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For immediate release – February 26, 2016

Canadian Stage presents Célébration de la Francophonie

French-language singer-songwriters Mélissa Laveaux and Lisa LeBlanc in concert at the historic Berkeley Street Theatre March 17-19

Toronto, ON – Canadian Stage will showcase the sounds and spirit of Canada's francophone musicianship with Célébration de la Francophonie: an intimate three-night concert event featuring French-language singer-songwriters Mélissa Laveaux (Quebec, Paris) and Lisa Leblanc (New Brunswick). Both home-grown musical artists will perform back to back at the historic Berkeley Street Theatre from March 17 to 19 as part of la Semaine de la Francophonie 2016. “For the first time in our history, Canadian Stage is programming a three-day music festival at Berkeley Street Theatre, featuring some of the remarkable French-language musicians that our country has produced, and who we rarely or never get to see in Toronto,” said Matthew Jocelyn, Artistic & General Director of Canadian Stage. “It is a celebration of yet another of our country's great artistic resources and Toronto’s unique place within the international music scene.” New Brunswick born Lisa Leblanc brings all the gorgeous grit of the Maritimes and all the irreverence of the Acadian soul to her ferociously upbeat self-described “folk-trash” style. With the release of her platinum-selling self-titled debut record in 2012, the endlessly charming singer-songwriter won over critics and audiences alike in Quebec and French-speaking countries around the world. LeBlanc continues to reach new creative horizons with her debut English language 2014 EP “Highways, Heartaches and Time Well-Wasted”, which found its inspiration and distinct roots sound on the country roads of Nashville, Memphis, New Orleans and San Francisco. Toronto audiences will have the opportunity to discover the infectious folk-world rhythms of Mélissa Laveaux in a rare Canadian engagement. The Montreal-born, Ottawa raised, Paris based guitarist and vocalist – whose collaborators include Meshell Ndegeocello, Feist and Lura – boasts a vibrant repertoire of irresistibly energetic original compositions, elevated by a profoundly soulful vocal sound and a commanding stage presence. Drawing influence from her family’s Haitian roots and new life and career in France, Laveaux’s 2013 sophomore album “Dying is a Wild Night” signaled a sweet revolution in the singer-songwriter’s blossoming career. Célébration de la Francophonie is presented by Canadian Stage as part of la Semaine de la Francophonie 2016, Toronto’s premiere annual Francophone festival of arts and culture (March 17 – 24, 2016). Célébration de la Francophonie will be on stage at the Berkeley Street Downstairs Theatre (26 Berkeley Street) Thursday, March 17 at 8 pm, Friday March 19 at 7 pm and Saturday, March 20 at 8 pm. Tickets from $24 to $53 are available online, by phone at 416.368.3110, or in person at the Berkeley Street box office. For details visit www.canadianstage.com About Lisa LeBlanc Lisa LeBlanc is an Acadian Canadian singer and songwriter from the small French-speaking village of Rosarieville in New Brunswick. She wrote her self-titled debut album in her hometown, at the l'École Nationale de la Chanson, as well as during a yearlong stay in Montreal. LeBlanc's style is raw, loud, and proud; she calls her music "trash folk," and it resembles a cross between Acadian folk forms and garage rock. She is an accomplished guitarist with a commanding voice. While playing clubs and coffeehouses in New Brunswick and in Quebec, she established a reputation for her

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physical performances. This garnered invitations to play the festival circuit in Canada and even overseas. Her self-titled debut album, produced by Louis-Jean Cormier, was issued on the Bonsound label in March of 2013 and immediately gained attention from radio, critics, and the public. The album hit the number three spot on the French charts, and entered the Billboard Top 200. Selling over 40,000 copies, it gained a gold certification in Canada. www.lisaleblanc.ca About Mélissa Laveaux Losing the cheque meant to pay for piano lessons at six years old eventually meant that Mélissa Laveaux, a self-taught guitarist and singer-songwriter, would always lack the discipline to follow structure and traditions in music. Years spent polishing exotic and eclectic playlists on community radio help her forge her instinctive approach to music. She's noted for her distinct percussive bassline fingerstyle guitar technique, a wet breathy raucous voice and unwonted lyricism. Her debut album "Camphor and Copper" – featured two creative covers (Elliot Smith's “Needle in the hay” and Eartha Kitt's “I Wanna be Evil”) atop of Laveaux's own repertoire - original pieces of an impressive maturity and freshness. Her voice, alone, unfurls, majestic and fragile, profound and sensual, furrowed with deep stirring under the immediate seduction, almost reworked and rearranged by the ever-present languages in her life: the fluidity of the English, the nonchalant syncopation of the Kreyol, and the harmonic sophistication of the French. Mélissa Laveaux’s recently released album “Dying is a Wild Night” was highly praised by smitten French critics, while leaving them at a loss as the labels "world music" and "folk" hardly encompass the realm of her infinite musical expression. Facebook: Canadian Stage Twitter: @CanadianStage Hashtag: #csCelebration High resolution photos & press kit: available here. For more information or interview requests, please contact: Andrea Elalouf, Associate Director of Communications, Canadian Stage, 416. 367.8243 x 250, aelalouf@canadianstage.com About Canadian Stage: Founded in 1987, Canadian Stage is one of the country’s leading not-for-profit contemporary theatre companies, with the 15.16 season marking the organization’s 28th season. Led by Artistic & General Director Matthew Jocelyn and Managing Director Su Hutchinson, Canadian Stage produces and showcases innovative theatre from Canada and around the world, allowing its audience to encounter daring work guided by a strong directorial vision and a 21st-century aesthetic. The company prides itself on presenting multidisciplinary pieces and work in translation that pushes the boundaries of form and style. Canadian Stage reinforces the presence of Canadian art and artists within an international context through work that mirrors the cultural diversity of Toronto. The company stages an annual season of work at three major venues (the Bluma Appel Theatre, the Berkeley Street Theatre and the High Park Amphitheatre) and runs a series of artist development and education initiatives, as well as youth and community outreach programs. For more information, visit canadianstage.com. Proper usage of company name: please ensure to use “Canadian Stage” when referring to company (“CanStage” and “Canadian Stage Company” refer to previous incarnations of the organization)