Music icons set to launch concert series in Toronto

A massive show honoring pop icons featuring major Canadian artists is coming to Toronto.

UnCovered, a yearly spectacle that uses a selection of Canadian icons to pay tribute to some of music’s biggest stars, is returning next week with UnCovered: Madonna & Cher, an in-depth cabaret in recognition of two of pop’s biggest names.

Leading this year’s showcase are Steven Page, co-founder of the Barenaked Ladies, and Juno award-winning R&B artist Divine Brown.

Alongside other dynamic artists, each performer is set to tackle their own take on the works of both Madonna and Cher in what has been described as “emotionally charged theatrical performances.”

“I think people can expect a lot of the songs they grew up with, that were for a generation, a soundtrack for their lives, in a very intimate and emotional way,” Kevin Wong, showrunner for the production, told yourcitywithIN.com. “We are really stripping it back to let the music follow what the lyrics were indicating — our arrangements can take a really different approach to the original versions.”

Wong went on to note that the performance space itself, Toronto’s famous Koerner Hall, is often reserved for austere concert hall performances.

To better fit the personal vibe of this year’s performance, set dressing has been modified with rugs and sofas to evoke a sensation that you are tagging along for the ride in a recording studio as opposed to going out for a night at the opera.

“We wanted to warm it up, that way it feels like you are watching more of a musical ‘tour de force,’ even if it is a simple someone standing up on stage and singing into a microphone. Ultimately, our goal is to retrofit the music to the artists, so whether it is Divine or Steven coming out, by the end, you couldn’t imagine any other person singing that song but them.”

Audience members can also expect extravagant costumes that span multiple decades for both Cher and Madonna, paying homage to these figures as not just musical powerhouses, but also fashion icons.

However, for Wong, it was crucial to ensure that each outfit felt as authentic as possible, rather than going for a full recreation of both artists’ most garish looks.

“We’re leaning into those sequins, shine, jewels, and definitely more pink this year. We are aiming to keep it more contemporary, so that it never feels like the performer is stepping into ‘cosplay’ as Cher or Madonna.”

In terms of standout performances, while not at liberty to pick any favorites, Wong noted that if there were any othat were emblematic of what this year is going for, it’s Canadian artist Jackie Richardson’s take on Madonna’s “Papa Don’t Preach,” as well as the Barenaked Ladies’ Steven Page taking on the iconic track “Material Girl.”

“I just cannot wait for the audience to hear these voices and see these people,” says Wong.

Wong personally selected each artist based on the impact both Madonna and Cher had on them, as well as their capacity to convey themes within their music, while being inventive and skilled enough to reconstruct them in a way that belonged to them.

“Both have discographies that have lived in my blood for a really long time, so getting artists to tackle this has been on my wishlist for a while,” says Wong.

Wong went on to credit all of the artists involved, as well as the production’s director, writer, and numerous designers and stagehands, citing that UnCovered wouldn’t be what it was without the collective vision of everyone involved.

“This year is going to be a very fun year, I mean, just the amount of fun we have had in the creative room, you can really feel the enjoyment we had in the final product with this.”

UnCovered: Madonna & Cher is set to run at the Koerner Hall in Yorkville, from Nov. 11 to 13.