Our upcoming production is not your typical song and dance show, and so we stopped by to chat with Choreographer Izzy Lewenz, to find out how she was going to use choreography within our next show
How many productions have you been involved with for Spa Theatre Company Juniors?
I have been involved with 4 Spa Theatre productions, or 5 if we count In The Heights, which we didn't actually perform thanks to the Covid-19 lockdown.
Les Miserables isn’t known for its choreography. How will dance feature in this show?
The choreography for this show has been an interesting challenge! There isn't much formal dance in Les Mis, it is more movement based, so the choreography is very subtle, but still important to help tell the story. There are few iconic moves people will recognise such as the marching in One Day More. Master of the House is a fun routine set in the pub of the Thenardiers, and there will be a waltz in the wedding scene. I encouraged the children to add their own ideas based on their characters to keep with the natural, spontaneous feeling of the other choreography in the show.
Where will you get your inspiration from for choreographing this production?
I researched a variety of different productions, including both professional and amateur, to get a feel for how other people have interpreted the music. I then saw which bits worked well, and incorporated some of them with my own ideas to tailor it to our company's production. It has been a very collaborative process this year, as the lines between staging and choreography are blurred, so I have been taking a lot of inspiration from Aimee (Director) and Leah (Assistant Director) too!
What’s your favourite song in this year’s production?
I think it would have to be Master of the House, as I had the most fun choreographing it, and I always go home with it stuck in my head! Pretty much the whole cast is involved with this number, so there will be lots to see on stage for this one.
If you were a character in Les Miserables, who would you be and why?
I really wasn't sure who I would be, so I did a Buzzfeed quiz to find out. I got Thenardier, because I'm outgoing and enjoy a party... morally I think we are quite different though!
Of all the Spa Theatre Juniors productions that you’ve choreographed, which has been your favourite?
My favourite production I've choreographed for Spa Theatre Juniors would have to be The Addams Family. I loved how the musical is both dark and brilliantly funny. The latin influence in the music made it a real joy to choreograph. The highlight has to be Tango De Amor, it was so dramatic, and I even learnt a little Argentine tango to make the choreography as authentic as possible!