ABOUT THE 52
Women currently make up 52% of the population in Toronto. Join us as we bring their stories to life.
This impact-filled multi-year project celebrates the myriad of ways women have contributed to various facets of city life – in art, culture, politics, sports, technology, business, and more. To tell these important stories, this project has commissioned 24 exemplary playwrights to write 52 monologues – one for each transformational woman on our list.
This work will premiere as a participatory performance on September 23 as part of Nuit Blanche 2023.
Meet the 52
PARTICIPATE AT NUIT BLANCHE 2023
Sept 23, 2023 – Dusk until dawn
229 Richmond Street West – RendezViews Entertainment Venue
Myseum of Toronto invites you to a preview of The 52: Stories of Women Who Transformed Toronto at Nuit Blanche. Celebrate remarkable Toronto women with us.
A grand and colourful stage in the heart of downtown Toronto will be yours to bring to life the legacies of people who have changed the course of history – not just for women, but for everyone.
In this enchanting evening, you can perform, watch, listen, and share. Take to the stage to step into her shoes by reading excerpts of original monologues from the perspective of The 52. Or sit back and be inspired by the stories of transformational and bold women who have left a lasting impact on Toronto.
Add The 52 to your Nuit Blanche plans. Start your custom Google Map.
We’re premiering The 52 at Toronto’s Largest Outdoor Art Park, RendezViews. Click here to learn more about RendezViews Entertainment Venue and their offerings for the evening – from Selva, to The Fifth Social Club and more.
COMING SOON – Our Nomination Process
Do you know a woman who’s made a positive impact on the city of Toronto?
A list of 52 women is only the beginning. To scratch the surface of the impact that 52% of Toronto has made on the city, audiences are also invited to nominate a woman who has had a lasting impact on Toronto. Nominees are eligible to become part of The 52 project. Help Myseum document and preserve the legacies of Toronto’s transformational women by participating in one of our upcoming crowd-sourcing activities. Stay tuned for more!
HOW DID WE CHOOSE THE 52?
We acknowledge that this list of 52 women is only the beginning. Here are some of the factors we considered in this process.
We focused on the following:
5 areas of city life: Civic Life, Politics, Science and Technology, and Arts and Culture
Impact – We considered her level of impact on the city
Groundbreaking – Did she trailblaze a path for those who came after her?
Boldness – Is her story inspiring, courageous, heartbreaking, or resilient?
Diversity and Representation – How can we ensure that all Torontonians can see themselves in these women? We considered diversity and representation both across the entire list and within each of the 5 areas.
***Myseum acknowledges that this list is made of women-identified people and that some feminized people use both “her” and “they” pronouns.
MEET THE PLAYWRIGHTS
Twenty-four of Toronto’s most exciting and emerging artists have been commissioned to tell the stories of 52 historically significant women in the city through dramatic monologues – of which audiences will be invited to act out excerpts from. The playwrights on this project include Kanika Ambrose, Erin Shields, Ophira Calof, Marcia Johnson, Marjorie Chan, Anna Chatterton, Diane Flacks, Falen Johnson, Sarena Parmar, Julie Tepperman, Aida Jordao, Alex Cameron, Ali Joy Richardson, Coleen MacPherson, Jo SiMalaya Alcampo, Jordi Mand, Julia Hune-Brown, Keira Loughran, Lisa Ryder, Meghan Swaby, Sedina Fiati, Shandra Spears, Cheri Maracle, and Sharada Eswar.
