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Michael Torontow is a Canadian actor, singer and director, best known for his work in musical theatre. He has played such roles as Link Larkin in the first Canadian production of Hairspray in 2004[1] Giuseppe Naccarelli in Toronto productions of The Light in the Piazza in 2010 and 2016, and the title character in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in 2022. He is an artistic director for Talk is Free Theatre in Barrie, Ontario. He has been nominated for Dora Awards both as a leading actor and director.
Michael Torontow | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 12, 1977 |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, singer |
| Years active | 2001–present |
Early life and education
editTorontow was born in Ottawa, Ontario, where he attended Bell High School.[2] While in high school, Torontow played Joseph in a production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, which motivated him to pursue a career in acting. He graduated from the University of Ottawa with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and a Certificate in Arts Administration.[2]
Career
editIn 2001, Torontow made his professional stage debut in the first North American tour of Mamma Mia! as a member of the ensemble and an understudy in the role of Sky.[citation needed]
In 2004, Torontow played the role of Link Larkin in the first Canadian production of Hairspray. The musical ran at the Princess of Wales Theatre from April to November 2004.[1]
Torontow was a member of the ensemble for the stage adaptation of Dirty Dancing.[3] The first Canadian production played at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, opening in July 2007. In 2010, Torontow played Giuseppe Naccarelli in a Toronto production of The Light in the Piazza presented by the Musical Stage Company and the Canadian Stage Company.[4] In 2016, Torontow reprised his role of Giuseppe in a production of The Light in the Piazza at the Max Bell Theatre, for which he was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical at the 2016 Calgary Theatre Critics Awards.[5]
In 2019, Torontow performed Every Brilliant Thing, a one-man show written by Duncan Macmillan. The production was presented by Talk is Free Theatre at the Five Points Theatre in Barrie, before it transferred to the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre.[6] In 2020, the production was presented at the Adelaide Fringe Festival with Torontow again performing the show.[7] This production won the BankSA Best Theatre & Physical Theatre award.[8]
Since 2019, Torontow has served as an artistic director for Talk is Free Theatre (TIFT), which is a professional theatre company based in Barrie that has produced theatre across Ontario, Canada, and internationally.[9] In 2021, he directed his first musical, a TIFT production, of Into the Woods, in Barrie and at the Winter Garden Theatre in Toronto.[9][10] At the 2022 Dora Awards, Torontow was nominated for Best Direction.[11]
In 2022, Torontow starred as Sweeney Todd in a production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, which was presented by Talk is Free Theatre.[12] For his performance in the role, he was nominated for Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role in a Musical at the 2022 Dora Awards.[11]
In 2023, Torontow played Kevin J. and others in a production of Come from Away in Gander, Newfoundland, where the musical is set.[13] When the musical returned to Gander in the summer of 2024, Torontow returned, this time playing Kevin T. and others.[14]
Torontow is currently playing Cal in the original Canadian production of Titanique.[15] The musical premiered at the Segal Centre in Montreal, where it is playing between October 27 and November 24, 2024. It will then transfer to the CAA Theatre, where it will play between December 5, 2024 and January 12, 2025.[15]
Credits
editTheatre
edit| Year | Production | Role | Theatre | Category | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001–2003 | Mamma Mia! | Ensemble, u/s Sky | First National Tour | ||
| 2004 | Hairspray | Link Larkin | Princess of Wales Theatre | Mirvish Productions | [1] |
| 2007–2009 | Dirty Dancing | Ensemble | Royal Alexandra Theatre | Mirvish Productions | [3] |
| 2010 | The Light in the Piazza | Giuseppe | Berkeley Street Theatre | Musical Stage Company, Canadian Stage Company | [4] |
| 2014 | Floyd Collins | Homer Collins | Mady Centre for the Performing Arts | Regional: Talk Is Free Theatre, Patrick Street Productions | |
| The York Theatre | |||||
