TORONTO: Leading live-entertainment company Starvox Entertainment, Bend it Films and Kintop Pictures in association with To Live, are thrilled to announce that they are bringing the acclaimed musical based on the international smash-hit movie Bend It Like Beckham to Toronto for its North American premiere.  The musical will arrive in time for the holiday season with a limited engagement December 7 – December 24 at the Bluma Appel Theatre at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Performing Arts.

A heartwarming musical comedy about bending the rules and living life on your own terms, Bend It Like Beckham: The Musical is a vibrant and colourful story about a teen girl from a South Asian Sikh family who desperately wants to play soccer, against the wishes of her traditional immigrant parents. Set in West London, the story follows two teenage girls from different backgrounds who share an aptitude for soccer and pressure from their families to conform. Like the film that won over millions of hearts worldwide, the musical marries contemporary British and South Asian music and dance, the joy of discovering your passion and fighting for it, an irreverent sense of humour, and a healthy dose of girl power.

“We are tremendously excited to be bringing this absolutely iconic story to North America and to be debuting it in Toronto,” says Starvox Entertainment Founder and CEO Corey Ross.

“We are delighted to be working with Starvox to bring this production to Toronto,” said Deepak Nayar of Kintop Pictures, who produced the movie and the show in the West End

“Bend It Like Beckham is truly a family friendly musical that blends a fresh story, a great multicultural element – the fusion of contemporary and South Asian music and dance – and the amazing message that girls can and should be totally unlimited in pursuing their dreams! If you and your family love musicals, soccer and Bollywood dancing this is for you!”

Gurinder Chadha of Bend It Films, who will co-direct the Toronto production, adds: “I love this musical, in many ways I think it’s better than my film! Toronto is the perfect city to stage it as the audience just gets all the cultural joy and celebration.”

Bend It Like Beckham: The Musical is based on the juggernaut film of the same name, which first debuted in the UK in April 2002. The film dominated the British weekend box-office for several weeks going on to make over 11 million (British pounds). Bend It Like Beckham opened in North America in March of 2003 and was a surprise critical and popular hit, ultimately grossing $76.6 million worldwide, becoming the highest grossing Indian-themed film since Gandhi and kickstarting the careers of Parminder Nagra and Kiera Knightley. Notably, it was also the first feature film directed by a British South Asian woman.

The musical made its West End London World Premiere at the Phoenix Theatre in May of 2015 where it ran for a year and received critical raves. Variety said the story worked even better on stage and called it “a sympathetic portrait of adolescence, a hearty celebration of multiculturalism and a big fat feminist hell-yeah… It’s what you wish the West End were like all the year round.” The Guardian cheered, “.. with catchy music, fantastic design and great performances, the ebullient musical looks sure to be a hit” and of the music said “[the] east-west bhangra fusion serves the story ebulliently.”  “This is the most irresistibly joyous musical-theatre make-over of a much-loved movie since Billy Elliot,” proclaimed The Independent.

The book for Bend It Like Beckham: The Musical is written by Gurinder Chadha and writing partner Paul Mayeda Berges, with lyrics by Charles Hart (Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera and Aspects of Love), music by Classical Brit Composer of the Year winner Howard Goodall, and produced by Deepak Nayar (Bend It Like Beckham, Mysterious Benedict Society, Buena Vista Social Club.) Chadha directed the West End production.

Bend It Like Beckham will be on stage in Toronto at The Bluma Appel Theatre at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts from December 2, 2019 to December 24, 2019 . (Opening night: December 11). Tickets will be available from $49.95 to $299.95 beginning May 7, 2019.

For more information and tickets, visit www.benditmusical.com

BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM: The Musical

December 7 – 24

Opening Night: Wednesday, December 11

Bluma Appel Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, 27 Front St. E.

Single tickets range from $49.95 – $299.95

(Prices include per ticket fees.  Order/delivery fees may apply)

Tickets are available online at ticketmaster.ca, by calling 1-855-872-7669,

or in person at the following Civic Theatres Toronto box offices:

St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts Box Office 27 Front St. E., Monday-Friday, 12pm – 6pm

Toronto Centre for the Arts Box Office, 5040 Yonge St., Tuesday-Saturday 1pm-6pm

Ticketmaster phone lines operate 9:30am – 8pm Monday to Saturday, 12pm to 8pm Sundays and holidays. On-line sales operate 24 hours per day.

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