On the 4th of March, as part of IAB Industry Week, our graduating Musical Theatre students travelled to Barcelona for an immersive day at the Teatre Tivoli.
They were there to get an inside look at Ànima, a successful original Catalan musical, using this hit original musical as a real-world case study to understand the development, logistics, and creative demands of a major professional production. This experience allowed students to bridge the gap between their intensive training at the IAB and the realities of the international musical theatre industry.
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Pre-Show Directorial Briefing & Creative Origins
The experience began days before the house opened, as Gara had already visited the IAB earlier that same week to participate in Industry Week on-campus.
The students met with the core creative team: Gara Roda, Oriol Burés, and Víctor G. Casademunt (Directorial and Dramaturgy team), Clara Casals and Chema Zamora
The Narrative Origin: A Tribute to Grandmothers
“The story of a journey, of how dreams sometimes transform, and it is also a tribute to our grandmothers who paved the way for us to be here.“
The Creative Process and "The Key"
The team discussed the “Vision Board” used in rehearsals, a wall covered in photos of historical animators like Retta Scott, articles, images, and drawings. They emphasized finding the “key” of the show. Initially, the team focused on the history of women in the cartoon industry, but realized that to interest a global audience, they needed a universal message. They compared the thematic structure to Hadestown, noting that while that show uses Greek mythology, its “key” is love and letting go. For Ànima, the key is the evolution of dreams and how they shift through the process of living.
Workshops and Development Favorites: High Energy and Intense Creativity
The creators described the first intensive workshop as an incredibly high-energy week, where the pressure of making creative changes often kept the team working until 1:00 AM. While the process was demanding, with one creator recalling the physical exhaustion of long hours spent working through ideas on the rehearsal room floor, it was also an period “bursting with creativity” where they felt they could do anything with the material. Favorite parts of the process varied across the team:
- Writing the Story: For some, the excitement lay in changing song parts or moving a musical number from the first act to the second to improve the narrative flow.
- The Reality of the Stage: For others, using the physical theatre space to see what works and adjusting what doesn’t to make the show “realistic” in the room.
- Collaboration with Actors: The team emphasized that work prepared at home is “not done until we put it together with the actors,” noting that the exchange of ideas with the performers is where the show truly takes its final shape.
The Performance
Behind the Scenes and Technical Q&A
Technical Logistics and "Paper Traffic"
“There is a massive traffic of papers that the audience never sees, but it has to be exactly in the right spot at the right time,“
Gara explained. The team confirmed that many pencils are broken and papers are recreated daily to maintain the show’s realism.
Wardrobe and Artistic Conception
In the wardrobe department, the students met with the team, who explained the intersection of fine arts and costume design.
- Hand-Painted Detail: The team hand-painted hundreds of pairs of shoes, with some actors requiring four to five different pairs.
- Aesthetic Brief: The directors requested an “explosive” color palette for the shoes, inspired by the visual language of Hansel and Gretel. “You should want to lick the shoes like they are candy,” Alex noted.
- Materials and Texture: Alex, who has a background in Fine Arts, explained how the team used specific “pátinas” and textures in the fabrics to describe a character’s social class and occupation.
- Quick Changes: The wardrobe team noted that changes are heavily “condensed” into one part of the show, creating a period of “locura” (madness) followed by a period where the team can “breathe.”
Q&As with the Creative Team of 'Ànima'
Why was the show written in Catalan instead of Spanish?
The team identified this as a choice to keep the local language and art form alive.
“We have to write in the language we speak,” they explained. However, because their lyricist is one of the best translators in Spain, they noted that the show could be adapted for Madrid.
“If we watch musicals from Broadway, London, or Korea, there is no reason not to watch them in Catalan. It is a universal story.“
Why is original musical theatre creation riskier in Spain?
The team addressed the financial risk of building from scratch. “If you take a franchise that already works, it’s a guarantee. We get a ‘no’ for an answer most of the time.“
They explained that while Madrid focuses on big producers and imported brands, Barcelona has a tradition of alternative companies that prioritize original art. “Barcelona is like the ‘anti-franchise’ city; we want to explain our own stories from zero,” the team stated.
Related reading:
How do the US and Spanish theatre industries compare?
Director Gara Roda, who has worked in New York, noted that while the US market takes more financial risks and has stricter discipline, it can be “colder.” She highlighted that the Spanish industry is more “relaxed” and values the social connection of a “post-rehearsal beer,” which can lead to a more gratifying and less mechanical creative environment. “I miss the strong bets on musicals in the US, but I miss the calm and friends when I’m there,“ Gara remarked.
Related readings:
→ How to Become a Broadway Actor
→ Theatre in Barcelona: How to Work as an Actor in Barcelona
What was the most difficult part of the development?
“Fighting for a cast album,” the team shared. They mentioned that their orchestrator, Enric Garcia, had to do immense work to record the show. They noted that in a franchise, the album already exists, but for an original work, the creators have to push for every resource, often being “annoying” to producers to ensure the show is documented.
What is the focus of the female protagonist in 'Ànima'?
The students noted that the story is centered on a woman who does not necessarily deal with romantic problems or an involvement with a man.
The team confirmed: “We wanted the love story to be with her work, her passion, and her friends. I’m tired of seeing stories where there is always a love story. Passion for work is sometimes more important and rewarding.”
What advice do you have for students starting their own projects?
Gara’s advice was definitive: “Don’t ask for permission.“ She advocated for a “workshop culture” in Spain, where artists show unfinished work, receive feedback, and re-test it.
“The things have to be shown and seen by an audience. It is vulnerable, but necessary to see what works and what sucks before you open. We need to create that culture here.”
Article written by Sara Barbieri
Videography by Roger Bayerri
