Etobicoke Musical Productions evolved out of the enthusiasm and energy of a small group of people with a shared passion – musical theatre. Under the name of York Peel Music Society their first production, Oklahoma!, was staged in the Spring of 1966. By the Fall of 1968 the Group’s name was changed to The Etobicoke Light Opera Company to acknowledge the growing membership from Etobicoke.
1968 to 1974 was the era of operettas such as Rose Marie, The Desert Song, White Horse Inn, etc. Then, to take account of the broadening scope of the productions, in 1975 the group changed its name to Etobicoke Musical Productions, and at the same time began to stage two shows a year, ranging from Anne of Green Gables, Girl Crazy, Fiddler on the Roof and more recently Evita, Singin’ In The Rain, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Music Man, and My Fair Lady.
In 1991, to celebrate their 25th anniversary, EMP commissioned a new Canadian musical. Submissions were received from across Canada, from which the winning entry, neighbours, was selected. The show was workshopped in June of 1990, allowing the wrinkles to be ironed out, and paving the way to the full production in 1991. Click here for more about neighbours!
EMP’s members, though amateur in status, have built up professional expertise in all things theatrical, both on stage and behind the scenes.
It is this acknowledged dedication that has drawn many ‘out-of-towners’ to swell the local audience to approximately 3,500 per production. Etobicoke Musical Productions prides itself on achieving professional quality productions by true amateurs.
The following is a chronology of the Group’s productions since it was formed in 1965:
1966 Oklahoma!
1967 South Pacific
1968 Rose Marie
1969 Finian’s Rainbow / Markham Street
1970 Carousel
1971 Desert Song
1972 Brigadoon
1973 The White Horse Inn
1974 The New Moon
1975 No, No Nanette / Oklahoma
1976 Show Boat / Girl Crazy
1977 Fiddler on the Roof
1978 Guys and Dolls / Grand Night for Singing
1979 The Gypsy Baron / How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
1980 The Vagabond King / The Boyfriend
1981 Kismet / Anne of Green Gables
1982 Mame / Gypsy
1983 My Fair Lady / Jesus Christ Superstar
1984 Naughty Marietta / Bye, Bye Birdie
1985 Kiss Me Kate / Cabaret
1986 Bells Are Ringing / West Side Story
1987 Hello Dolly! / The Most Happy Fella
1988 Show Boat / Sugar
1989 The New Moon / Applause
1990 Annie Get Your Gun / Forty Second Street
1991 The Music Man / neighbours
1992 South Pacific / Anything Goes
1993 Brigadoon / A Little Night Music
1994 Gentlemen Prefer Blondes / Guys and Dolls
1995 Pajama Game / Grand Hotel
1996 Me And My Girl / Meet Me In St. Louis
1997 The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas / Fiddler On The Roof
1998 Oklahoma! / A Chorus Line
1999 Kiss Me, Kate / A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum
2000 Li’l Abner / City of Angels
2001 Damn Yankees! / Once Upon a Mattress
2002 Sound of Music / Evita
2003 Singin’ in the Rain / Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
2004 The Music Man / Mame
2005 My Fair Lady / Into the Woods
2006 Crazy for You / Brigadoon
2007 Man of La Mancha / Cabaret
2008 The Secret Garden / Anne of Green Gables
2009 Hello, Dolly / A Christmas Carol (Broadway)
2010 The Producers / Oliver
2011 Urinetown / Jesus Christ Superstar
2012 42nd Street / Guys and Dolls
2013 The Drowsy Chaperone
2014 Spring Into Song / Les Misérables
2015 Winter’s On The Wing / Ragtime – The Musical
2016 Magical Movie Moments / Anything Goes
2017 South Pacific
2018 A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum
2019 Decades of Broadway Hits/ La Cage aux Folles
2022 42nd Street
2023 We Will Rock You
2024 School of Rock