CAUSE Foundation to bring Cry Baby to Bengaluru audiences

Performers gear up for Cry Baby | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement “We have exceptional talent in Bengaluru; I have seen musicals on Broadway and I can tell you some singers here are not just on par, but are superior to them,” says Leila Alvares, founder-director, CAUSE Foundation. “That is the reason I want people to watch them perform — to recognise the talent that exists here.”The CAUSE (Cooperation of the Arts for the Upliftment of Society & the Environment) Foundation will present Cry Baby, a Broadway musical, based on the 1990 film of the same name on September 5, 6 and 11. Though a romantic comedy, the show also addresses issues of identity and societal norms.Talking about her reasons for choosing this musical, Leila says, “What attracted me was the 50s music. I grew up with that genre of rock-and-roll and it felt quite nostalgic. Cry Baby also seems to be a spinoff from Grease which we performed twice.”However, the plot of Cry Baby is a tad more substantial than Grease, feels Leila. “Though this is a high school romance as well, it has a storyline and the music is uplifting. Though I personally prefer more mature content, we have quite a young cast, and the story appealed to them.” Performers gear up for Cry Baby | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement In keeping with the times, the team uses LED screens for their sets, though Leila makes an exception for the background scenes which are hand painted. The presentation remains true to the original, she says.Once again reiterating on the abundance of talent in India, Leila says perhaps the only drawback in the field of theatre would be the infrastructure. “We don’t have too many stages with a provision where actors can emerge from a level below or be safely suspended from above. In every other way, from our costumes and props to the actual performance, we are quite good.”Following its showing in Bengaluru, Cry Baby is likely to be staged in Mysuru and Goa. As part of their ethos, CAUSE Foundation channels their profits to local charities and sustainable environmental ventures.“The tunes are catchy and apart from the solid storyline, there is quite of bit of physical comedy too. I believe audiences will leave humming those tunes, satisfied with having had a good time.”Cry Baby-The Musical will be presented at Chowdiah Memorial Hall on September 5 at 7:30pm and September 6 at 11:30am. It will also be performed at MLR Convention Centre, Whitefield, on September 11 at 7.30pm. Tickets starting at ₹300 available on BookMyShow. Call 988441 69903 for details. Published - September 03, 2026 04:32 pm IST