Cinnamon Life and John Keells Foundation Presents La Bamba .

 Prees Conference 5th February 2026 @ 10.33 am at the Level 23 , Cinnamon Life at City of Dreams , Colombo , Sri Lanka .

Cinnamon Life and John Keells Foundation Present La Bamba!

The Song of Veracruz

In association with Nations Trust Bank, Colombo welcomes the West End-licensed musical

across seven shows in five days

Colomb0, Sri Lanka; 5h February 2026 - Cinnamon Life in collaboration with John Keells

Foundation (UKF) and in association with Nations Trust Bank (NTB). announced the staging of

the West End-licensed musical La Bamba! The Song of Veracruz at a press conference held

on 5 February 2026 at Cinnamon Life, City of Dreams. Colomb0.

The musical theatre production will be performed at Cinnamon Life, City of Dreams, Colombo.

from 24-28 April 2026, featuring seven performances across five days The production will

also include local auditions to source part of the cast from Sri Lanka. bringing together

international and homegrown talent for an energetic and immersive theatrical experience.

A Landmark International Theatre Production

La Bamba! The Song of Veracruz is a West End-licensed professional musical that delvers

vibrant music, dance, and storytelling inspired by Mexican heritage The production features

a cast of 19 performers, 6 musicians, supported by a crew of over 40, and full stage design,

reflecting the scale and sophistication of West End productions.

In partnership with Paul Morrissey Ltd a London-based theatre production company with

extensive experience in West End and international productions, the show ensures globally

aligned creative direction. production quality. and operational excellence

Paul Morrissey, Founder of Paul Morrissey Ltd, said. "La Bamba! is a celebration of

collaboration across cultures. The local auditions allow Sri Lankan performers to participate

in the production alongside international artists, creating a performance that is dynamic.

diverse, and exciting for audiences."

Cinnamon Life: A Stage for Global Entertainment

Cinnamon Life has previously brought major international productions to Sri Lanka, including

The Sound of Music in February 2018 and West End's Mamma Mia! in December 2018. both

hosted at an alternative venue, each selling over 7.000 tickets across multiple shows With

La Bamba!, Cinnamon Life now presents a production of this scale for the first time at its own

state-of-the-art premises since its grand opening last year, further reinforcing Colombo 's

position as a hub for world-class entertainment.

Designed to accommodate over g0 seats, Cinnamon Life's Forum is equipped to host large

scale performances, featuring advanced backstage and rigging facilities The Forum is fully 

abie of presenting seven shows in fve days. provding a polished stage eirormert or

both international and Sri Lankan perforrners

ramal Munasinghe, Senior Vice President. Colornbo Hotels & General Marager Crnaan

Lre. said. With La Bamba!, we are creating a platform where audiences can erjoy

exceptional theatre right here in Colombo The production dernonstrates our comtmert tc

enrniching the city's cultural offerings and supporting the growth of local talent in a

professional setting

John Keells Foundation: Supporting Cultural Engagement

John Keells Foundation UKF). the Corporate Social Responsibility entity of the Jonn Keels

Group. is the presenting partner for La Bamba! Established in z005 JKF Suppors iong-tem

initiatives aligned with national priorities, with the arts playing a role in fostering iangue

creativity. and social cohesion across communities It's involvement in La Bamba refects

sustained efforts in supporting Sri Lanka's creative industries through accessiblie high -auality

cultural platforms.

Carmeline Jayasuriya, Head of CSR. John Keells Holdings PLC said John Keells Founcation

s delghted to partner on La Bamba! and support a production that brings together

international expertise and local artistry. We see this as a wonderful opportunity for Sri Lankan

artistes to showcase and develop their skills and help position Sri Lanka on the giobal cubural

stage.

Associate Direction for the Local Cast

The local cast will be quided under the associate direction of theatre practitioner Kalakeerthi

Jerome Lakshman de Silva. With over five decades of expenence in musical theatre anc

stage direction, Jerome brings deep expertise in large-scale ensenmble-driven productons

ensuring that La Bamba!'s performance resonates with both its West End roots and

international audiences.

Jerome said. "La Bamba! is a production nch in rhythm, movement and narrative t s a

privilege to be part of this musical. which blends rich storytelling with dynamic perfiomance

and I look forward to guiding our local cast in bringirng this vibrant show to ife for a diverse

audience

The production blends expert stagecraft, choreography. and live music offering Sr Lanisn

performers exposure to professional production techniques while audiences enoy a shoeon

par with West End offerings

Audiences are encouraged to secure their seats eariy for this imited-run producon anc

witness the vibrancy of West End theatre in Colombo Tickets for all perfomances are

available at www. cinnamonboxoffice com, with a special 10% discount for purchasas mae

using Nations Trust Bank American Express or Nations Trust Bank Mastercaa Credt Cads

La Bamba! The Song of Veracruz is presented by Cinnamon Life and John Keells Foundation,

in association with Nations Trust Bank. powered by John Keells Properties, along with Official

Indulgence Partner Imorich, Official Chocolate Partner Revello, Official Cinema Partner Scope

Cinemas, Official Outdoor Digital Media Partner Emerging Media.

Media Co-ordination: Melanie Senanayake - 077-3717960