Don’t miss the hit Canadian comedy Kim’s Convenience, running from February 25 to March 8 at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach (WPB). This Canadian production has become a global phenomenon, and Canadians will have the chance to see it in Florida!
Montreal producer
On January 20, Le Soleil de la Floride spoke on Zoom with the producer of the currently touring play, Montrealer Adam Blanshay.
Adam Blanshay studied at Dawson and McGill in Quebec, then moved to New York and then London, where he now lives. To date, he has produced or co-produced more than 60 shows around the world, and his international career in theater production includes big names such as Moulin Rouge, Come from Away, and Notre Dame de Paris, to name a few. He works continuously with Just for Laughs, Broadway, and the West End. In 2017, he founded his own company, Adam Blanshay Productions, and maintains constant ties with Quebec. “I’ve always kept very strong ties with Quebec,” says Adam. “I produced Notre Dame de Paris in London and New York, in French, in its original version with English subtitles. Throughout my career, Quebec has always been present.”
A deeply Canadian work… and universal
Kim’s Convenience appeals to all audiences because it tells a story that is both very specific and deeply universal. The play depicts a family of Korean immigrants running a convenience store in Toronto in 2012. Through situations that are often funny and sometimes touching, it explores intergenerational relationships, identity, cultural transmission, and the clash between tradition and assimilation.
“The themes are universal: family, heritage, intergenerational relationships. Regardless of culture, people recognize themselves in these dynamics,” says the producer. “It’s a very Canadian story, but one that resonates everywhere, especially in the current context where immigration issues are very much in the spotlight.” “
Adam adds, ”It’s a good time to present this play because, with the current climate, everyone really needs to laugh and have moments where we experience artistic feelings that make us think about family, religion, intergenerational relationships, and heritage. These are all truly universal themes that make us think, inspire us, and support us. »
About the play
Launched in 2012 at the Toronto Fringe Festival, Kim’s Convenience was a huge success before being revived at the Soulpepper Theatre. It was then adapted into a television series by Radio-Canada and acquired by Netflix, where it enjoyed international success for five seasons. It’s been an exceptional journey, and one that is now a source of pride for many Canadians, including Adam Bashlay, who brought the play from Toronto to London and now to the US!
Adam discovered Kim’s Convenience in the midst of the pandemic: « As a producer, I’m a fan of the television series. I discovered the Netflix series during the pandemic, and I didn’t know anything about Kim’s Convenience. I was living in London at the time,“ he says. He quickly fell in love with this family comedy and realized that the work had originally been created for the theater. ”I fell completely in love with the series, only to discover that it was originally a play that was performed in Toronto and was a huge success. “
Realizing that the play had never been staged in the United Kingdom, Adam decided to contact the author, Ins Choi, to obtain the rights. His idea was to start small. ”I wanted to produce the play in a small theater in North London, a 200-seat theater with a very multicultural audience, to start small, knowing that people would recognize the title thanks to Netflix. “
The main challenge came when choosing the cast, particularly for the role of the father. ”I absolutely wanted a cast of British Koreans, but I was having a lot of trouble finding an actor for the lead role. » That’s when an unexpected solution presented itself: Ins Choi himself!
“When he wrote the play in 2011-2012, he played the son. Fifteen years later, he was now old enough to play the father. We decided he would come and play the role in London.”
The production quickly became a huge success: sold-out houses, extra performances, media coverage from Radio-Canada and even CNN International: “It really became an extraordinary hit.” Attracting the attention of major North American theaters, this co-production was then set up between Toronto’s Soulpepper Theatre and San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater, giving rise to an extensive tour.
After Toronto, Boston, and Princeton, the production is now stopping in West Palm Beach before heading to Los Angeles. Adam explains: “The tour is going very well, it’s sold out, and we’re very proud to bring this Canadian work across North America.”
In conclusion…
Florida holds a special place in this tour because of the large Canadian and Quebecois population. Adam warmly declares, « I know there’s a large French-Canadian population here. We really want them to come see the play,“ he says.
Beyond the humor, Kim’s Convenience offers a moment of recognition and togetherness. ”It’s a play that makes you laugh, but it also touches your heart. And it’s a great way to reconnect with Canada for an evening. » Canadians will recognize the setting of a typical convenience store stocked with their favorite brands of chocolate bars, chips, and more.
Play in English. Tickets on sale at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts (701 Okeechobee Boulevard, West Palm Beach, FL 33401): www.kravis.org/events/kims-convenience