| 2016 | The Light in the Piazza | Giuseppe | Max Bell Theatre | Regional: Theatre Calgary | [5] |
| 2017 | Beauty and the Beast | Beast | Capitol Theatre | Regional | |
| 2018 | Mamma Mia! | Sam | Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage | Arts Club Theatre Company | |
| 2019 | Every Brilliant Thing | Narrator | Five Points Theatre | Regional: Talk is Free Theatre | [6] |
| Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre | |||||
| 2020 | Adelaide Fringe Festival | [7] | |||
| 2022 | Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street | Sweeney Todd | Regional: Talk is Free Theatre | [12] | |
| 2023 | Come from Away | Kevin J. and others | Joseph R. Smallwood Arts and Culture Centre | Regional: Gander, Newfoundland | [13] |
| 2024 | Cock | M | Regional: Talk is Free Theatre | ||
| Come from Away | Kevin T. and others | Joseph R. Smallwood Arts and Culture Centre | Regional: Gander, Newfoundland | [14] | |
| 2024–2025 | Titanique | Cal | Segal Centre for Performing Arts | Mirvish Productions | [15] |
| CAA Theatre | |||||
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Queer as Folk | Babylonian | S5.E7: "Hope Against Hope" |
| 2009 | True Crime Scene | Bakery Manager | S2.E10: "Cherry Hill Murder" |
| 2010 | Forensic Factor | S7.E5: "Abbotsford Killer" | |
| Being Erica | Doug | S3.E6: "Bear Breasts" | |
| 2013 | Hannibal | Pharmacist | S1.E2: "Amuse-Bouche" |
| 2014 | Reign | King's Guard | S1.E9: "For King and Country" |
| 2015 | Remedy | 68 Special Elvis | S2.E10: "Day One" |
| 2015–2016 | Lost & Found Music Studios | Mr. T | Main role: 17 episodes |
| 2017 | Conviction | Handsome Guy | S1.E13: "Past, Prologue & What's to Come" |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Calgary Theatre Critics Award | Best Supporting Actor in a Musical | The Light in the Piazza | Nominated | [5] |
| 2019 | Ovation Awards | Outstanding Supporting Performance of a Musical - Male | Mamma Mia! | Nominated | |
| 2020 | Adelaide Fringe Festival Awards | BankSA Best Theatre & Physical Theatre | Every Brilliant Thing | Won | [8] |
| 2022 | Dora Awards | Outstanding Direction | Into the Woods | Nominated | [11] |
| Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role | Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street | Nominated |
References
edit- ^ a b c Jones, Kenneth (November 28, 2004). "Hairspray Ends in Toronto Nov. 28". Playbill. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
- ^ a b "Michael Torontow". Canadian Musical Theatre Database. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
- ^ a b Jones, Kenneth (July 25, 2007). "Toronto's Dirty Dancing Finds Its Baby and Johnny; Full Cast Announced". Playbill. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
- ^ a b Kaplan, Jon (February 8, 2010). "The Light In The Piazza". Now Toronto. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
- ^ a b c Hobson, Louis B. (May 24, 2016). "Calgary theatre critics award nominees unveiled". Calgary Herald. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
- ^ a b Schmidt, Joff (January 24, 2020). "From ice cream to Christopher Walken, Every Brilliant Thing celebrates what makes life worth living". CBC. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
- ^ a b Wild, Stephi (January 12, 2020). "Acclaimed Canadian Theatre Company Heads To Adelaide Fringe". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
- ^ a b "2020 BankSA Adelaide Fringe Weekly Fringe Award Winners". Adelaide Fringe. February 28, 2020. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
- ^ a b Szekeres, Joe. "Profiles: Michael Torontow". Our Theatre Voice. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
- ^ Hoile, Christopher (October 31, 2021). "Into the Woods". Stage-Door. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
- ^ a b c Watson, Jessica (September 20, 2022). "2022 Dora Mavor Moore Award Winners". Intermission Magazine. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
- ^ a b Murphy, Aisling (June 13, 2022). "Sweeney Todd at Talk Is Free Theatre". Intermission Magazine. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
- ^ a b Masseron, Meg; Putnam, Leah (July 23, 2023). "Get a 1st Look at the Homecoming Production of Come From Away in Gander, Newfoundland". Playbill. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
- ^ a b Buchwald, Linda (March 14, 2024). "Original Broadway Cast Members Return to Come from Away in Gander". Theatremania. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
- ^ a b c Gans, Andrew (September 16, 2024). "See Who's Starring in Canadian Production of Titanìque Musical". Playbill. Retrieved November 5, 2024.