The Main Subscription features six blockbuster shows including the Broadway musical HAMILTON, which will have its Canadian Premiere at the Ed Mirvish Theatre from February to May 2020. The other Canadian Premieres are the 10-time Tony Award-winning THE BAND’S VISIT; GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY from writer/director Conor McPherson and songwriter Bob Dylan; ANASTASIA from the duo who gave us Ragtime; and the Tony-winning new revival of HELLO, DOLLY! Two of Canada’s leading actors — Louise Pitre and Jayne Lewis — will play Edith Piaf and Marlene Dietrich in the new play with music, PIAF/DIETRICH, which will have its Toronto premiere after acclaimed runs in Europe and Montreal.

The Off-Mirvish Season features three shows, two Canadian premieres: US/THEM, the innovative new work that wowed audiences and critics at the Edinburgh Fringe and at the National Theatre of Great Britain; ROOM, a daring new stage adaptation by Emma Donoghue of her best-selling novel and Oscar-winning film; and the Toronto premiere of INDECENT, Paula Vogel’s Broadway sensation.

There are three bonus shows not on subscription: Opera Atelier’s brilliant production of Mozart’s DON GIOVANNI; the new Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s CATS; followed by another new production of another Andrew Lloyd Webber blockbuster, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA.

Says David Mirvish: “The new season will see us not only bring some of the greatest titles to Toronto but also have us continue performing two established hits, COME FROM AWAY at the Elgin Theatre and DEAR EVAN HANSEN at the Royal Alexandra Theatre. In all, we will have shows on five major Toronto stages in 2019-20 for a total of more than 2,000 performances, catapulting Toronto into one of the busiest and most diverse theatre centres in the world.

"This 2019-20 season also marks the 100th Anniversary of the Ed Mirvish Theatre. From vaudeville, to film, to blockbuster musicals, this grand venue on Yonge Street has been home to countless forms of entertainment over the century. We look forward to celebrating this wonderful milestone in Canadian theatre!"

Subscribing is still the best way to make theatre part of your life. Subscribers enjoy exclusive benefits, including flexible ticket exchanges and priority booking on all shows.

 This year, the Main Subscription has a cap: only 47,000 subscription places will be available. Renewing subscribers will have first opportunity. Those wishing to become new subscribers can join a waiting list. The sooner you join the list, the more likely you can become a subscriber.

 The 6-show Main Subscription Season prices are $290 to $790.

 The 3-show Off-Mirvish Subscription Season prices are $140 to $185. There are also Student Off-Mirvish subscriptions for $75.

For more information and to subscribe, visit mirvish.com, or call 416-593-4225 or 1-800-771-3933.

The 2019-20 Mirvish Main Subscription Season

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Canadian Premiere

THE BAND’S VISIT

Music and lyrics by DAVID YAZBEK
Book by ITAMAR MOSES
Based on the screenplay by ERAN KOLIRIN
Directed by DAVID CROMER

September & October 2019 • The Ed Mirvish Theatre

WINNER OF 10 (2018) TONY AWARDS
INCLUDING BEST MUSICAL, BEST SCORE, BEST BOOK, and BEST DIRECTION

Spend an evening in the company of unforgettable strangers at THE BAND’S VISIT — now one of the most celebrated musicals ever. It rejoices in the way music brings us to life, brings us to laughter, brings us to tears, and ultimately, brings us together.

In an Israeli desert town where every day feels the same, something different is suddenly in the air. Dina, the local café owner, had long resigned her desires for romance to daydreaming about exotic films and music from her youth. When a band of Egyptian musicians shows up lost at her café, she and her fellow locals take them in for the night. Under the spell of the night sky, their lives intertwine in unexpected ways, and this once sleepy town begins to wake up.

“It’s time to fall in love again!” - The New York Times (Critic’s Pick)

“One of my favourite musicals of all time!” - Rolling Stone

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Toronto Premiere

LOUISE PITRE & JAYNE LEWIS in

PIAF/DIETRICH

A Legendary Affair

By DANIEL GROßE BOYMANN and THOMAS KAHRY
Adapted by ERIN SHIELDS from a translation by SAM MADWAR
Directed by GORDON GREENBERG

September to December 2019 • CAA Theatre

Edith Piaf and Marlene Dietrich were two of the greatest names in international show business during the early 20th century. The first of them enchanted the world with her singing, her moving life story, and unostentatious appearance, while the other did the same with her beauty, elegance, and bewitching stare, being one of the first European actresses to become popular in Hollywood.

Based on a true story, PIAF/DIETRICH is a musical drama that explores the intimate and entertaining portrait of a fascinating friendship between show business legends that began under the most unlikely of circumstances and lasted their entire lives.

