fumes of sighing teenagers. Winged Cupids strike Delhi University professors too. The parking lot attendant in Connaught Place, the lone traveller who sheepishly admires his muse daily at the Rajiv Chowk metro station and the reticent colleague in the Noida office also trip over and fall in love. The city's capacity to kindle passion is what Dear Delhi -- a musical production comprising 12 short love stories of ordinary characters -- will celebrate.

Story tellers: Dear Delhi is a musical comprising 12 short love stories
of ordinary characters

Cupid strikesu00a0
Dear Delhi is the second production of The Yellow Brick Project -- made up of a bunch of performers -- that was started last year by Sri Ram College graduates Prerna Kapur and Nitya Vaishnavi Singh. "We wanted to fill in the vacuum of Broadway-like musicals in our country in our own small way," says 21-year-old Nitya. Thus, over a humble cup of cappuccino, the project was born and their first production, Razzle Dazzle, was staged last year.

This time, a team of 70 young people is going to make you fall in love all over again. The musical production has roped in dancers, choreographers, musicians as well as production, technical and management teams, all of whom fall within the age bracket of 15 to 25.

"We are trying to recreate small glimpses of Delhi by telling stories of Chandni Chowk, Paharganj, parks and gardens, nightclubs, schools, universities, traffic signals and corporate offices in Noida and Gurgaon," says 20-year-old Prerna. "From parking lot attendants who have come from different states to this city, homosexual couples, single women, college professors and students to the ordinary middle class, there is something for
everybody. Everyone in the audience will be able to relate to at least one of the 12 love stories," says Sakshi Bajaj, a member of their communication team.

Creating a flutter
The project tries to egg on creative experimentation and expression and incorporates different music and dance styles like contemporary, hip-hop, jazz, lyrical, ballroom and Indian classical dance forms. Anybody who has a passion for dance or wants to contribute in the production work is welcome. "We survive on ticket sales and sponsorship. But passion is the driving force, why else would we spend early Sunday mornings in a rehearsal," says a giggling Devaki Singh, who pursues Masters in International relations at JNU by day and dons her dancing shoes at the rehearsal by night.

And it's not just Sunday mornings that the group is sacrificing. Come Wednesday and they are going to start their one-minute flash mob dance campaign. "Around 25-30 of us are going to wear yellow T-shirts and carry placards and go to places like Khan market, GK-1 M-Block market and Kamla Nagar and release 100 yellow balloons to publicise our show," says Sakshi.
"A platoon of young passionate people dressed in bright clothes making a point surely should
create some flutter," she adds.

Dear Delhi
At: Kamani Auditoriumu00a0
When: July 27 and 28
Timings: 7 pm to 9pm
Tickets available at: Cafe 6, Hauz Khas and Teksons, South Ex-1
Ring: 9811127271