In 2021 The Musical Stage Company celebrated an extraordinary summer, bringing live musical experiences to over 6000 Torontonians: the company presented BLACKOUT, an incredible new Canadian musical under the stars in the glorious High Park Amphitheatre; they produced another sell-out series of PORCHSIDE SONGS travelling cabaret concerts; and launched MUSICAL MOMENTS, bringing free street parties, jam sessions, and surprise performances to every corner of the city.

The company is now thrilled to announce that in 2022, they will do it all again and MORE, presenting a city-wide celebration of musical storytelling offering four weeks of wildly joyful musical programming throughout the GTA — introducing MARQUEE.

Lighting up parks, porches, streets and traditional theatre venues, MARQUEE will unleash a wave of musical experiences across Toronto. Full-scale productions, star-studded concerts, community-based performances, and participatory pop-ups will reinvigorate the city and reconnect communities, reminding us all why it’s better with music.

Running May 28- June 25, MARQUEE’s slate of multifaceted and electrifying programs explores the central theme of 'Turning Points', inviting Toronto’s most imaginative artists to draw upon personal moments of fundamental change.

“The inevitability of change in our lives is a universal and repeated theme,” comments Musical Stage Company Artistic Director Ray Hogg. “All of us, at one point or another, come up against a moment or moments of sweeping change that force us to shift who we fundamentally are. These cathartic shifts are so profound that they can feel revolutionary to us. The very core of our being is transformed - we undergo a revolution of being. All of our programming this year will shine a light on deeply personal, sometimes autobiographical, discoveries that our artists have made as a result of their own personal revolutions.”

DIXON ROAD June 1 – 19 at the High Park Amphitheatre

Anchoring this thrilling summer program is a new Canadian musical from one of the most innovative and inspiring stage artists of the moment, DIXON ROAD. A co-production with regular creative partners Obsidian Theatre, DIXON ROAD has book, music, and lyrics by Fatuma Adar and is directed and choreographed by Musical Stage Company Artistic Director Ray Hogg. Telling the story of a Somali family who immigrate to Canada in 1991 as the civil war begins to tear their homeland apart, DIXON ROAD incorporates contemporary verse, R&B, and traditional Somali melodies into an exhilarating story about dreams, displacement, and finding a new sense of home. Part of Canadian Stage’s 2022 Dream in High Park programming, DIXON ROAD will run June 1 – 19.

TAKE THE MOMENT June 23 – 25 at the Winter Garden Theatre

On the heels of DIXON ROAD, The Musical Stage Company makes their long-awaited return to the historic Winter Garden Theatre, where they staged their multi-Dora winning 2020 production of CAROLINE, OR CHANGE. An intimate evening of story and songs set to the musical catalogue of Stephen Sondheim, CYNTHIA DALE: TAKE THE MOMENT honours the extraordinary life-changing moments that shape us all. Featuring one of Canada’s most beloved musical performers in an unprecedentedly raw performance, with direction by Richard Ouzounian, this special concert event is on stage June 22 – June 25.

PORCHSIDE SONGS ’22 June 13 – July 10, Live & in concert in your front yard

Returning for a third year, PORCHSIDE SONGS is The Musical Stage Company’s celebrated outdoor cabaret series bringing music to audiences across the GTA, making music in the streets, and bringing communities together safely. This summer offers two dynamic musical duos presenting cabarets exploring the MARQUEE theme of personal transformation. The 2022 PORCHSIDE SONGS cabarets are created and performed by Beau Dixon and Kelly Holiff, and Kevin Wong and Cailin Stadnyk, with creative support from Thom Allison. The 2022 cabarets are available June 13 – July 10.

MUSICAL MOMENTS May 28 - June 10, popping up across the city

Returning for a second year to infuse the city with explosive street parties, interactive jam sessions, and surprise performances, MUSICAL MOMENTS brings pop-up experiences to communities across Toronto by harnessing the imagination and creativity of artists. Seven MUSICAL MOMENTS experiences from diverse local artists will be available from May 28 – June 10, exploring the themes of laying down roots, discovering dreams, and building futures. New this year, audiences interested in catching the entire program can attend a MUSICAL MOMENTS High Park take over June 11 and 12.

Participating artists this year include BitterJuice Collective, Dillan Chiblow, Sharron Matthews, and Jennifer Villaverde. Tickets for all MUSICAL MOMENTS events are free.

RBC & Banks Prize Creators’ Project June 14

Rosie Callaghan and Matthew Joseph, The Musical Stage Company’s 2021-22 Syd & Shirley Banks Prize winners, present a passionate cabaret performance for the 10th anniversary of the Banks Prize showcase. This cabaret series, created by Musical Stage’s eight 2022 apprentice artists, is a joyful self-discovery of personal roots and artistic expression featuring extraordinary musical selections and special guest performances by past award winners.

MARQUEE 2022: Participatory Experiences

An expansive line up of ancillary participatory experiences are planned to enrich the extensive MARQUEE 2022 programming. Before each performance of DIXON ROAD, The Musical Stage Company will offer audiences the opportunity to learn about and immerse themselves in Somali culture and heritage through food, music, dance, and art and craft. Pre-show chats with members of The Musical Stage Company and the artistic team of DIXON ROAD will also be presented before every performance.

THE MARQUEE FELLOWS

THE MARQUEE FELLOWS is a free performing arts program that aims to enrich the lives of people connected to the themes, stories, and songs of The Musical Stage Company’s 2022 MARQUEE.

Working within the theme of ‘Turning Points’, The Marquee Fellows offers a community of art-loving Torontonians a chance to connect with the performing arts in new ways. Participants can expect performing arts workshops, panel discussions, facilitated independent creation time, personal presentations from the cast and/or creative team of the mainstage production, as well as an opportunity to make and discuss art in an affirming space.

ACCESS

For MARQUEE 2022 The Musical Stage Company has several accessibility initiatives and offerings to reduce barriers to participation. On-site accessibility initiatives include ASL interpretation, relaxed performances, shuttle services to the High Park Amphitheatre and audio-described performances and select MARQUEE programming will offer a digital option for audiences unable to leave their residence.

All MARQUEE performances and programs will have pay-what-you-can ticketing options, as well as fully subsidized ticketing programs offered through community partners,with many MARQUEE available free to the public.

Bundled tickets for DIXON ROAD and CYNTHIA DALE: TAKE THE MOMENT are available for purchase now, with single tickets going on sale April 14th. MARQUEE is made possible through the generous funding of Founding Lead Sponsor TD Ready Commitment and Founding Lead Donor Anne-Marie Canning.

For more information visit musicalstagecompany.com.