Featuring 20 of their unforgettable hits including La Vie En Rose, Milord, and Where Have All The Flowers Gone, and starring two of Canada’s leading musical theatre actors, this will be an unforgettable theatrical experience.

“A musical celebration. Electrifying!” - Montreal Gazette

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Canadian Premiere

GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY

Written & Directed by CONOR MCPHERSON
Music & Lyrics by BOB DYLAN

September to November 2019 • The Princess of Wales Theatre

Duluth, Minnesota. 1934. A community living on a knife-edge huddle together in the local guesthouse.

The owner, Nick, owes more money than he can ever repay, his wife Elizabeth is losing her mind, and their daughter Marianne is carrying a child no-one will account for. When a preacher selling bibles and a boxer looking for a comeback show up in the middle of the night, things start to spiral beyond the point of no return…

Award-winning playwright Conor McPherson beautifully weaves the iconic songbook of Bob Dylan into this powerful new show full of hope, heartbreak, and soul.

GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY is a “magnificent” (Evening Standard), and “piercingly beautiful” (The Independent) production brought vividly to life by an extraordinary company of actors and musicians.

"BOB DYLAN'S songs have never sounded so HEARTBREAKINGLY PERSONAL & UNIVERSAL. AS CLOSE AS MORTALS COME TO HEAVEN ON EARTH." -  The New York Times (Critic’s Pick)

“Pure stage magic. Dylan fans will find it fascinating and ingenious.” - The Times (London)

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Canadian Premiere

ANASTASIA

Book by TERENCE MCNALLY
Music by STEPHEN FLAHERTY
Lyrics by LYNN AHRENS
Directed by DARKO TRESNJAK

December 2019 & January 2020 • The Ed Mirvish Theatre

Inspired by the beloved films, the romantic and adventure-filled new musical ANASTASIA is on a journey to Toronto at last!

From the Tony Award-winning creators of the Broadway classic Ragtime, this dazzling show transports us from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920s, as a brave young woman sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing conman and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love, and family.

“One of the most gorgeous shows in years! Luscious, lavish, and a joy that leaves you cheering.” - The New York Observer

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Canadian Premiere

HAMILTON

February to May 2020 • The Ed Mirvish Theatre

HAMILTON is the story of America's Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington's right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and was the new nation’s first Treasury Secretary.  Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B, and Broadway, HAMILTON is the story of America then, as told by America now.

With book, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and music supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, HAMILTON is based on Ron Chernow’s biography of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton.


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Canadian Premiere of the 2018 Tony® Award-winning Revival

HELLO, DOLLY!

Music & Lyrics by JERRY HERMAN
Book by MICHAEL STEWART
Based on the play The Matchmaker by THORTON WILDER
Directed by JERRY ZAKS

March & April 2020 • The Princess of Wales Theatre

Winner of four 2018 Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival, HELLO, DOLLY! is the universally acclaimed smash that NPR calls “the best show of the year!” and the Los Angeles Times says “distills the mood-elevating properties of the Broadway musical at its giddy best.” Director Jerry Zaks’ “gorgeous” new production (Vogue) is “making people crazy happy!” (The Washington Post).

After breaking box office records week after week and receiving unanimous raves on Broadway, this HELLO, DOLLY! is now coming to Toronto, paying tribute to the original work of legendary director/choreographer Gower Champion – hailed both then and now as one of the greatest stagings in musical theatre history.

“A must-see event. A musical comedy dream. If you’re lucky enough to score a ticket, you’ll be seeing something historic. Wow, wow, wow, indeed!” - Rolling Stone

“It is, in a word, perfection.” - Time Out New York

“It’s impossible to avoid getting swept up in the excitement.” - Entertainment Weekly

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The 2019-20 Off-Mirvish Subscription Season

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Canadian Premiere

US/THEM

Written & Directed by CARLY WIJS

February & March 2020 • CAA Theatre
The brilliant, utterly compelling hit play US/THEM – a sell-out at the Edinburgh Fringe and London’s National Theatre – tackles the Beslan school siege from the perspective of two wise, indomitable youngsters caught up in the tragedy.

In 2004 a group of terrorists stormed a school in Beslan, Russia, taking hundreds of children hostage. Three days later, many were left dead. By capturing this terrible event from the unfiltered point of view of children, playwright Carly Wijs has created something unexpected and revelatory: a wryly humorous, poignantly matter-of-fact piece of theatre about how the young deal with trauma, and what leads people to do the unthinkable.

“An innovative piece of theatrical storytelling.” - The Times, London

“Playful as it is heart-breaking and thought-provoking.” - The Guardian

“A remarkable feat of theatre.” - The Independent

Produced by BRONKS and Richard Jordan Productions with Theatre Royal Plymouth and Big in Belgium in association with Summerhall.


