Marcus Nance
Hailed as “thrillingly powerful” by the New York Times and “a major talent” by the Toronto Star, American-Canadian bass-baritone Marcus Nance masterfully straddles the worlds of opera and music theatre. He won My Entertainment World's 2023 Critics' Pick Award for Performer of the Year where they described him as "one of Canada's greatest musical theatre talents”.
Upcoming engagements for Marcus include Jupiter in Cymbeline and the crocodile in Wendy and Peter Pan for the Stratford Festival, masterclasses for Stratford Summer Music Vocal Academy, The Businessman in The Little Prince for Pacific Opera Victoria and Andrey/Old Bolkonsky/opera singer in Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 for Mirvish Productions.
Recent highlights include Andrey, Old Bolkonsky and the Opera Singer in Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 with Crow's Theatre and Musical Stage Company; the Creature in Frankenstein Revived and the Abbot of Westminster in Richard II at the Stratford Festival; Dick Deadeye in Gilbert & Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore with the Vancouver Opera and Benjamin Stone in Sondheim’s Follies at Koerner Hall.
He has spent twelve seasons at the Stratford Festival where his assignments have included a digital performance of his solo show Voice of a Preacher's Son, Caiaphas in Jesus Christ Superstar, Queequeg in Moby Dick, and Rev. J.D. Montgomery in Gershwin’s My One and Only and two seasons at the Shaw Festival where his portrayal of Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd was hailed by the Toronto Star as a "standout performance... with his stunning singing voice and commanding physical presence".
Other projects include Clairborne in the world premiere of Evangeline at the Charlottetown Festival, the beast in Beauty and the Beast for The Grand Theatre and Western Canadian Theatre, King Triton in The Little Mermaid and the Mikado in The Mikado for Drayton Entertainment and Porgy in Porgy and Bess highlights in concert with The Toronto Symphony. New York audiences saw Nance on Broadway as Caiaphas in Jesus Christ Superstar, in Baz Luhrman’s Tony Award winning production of La Bohème, in New York City Centre ENCORES! productions of Kismet and Of Thee I Sing, and as Alidoro in Cenerentola with New York City Opera Education.
Earlier in his career, Nance garnered international attention as Malcolm in the world premiere of Atom Egoyan’s opera Elsewhereless with Tapestry Opera, a performance that earned him a Dora Mavor Moore Award nomination for Most Outstanding Male Performer. For Queen of Puddings Music Theatre, he created the role of Moses in the world premiere of James Rolfe’s opera Beatrice Chancy. His 2016 recording of Staniland’s Dark Star Requiem garnered two JUNO nominations, Best Classical Composition and Best Classical Album.
Other opera credits include Porgy in excerpts from Porgy and Bess with the Nathanial Dett Chorale and the Toronto Symphony, Sparafucile in Rigoletto with the Tacoma Opera, Compere in Four Saints in Three Acts with Chicago Opera Theatre and an array of exciting roles and concerts with Santa Fe Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Pacific Opera Victoria, the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Shreveport Opera, Natchez Opera Festival, Victoria Symphony, Chautauqua Symphony, Fairbanks Festival Orchestra, Windsor Symphony and Hawaii Opera Theatre.
Expanding further his artistic horizons, Marcus Nance recently returned to the world of TV and film with appearances on Queen Tut, Good Sam, Murdoch Mysteries, Departure and Mayday. Marcus made his film debut as the Singing Accountant in Mel Brooke’s feature film The Producers starring Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. Recent screen work includes appearances on Good Sam, Murdoch Mysteries, Departure, and Mayday.
He received his Bachelor of Arts in Music and Voice from California State University, Fresno and has done graduate work in voice at the University of Texas and the University of Illinois. Marcus Nance is on the faculty of Sheridan College’s Musical Theatre Department, and frequently adjudicates music festivals.
August 2024
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““… Marcus Nance believably creates two exciting and different characterizations in a dual role as Andrey and his old father, Bolkonsky. At the end of the second act, his Andrey may seem cold-hearted in responding to Natasha. However, at least Nance made me feel that Andrey’s reaction and motivation are valid because he has been wronged.…” ”
![" [Marcus] Nance, however, is the star here. His performance is fabulous, otherworldly yet revealing the dawning humanity of the creature as he finds first his body and then society. He is hard to look at, particularly in early scenes, yet he alway](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ea12b219c03680a5cc556d0/1724871262040-9P3R3JE1CNCZU72SJX42/kYqXETfW.jpeg)
