The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts will present a special engagement of the heartfelt and humorous play that inspired the CBC/Netflix TV series Kim’s Convenience, February 25 through March 8 with Soulpepper Theatre Company and Adam Blanshay Productions In association with American Conservatory Theater and Just for Laughs, You Productions, Henderson Theatrical Productions. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online at Kravis.org, at the Box Office Monday-Saturday 12pm to 5pm or by calling 561.832.7469.
Set in Toronto, Canada, 2012. Mr. Kim, a first-generation Korean immigrant, dispenses fatherly wisdom, history lessons and potato chips from behind his convenience store counter in the up-and-coming Regent Park neighborhood of Toronto. Wholly original, hysterically funny and deeply moving, Kim’s Convenience tells the story of one Korean family struggling to face the future amidst the bitter memories of their past. But no matter what, humor and heart find their way onto every aisle in this award-winning play that is now a hit series on Netflix.
Called “the most successful Canadian play of the last decade” by ClassicalFM, Kim’s Convenience was originally produced as part of the 2011 Toronto Fringe Festival. The premiere production was produced by Soulpepper Theatre Company in Toronto, ON and became an internationally successful TV show on CBC and Netflix following its original run. Everything Theatre called the U.K. tour, an “achingly funny… Hilarious, heart-warming story of love, family and survival through change and challenge.”
The cast of Kim’s Convenience includes: Original playwright Ins Choi as Appa, Esther Chung as Umma, Ryan Jinn as Jung, Kelly J. Seo as Janet, Brandon McKnight as Rich, Alex, Mr. Lee and Mike.
The creative team for Kim’s Convenience includes scenic design by Joanna Yu, costume design by Ming Wong, projection design by Nicole Eun-Ju Bell, lighting design by Wen-Ling Liao, and sound design by Fan Zhang. The fight director and choreographer is Sean Baek. The stage manager is Robert Harding, the assistant stage manager is Angela Mae Bago and the company manager is Becca Trimbur.
Adam Blanshay Productions (Producer) is a U.K. based company with over 60 productions worldwide to date, recipient of eight Tony Awards, 10 Oliviers and one Helpmann Award. ABP produced the highly acclaimed 2024 U.K. première of Kim’s Convenience starring Ins Choi, directed by Esther Jun at Park Theatre and Riverside Studios in London, as well as the U.K. tour which began in March 2025. This production won the 2025 Stage Award for Campaign of the Year. Originally from Montréal, Adam has an EMBA from the Saïd Business School, University of Oxford and received The Linbury Scholarship for his studies. Full bio: adamblanshay.com He dedicates this to his Umma, Roni.
It was a pleasure to sit down with Adam, for this exclusive Hotspots interview.
How did you get into Producing?
I have always loved the theater, and I have always been attracted to it, organically and intrinsically. I did theater as a child and then community theater, and then I studied Theater studies in undergrad. Through trial and error after trying different areas of theater I fell into a Producing internship which I fell in love with.
How did you get involved with Kim’s Convenience?
I fell in love with it as a tv show over the pandemic and I realized it had never been to the UK, so I approached the author to see if there was a possibility of presenting a UK premiere. The writer once again comes back and plays the father in the play. It took off exponentially in London and then toured and now we are touring North America.
Other than this show what has been your favorite project to produce?
I am proud of my involvement with Moulin Rouge.
Your company has received 8 TONY’s and 10 Oliver awards…How exciting was it to get your first Tony and first Oliver and does it ever get less exciting?
It’s exciting whenever your show wins best anything. My first Tony was for “Kinky Boots”, and it was an out of body experience as I really didn’t think we were going to win. It set the tone of everything that was going to come. Kinky Boots spread the message of acceptance and equality, so it was unexpected to win.
Describe yourself in 3 words?
Extrovert, powerful, and sensitive.
What do you do for fun?
I go to Barry’s Boot Camp, and I Love to see friends.
What should our readers expect of this production of Kim’s Convenience?
Essentially the show is so unbelievably funny and relatable on so many levels. It’s about an intergenerational immigrant’s journey and relationships between parents and children. Anyone from any background or culture can relate to and ultimately see their families’ love and struggles represented on stage. It’s a beautiful redeeming story that’s deeply rooted in faith. It’s extremely funny and is only 75 minutes long. So ultimately you get an enjoyable show with emotions and escapism you look for in theater at its best.
For more information on Adam Blanshay Productions, go to Instagram.com/adamblanshaypro
To purchase tickets for Kim’s Convenience, go to Kravis.org
