As a seasoned gamer of both the silver screen and the digital realm, I must say Kit Connor‘s choice for his Broadway debut in Romeo + Juliet is nothing short of a masterstroke. His journey from young Elton John to Nick Nelson in Heartstopper has been nothing if not captivating, and now he’s taking on one of the most iconic love stories in literature – with a modern twist that makes it resonate with today’s Gen-Z audience.
After the achievement of Netflix’s “Heartstopper,” Kit Connor has been magnetically pulled towards Broadway. At present, he’s spearheading a Gen-Z focused adaptation of “Romeo + Juliet” on stage, portraying the love-struck protagonist who, in this modern take, experiences parties, races through the audience, and even leaps into a pull-up to plant a kiss on co-star Rachel Zegler, all while suspended above the stage on a bed.
Why choose this project for his Broadway debut?
Connor expressed it as feeling bold,” he said. “Recently, I’ve been making career choices aimed at taking on bolder endeavors.
Ever since I’ve carved out my niche in film and television, with memorable roles like the young Elton John in “Rocketman” and Nick Nelson in the heartwarming, romantic comedy “Heartstopper,” I’ve been drawn back to the allure of the stage. As I reflect on this, it becomes clear that the success of “Heartstopper” can be a bit of a double-edged sword.
He expressed that being on such a platform opened doors for various projects, which was fantastic, but as soon as it began to attract more attention, his thoughts quickly shifted towards considering the next step. He stated this because shows like these and characters similar to his can sometimes make audiences struggle to distinguish the character from the actor.
In this scenario, it’s “Romeo and Juliet” that makes an appearance. Connor, having cultivated a fondness for Shakespeare during his school days, expressed admiration for director Sam Gold’s unique take on this production. He found the initial half to be a delightful blend of humor, energy, and vibrancy, featuring tunes by Jack Antonoff. However, the second half transitions into the traditional tragic tale, leaving the audience momentarily disoriented. (Critics have lauded Connor’s performance in the play as well as his insightful portrayal of Shakespeare’s works.)
In the pivotal balcony scene where Connor performs a thrilling stunt by zooming among the spectators, hanging from the ledge, and executing a pull-up to kiss his co-star, he was instructed by Gold to embrace it with unrestrained daringness. At first, he felt uneasy about this sequence due to its significance within the play and its impact on popular culture. However, now it’s his most cherished moment in the entire production.
For the conclusion to be convincing and impactful, the viewers must fully believe that these children are incredibly mentally strong,” he explained. “From the moment he encounters Juliet, everything else becomes insignificant. As a result, the balcony scene needed to be dynamic and intense.
One objective of this performance is to attract a younger crowd to the theatre and make sure they connect with the action unfolding. This goal has been achieved consistently during our Broadway stint, as evidenced by the excited responses during the balcony scene and the audible reactions to the dialogue delivery.
Connor, an actor with experience in two West End productions, commented, ‘I appreciate their involvement, but London seems to react negatively to it.’ As a Londoner myself, I often feel uncomfortable when participating in interactive performances, expressing a sense of unease with the thought of being asked on stage.
The popularity of Connor and Zegler, who have recently appeared together in “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes“, has resulted in a state that Connor calls “complete pandemonium” at the stage door following their performances, as swarms of fans eagerly wait for autographs. The show has also been doing exceptionally well, consistently playing to full or over-capacity audiences since its opening on October 24 and earning over $1 million weekly in recent weeks.
The temporary run of this play concludes on February 16th. Regarding a potential fourth season of “Heartstopper”, Connor is still undecided at this point. Meanwhile, he’s looking forward to the premiere of the A24 war film titled “Warfare”. In this project, the 20-year-old actor got the opportunity to portray his most mature role to date.
“I’m looking forward to start going into more adult roles and more adult characters,” he said.
Throughout his career, he intends to balance movie and stage productions, occasionally dabbling in TV work as well. However, his ultimate goal is to consistently push his limits.
Connor mentioned he’s planning to take a short break to refresh his mind and senses, and then dive into something entirely new. His goal is to spend the coming years exploring diverse activities, especially challenging ones, in an effort to push himself towards improvement.
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2024-11-29 23:24