Canadian Premiere of Water For Elephants A New Musical
For Immediate Release
Media Contact: John Karastamatis, Sue Toth, Erin Nantais – Mirvish Productions
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS
A New Musical
CANADIAN PREMIERE
July 7 – July 19, 2026
CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre
Tickets On Sale February 23 at mirvish.com
BOOK BY FOUR-TIME TONY AWARD® NOMINEE RICK ELICE
MUSIC AND LYRICS BY PIGPEN THEATRE CO.
BASED ON THE NOVEL BY SARA GRUEN
ORIGINAL DIRECTION BY TONY AWARD NOMINEE JESSICA STONE
“Many wonders await in this gorgeously imaginative Broadway musical,” raved The New York Times when WATER FOR ELEPHANTS opened on Broadway in March 2024. The North American tour of this acclaimed and popular musical, based on the best-selling book of the same name by Sara Gruen, will make its highly anticipated Canadian Premiere this summer in Toronto.
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS will play the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre from July 7 – July 19, 2026. Tickets will go on sale at 10AM on Monday February 23, 2026, at mirvish.com or by calling 1.800.461.3333.
About the Show
After losing what matters most, a young man jumps a moving train unsure of where the road will take him and finds a new home with the remarkable crew of a traveling circus, and a life—and love—beyond his wildest dreams. Seen through the eyes of his older self, his adventure becomes a poignant reminder that if you choose the ride, life can begin again at any age.
The Creative Team
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS has a book by four-time Tony Award® nominee Rick Elice (Jersey Boys, Peter and the Starcatcher), a soaring score by the acclaimed PigPen Theatre Co. (The Tale of Despereaux), with tour direction by Ryan Emmons, recreating the original direction by Tony Award nominee Jessica Stone (Kimberly Akimbo).
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS features circus design by Tony Award nominee Shana Carroll (The 7 Fingers), choreography by Tony Award nominees Jesse Robb (Miss Saigon) and Shana Carroll, scenic design by Drama Desk Award winner Takeshi Kata (Clyde’s), costume design by David I. Reynoso (Sleep No More), lighting design by two-time Tony Award winner Bradley King (Hadestown), sound design by Tony Award nominee Walter Trarbach (Spongebob Squarepants), projections by two-time Tony Award nominee David Bengali (Good Night, and Good Luck), hair & makeup design by Luc Verschueren/Campbell Young Associates (A Beautiful Noise), puppet design by Ray Wetmore & JR Goodman, Camille Labarre (Into the Woods), puppet direction by Joshua Holden, music supervision and arrangements by Drama Desk Award winner Mary-Mitchell Campbell (Some Like It Hot) and Benedict Braxton-Smith (Kristin Chenoweth: For the Girls), orchestrations by Tony Award winner Daryl Waters (New York, New York), Benedict Braxton-Smith and August Eriksmoen, fight direction by Cha Ramos (Jagged Little Pill), associate circus designer by Antoine Boissereau, associate choreography by Paige Parkhill, and casting by The TRC Company, Claire Burke, CSA & Frankie Ramirez, CSA.
The WATER FOR ELEPHANTS tour stage management team is led by production stage manager Kathleen Carragee and is supported by Stage Manager Maris Keller and Circus Stage Manager Stan Barile. The company management team is led by company manager Greg Bawdon with associate company manager Taylor Parris. The tour music director/conductor is Sarah Wilhelm Pool. Mimi Intagliata serves as the Executive Producer.
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS won Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Direction of a Musical (Jessica Stone), Outstanding Sound Design of a Musical (Walter Trarbach), Outstanding Fight Choreography (Cha Ramos) and Outstanding Puppetry (Ray Wetmore, JR Goodman, & Camille Labarre), the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical (Jessica Stone), and the Chita Rivera Award for Outstanding Choreography (Jesse Robb & Shana Carroll).
GHOSTLIGHT RECORDS released the WATER FOR ELEPHANTS: Original Broadway Cast Recording, which preserves the show’s soaring score by the acclaimed PigPen Theatre Co., which is available on CD and all streaming and digital formats. The CD’s full-color booklet features production photography, complete lyrics, synopsis, and liner notes by book writer Rick Elice. The album is produced by Mary-Mitchell Campbell and Ian Kagey.
Broadway Licensing Global has secured worldwide licensing right to the critically acclaimed Broadway musical WATER FOR ELEPHANTS. The flagship musical publisher for the world’s fastest growing theatrical licensing company, Broadway Licensing Global, includes Dramatists Play Service and Playscripts.
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS had its world premiere in Atlanta on The Coca-Cola Stage at Alliance Theatre, running from June 7, 2023, through July 9, 2023. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution raved “WATER FOR ELEPHANTS is a triumph! Truly dazzles.” WATER FOR ELEPHANTS premiered on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre, running from March 20, 2024, through December 8, 2024. The production was a New York Times Critic’s Pick, with chief NYT theater critic Jesse Green describing the show as “Huge”, “Heart-filling”, and “Emotionally vivid.”