The musical based on the Manga is set to officially open at the Harold Pinter Theatre on the 5th July.
It has been announced that MatPat, an online educator and co-founder of the Theorist YouTube channels is set to join the new Frank Wildhorn musical Your Lie in April as a celebrity producer.
In addition, he will also be hosting two Q&A talks after the performances of the musical on the 9th and 10th July.
Celebrity producers act as a Brand Ambassador for theatre shows, have recently become popular on Broadway, with Hillary Clinton supporting the suffragette play Suffs, Angelina Jolie (the musical The Outsiders), and Paula Abdul (How to Dance in Ohio), among many others. MatPat had a similiar Producer role on the Broadway thriller Grey House in the 2023 Broadway season.
Game Theorist creator MatPat, whose real name is Matthew Patrick, announced his Youtube retirement in March after nearly 15 years in the limelight and posting 3,000 theory videos. His Goodbye video has so far been viewed more than 20 million times.
Your Lie in April has been adapted from the popular manga story and is a story of love and loss. It is the first West End musical to be adapted from a manga story.
Kōsei is a brilliant young piano prodigy, dubbed the “Human Metronome” for his mechanical accuracy, who has won many prestigious competitions. But his mother’s sudden death leaves him bereft and unable to play music. That changes when he strikes a friendship with the brilliant violinist Kaori, who slowly encourages him to perform again. As Kaori continues to lift Kōsei’s spirits, he realises that he loves her. But is their relationship doomed?
The musical features music by multi-Grammy, Tony, and Emmy Award nominated Broadway composer Frank Wildhorn (Jekyll & Hyde, Bonnie & Clyde) with lyrics by Carly Robyn Green and Tracy Miller, English Language Book by Rinnie B. Groff. It is directed and choreographed by Nick Winston (Burlesque the Musical, Death Note the Musical, Fame, Annie) and co-directed by Jordan Murphy, with Music arrangement and Orchestrations by Jason Howland.
Meanwhile, the cast is led by Zheng Xi Yong, Rachel Clare Chan,Dean John-Wilson and Mia Kobayashi. The company also includes: Ernest Stroud , JoJo Meredith, Chris Fung , Eu Jin Hwang , Daniel Nardone , Ericka Posadas, Lucy Park , Gracie Lai, Imogen Law Hing Choy and Ria Tanaka.
MatPat said today: “Anime and manga adaptations are perfect for the stage. The same heightened drama and emotion that defines the theatre are present in every frame of art in your typical manga. It’s my hope that productions like Your Lie in April help introduce a brand new generation to the power of on-stage storytelling. For nearly fifteen years, I’ve been working to lead the growth of creators in online video. I’m so excited to venture into the world of theatre and find new ways to introduce audiences to the power of live storytelling.”
Your Lie in April will run at the Harold Pinter theatre until the 21st September. To book tickets visit: Love Theatre.com, London Theatre Direct or London Box Office.