BEAUTIFUL SCARS

"A bold and brilliant winner"

GARY SMITH, THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR

BEAUTIFUL SCARS

Apr 24, 2024 to
May 11, 2024

120 Minutes
Including Intermission

Main Stage

Apr 24, 2024 to
May 11, 2024

120 Minutes
Including Intermission

Main Stage

WORLD PREMIERE
A new musical by: Tom Wilson & Shaun Smyth
Inspired by the book Beautiful Scars: Steeltown Secrets, Mohawk Skywalkers and the Road Home by Tom Wilson

Dramaturgy and Original Direction by Mary Francis Moore

Music Supervision & Orchestrations/Arrangements by Bob Foster

Starring Sheldon Elter as Tom Wilson

Oblivious to a secret deeply held by his parents, Tom Wilson’s search for identity started on the East Hamilton Mountain of the 1960s and 70s.

For decades after, Tom carved out a life for himself in the shadows, battling demons along the way as he waited for the secret of who he was and where he came from to reveal itself. And when it did, it swept up the St. Lawrence River to Kahnaw’a:ke Mohawk territory and exposed a story generations in the making. A best-selling book, film and now a world premiere musical featuring some of the country’s most celebrated actors and musicians with a powerfully evocative score by multi-award-winning musician Tom Wilson, Beautiful Scars is a story of loss, love and forgiveness that will leave you spellbound to the final note.

ARTWORK: Elements & guitar by Tom Wilson – TEHOHA’HAKE

AUDIENCE ADVISORY: The performance contains strong language and sensitive content relating to drugs. Suitable for ages 15+.

SEASON SPONSOR

DONNA PATTERSON

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IN CONVERSATION

POST-SHOW CHAT: Join members of the company of Beautiful Scars for a post-show chat on May 7

“It’s like “The Wizard of Oz,” “Hair” and maybe even “Oklahoma!” in the way it takes bold images and paints them in a highly elevated vocal and visual way.”

THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR

“One of the most exciting new works to hit a Canadian stage in recent months.”

INTERMISSION MAGAZINE

“A rollercoaster ride of mirth, myth and tragedy…that is both defiant and triumphant.”

HAMILTON CITY MAGAZINE

CAST

Portrait of a man wearing a blue shirt with side swept brown hair in front of a blue studio backdrop.

Sheldon Elter … Tom

Outdoor portrait of a person with shoulder-length dark orange hair and beard wearing a white jacket over a black top and standing in front of a concrete wall.

Thompson Wilson … Young Tom / Ensemble

Portrait of a person with medium-length straight blonde hair wearing a baby blue tank top in front of a white background.

Kristi Hansen … Bunny / Ensemble

Person standing in a dark room with bokeh studio lights, with tall gray hair wearing a brown scark and trench coat with pulled collars.

Brandon McGibbon … George / Ensemble

Portrait of a woman with straight long blonde hair wearing an roange sleeveless top with a blurred background behind her.

Valerie Planche … Janie

Person with long dark wavy hair, wearing a leather jacket and standing in from of a blurred dark background with window light.

Jeremy Proulx … Bear

Close-up portrait of a person wearing thin rounded sunglasses, gray hair tied to the back, and a black top in front of a concrete wall.

Phil Davis … Artist / Indigenous Collaborator

BAND

Portrait of Gary with dark gray hair, orange glasses, scarf, suit and holding a tambourine.

Gary Craig … Drums

Black and white image of a person with thick black curls and pale face staring into the camera.

Bob Foster … Conductor / Keyboards

Portrait of a person with cowboy hat, brown leather jacket and eyeglasses in the sun with a red and white building in the back.

David Gray … Guitars

Portrait of a woman with long waved light brown hair wearing a white and peach dress standing in a tunnel.

Anna Ruddick – Bass

CREATIVE TEAM

Tom in the back seat of a car wearing a black toque and black top, with long dark wavy hair and mustache and beard.

Tom Wilson … Playwright / Co-Creator

Portrait of a person with short dark gray hair wearing black turtleneck in a dim room behind him.

Shaun Smyth … Playwright / Co-Creator

Portrait of a person with mid-length orange hair wearing a black jacket over a green top leaning against a brown railing in a glass building

Mary Francis Moore … Director

Black and white image of a person with thick black curls and pale face staring into the camera.

Bob Foster … Music Director / Arrangements and Orchestrations

Portrait of a man with gray hair and beard wearing a black shirt over a gray shirt in front of a gray backdrop.

Kevin Fraser … Lighting Designer

Person with short dark hair wearing glasses and gray plaid shirt over an orange shirt holding a paintbrush to the camera.

Jay Havens … Set Designer

Portrait of a person with short side swept black hair wearing beaded coat and jewelry over a black top, blurred background of other people

Yolonda Skelton … Costume Designer

Wide shot of a man without hair wearing a simple tux standing in a metal hallway.

Ranil Sonnadara … Sound Designer

Portrait of a woman with long straight dark hair wearing a mesh black top over a black tank and large gold earrings in front of a gold background.

Barbara Kaneratonni Diabo … Movement Director

Portrait of a person with long wavy blonde hair, wide smile, blue t-shirt, jeans.

Alexandra Herzog … Blindness Consultant

Portrait of a person wearing glasses, black stud earring, black turtleneck and quaffed and curled blond hair in front of a dark and blurry background

Danik McAfee … Workshop Assistant Director

Person with shoulder length black hair, blue jean jacket, and purple scarf

Josephine Ho … Stage Manager

Black and white portrait of a person with long wavy hair

Jasmyne Leisemer … Assistant Stage Manager

Image of a person with tall dark straight hair standing in front of studio lights, wearing a gray shirt headphones around neck and holding a clapperboard.

Khaleel Gandhi … Apprentice Stage Manager

OTHER EVENTS

JONAS AND BARRY IN THE HOME

Sep 27, 2023 to
Oct 14, 2023

INFO Buy

BOY FALLS FROM THE SKY

Oct 25, 2023 to
Nov 4, 2023

INFO Buy

SHIRLEY VALENTINE

Mar 6, 2024 to
Mar 23, 2024

INFO Buy