By Joe Szekeres
An anticipatory buzz of excitement hovered at the Ed Mirvish Theatre Tuesday, Sep 24 2019, for the Mirvish 2019-2020 Theatre Subscription Launch. With twenty-four different shows in six different venues, theatre loving people will be in their glory for this upcoming season.
And four of these shows set box office record in the 1980s and 1990s. Here’s hoping lightning will strike twice again:
‘Cats’ returns to The Princess of Wales November 27, 2019 – January 5, 2020; ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ will play at The Princess of Wales January 8, - February 2, 2020; ‘Miss Saigon’ will play at The Princess of Wales May 5 – June 24, 2020; ‘Les Miserables’ will play at The Princess of Wales June – August 2020.
One of my all-time favourites, ‘Come From Away’, will reopen December 13, 2019 at the Royal Alexandria Theatre from its current home at the Elgin Theatre. And speaking of David Hein and Irene Sankoff who penned this wonderful musical, there is a benefit concert of their production ‘My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding’, January 19, 2020, a quirky, rather odd title I remembered from the 1990s but never saw it. It will play at the Royal Alexandra Theatre for one night.
Nevertheless, I was also intrigued and inspired to see some production titles that piqued my curiosity. I had heard of these titles whether they played in New York or London’s West End.
Ok, I’m sure we’ve all heard about the musical phenomenon ‘Hamilton’ that’s killing box office wherever it opens. It opens February 11 – May 17, 2020 at The Ed Mirvish Theatre. I saw ‘Hello, Dolly!’ in NYC last April when Bernadette Peters played the title play. This touring company rolls into The Princess of Wales March 24 – May 3, 2020. For some reason, ‘Anastasia’ didn’t really interest me at all, yet the trailer that was played at the season launch made me give it another look. It runs December 3, 2019 – January 12, 2029 at the Ed Mirvish Theatre. ‘Mandy Patinkin In Concert: Diaries’ runs November 12 and 14 at The Ed Mirvish Theatre. ‘Mozart’s Don Giovanni’ runs October 31, 2019 – November 9, 2019 at The Ed Mirvish Theatre.
Illusionists productions have always amazed me in trying to figure out how it’s done. ‘The Illusionists – Magic of the Holidays’ runs January 1 – 5, 2020 at Meridian Hall (formerly Sony Centre or for the old timers like me, The O’Keefe Centre). For those who love Celtic music and the Irish culture, ‘Riverdance: The 25th Anniversary Show’ returns February 25 – March 1, 2020 at The Princess of Wales. For comedy and laughs, The Second City’s ‘She The People’ runs at The CAA Theatre, February 4 – 9, 2020.
Two dynamos of the Canadian music theatre – Louise Pitre and Jayne Lewis – will appear in Piaf/Dietrich, the story of two of the greatest names in show business (Edith Piaf and Marlene Dietrich) which will open September 26 – December 8, 2019 at the CAA Theatre. For lovers of Bob Dylan’s music, ‘Girl from the North Country’ is the Canadian premiere September 28 – November 24, 2019 at the Princess of Wales Theatre. For those music lovers of Simon and Garfunkel, ‘The Simon & Garfunkel Story’ opens May 26 – June 14, 2020 at the CAA Theatre. Disco loving fans will be in full bloom with ‘Summer: The Donna Summer Musical’ March 10 – 22, 2020 at The Princess of Wales Theatre.
Finally, I have heard of some of these titles and some absolutely nothing. And yet, this is the glory, mystique and wonder of live theatre. Let’s just go and experience it for ourselves:
‘Us/Them’ (a sell out at the Edinburgh Fringe and London’s National Theatre) opens February 27 – March 15, 2020 at the CAA Theatre. ‘Room’ (which was a novel and film) opens April 4 – 26, 2020 at the CAA Theatre. The Toronto premiere of ‘Indecent’ opens May 5 – 24, 2020 at the CAA Theatre. ‘6 Guitars’ opens March 24 – 29, 2020 at the CAA Theatre.
A veritable charcuterie theatrical smorgasbord of all tastes and talents. What an exciting and interesting season. I, for one, am looking forward to it.