Paulo Afonso De Lima

Charles Moeller and Claudio Botelho, who are in charge of the book and concept of BLACK ORPHEUS to be seen this year on Broadway, produced by Stephen Byrd, open in Rio 'All Chico Buarque's Musicals in 90 minutes', a theatrical love letter to one of Brazilian most gifted stage, movie and popular composers ('Dona Flor and her two Husbands' movie theme for instance).

HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING (Como Vencer na Vida sem fazer Forca) opened in Rio de Janeiro with a revised Brazilian production, directed by top musical theatre directors Claudio Botelho and Charles Moeller. Mr. Botelho and Mr. Moeller will soon reach the London West End and Broadway with BLACK ORPHEUS, produced by American producer Stephen C. Byrd. HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING is the 32nd show in their winning careers. Mr. Botelho is also the Brazilian translator of shows like LES MISERABLES, PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, MISS SAIGON, MY FAIR LADY, THE KING AND I and ADDAMS FAMILY, to name a few.

SHREK opens in Rio de Janeiro starring Diego Luri, chosen from among hundreds of actors to be in Brazil, the world's most famous ogre. Along with Diego are names like Sara Sarres (Christine in The Phantom of the Opera, Cosette in Les Miserables, Jellyrolum in Cats, Anita in West Side Story and recently, Morticia in Addams Family, among many other productions), Rodrigo Sant'Anna (currently the most popular star of Brazilian television), Marcel Octavio (7- o musical e Hair ) as well as veteran actors of musical theatre, like Mauro Gorini (Jeckyl and Hyde, Company), Fabricio Negri, Giulia Nadruz, Conrado Helt and many others.

Milton Nascimento - Nada Será Como Antes, is really a theatrical tapestry of wonders that celebrates the work of one of the most gifted Brazilian composers. At the new Theatro Net in Rio de Janeiro, Moeller and Botelho once again make history in Brazilian Musical Theatre with this delicate piece of stagecraft, beauty and sensibility. A true and definitive winner!

Charles Moeller and Claudio Botelho bring to Brazil the most expensive musical ever produced here. An amazing concept and strong production values, as well as a gifted cast and creative team, turn the Brazilian production of Wizard of Oz in a landmark of the contemporary musical theater in this Country. Based on the theatrical RSC aproach of the original work (book and motion picture),Moeller and Botelho move in astonishing parallel ways to find their own, unique yellow brick road. The Brazilian Oz is a show to be remembered for years to come.

Chiquinha Gonzaga, (1847/1935) was the first woman to compose for the musical theatre in Brazil. Chiquinha was an active citizen, involved in all kinds of social movements that took place during her age in Brazil, such as the Abolition of Slavery and even the Republican movement. Chiquinha is most known for her works for the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, such as Ó Abre Alas, and theatrical composition as FORROBODÓ, which opened at the begining of the last century, on 11th June, 1912. The show had an extraordinary run of 1500 performances. Next month FORROBODÓ will be revived ( the opening night will be tonight, 11th, June, 2012) with a new production in Rio de Janeiro, brought by Thiago Cantarelli and Vitavision Audiovisual Ltda, with the Musical Direction of Roberto Carelli, also in charge for the new orchestration of the score (based on Gonzaga's originals).

Chiquinha Gonzaga, (1847/1935) was the first woman to compose for the musical theatre in Brazil. Chiquinha was an active citizen, involved in all kinds of social movements that took place during her age in Brazil, such as the Abolition of Slavery and even the Republican movement. Chiquinha is most known for her works for the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, such as Ó Abre Alas, and theatrical composition as FORROBODÓ, which opened at the begining of the last century, on 11th June, 1912. The show had an extraordinary run of 1500 performances. Next month FORROBODÓ will be revived ( the opening night will be on 11th, June, 2012) with a new production in Rio de Janeiro, brought by Thiago Cantarelli and Vitavision Audiovisual Ltda, with the Musical Direction of Roberto Carelli, also in charge for the new orchestration of the score (based on Gonzaga's originals).

