The 52: Stories of Women Who Transformed Toronto at Nuit Blanche

Myseum Invites Audiences to Step Into The Shoes of 52 Women Who Transformed Toronto, With Participatory Performances at Nuit Blanche

The 52: Stories of Women Who Transformed Toronto tells the stories of 52 women who shaped our city’s past, present, and future. This edition of The 52 at Nuit Blanche invites audiences to read, watch, and share monologues as part of a participatory performance about Toronto’s extraordinary women.

Toronto, ON (September 2023) – Myseum of Toronto announces their latest city-wide project, titled ‘The 52: Stories of Women Who Transformed Toronto.’ This work will premiere as a participatory performance on September 23-24 as part of the official Nuit Blanche programming. The performance invites audiences to perform the stories of 52 women, past and present, who have made significant contributions to the history of Toronto.

“We are thrilled to present ‘The 52: Stories of Women Who Transformed Toronto’ as part of this year’s Nuit Blanche,” says Heidi Reitmaier, Executive Director of Myseum of Toronto. “Women currently make up 52% of the population in Toronto, and this project, which has commissioned 24 exemplary playwrights to write 52 monologues, celebrates the myriad of ways women have contributed to various facets of city life – in art, culture, politics, sports, technology, business, and more. With the Nuit Blanche 2023 theme, Breaking Ground, we felt it was the perfect time to preview this project and invite audiences to contribute, all in advance of our exhibition and digital project next year.” This one-night performance is a preview of The 52, Myseum of Toronto’s larger multi-year project of the same name. The 52 shines a light on the wealth of Toronto’s stories and histories that are shaped by women.

About The 52 at Nuit Blanche

In the heart of downtown Toronto, at RendezViews entertainment venue (229 Richmond St W.), audiences can celebrate extraordinary women who have transformed Toronto by participating in live performances and nominating women to add to the growing list of trailblazers.

All night long on the central stage, participants can step into the shoes of Toronto’s historic women by reciting pre-prepared monologues about The 52. The performances will be broadcast on a big screen where audiences can watch, listen, and share.

Audiences can step into the shoes of the likes of author Margaret Atwood and recall the time that her words inspired hundreds of people to converge on City Hall wearing masks of her face; or community advocate Jean Lumb, as she leads the Chinese Community Dancers of Ontario in a performance for the Queen on Canada Day; Susan Bailey, head nurse in the 1800s at the Emigrant Hospital in dealing with Typhus, and Fanny ‘Bobbie’ Rosenfeld, an Olympian and sports journalist who competed in the first Olympics.

At the venue, audiences will be able to explore the full list of monologues that can be brought to life on the main stage. A variety of food and beverages will also be available for visitors who wish to make an evening of it. A list of 52 women is only the beginning. To scratch the surface of the impact that 52% of Toronto has made on the city, audiences are also invited to nominate their own list of women who have had a lasting influence on Toronto. Audiences are enlisted to help Myseum document and preserve the legacies of their nominees by calling in to their Nomination Phone Line where people can make submissions and listen to other crowd-sourced nominations.

About The 52’s Multi-Year Project

The final exhibition of The 52, slated for 2024, will include 52 actors from Toronto’s stages and screens and will immortalize these stories on film for generations of viewers.

The 52 women featured in this city-wide project are: Bianca Andreescu, Jill Andrew, Margaret Atwood, Susan Bailey, Phyllis Bomberry, Roberta Bondar, Laura Bulger, Diana Carter, Mary Ann Shadd Cary, Adrienne Clarkson, Columbia Coco Diaz, Kit Coleman, Myrtle Cook McGowan, Cathy Crowe, Clara Cynthia Benson, Cheri DiNovo, Mary Fix, Emma Goldman, Slova Greenberg, Jennifer Hodge De Silva, Rowena Hume, Gar Yin Hune, Jane Jacobs, Angela James, Verna Johnston, Karen Kain, Cecilia Krieger, Blanche Lemco Van Ginkel, Frances Loring, Jean Lumb, Flora MacDonald Denison, Elizabeth Elsie MacGill, Ausma Malik, Josephine Mandamin, Lee Maracle, Hazel McCallion, Saadia Muzaffar, Penny Oleksiak, Jeanne Parkin, Bernice Redmon, Fanny Bobbie Rosenfeld, June Rowlands, Rosemary Sadlier, Jackie Shane, Rosalie Silberman Abella, Lillian H. Smith, Judith Snow, Min Sook Lee, Emily Stowe, Menaka Thakkar, and Beatrice Worsely. 24 of Toronto’s most exciting established and emerging playwrights have been commissioned to tell the stories of these 52 historically significant women through short monologues. The playwrights on this project include Kanika Ambrose, Erin Shields, Ophira Calof, Marcia Johnson, Marjorie Chan, Anna Chatterton, Diane Flacks, Falen Johnson, Sarena Parmar, Julie Tepperman, Aida Jordao, Alex Cameron, Ali Joy Richardson, Coleen MacPherson, Jo SiMalaya Alcampo, Jordi Mand, Julia Hune-Brown, Keira Loughran, Lisa Ryder, Meghan Swaby, Sedina Fiati, Shandra Spears, Cheri Maracle, and Sharada Eswar.

About Myseum of Toronto

Founded in 2015, Myseum is Toronto’s City Museum. They offer a collection of experiences that tell the histories of Toronto.Their exhibitions and content aim to evoke curiosity and foster deeper connections between its visitors and the city. With a focus on building a living archive of the city, they strive to be a valuable resource for those interested in the cultural heritage of Toronto. Enjoy Myseum’s programming in their downtown exhibition space, throughout the city, and online.

About RendezViews Entertainment Venue

Founded in 2020, RendezViews is Canada’s largest outdoor art park and hospitality patios, welcoming over 350,000 visitors since its opening. Located in the heart of of Toronto’s Entertainment District, with stunning view of the CN Tower, it has become the city’s go-to place to watch sports, attend culture festivals, and celebrate special moments. New amenities in 2023 include Pickleball and Beach Volleyball. RendezViews has received various international awards from countries such as The Netherlands, Australia and the UK.

Content Source: DMPUBLIC