We’ll rock you after the try | Photo credit: Special arrangement
It was Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, a musical sung by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Reese, that inspired Leila Alvarez to create her own musicals, more than three decades later. “I was studying abroad at the time and I told myself that when I went back to India, I would do Joseph ,” says the founder and president of the Cause Foundation (a collaborative of arts for the underprivileged in society and the environment), a nonprofit that promotes local talent and donates profits from musical productions to charities.
Not only has she performed J Oseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in Bengaluru several times, but the foundation has been staging a musical every year since 1997. These include classics like The Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof, My Fair Lady, Grease, The Addams Family, Something Rotten and Monty Python’s Spamalot in the Area. Now, more than 28 years later, the groundwork is being laid for the next one: We’ll Rock You, a futuristic, jukebox musical written by Ben Elton and set to Queen’s legendary music.
Set in a bleak, dystopian world, the musical, “a very Orwellian thing,” tells the story of two people who join the Bohemians, a band of rock rebels, and their struggle to reclaim freedom and individuality in this totalitarian world. “I grew up with Queen, and while I wouldn’t say they were my favorite band—I preferred Abba and Boney M—there were certain songs like We Are the Champions and We Will Rock You that I loved,” says Leila.
The play is also a nod to the age of social media algorithms, where technology constantly risks diminishing individuality. “This musical was written in 2002 and was a little ahead of its time,” she says, acknowledging that while the play is entertaining, it has an important message.
“The main thing is that these people want to bring back individuality, people who make their own decisions and think for themselves, not other people, or even AI thinking for you.”
Leila Alvares | Photo credit: Special arrangement
The cast of We Will Rock You includes Rahael Thomas, Samiksha Chawla, Deepa Jacob, Kieren Alvares Lynn, Arvind Kasthuri, Aakarsh Paul, Trisha Purohit, Shyju Vargey and Prem Koshy. As with every Musical Foundation musical, the proceeds will be donated to good causes in Bengaluru as well as other cities where the play is being performed. “We make sure to donate to an animal charity because it’s very close to my heart and also to a human charity,” she says.
We’ll rock you at Chowdiah Memorial Hall, Bengaluru on August 30 and 31 at 7:15 PM (both days) and 11:15 AM (August 31 only). The show will also be held at MLR Convention Centre, Whitefield, on September 6 at 7:15 PM. Tickets priced at ₹ 1,000, ₹ 800, ₹ 499 and ₹ 300 are available on Bookmyshow or by calling Kavitha (98844169903).
Published – August 25, 2025 03:07 PM IST