The new Brazilian season of Broadway (and Off-Broadway) musicals is one of the most fabulous of the recent years. Besides THE ADDAMS FAMILY, PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT, THE ADDAMS FAMILY, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, CABARET and FAME are now on stage in Brazil.Next month THE WIZARD OF OZ and NEXT TO NORMAL open in Rio de Janeiro. Auditions for the forthcoming production of LION KING are also in progress.HOW TO SUCCEEDD IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYNG opens in August and END OF THE RAINBOW will open in São Paulo after a successful run in Rio. What a year!!!!

AS MIMOSAS DA PRAÇA TIRADENTES, a musical about the theatrical roots of Rio de Janeiro and the old Praça Tiradentes (Tiradentes Square) where the Brazilian Musical Theatre was born, is a smash in Rio!

With the opening of O FIM DO ARCO IRIS ( End Of the Rainbow), in Rio de Janeiro, with the author Peter Quilter in the audience, Moeller and Botelho put once more in a higher level the Brazilian Musical Theatre, this time with the help of Claudia Netto (of '‘Company', 'Avenue Q' and ‘The King And I' fame), as Judy Garland. Claudia give us, for sure, the greatest musical and dramatic performance of a Brazilian actress in this new century.

O TEATRO IPANEMA está apresentando todos os sábados às 19 horas o espetáculo ON BROADWAY - OS GRANDES MUSICAIS, uma viagem pelo mundo mágico e irresistível do teatro musical.

Brazilian directors Charles Moeller & Claudio Botelho just received from Cameron Mackintosh greeting cards about the premiere of 'The Witches of Eastwick ' in Brazil. Mr. Botelho tells BWW, in a exclusive interview to Mr. Paulo Afonso de Lima,our Editor in Brazil, about their relationship with Sir Mackintosh, as well the next musicals they will produce soon in the Country.

Chega ao Brasil mais um grande musical produzido pela TIME FOR FUN: As Bruxas de Eastwick, adaptação do filme homônimo, baseado no livro de John Updike, que estreia no Teatro Bradesco (Bourbon Shopping - Rua Turiassú, 2.100), em 14 de agosto e cumpre curta temporada de quatro meses em São Paulo.

GOLDEN COPA - O MUSICAL DE COPACABANA celebrates at Teatro Ipanema in Rio de Janeiro, the musical History of Copacabana Beach from the beginning of the last century to today. The big casinos, the carnival as well as the birth of Bossa Nova are revived with 35 songs, actors, singers, dancers and a multimidia device. GOLDEN COPA is a valentine to the most famous beach in the world and the most beautiful place in Rio.

The new Brazilian production of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (the first one was in the sixties) is a joy which makes Brazilian theatre profissionals proud of it. After COMPANY, AVENUE Q, SPRING AWAKENING, THE SOUND OF MUSIC,GYPSY and HAIR (all suberbs) Möeller and Botelho with this wonderful FIDDLER reached a point of no return: they have put Brazilian production and artistics values of Broadway musicals in a state of perfection that only the original and legendary ones can be compared.

The most famous casino in South America during the 30's and the 40's, the place where Edith Piaf, Josephine Baker, Bing Crosby, Illona Massey were top stars and Lee Shubert discovered Carmen Miranda for the world, is the subject of a new Brazilian musical, CASSINO DA URCA in Rio.

A new production of EVITA, the first one conceived and designed by a Brazilian creative team, opened to rave reviews at TEATRO ALFA, São Paulo, Brazil.

Due to the fabulous increase of Musical Theatre productions in Brazil, CAL-Casa das Artes de Laranjeiras, the most famous Drama School and Theatrical Research Institution in the Country, located in the middle of the amazing Rio de Janeiro forest, opened a program of several Musical Theatre workshops called MUSICAL THEATRE DIVE (MERGULHO NO MUSICAL). The project is directed by Mirna Rubim, a distinguished Brazilian singer and actress (THE SOUND OF MUSIC, LA CAGE AUX FOLLES) with the colaboration of Menelick de Carvalho.

NEW YORK NEW YORK (with a stage adaptation of Earl Mac Rauch) EVITA, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF,WITCHES OF EASTWICK,BABY as well as CASSINO DA URCA (a Brazilian original musical) are among the shows in the works for 2011 in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.