About Us

PREVIEWS DECEMBER 12 & 13, 2019
OPENING DECEMBER 14, 2019
CLOSES DECEMBER 22, 2019

About Us

The Ward Cabaret, a sold-out hit at the 2018 Luminato Festival, reimagines the vibrant sounds of Toronto’s first cross-cultural community. It is inspired by the engaging and impactful “The Ward“ (Coach House Books). 

David Buchbinder, Grammy-nominated musician and producer, is joined by a collaborative team of award-winning musicians, singers, and actors to bring the first full production of this musical and theatrical experience to Harbourfront Theatre

The Ward was a Lower-East-Side-like enclave shared for over a century by Irish, African-Canadians, Italians, Eastern European Jews, and Chinese. Home to waves of immigrants who settled there, started businesses and religious institutions, learned English, hawked newspapers, ran speakeasies, restaurants, and laundries, while creating furiously, all the while trying to fit into a larger culture that wasn’t sure it wanted them. When these newcomers came to Toronto they brought with them great cultural treasures: deep traditions of stories, music, and song. 

The Ward Cabaret, created with the collaboration of award-winning artists Michael Occhiptinti, Derek Kwan, Marjorie Chan, and Leah Cherniak, shares the key to the sound, “vibration” and meaning of a time and place that holds the secret of what Toronto has become: the most diverse city on the planet. 

Artistic Associates

Derek Kwan

Artistic Associate, singer, actor (flute)

Michael Occhipinti

Artistic Associate, guitar, banjo, (bass)

Jeremiah Sparks

Singer, actor (Piano)

performers

Singers/Actors

Aviva Chernick

Singer, actor

Cara Krisman

Singer, actor

Kaisha Lee

Singer, actor, piano

Mitch Smolkin

Singer, actor

performers

Instrumentalists

Jacob Gorzhaltsan

Bb & bass clarinets, alto & tenor sax, flute, “basic keys”

Cynthia (Zi Wen) Qin

Guzheng

Louis Simão

Acoustic bass, accordion, piano

David Buchbinder

Artistic Director, Producer, trumpet, fluegelhorn, alto horn, conductor

Creative Cast

Creative Team

Marjorie Chan

Writer

Leah Cherniak

Co-Director

Monica Dottor

Choreographer

Victoria Wallace

Costume & set designer

Simon Rossiter

Lighting designer

Creative Cast

Production Team

David Buchbinder

Artistic Director, Producer, trumpet, fluegelhorn, alto horn, conductor

John Lorinc

Executive Producer

Michael McClelland

Executive Producer

Dian Marie Bridge

Administrator

Jess Cimo

Social Media and Marketing Director

Yehuda Fisher

Production Manager and Technical Director

Kai-Yueh Chen

Stage Manager

Emily Pettet

Administrative Assistant