THEATRE-DOCTOR ZHIVAGO "Doctor Zhivago," the musical, brings epic love story to Broadway

Record ID: 402545

  • Title: THEATRE-DOCTOR ZHIVAGO "Doctor Zhivago," the musical, brings epic love story to Broadway
  • Date: 25th February 2015
  • Summary: TAM MUTU AND KELLI BARRETT PERFORMING
  • Embargoed: 12th March 2015 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA3ZZ915MEZ270WT4BQRU3N8L46
  • Story Text: Fifty years after Omar Sharif and Julie Christie captivated audiences in David Lean's Oscar-winning film "Doctor Zhivago," the musical adaptation of the epic love story set amid the upheaval of the Russian Revolution will open on Broadway.
    "Doctor Zhivago," the musical, is based on Boris Pasternak's acclaimed novel that became an international bestseller when it was published in Italy in 1957. Pasternak was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature a year later.
    The musical, which premiered at the La Jolla Playhouse in California in 2006 and was followed by an Australian production, begins previews on March 27.
    "We spent a long, long time figuring out how to really structure the story so that we wouldn't shortchange obviously the love story, which is at the center, nor the epic side of the piece. Obviously you're depicting some of the most tragic events in history," said two-time Tony-winning director Des McAnuff ("Jersey Boys").
    Although the book recounts some of the most tragic events in history, McAnuff said at its core it is a celebration of art, life and love.
    "The center current of that river is really three men in love with one woman and two women in love with one man. It's about five characters. And really you could stage the whole thing in one room with five characters. So certainly there are many other dimensions but that's at the center of this piece."
    British actor Tam Mutu, making his Broadway debut, plays the married, idealist physician and poet Zhivago, who is torn by the tumultuous events surrounding him and his love for another woman, Lara.
    "I'm so excited. I can't believe I'm actually here. I just sang overlooking Bryant Park which is iconic. It's brilliant. I'm very, very grateful to be here," said Mutu with a smile.
    Mutu admitted being intimidated by taking on the role made famous by Sharif in the 1965 film. But he said the character of Zhivago is so rich and nuanced it is a like a feeding ground for an actor. It is also a musical adaptation of the book which will add a different dimension to the character.
    "I'm a huge romantic so the idea of playing what is arguably one of the most famous love stories of the 20th century is the stuff of dreams really. So he's - what I love about him is that he's kind of gets caught up in the world around him. He's quite passive in everything he does. But everything seems to unfold around him and he kind of gets lost in it."
    Although Zhivago has a wife he falls desperately in love with Lara, played by actress Kelli Barrett, who is married and had an affair with an older Russian lawyer.
    "If I start going down the path of trying to be Julie Christie or trying to live up to some kind of image that people have of Lara from Doctor Zhivago I will fail miserably, so I don't think about. I just try to figure out who the person is on the page and bring my truth to her. I will be a very different Lara that Julie Christie and that's ok and that's ok, I have to accept that," said Barrett.
    McAnuff said his production will stay true to the original while creating a new experience.
    "I think Des has really tired to iterate to us that we are doing our own version of this. This is our own creation entirely, we're not recreating anything, we're not doing the novel, we're not doing the film. But we are paying homage to some of those things that people hold so near and dear to their hearts and the ice palace is one of them," explained Barrett.
    "Doctor Zhivago" is scheduled to open on April 21, 2015, at the Broadway Theater.
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