A Christmas song written 40 years ago that would spawn a massive movement to fight famine in Ethiopia is the subject of an acclaimed new musical coming to Toronto.
Just for One Day – The Live Aid Musical will make its North American premiere at CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre this weekend, kicking off two months in Toronto before its highly anticipated season in London’s West End in May.
Just for One Day had a record-breaking world premiere at London’s 'Old Vic' in January 2024, becoming the theatre’s fastest selling musical ever, Mirvish Productions said in a release.
Marking 40 years since the iconic Live Aid concerts in London and Philadelphia, 10 per cent from the sale of all tickets to Just for One Day will be donated directly to The Band Aid Charitable Trust, Mirvish Productions said.
In 1984, a who's who of pop and rock stars recorded the charity record 'Do They Know It's Christmas?'
The recording started a movement and the next summer, on July 13, 1985, charity benefit concerts were held simultaneously at London's Wembley Stadium and John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia.
"Live Aid was an unprecedented global music event that brought 1.5 billion people together, and they all have a story to tell about ‘the day rock ‘n’ roll changed the world’," Mirvish Productions said.
The musical tells the behind-the-scenes story of Live Aid and features hit songs by Bob Dylan, David Bowie, The Who, U2, Queen, Madonna, The Police, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Diana Ross and more of the artists who performed that day.
Just for One Day – The Live Aid Musical is presented in Toronto by David and Hannah Mirvish at the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre, 244 Victoria St. from Jan. 26 to March 16.
Performances are Tuesday to Saturday at 7:30 p.m., with matinees Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. (No matinee Wednesday, Jan. 29.)
Tickets from $49 are available at mirvish.com or 1-800-461-3333.
