Finding the perfect fit

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Cinderella and Dirty Dancing aim for big box-office draw this fall. After all, who doesn't love a fairy-tale ending?

There was a time when a few good touring Broadway productions, a West End hit and a musical or two would have filled a season at Mirvish theatres. But times have changed.

Toronto's leading commercial theatre producer has cherry-picked the best of what the world has to offer to keep its theatres buzzing – four in all – with up to 52,000 seats to fill every week. Mirvish is also looking at the future, choosing productions that are edgy and contemporary to attract a younger audience.

It's no easy feat. The Mirvish staff is constantly looking out for possible shows. "If we hear of a production that seems to have really connected with a community, we rush to see it," says producer David Mirvish.

Each year, he and his staff check out 500 different productions around the world. "We've found shows at smaller theatres in our city and at theatres in other Canadian cities," says Mr. Mirvish. "We've discovered shows at fringe festivals, such as the one in Edinburgh and especially at our own in Toronto."

A case in point is the remarkably eclectic range of theatre on offer at Mirvish theatres this fall. While the big three venues offer a series of attractive, proven hits to subscribers and others, there are also some delightful, less conventional shows.

After Greg Kramer's Sherlock Holmes: A New Theatrical Adventure takes its final bow Nov. 8, a couple of splashy audience-pleasers move into the Ed Mirvish Theatre later in the fall.

First up is Dirty Dancing (Nov. 24-29), the stage version of the sexy extravaganza that made its North American debut in 2007 in Toronto and ran for 19 romantic months. Baby and Johnny fall in love again, amid sensual dancing, pulsating music and songs that you just can't stop humming.

Hooked on classics

Hard on those shapely, flying heels comes Cinderella (Dec. 1 to Jan. 10, 2016) with pumpkins, glass slippers, magical transformations and, of course, the glorious songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It's a fresh, sweet look at the classic story.

Meanwhile, at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, the Cyndi Lauper-Harvey Fierstein musical Kinky Boots continues its comfortable, well-tailored run until Dec. 20.

Once Motown the Musical closes Nov. 1 at the Princess of Wales, Andrew Lloyd Webber's megahit The Phantom of the Opera returns Dec. 8 until Jan. 23, 2016. This time, all that drama and romance comes wrapped in a gorgeous, new Cameron Mackintosh production that critics say is bigger and better than ever. Updated special effects, staging, lighting and choreography give this classic a fresh spin that will entice audiences back time and time again.

At the smaller 700-seat Panasonic Theatre, things get interesting for those who want to try something daring and different. The Panasonic, Mr. Mirvish points out, "has a different aesthetic and vibe than historic buildings, like the Royal Alex and the Ed Mirvish."

The first to hit the fall schedule is Upside Downton (Sept. 30 to Oct. 18). From the title, you might guess this is an hilarious parody of PBS's megahit, Downton Abbey. Just don't expect a huge cast. The brilliant Luke Kempner turns it into a one-man show by playing more than 30 characters, including all the favourites.

Seminar (Nov. 14 to Dec. 6) represents a complete change of pace. Written by Pulitzer Prize nominee Theresa Rebeck, the play centres on a celebrated novelist-turned-teacher (played by Stratford Festival star Tom McCamus) who wrestles with lust, power and ambition.

Traces (Dec. 15 to Dec. 27) continues to shake things up. This remarkable show, created in 2006 by Les 7 Doigts de la Main (Seven Fingers), a Quebec-based alt-circus troupe, is an exhilarating mix of traditional acrobatics, street sports (such as skateboard and basketball), theatre and modern dance. It's been a global hit, produced more than 1,700 times in 200 cities around the world. It made Time magazine's top 10 list in 2011 and packed houses at New York's Union Square Theater for a year. Toronto audiences are in for a treat.

"Like every other producer, we are keen to connect with a younger audience," says Mr. Mirvish, "and I think we have been fairly successful at it, especially at the Panasonic. Nothing gives us more joy than to take a remarkable show from up-and-coming artists and bring it to a bigger audience."

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