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Video: Stars Walk the Red Carpet for Opening Night of LIFE OF PI
May 17, 2024
In this video, watch as we take you to the red carpet for opening night of Life of Pi on Broadway. Watch interviews with Edie Falco, LaChanze, Brian d'Arcy James, Diane Paulus, Amir Arison, Daryl Roth, playwright Lolita Chakrabarti and many more!
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0:00
Hello, I'm Richard Ridge for Broadway World
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The five-time Olivier Award winner, Life of Pi has come to Broadway
0:06
and we're here with the first diners on the opening night carpet. I am so excited
0:12
This show premiered at the American Repertory Theater. We gave it its birth here in North America
0:18
and we have symbolically launched it as a ship here to Broadway
0:23
We are so proud of this production. It's the pinnacle of theater, really
0:28
When you see a thousand people who've really been moved, moved to tears, but also to elation and euphoria
0:35
the way that this show seems to be doing, which is great
0:39
Daryl, for you. Well, for me, it's a beautiful combination of storytelling and stagecraft
0:45
and the unique joy that you get seeing these puppets come to life
0:50
And, you know, for me, it's always about story. You know that. And the story really touches me and touches people
0:56
And at this time in our lives and society, it's about perseverance, it's about hope, it's about joy
1:04
So it's got it all. Audiences fell in love with this in London, and they are falling in love with it all over
1:09
here on Broadway. What that means to you? Oh, it's just wonderful
1:14
And it's not a straightforward experience. They travel up, they travel down, they laugh
1:19
they cry, hopefully, they're frightened. There's danger, there's jeopardy, there's death, there's loss
1:26
We don't pull any punches, but it's all beautifully imagined. And there's hope at the end
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So it's wonderful to have an audience travel with us. I mean, this story is so special
1:37
The book and the film mean so much, so many people mean so much to me
1:41
To see a story about an Indian boy on stage like this is so cool. And it's just a beautiful piece of art
1:48
The design and the production is just next level. And it's his Broadway producing debut
1:54
So that's pretty special in and of itself. But this is such a beautiful story
2:02
and it's theatrical magic at its finest. And it's so amazing to see this now on Broadway
2:07
Well, first of all, it's an extraordinary story, which has lived in other incarnations
2:13
And as you know, so has the Kite Runner. And I was very proud of that
2:18
And Daryl Roth, who was the executive producer of that, is the executive producer
2:22
She's got her finger on the pulse of what's important. And of course, a South Asian cast
2:27
some of them which I know is, Brown on Broadway is great
2:32
and only increasing the diversity that it's trying to do. I think there's so much resilience that we can relate to
2:38
And being in the face of hopelessness and still finding hope that I think we could always use
2:43
in dark times and finding light there. And this kid and this story has always inspired me
2:49
to survive when it seems impossible to. So I'm excited to get to celebrate that sentiment tonight
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Why do you think millions of people have fallen in love with this story? Because it's what we all think about
3:02
We all are curious about our humanity. We don't know what the ending is
3:06
None of us do. So it's an opportunity for us to bond on humankind
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for wondering and hoping that everything is gonna be great in the end
3:15
It's a part of our desire on humanity, I think. I feel so excited
3:21
This show is like a homecoming for me. Not only did I read the book as a kid
3:27
but in my culture, for my family in Rajasthan, puppetry was actually one of the oldest forms
3:35
of storytelling, and it's called Ghatputli. It was, I mean, it dates over a thousand years ago
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And so having this masterful execution of puppetry here on this Broadway stage, I am so excited to see it
3:51
I'm so, so excited to see it, yeah. And just representation of this beautiful company
3:55
what that means to you? Yes. You know, the thing is that there are these budding shows
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we're talking about Monsoon Wedding, DDLJ, Bangin' It, Life of Pi. This representation that we have for South Asian artists
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is absolutely incredible, and it's something that I want to continue to uplift
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and continue to aspire for, for aspiring South Asian artists, for people here on Broadway
4:20
Just keep on supporting, and it is absolutely wonderful. Storytelling and theater has been a universal thing
4:28
all over the world, but in this part of the world, on Broadway especially, it has been restricted, really
4:35
to the Caucasian world, and the world is much bigger than that
4:39
And so it's wonderful for Life of Pi to have brought this to us
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And I'm gonna be, you know, very soon coming with Monsoon Wedding, which we are opening
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at St. Anne's Warehouse in about one month, in May, and hope to be hitting these streets soon thereafter
4:57
How excited are the two of you to be here tonight for Life of Pi
5:00
I'm very excited. I don't know a ton about it, and that's the best way
5:04
to go into an evening, I think. All I've seen is footage from the English production
5:10
and it just looks magical, and this is my type of theater, for sure
5:15
Unashamedly theatrical. I love it, I love it. Bring it on. I am so excited
5:19
First of all, I'm just excited to be out. Yeah, totally, yeah
5:23
But I just love theater from London. I feel like they're so inventive
5:29
and I've seen pictures of the puppets, so I'm really excited to see it in real life
5:33
Why do you think millions of people have fallen in love with this book in every different language
5:37
around the world? First of all, it's a good book, but one thing
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and I think we could all use a little fantasy these days, don't you think? Yes
5:45
And a happy ending. Oh, when do you see the puppetry, the artistry
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on this stage you're gonna fall madly in love with? Yeah, I saw the photographs in the Times
5:53
They were phenomenal. Well, it's spring, and the theater is alive and buzzing
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and I'm so excited to walk into this show. As I was saying before, I think I might be
6:02
the only person in the world who's not read the book, or seen the movie, so I'm going in absolutely blind
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But isn't that great sometimes, just to walk into a theater, sit down, and go on a journey
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that you know nothing about, and just get caught up in it? It's true, I know enough about the show, or the story
6:19
to know that what's ahead of me, I can't imagine how they're going to achieve it, and I think
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that's why you go to the theater, because you wanna see every inch of your imagination used and utilized on stage
6:29
and I think that's what I'm about to witness
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