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Canadian Premiere

ROOM

By EMMA DONOGHUE, based on her novel
Music & Lyrics by KATHRYN JOSEPH & CORA BISSETT
Directed by CORA BISSETT

March & April 2020 • CAA Theatre
Emma Donoghue’s bestselling novel Room has now been adapted as a new play with songs by Scottish songwriters Kathryn Joseph and Cora Bissett. Previously adapted by Donoghue for the screen, the film won Academy Awards®, Golden Globes, and BAFTAs.

Kidnapped as a teenage girl, Ma has been locked inside a purpose built room in her captor’s garden for seven years. Her five year old son, Jack, has no concept of the world outside and happily exists inside Room with the help of Ma’s games and his vivid imagination where objects like Rug, Lamp, and TV are his only friends. But for Ma the time has come to escape and face their biggest challenge to date: the world outside Room.

You will not want to miss this “story that is in some ways a harrowing one, that brings many in the audience to tears. Yet is also a tremendously beautiful, vivid and uplifting show about the power of a mother’s love.” (The Scotsman)

A co-production with Covent Garden Productions and the Grand Theatre, London, Canada.

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Toronto Premiere

INDECENT

By PAULA VOGEL
Directed by JOEL GREENBERG

April & May 2020 • CAA Theatre
In 1923, after celebrated European productions, the Broadway debut of Sholem Asch’s drama God of Vengeance set the stage for an explosive moment in theatrical history. The evocative work of Jewish culture was praised and criticized for taboo themes of censorship, immigration, and anti-Semitism.

Inspired by these true events and the controversy, Pulitzer Prize-winner Paula Vogel tells the behind-the-scenes story of the courageous artists who risked their careers and lives to perform a work deemed “indecent.”

A play filled with music and dance, Indecent combines the high entertainment of theatre with the heartbreak of the loss of art and culture for an entire people. An ensemble of actors and musicians portray more than 40 roles in this riveting and richly theatrical backstage drama.

“Brimming with good faith” (The New York Times), this enchanting Tony Award®-winning play is a testament to the transformative power of theatre that is timelier than ever before.

“Reminds us of the power of art to tell us truths long before we are able to recognize them as such.” - Los Angeles Times

“So much rich emotion about history and the theater. A gripping and entertaining show with laughter and tears!” - Newsday

A Studio 180 Theatre Production


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Bonus Shows Not-On-Subscription

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MOZART’S DON GIOVANNI

October 31 to November 9, 2019 • The Ed Mirvish Theatre

Don’t miss this outrageous comedy of an incorrigible young playboy who blazes a path to his own destruction in a single day. Firmly grounded in the tradition of the Italian Commedia dell’arte, this glittering new production took Toronto by storm in 2011.

Join Opera Atelier — Canada’s premier period opera/ballet company — for this stunning revival, featuring Douglas Williams as Don Giovanni. Starring: Colin Ainsworth, Gustav Andreassen, Mireille Asselin, Stephen Hegedus, Carla Huhtanen, Olivier Laquerre, Meghan Lindsay, Douglas Williams. With Artists of Atelier Ballet and Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra.

Performed in Italian with English Surtitles.

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CATS

November 27, 2019 to January 5, 2020 • The Princess of Wales Theatre
CATS, the record-breaking musical spectacular by Andrew Lloyd Webber that has captivated audiences in over 30 countries and 15 languages, is now on tour across North America! Audiences and critics alike are rediscovering this beloved musical with breathtaking music, including one of the most treasured songs in musical theatre — Memory.

Winner of 7 Tony Awards including BEST MUSICAL, CATS tells the story of one magical night when an extraordinary tribe of cats gathers for its annual ball to rejoice and decide which cat will be reborn. The original score by Andrew Lloyd Webber (The Phantom of the Opera, School of Rock, Sunset Boulevard), original scenic and costume design by John Napier (Les Misérables), all-new lighting design by Natasha Katz (Aladdin), all-new sound design by Mick Potter, new choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler (Hamilton) based on the original choreography by Gillian Lynne (Phantom), and direction by Trevor Nunn (Les Misérables) make this production a new CATS for a new generation!

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THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

January 8 to February 2, 2020 • The Princess of Wales Theatre
Cameron Mackintosh’s spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA will make a triumphant return to Toronto as part of its North American Tour. Critics are raving that this breathtaking production is “bigger and better than ever before” and features a brilliant new scenic design by Paul Brown, Tony Award-winning original costume design by Maria Björnson, lighting design by Tony Award-winner Paule Constable, new choreography by Scott Ambler, and new staging by director Laurence Connor.

The beloved story and thrilling score will be performed by a cast and orchestra of 52, making this Phantom one of the largest productions now on tour.

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For more information and to subscribe, visit mirvish.com, or call 416-593-4225 or 1-800-771-3933.