13 GOING ON 30 THE MUSICAL Will Make North American Premiere in Toronto

The 2026/27 Operation Mirvish Theatre Season has been announced at the Mirvish Theatre in Toronto, including the North American premiere of 13 Going on 30 – The Musical. Toronto will host the musical’s North American debut prior to opening in London’s West End.

The main subscription season is made up of seven exciting productions, including four new musicals, two plays, and one docu-concert. The off-Mirvish subscription season will have five shows that will be announced in March. There will also be 12 non-subscription, including brand-new productions and the return of audience favourites.

First up are three Canadian premieres of exciting new musicals:

Direct from Broadway, the first show of the season is one with an Empire State of Mind. Hell’s Kitchen is the electrifying hit musical created by 17-time Grammy Award winner Alicia Keys. Inspired by her life, the multi-award-winning Hell’s Kitchen features Alicia Keys’ greatest hits along with new songs written especially for the show.

The Karate Kid: The Musical is a thrilling and energetic new show based on the iconic 1980s film of the same name. It’s a heartfelt coming-of-age story that takes flight with sensational musical numbers and inventive choreography. This brand-new production will come to us directly from its UK premiere.

Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical is the uproarious Olivier and Tony Award-winning musical sensation that’s taken London and Broadway by storm, blending sharp wit and intrigue with one of the most audacious true stories ever told. It’s the best-reviewed show in West End history, with an incredible 88 five-star reviews. It’s simply a must see.

Following along are two North American premieres:

13 Going on 30: The Musical is the story of an awkward 13-year-old who wants to skip adolescence and go straight to adulthood. Based on the hit 2004 romantic comedy that starred Jennifer Garner, 13 Going on 30 had its world premiere at the Manchester Opera House in the Fall of 2025. Toronto will host the musical’s North American debut prior to opening in London’s West End. (Jennifer Garner is an executive producer of this new musical.)

Toronto will also host the North American premiere of the landmark London production of the longest-running play in theatre history. Agatha Christie’s classic murder mystery, The Mousetrap, opened in London’s West End in 1952 and has been running there ever since, now in its 75th year. This will be the very first time the legendary production will be seen on this side of the Atlantic.

The season closes with the Toronto premieres of two exciting Canadian shows that bring masterful storytelling to the stage performed by brilliant Canadian artists.

Last season we brought to Toronto Inside American Pie, a thrilling docu-concert from Harmony House, the esteemed music collective from Prince Edward Island. It was such a huge success that we are bringing another Harmony House hit to our stage. Inside the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald is a moving theatrical experience that uses the timeless songs of Gordon Lightfoot to tell the most haunting story in our maritime history.

Salesman in China, by Leanna Brodie and Jovanni Sy, is the fascinating cross-cultural exploration of a true event – playwright Arthur Miller’s 1983 visit to Beijing to direct a Chinese-language production of his seminal play, Death of a Salesman. The production was an acclaimed hit at the Stratford Festival, which commissioned the play and premiered it two seasons ago. It went on to a sellout run at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa and now makes its long-awaited Toronto debut.

The four Mirvish stages will also offer 12 productions not on subscription – but Mirvish Subscribers will have priority ticket access to all these extra shows.

Full Season Listing Information:

HELL’S KITCHEN

Music and Lyrics by Alicia Keys

Book by Kristoffer Diaz

Choreography by Camille A. Brown

Directed by Michael Greif

Welcome to Hell’s Kitchen, the hit musical inspired by Alicia Keys’ life, music, and community.

Ali is a 17-year-old searching for freedom, passion, and her place in the world. Along the way, she meets a life-changing mentor, her dynamic family, and the neighborhood that helps her grow. The show features a mix of Alicia Keys’ greatest hits and new songs written for the production, brought to life through high-energy choreography.

Subscription Show #1

Canadian Premiere | September – October 2026

THE KARATE KID: THE MUSICAL

Based on the Columbia Pictures Motion Picture written by Robert Mark Kamen

Inspired by his original story

Book by Robert Mark Kamen

Music and Lyrics by Drew Gasparini

Directed by Amon Miyamoto

This stage adaptation brings the 1984 film to life through music, movement, and theatrical storytelling. Daniel LaRusso’s coming-of-age journey centers on his bond with Mr. Miyagi and explores balance, dignity, and respect.

