Five questions with Adam Cooper of 'A Chorus Line'

The acclaimed dancer and choreographer has starred in everything from Singin' in the Rain and The Nutcracker, to The Magic Flute, and now he returns to A Chorus Line.

Adam Cooper's name is synonymous with the world of dance. He was a Royal Ballet principal dancer from 1994-97 and is renowned for his portrayal of the Swan in Matthew Bourne's groundbreaking Swan Lake. Now he is returning to the role of Zach in A Chorus Line, following its run at Leicester Curve in 2021.

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What is A Chorus Line about and who do you play?
A Chorus Line is a musical that opened on Broadway in 1975. It is the story of a group of dancers auditioning for a new Broadway show. Zach, the director/choreographer (who I play), is looking for only eight dancers and in order to learn about their personalities, he asks them to reveal stories about their past and their struggles to get where they are.

You must be thrilled to return to A Chorus Line, after performing in the show at Leicester Curve in 2021. What do you love most about Nikolai Foster’s production?
I’m genuinely excited to be returning to this show and this production. It’s such an iconic show and what Nikolai Foster, along with choreographer Ellen Kane and the rest of the creative team, have done gives it a fresh energy and poignancy which is breathtaking to see. I also have the enviable position of being able to watch this incredible cast in every performance from the auditorium!

How does it feel to be reunited with Carly Mercedes Dyer?
Carly is one of the most exciting and engaging actresses in theatre today! She is perfect for the role of Cassie (Zach’s ex-girlfriend) and the scenes we play together are very intense. Not only is she brilliant but she’s humble, lovely and very funny, so I’m really looking forward to spending time with her again.

What has been your favourite role on stage to date, and why?
That’s not an easy question, there’s so many. I’ve been incredibly lucky to play so many diverse roles on stage both as a dancer and actor. I suppose if pushed, my favourites from musicals would be Sky Masterson in Michael Grandage’s Guys & Dolls, because I felt it really established me as an actor, and Don Lockwood in Singin’ in the Rain because it was always a joy to perform the over-700 performances I did of it!

Do you have a dream role you’d love to play on stage?
I’ve always had the dream of playing Vaslav Nijinsky on stage, the first superstar of ballet who ended up in a mental asylum, as his is such an amazing story. I have also always wanted to do a Fred Astaire role on stage as he’s one of my heroes – perhaps in a stage adaptation of his brilliant movie The Band Wagon!

Book A Chorus Line tickets on London Theatre.

Photo credit: Adam Cooper in A Chorus Line. (Photo courtesy of production)