Michael Torontow

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Michael Torontow
Born (1977-12-12) December 12, 1977 (age 46)
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Occupation(s)Actor, singer
Years active2001–present

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.

Contents

Early life and education

Torontow 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. [2]

Career

In 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]

Credits

Theatre

YearProductionRoleTheatreCategoryRef.
2001–2003 Mamma Mia! Ensemble, u/s SkyFirst 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 GiuseppeBerkeley Street TheatreMusical Stage Company, Canadian Stage Company [4]
2014 Floyd Collins Homer CollinsMady Centre for the Performing ArtsRegional: Talk Is Free Theatre, Patrick Street Productions
The York Theatre
2016 The Light in the Piazza GiuseppeMax Bell TheatreRegional: Theatre Calgary [5]
2017 Beauty and the Beast BeastCapitol TheatreRegional
2018 Mamma Mia! SamStanley Industrial Alliance Stage Arts Club Theatre Company
2019Every Brilliant ThingNarratorFive Points TheatreRegional: Talk is Free Theatre [6]
Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre
2020 Adelaide Fringe Festival [7]
2022 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Sweeney ToddRegional: Talk is Free Theatre [12]
2023 Come from Away Kevin J. and othersJoseph R. Smallwood Arts and Culture CentreRegional: Gander, Newfoundland [13]
2024 Cock MRegional: Talk is Free Theatre
Come from Away Kevin T. and othersJoseph R. Smallwood Arts and Culture CentreRegional: Gander, Newfoundland [14]

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2005 Queer as Folk BabylonianS5.E7: "Hope Against Hope"
2009 True Crime Scene Bakery ManagerS2.E10: "Cherry Hill Murder"
2010 Forensic Factor S7.E5: "Abbotsford Killer"
Being Erica DougS3.E6: "Bear Breasts"
2013 Hannibal PharmacistS1.E2: "Amuse-Bouche"
2014 Reign King's GuardS1.E9: "For King and Country"
2015 Remedy 68 Special ElvisS2.E10: "Day One"
2015–2016 Lost & Found Music Studios Mr. TMain role: 17 episodes
2017 Conviction Handsome GuyS1.E13: "Past, Prologue & What's to Come"

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResultRef.
2016Calgary Theatre Critics AwardBest Supporting Actor in a Musical The Light in the Piazza Nominated [5]
2019Ovation AwardsOutstanding Supporting Performance of a Musical - Male Mamma Mia! Nominated
2020 Adelaide Fringe Festival AwardsBankSA Best Theatre & Physical TheatreEvery Brilliant ThingWon [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

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Jones, Kenneth (November 28, 2004). "Hairspray Ends in Toronto Nov. 28". Playbill. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
  2. 1 2 "Michael Torontow". Canadian Musical Theatre Database. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
  3. 1 2 Jones, Kenneth (July 25, 2007). "Toronto's Dirty Dancing Finds Its Baby and Johnny; Full Cast Announced". Playbill. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
  4. 1 2 Kaplan, Jon (February 8, 2010). "The Light In The Piazza". Now Toronto. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 Hobson, Louis B. (May 24, 2016). "Calgary theatre critics award nominees unveiled". Calgary Herald. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  6. 1 2 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.
  7. 1 2 Wild, Stephi (January 12, 2020). "Acclaimed Canadian Theatre Company Heads To Adelaide Fringe". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  8. 1 2 "2020 BankSA Adelaide Fringe Weekly Fringe Award Winners". Adelaide Fringe. February 28, 2020. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  9. 1 2 Szekeres, Joe. "Profiles: Michael Torontow". Our Theatre Voice. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
  10. ↑ Hoile, Christopher (October 31, 2021). "Into the Woods". Stage-Door. Retrieved August 30, 2024.
  11. 1 2 3 Watson, Jessica (September 20, 2022). "2022 Dora Mavor Moore Award Winners". Intermission Magazine. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  12. 1 2 Murphy, Aisling (June 13, 2022). "Sweeney Todd at Talk Is Free Theatre". Intermission Magazine. Retrieved September 2, 2024.
  13. 1 2 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.
  14. 1 2 Buchwald, Linda (March 14, 2024). "Original Broadway Cast Members Return to Come from Away in Gander". Theatremania. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
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