INSIDE AMERICAN PIE Comes to Toronto's CAA Theatre

It's no secret that "American Pie" was written by Don McLean to commemorate the plane crash that killed Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and The Big Bopper. What's less known is that this song about "the day the music died" is jam-packed with riddles and references to other fascinating events in history. 
 
What led to that tragic night in 1959? How do The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, and Charles Manson all fit in? Why were the Rolling Stones blamed for a murder? And who was Miss American Pie? 

Direct from Harmony House in Hunter River, PEI, Mike Ross and a band of Island musicians — Brielle Ansems, Greg Gale, Alicia Toner and Kirk White —  unlock the mysteries behind this classic song in a concert experience that's been thrilling East Coast audiences for four years and counting.  

Combining an iconic set list with remarkable stories, Inside American Pie will take you on a musical journey through the formative years of rock 'n' roll. You'll never hear "American Pie" the same way again. 

Inside American Pie will play Toronto's CAA Theatre from March 12 - 30, 2025. Tickets will be available on November 28, 2024.

What and where is Harmony House?  Harmony House is a charming, wood-and-brick building in Hunter River, a community of about 400 residents in central Prince Edward Island, a 25-minute drive from Charlottetown. Although the two-storey building is relatively new, it is a reconstruction of the Hunter River United Church, which was built and stood on the same spot for over 100 years. 

In 2020, the building was purchased by Mike Ross and Nicole Bellamy, a married couple originally from Charlottetown who had recently returned from several decades living and working in Toronto. 

Mike is a musician, composer, writer and actor, who performed in over 75 productions with Soulpepper Theatre, where he became the founding Director of Music, creating a thriving music wing to the company and overseeing the very popular concert series that is still operational. At Soulpepper he also created two of the company's most successful and acclaimed works, the musicals Spoon River and Rose. 

Nicole, a pianist, vocal coach and music director during her years in Toronto, now oversees the daily operations and productions of Harmony House. 

When they returned to PEI to raise their two young children in 2020, they took a leap of faith in purchasing this small music hall. Combining their love of music, storytelling and performance with their wish to remain in their home province, they've created a unique artistic destination for locals and visitors alike.  

Upstairs at Harmony House is an intimate 140-seat music hall. The downstairs space has a restaurant, bar and art gallery. Harmony House is always buzzing with activity, except for a few months during the winter. 

 

Since taking over Harmony House, Mike has continued to create 'docu-concerts' that excavate the lives, work and influence of some of the most iconic musical artists and events of the last 100 years. 

Besides Inside American Pie, which has played to annual sold-out runs since 2021, Harmony House has also produced The Leonard Cohen Songbook, a look at the Cohen catalogue from his earliest days until his final years; The 27 Club, a show about the deaths at age 27 of iconic musical artists such as Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison; Behind the Veil: a Lucy Maud Montgomery Concert Experience, and many others. 

As Harmony House closes for the winter, Mirvish Productions has invited Mike and Nicole to return to Toronto with their most successful show. 

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