Canadian Stage, the country’s premiere producer of contemporary large-scale theatre, proudly presents the highly anticipated Canadian premiere of the celebrated award-winner THE INHERITANCE: PARTS 1 & 2, running March 22 – April 14. 

Helmed by Canadian Stage’s Artistic Director Brendan Healy (Public Enemy, Other People, Every Brilliant Thing, The Maids), THE INHERITANCE is a ground-breaking epic that has captivated audiences with its powerful storytelling, rich themes, and exceptional ensemble of talented actors.

The sweeping story unfolds over two parts, immersing audiences in the intersecting lives of a group of young men navigating love, friendship, and loss as they try to make it in present-day New York City. Playwright Matthew López draws inspiration from E.M. Forster’s novel Howard’s End masterfully interweaving past and present, creating an unforgettable exploration of generational loss, resilience, and legacy against the backdrop of the AIDS epidemic and its aftermath.

Eric Glass is a political activist engaged to his writer boyfriend, Toby Darling. When two strangers enter their lives—an older man and a younger one—their futures suddenly become uncertain as they begin to chart divergent paths. As bingeable as prestige television, THE INHERITANCE is event theatre at its best: moving, funny, and entertaining.

THE INHERITANCE swept awards season in both London and New York, earning 4 Oliver Awards including Best Play following its 2018 world premiere at London’s Young Vic, and 4 Tony Awards including Best Play for its 2019 Broadway premiere at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre.

This new production features a distinguished cast of some of Canada’s most beloved actors, including Qasim Khan, Stephen Jackman-Torkoff, Antoine Yared, and Daniel MacIvor with Salvatore Antonio, Aldrin Bundoc, Hollywood Jade, Breton Lalama, Jim Mezon, Landon Nesbitt, Ben Page, Louise Pitre and Gregory Prest.

“We are very proud to be producing the Canadian premiere of THE INHERITANCE, one of the most celebrated plays of the past decade,” comments Canadian Stage Artistic Director Brendan Healy. “Among the things that I love about this play is how it authentically represents the truth of a particular community while providing many access points for all people to connect with it. I see Canadian Stage as a civic space - a reflection of Toronto for Torontonians. Through our programming choices, we seek to give space to the many communities that make up our great city while keeping in mind the diversity of lived experiences that make up our audience. THE INHERITANCE does exactly this: it is a story about a community that the whole city can enjoy and benefit from.”

In addition to the Olivier and Tony Awards, THE INHERITANCE was recognized with Best Play awards from the Drama Desk, Evening Standard, London Critics Circle, Outer Critics Circle Honors, Drama League, and GLAAD Media. Matthew López was the first Latin writer to win the Tony Award for Best Play. In addition to his works as a playwright, which include The Whipping Man, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Somewhere, Reverberation, The Sentinels, Zoey’s Perfect Wedding, and the musical adaptation of the classic film Some Like It Hot, López is also a screenwriter, and last year his feature film directorial debut - the LGBTQ+ romantic comedy Red, White & Royal Blue debuted on Amazon Prime produced by Amazon Studios.

Joining Healy on the creative team for the production are associate director Jordan Laffrenier, set designer Michael Gianfrancesco, costume designer Ming Wong, lighting designer Kim Purtell, and sound designer Richard Feren.

Tickets for THE INHERITANCE: PARTS 1 & 2 range from $36-$120. Single tickets are now available at www.canadianstage.com. This 2-part production runs from March 22nd – April 14th, with performances at 8:00pm Tuesday – Saturday, 2:00pm matinees on Saturday and Sundays, and a 1:00pm matinee of Part 1 on Wednesday, April 3rd.

For more information and tickets visit www.canadianstage.com.

Photo: Antoine Yared, Qasim Khan and Stephen Jackman-Torkoff. © 2024 Lorne Bridgman.