The Show

Dancer (A Musical In Ten Furlongs) was the winner of the 2023 Adams Prize For Musical Theatre, and this powerful, universal story had its World Premiere at The Al Green Theatre, as part of the 2023 Toronto Fringe Festival, July 5-16.

Dancer (A Musical In Ten Furlongs) tells the classic tale of “the little guy who defies all expectations”, and who overcomes all obstacles to earn a place in horse racing history. But this is not just any ordinary “little guy”, this is Northern Dancer, the “horse no one believed in” – the too-small, too-ungainly, too-willful thoroughbred who overcame doubt, injury and history to become the first Canadian-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby.

Dancer won that Derby in 1964, setting a track record, and then went on to become the most successful sire in thoroughbred racing history. In fact, in 2020, 77% of all the world’s thoroughbreds were descendants of Northern Dancer.

Not only does Dancer tell a unique story, it tells that story with a unique theatricality. There literally has never been a musical like this one – where the lead character never speaks or sings, communicating only through movement and dance.

Taking inspiration from his name, Northern Dancer, and all the other horses in his story, are played by dancers, as dancers. Unlike Equus or War Horse, our dancers simply become horses, using their natural grace and athleticism, and without the use of special headdresses, puppetry or costuming.