Musical Theatre

Down through the decades, a long line of productions has rolled through town, providing an increasingly varied selection for devotees of musical comedy. Broadway and other international touring shows paved the way, leaving room for more local representation in later years. Musicals at Place des Arts—with an abundance of origins, taking varied inspirations, made for every kind of audience—are performed by diverse artists and troupes. That plurality of players allows for rich and dynamic programming that appeals to all ages!

The turn of the millennium brought a cavalcade of mega-musicals to Place des Arts’ stages. Blockbusters like Billy Elliot, Motown and Mamma Mia wowed audiences in Montréal just as they had in cultural meccas across the globe. The ABBA-inspired Mamma Mia was such a smash, in fact, that it played Place des Arts no less than five times between 2005 and 2017, with sold-out crowds at almost every performance. Just recently, the oeuvre of local folk rock legends Les Cowboys Fringants was adapted into a spirited musical emblematic of Québécois identity: Pub Royal was an instant triumph, and will be back at Place des Arts for a run of shows in December 2024.

Heavy hitters of the musical genre have made stops in Montréal on several occasions. Over the years, crowds have also enjoyed the likes of The Phantom of the Opera, Chicago and even Cats,

The works of Luc Plamondon, who is one of the most revered songwriters and composers of La Francophonie, lend poetic grace to socially engaged tales of marginality, difference and love. Québec audiences flocked to performances of his biggest musicals, Starmania, La Légende de Jimmy and Notre-Dame de Paris. The latter was buoyed by a star-studded cast that included Bruno Pelletier, Daniel Lavoie and Garou, among others.

Each year, more and more local and international producers bring their shows to Place des Arts, making for a distinctive, vibrant and constantly evolving program. They include adaptations of iconic musical and theatrical creations, such as De Céline à la Bolduc – Revue musicale and the musical version of Michel Tremblay’s Les belles-sœurs, directed by René Richard Cyr with music by Daniel Bélanger. They help arouse curiosity, generate new audiences and explore cultural history through the unifying art form that is musical comedy.