Seventeen stories. Eight chances. One singular sensation.
New York City. 1975. On an empty Broadway stage, seventeen performers are put through their paces in the final, gruelling audition for a new Broadway musical. Only eight will make the cut.
A Chorus Line is a musical masterpiece that revolutionised Broadway, with creator Michael Bennett using real-life testimonies from late-night recording sessions with dancers. Celebrate the lives of theatre’s unsung heroes as they tell searing stories of ambition, shattered hopes, and what it costs to follow your dreams. A Chorus Line features iconic songs, including One, I Hope I Get It, Nothing and the hit ballad What I Did For Love. The legendary Adam Cooper (Singin’ in the Rain, Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake) and Carly Mercedes Dyer (The Drifters Girl Tour, Anything Goes, Barbican Theatre, Dreamgirls, Savoy Theatre) are reprising their roles as Zach and Cassie, which they played in great critical acclaim at Curve in 2021.
Scottish musical theatre performer Josh Kiernan, who plays Butch in A Chorus Line, among additional roles, was kind enough to shed some light on one of musical theatre’s biggest and most loved shows.
A Chorus Line is thrilling audiences at The Festival Theatre from September 24th – 28th.
If you wouldn’t mind giving us an introduction to who you are, your role within the show, and a bit of background of who you’ve come to perform in A Chorus Line?
I am Josh Kiernan, a musical theatre performer. I started my training in St Andrews at the Yvonne Gray School Of Dance and then went to the Dance School of Scotland in Glasgow for their musical theatre course. From there, I went to Arts Educational Schools London for three years and then went into the big bad world.
I play Butch every evening in A Chorus Line. The show starts with an audition, and of course, not everyone gets through, so I get cut in the beginning. I also cover the roles of Bobby and Gregory, which means that if anyone has to go off, I cover those roles.
And for audiences unfamiliar with the show, what is A Chorus Line, and what do you think keeps it as one of musical theatre’s most celebrated?
A Chorus Line is a show about performers trying to get a job. For people that aren’t in the industry, it’s a good insight into how auditions work, how it feels to get rejected, and how it feels to constantly be auditioning. It is also a good presentation of the lack of stability in our business, as it is totally out of our hands whether we get the job or not. It is down to the opinion of the choreographer or director. So I think it is really interesting for people who aren’t actors themselves.
Having said that, it’s not identical to a lot of performers’ experiences as in the show, the Director Zach (played by Adam Cooper) wants to hear a lot about the characters’ personal experiences, which doesn’t normally happen. You usually go into an audition, and you sing, you dance, you act, but in this show, the director wants to know what got them into performing, and through hearing about their experiences (sometimes quite dark experiences), you get to know the characters. It really is an ensemble piece. There is no lead character, everyone is showcased throughout, going down the chorus line to hear everyone’s stories. Plus, the singing and dancing really is quite spectacular!
Besides A Chorus Line, what have been the highlights of your professional performance career?
I’ve loved them all. You remember all shows for something different, but a stand-out for me was 42nd Street, which was my third or fourth job out of drama school. It was the most amazing group of people and an amazing show. It was quite old school; we did the original Broadway choreography and had the writer come in. The set, and costumes, and people I toured with were all fabulous!
What’s the typical day for you? From morning to stage-prep, to curtain up.
On a typical day, I get up, walk my dog Rupert and play with him for a bit, and have a coffee. If I am on tour, I will probably go for some brunch with some of my castmates and perhaps check out some cool things to do in each city. Touring is a great chance to be in a different city each week and see what they all have to offer, which you wouldn’t normally manage. I go to the theatre at 6pm for physical and vocal warm-up with the rest of the cast before getting ready for the show. If I was in the West End, I would be at home and have more of a routine, not sightseeing every day, but on tour we like to see what is in each city we are in which is always a nice treat.
Nikolai Foster’s production is a fresh take on an older musical, what is it about this version that speaks to you – and what will audiences love?
Nikolai Foster’s version of A Chorus Line isn’t what you would necessarily expect. Nikolai has really tried to connect with the characters, because it is based on real interviews with real performers. The writer recorded interviews with Broadway performers and wrote the songs and monologues from those interviews, aside from the odd thing added for dramatic effect. Nikolai has gone with the truth, which I feel has more heart in it. As an audience, you can connect with that more; I know I can. I know how it feels to be rejected, and to really want something and be so passionate but ultimately not get it is hard. And Nikolai plays into that with his direction.
We know that you’ll be joining the Chocolate Factory later this year for their anticipated staging of The Producers, what else is on the cards for you?
After I finish A Chorus Line at the start of October, I have two weeks off and then go into rehearsals for The Producers at the Menier Chocolate Factory, which runs from October to March. That is all I have planned for the moment. I will probably start auditioning for other jobs after the new year. But who knows? There might be life after The Producers. There might be life after A Chorus Line. After a UK tour and a run at Sadler’s Wells, I hope there is some more life to it. I would love to go back to it because it is amazing.
For other dancers and performers in Scotland, what opportunities and options would you recommend or point them towards?
There are a lot of opportunities for performers in Scotland, it just depends on what you want to do. I have done Scottish Opera twice and I have done Edinburgh Pantomime at the Festival Theatre. There is so much acting work in Scotland, and although there isn’t always the most musical theatre happening there, when it does, it’s a big deal. Of course, Andrew Panton is doing a lot of great things at the Dundee Rep Theatre. There is a lot happening, in fact more and more as time goes on.
I would say your training is very important. Wherever you are training, whether that is in Scotland or London, that is the most important thing because it will set you up for the industry and, ultimately, life. I had amazing training in Scotland at the Dance School under the direction of Mr Dickie, who is now retired but has done amazing work at the school with hundreds of us still working in the West End or on TV. I would highly recommend The Dance School Of Scotland. It is an amazing foundation, you learn so much, and I made the most amazing friends. I carry a lot of that with me.
A Chorus Line runs at the Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, from September 24th – 28th.
Photo credit – Marc Brenner
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