Eva Foote, Jessica Sherman. Photos by Dahlia Katz & Elana Emer.
Eva Foote, Jessica Sherman. Photos by Dahlia Katz & Elana Emer.
Kelly v. Kelly

Kelly v. Kelly

A Musical Stage Company production in association with Canadian Stage

Book by Sara Farb
Music & Lyrics by Britta Johnson


Inspired by true events from 1915 in New York, KELLY v. KELLY reveals the story of a mother and daughter divided by passion, money and what it means to be a woman at a time of huge societal change. When a 19-year-old heiress becomes tangled in an affair with a seductive tango dancer, her distraught mother has her arrested and charged with incorrigibility, sparking a court case that scandalizes the nation.

Featuring an electrifying musical score and mesmeric choreography, the inaugural production of KELLY v. KELLY will take you inside the imaginations of two of Canada’s most celebrated musical theatre forces.

KELLY v. KELLY is the third production in The Crescendo Series, a three-year commitment by The Musical Stage Company to produce the work of Britta Johnson and her collaborators.

Britta Johnson is Canadian musical theatre's next great hope.

– The Toronto Star

The Musical Stage Company is the largest and leading charitable musical theatre company in Canada. Established in 2004 as Acting Up Stage Company, we strive to make Canada a leader in musical theatre.

We believe it’s better with music.

We are inspired by music’s unique ability to viscerally affect people and are committed to cultivating experiences – onstage and off – that transform lives, build empathy and create community through musical theatre.

We incubate new Canadian musicals from development to production, investing in Canadian musical theatre writers and building national and international partnerships. Our musical productions – including award-winning contemporary musicals, world premieres and concerts – are seen live by 30,000 people over the 80+ nights that we are onstage annually in venues both traditional and surprising. To date, our work has been recognized with 105 Dora Award nominations, 23 Dora Awards and 19 Toronto Theatre Critics’ Awards.

Our robust education programs develop the artists and audiences of tomorrow, offering musical theatre training that boosts self-confidence and self-expression for over 200 young people each year without cost to the participants. We also curate innovative musical programs in partnership with diverse organizations, maximizing the resonance of our work across disciplines and communities.


Book by

  • Sara Farb

Music and Lyrics by

  • Britta Johnson
The Musical Stage Company

Developed with support from the National Arts Centre’s National Creation Fund.

Commissioned by the Aubrey & Marla Dan Fund for New Musicals, funded by The Aubrey & Marla Dan Foundation.

KELLY v. KELLY was originally developed at the Canadian Music Theatre Project at Sheridan College in Oakville, Canada, Michael Rubinoff, Producing Artistic Director.

Currently Playing at Canadian Stage

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