Mirvish Productions

Mirvish Productions is a Canadian based theatrical production company and promoter.

The company was founded in 1987 by David Mirvish, son of Toronto retailing icon and owner of the Royal Alexandra Theatre, Ed Mirvish.

The first assets acquired was the Royal Alex and slowly began to acquire productions and other theatres.

Since the collapse of Livent, Mirvish Productions is the largest theatrical promoter in Toronto and Canada. The company has also helped Toronto become one of the most important theatrical centres in the world behind Broadway and London.

Productions

Most of Mirvish Productions' theatrical shows were (and are) in Toronto:

• Les Misérables (1989–1990) Royal Alexandra Theatre
• Miss Saigon (1993–1995) Princess of Wales Theatre
• Crazy for You (1994–1995)
• Tommy (1995) Elgin Theatre
• Jane Eyre (1996–1997)
• Rent (1997–1998) Royal Alexandra Theatre
• The Lion King (2000–2004) Princess of Wales Theatre
• The Producers (2003–2004) Canon Theatre
• Hairspray (2004) Princess of Wales Theatre
• Mamma Mia! (2000–2005) Royal Alexandra Theatre
• The Lord of the Rings (2006) Princess of Wales Theatre
• The Sound of Music (2008–2009) Princess of Wales Theatre
• We Will Rock You (2007–2009) Canon Theatre, Panasonic Theatre
• The Boys in the Photograph (2009) Royal Alexandra Theatre
• Rock of Ages (2010) Royal Alexandra Theatre
• Priscilla: Queen of the Desert (October 2010)
• A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (December 2010) Canon Theatre
• Billy Elliot the Musical (February–September 2011) Canon Theatre
• The Railway Children (2011) Roundhouse Theatre
• The Secret Garden (March 2011) Royal Alexandra Theatre
• Calendar Girls (April 2011) Royal Alexandra Theatre
• Mary Poppins (November 2011) Princess of Wales Theatre
• War Horse (February 2012) Princess of Wales Theatre
• The Wizard of Oz (2011 musical) (December 2012) Ed Mirvish Theatre
• Les Misérables (October 2013) Princess of Wales
• The Heart of Robin Hood (December 2014) Royal Alexandra Theatre
• Once (February 2015) Ed Mirvish Theatre
• Kinky Boots (June 2015 - 2016) Royal Alexandra Theatre
• Matilda the Musical (July 2016) Ed Mirvish Theatre
• The Book of Mormon (February 2017) Princess of Wales Theatre
• Strictly Ballroom the Musical (April 2017) Princess of Wales Theatre
• Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (June 2017) Ed Mirvish Theatre

From 1987 to 1998 the company promoted theatrical productions at the Old Vic, then owned by the company:

• Candide 1987–1990 – at the Old Vic
• The Master Builder 1997–1998

Theatres

Toronto, Canada

• Royal Alexandra Theatre 1987–present – purchased originally by Ed Mirvish in 1963^[1]
• Princess of Wales Theatre 1993–present
• CAA Theatre – purchased in 2008 from Key Brand Entertainment
• Ed Mirvish Theatre, initially known as the Pantages Theatre, and then formerly the Canon Theatre – purchased in 2008 from Key Brand Entertainment; Mirvish Productions was already managing daily operations at the Canon since 1999

London, U.K.

• The Old Vic 1987–1998 – purchased originally by Ed Mirvish in 1986

Real Estate

Besides entertainment, Mirvish Productions has branched out into real estates. Besides the theatres they owned, Mirvish Productions renovated an old bank office tower into the condo project known as One King West in Toronto, Ontario.

Financial Technology

In 2018, Mirvish Productions was the largest equity investor in the Series A financing of Toronto-based financial technology company, FundThrough. Mirvish Productions contributed $3.2 million of the total $34 million that was raised.^[2]

This investment was a departure from the company's usual investments in art, theatre, and real estate.^[2] However, David Mirvish cited a familiarity with FundThrough's business model, which provides businesses a cash advance on the value of their invoices, as being the impetus for his decision to invest.^[2]

References