Subscription Show #2

Canadian Premiere | September – November 2026

OPERATION MINCEMEAT: A NEW MUSICAL

Book, Music and Lyrics by David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts

Choreographed by Jenny Arnold

Directed by Robert Hastie

Set in 1943, this fast-paced musical comedy tells the true story of a covert Allied mission involving a stolen corpse and an elaborate deception that helped change the course of World War II.

Subscription Show #3

Canadian Premiere | October – December 2026

13 GOING ON 30: THE MUSICAL

Book by Josh Goldsmith and Cathy Yuspa

Music and Lyrics by Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner

Directed by Andy Fickman

Choreographed by Jennifer Weber

Based on the 2004 film, this musical comedy follows Jenna Rink, a 13-year-old who magically wakes up as a 30-year-old magazine editor. As she navigates her adult life, she discovers what truly matters.

Subscription Show #4

North American Premiere | November 2026 – January 2027

AGATHA CHRISTIE’S THE MOUSETRAP

Written by Agatha Christie

When seven strangers are snowed in at a remote guesthouse after news of a London murder, a police sergeant arrives and reveals one of them is a killer. Secrets unravel as the group races to uncover the culprit.

Subscription Show #5

North American Premiere | February – March 2027

INSIDE THE WRECK OF THE EDMUND FITZGERALD

Told through the songs of Gordon Lightfoot

Created by Mike Ross and Sarah Wilson

Music Direction and Arrangements by Mike Ross

Performed by Mike Ross, Shane Pendergast, Brielle Ansems, Cameron MacDuffee, Alicia Toner and Greg Gale

Produced by Harmony House

This production tells the story of the SS Edmund Fitzgerald through Gordon Lightfoot’s music, tracing the ship’s final voyage and celebrating Lightfoot’s songwriting legacy.

Subscription Show #6

Toronto Premiere | April – May 2027

SALESMAN IN CHINA

推销员在中国

By Leanna Brodie and Jovanni Sy

Suggested by the memoirs of Arthur Miller and Ying Ruocheng

Chinese Translations by Fang Zhang

Directed by Jovanni Sy

Produced by the Stratford Festival

Set in 1983 Beijing, the play follows Arthur Miller’s collaboration with Chinese artists staging Death of a Salesman, exploring cultural exchange and artistic translation. Presented in English and Mandarin with surtitles.

Subscription Show #7

Toronto Premiere | June – July 2027

Bonus Non-Subscription Shows – On Sale Soon

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY

Canadian Premiere | June – July 2026

Written by Levi Holloway

Directed by Felix Barrett

James and Lou move to London to escape their past but encounter unexplained supernatural events. Inspired by the film series.

THE SECRET CHORD: A Leonard Cohen EXPERIENCE

July – August 2026

Created by Frank Cox-O’Connell, Marni Jackson and Mike Ross

A theatrical concert celebrating the life, poetry, and music of Leonard Cohen.

WATER FOR ELEPHANTS

Canadian Premiere | July 2026

Based on Sara Gruen’s novel, this musical follows a young man who joins a traveling circus and finds love and belonging.

Book by Rick Elice

Directed by Jessica Stone

Music and lyrics by PigPen Theatre Co.

MAMMA MIA!

August 2026

Set on a Greek island, a daughter’s search for her father unfolds through the songs of ABBA in this long-running musical about love, family, and friendship.

DIRTY DANCING: THE MUSICAL

Canadian Premiere | November 2026 – January 2027

Based on the film, this stage adaptation follows Baby and Johnny’s transformative summer at Kellerman’s, featuring live performances of the movie’s songs.

Bonus Shows – On Sale Now

CHICAGO

April 7 – 19, 2026 | CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre

Set in the Jazz Age, two rival murderesses compete for fame amid media sensationalism.

THE BOOK OF MORMON

April 7 – 26, 2026 | CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre

A musical comedy about two mismatched missionaries sent abroad to spread their faith. Contains explicit language.

INSIDE AMERICAN PIE

April 14 – May 3, 2026 | CAA Theatre

A concert experience exploring the history and stories behind Don McLean’s “American Pie,” performed by Mike Ross and band.

MOULIN ROUGE! THE MUSICAL

April 22 – May 10, 2026 | CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre

Baz Luhrmann’s film adaptation reimagined for the stage with pop hits, romance, and spectacle.

Directed by Alex Timbers

Book by John Logan

Music supervision by Justin Levine

Choreography by Sonya Tayeh