An acclaimed Toronto theatre company that’s been largely dormant since the pandemic is relaunching with new leadership, a fresh mandate and a slate of three shows for the 2025-26 season.
The Eclipse Theatre Company announced Friday that Richard Ouzounian, the Toronto Star’s former theatre critic, has been appointed as its new artistic producer, taking over from stage actor Chilina Kennedy.
Kennedy, a Canadian theatre veteran who’s starred in musicals like “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” and “Jesus Christ Superstar” on Broadway, will join Eclipse’s newly formed artistic collective, helping to guide the company’s artistic direction. The other members of the collective will include director Robert McQueen, along with actors Evan Buliung and Vanessa Sears.
The artist collective will replace the role of the company’s outgoing artistic director, Andrew Seok, who’s stepping down to focus on personal projects.
Ouzounian, a former associate director with the Stratford Festival, said the company will focus on developing emerging Canadian talent through collaboration with more seasoned theatremakers.
“What I think Toronto theatre is missing is a place that supports emerging artists — not just actors, but directors, choreographers and designers — by having them work together with established artists on good projects,” he told the Star in a phone interview ahead of Friday’s announcement.
Eclipse’s first show of the season will be a concert revival of “Emily” at Koerner Hall on Sept. 8. Written by Ouzounian and Marek Norman, the Canadian musical is based on Lucy Maud Montgomery’s “Emily of New Moon” coming-of-age trilogy.
Sadie Laflamme-Snow will play the title role. She’ll be joined by emerging artists Ben Page, Jordan Clark and JJ Gerber, along with four of the stars from the musical’s 1999 world premiere production — Jeff Madden, Tracy Michailidis, Mike Nadajewski and Raquel Duffy — who will portray the older generation of characters.
In April 2026, Eclipse will mount a new revival of “Spring Awakening,” Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater’s Tony Award-winning rock musical about a group of young adults navigating sex, attraction and their insecurities. Ouzounian will codirect the three-week run with Genny Sermonia at a venue that’s yet to be announced.
The season will conclude in November 2026 with a new production of George Bernard Shaw’s “Major Barbara,” directed by Buliung and featuring Shaw Festival star Jim Mezon.
Eclipse’s relaunch comes after several years of inactivity for the company, whose last major production was Stephen Sondheim’s “Sunday in the Park With George” in March 2020, just before the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown.
