We sat down with producer, Adam Blanshay, of IF/THEN which has a staged concert performance in the UK on 10th February at Savoy Theatre.
How does the UK premiere of IF/THEN differ from its original Broadway production in terms of staging and artistic direction?
We are exploring introducing UK audiences to this incredible musical in concert format. We’ll perform the original book and score with our own unique twists, turns, and surprises. Naturally, our prime motivation is clearly and magically moving through the worlds of Liz and Beth, creating our distinct theatrical language and vocabulary. You’re in store for some clever surprises!
What inspired the casting choices for David Hunter as Lucas and Kerry Ellis as Elizabeth, and how do their past performances influence their roles in IF/THEN?
First and foremost, I love to work with talent I greatly admire. I have been a fan of Kerry Ellis since we were both teenagers, haha. Working with someone you essentially revered and idolised growing up is incredible, and it’s a privilege to call her my friend and colleague. We shot a music video of “Always Starting Over” as part of a musical-theatre web series that I produced during the pandemic called “The Theatre Channel”, and being a massive fan of If/Then, I was keen to create a video of Kerry singing that song. She smashed it so hard that it caught the attention of Brian and Tom, and they gave us their blessing to explore the title further in the UK with Kerry. I have known and worked with David Hunter for years on Kinky Boots and Waitress. He is such a dear soul and a hard worker. He pours his heart and every emotion into the colour and phrasing of his singing. I was listening to “You Don’t Need To Love Me” with my eyes closed, and suddenly, I could see David bringing such heartwrenching flavour to the song and the role. I sent him a WhatsApp late at night and was surprised he responded! He hadn’t yet heard of If/Then, but I sent him the song and told him to have a listen. From that moment, he was fixed on playing Lucas!
Could you share more details about the decision to present the musical in a staged concert format rather than a full production?
We are being extremely truthful to the material and hope audiences will feel like they are getting a fully-rounded introduction to If/Then in the UK with a truly phenomenal cast. Introducing the title in concert is a great way to create buzz and have UK audiences fall in love with this beautiful show. It’s also wonderful to continue celebrating Brian and Tom’s work after their great successes with Next to Normal in the UK. We are also highly grateful for the support of the brilliant Maxine English and her team at The Savoy, who are champions of this work, and for helping us put on the best concert possible. We’re very grateful for their participation.
How will the themes of choice, consequence, and self-discovery be visually and musically represented in this production?
As this is a concert, we are placing the music and score at the forefront. Get ready for extraordinary singing led by our brilliant Music Supervisor, Michael England. Moreover Bill Buckhurst and Alistair David are creating a theatrical language unique to our staged concert that will transport you through the story. I don’t want to give too much away, but I assure you that it will be magical and whimsical, and Elizabeth’s choices and discoveries will resonate and impact our audience.
What has the rehearsal process been like for the cast, especially with such a diverse lineup of seasoned West End performers?
There is a lot of love in this rehearsal room. Many of the actors did a music workshop with us two years ago and have been along for the ride since we first started exploring the title for the UK. We are privileged to have such a brilliant cast of performers who are all excited to create and ideate alongside Bill, Alistair and Michael. Everyone feels very honoured to be in that room, and I’m confident that that will translate to the stage at The Savoy.