Leading live-entertainment company Starvox Entertainment, Bend it Films and Kintop Pictures in association with TO Live, are excited to announce an unprecedented companion experience to their upcoming production of BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM: The Musical – the Bend It With Vikram Dinner Experience.

From beloved celebrity chef Vikram Vij – one of the leading Indian restauranteurs in North America – the Bend It With Vikram Dinner Experience is Chef Vij’s first Toronto dining pop-up and will be available exclusively to BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM:The Musical ticket holders.

Offered at Café Nicole in the Novotel Toronto Centre less than five minutes walking distance from the theatre, the Bend It With Vikram Dinner Experience will incorporate local ingredients to create exciting new food adventures inspired by the spirit of BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM.  The dishes, such as his now-famous marinated lamb popsicles in fenugreek cream curry and sautéed arugula and spinach with paneer and roasted cashews, are far from traditional.  Dishes will surprise and delight guests, introducing them to the vast array of spice mixes and other quintessential ingredients, all with Chef Vij’s celebrated contemporary twists.

“Toronto is an amazing theatre and restaurant town and it struck me that there was an incredible opportunity to do a theatre and dining experience with this show,” said Starvox Entertainment Founder and CEO Corey Ross.  “And we just happen to have one of the greatest Indian chefs in the world right here in Canada. “I’ve always wanted to try Chef Vij’s trademark lamb popsicle, Vikram has always wanted to be involved in musical theatre. It’s turned out to be a match made in heaven.”

“I love food, I love football, and I LOVE the movie Bend It Like Beckham – and now it’s a musical! How much fun is that? I am so excited to bring the Vij’s dining experience to Toronto and that Bend It Like Beckham audiences will be able to enjoy great food with friends before the show – it’s a perfect fit,” said Chef Vikram Vij.

The dinner experience can only be purchased with BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM: The Musical tickets.  An exclusive experience, currently only 70 dinners can be purchased per evening for a 6:00pm pre-show seating.  Tickets are $89.95 per person, including taxes, excluding beverages and gratuities.
 
Tickets first went on sale for the North American premiere of the acclaimed BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM: The Musical in May, and as anticipation for the family friendly production grows, the producers are also announcing an extension of the show to January 5^th, 2020. 
 
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 Gandhiand 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 andAspects 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: The Musical will be on stage in Toronto at The Bluma Appel Theatre at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts from December 2, 2019 to January 5, 2020. (Opening night: December 17). Tickets areavailable from $49.95 to $299.95.

For more information and tickets visit www.benditmusical.com

BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM: The Musical
December 7, 2019 – January 5, 2020
Opening Night: Tuesday, December 17

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 www.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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