Toronto producers Ed and David Mirvish and Tony Award winning librettist-songwriter Mel Brooks announced Feb. 20 that The Producers would have its Canadian premiere at the Mirvishes' Canon Theatre in Toronto in spring 2003, making the staging the fourth North American production, and the third outside New York City.
By spring 2003, the Tony Award-winning smash musical by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, staged by Susan Stroman, will have four concurrent productions: On Broadway, on a national tour, on the West Coast and in Toronto. No cast has been announced for Toronto. A source in the Toronto theatre community said David Mirvish announced Toronto as the "point of origin" for the production, making this the third national company.
The staging is expected to play the Canon at least three months, and would presumably tour after. A spokesperson for Mirvishes said May-June 2003 is the likely start date of the sitdown.
The Canon Theatre is the new name of the historic Pantages Theatre, the lush theatre that was the home of The Phantom of the Opera for many years.
No cast has been announced for any of the productions of The Producers beyond New York City (Henry Goodman and Steven Weber join the troupe March 19). Single tickets are not on sale yet for Toronto, but ticketbuyers are guaranteed seats if they subscribe to the varied Mirvish season, split between a handful of Mirvish playhouses there. For information, call (800) 771-3933 or (416) 593-4225. The Producers won 12 Tony Awards — a record — in 2001. Performances continue at Broadway's St. James Theatre.
