Jay Turvey

Jay Turvey is the co-writer of eight musicals to date: he and Paul Sportelli co-composed the music for Little Mercy’s First Murder (with lyricist/book writer Morwyn Brebner).  The musical has had 3 productions (Tarragon Theatre, Toronto, 2003; Touchstone Theatre, Vancouver, 2005; Ground Zero Theatre, Calgary 2006).  The Toronto production won numerous Dora awards, including outstanding new musical.  Jay co-wrote Tristan (with Paul Sportelli), and it was produced at the Shaw Festival in 2007.  Jay co-wrote music and lyrics with Paul Sportelli for Step Right Up! (with co-lyricist/book writer Eric Woolfe), and it was produced at Theatre Orangeville in 2008.  Jay co-wrote Nobody Told Me, a cycle of songs (with Paul Sportelli), and it was performed at the Berkeley Street Theatre in Toronto in 2009.  Jay co-wrote Maria Severa (with Paul Sportelli), and it was produced at the Shaw Festival in 2011.  Maria Severa had its European premiere in Krakow, Poland  at the Panstwowa Wyzsza Szkola Theater in 2011.  Jay co-wrote Oracle (with Paul Sportelli), and it was performed at Summerworks in Toronto in 2011.  Jay co-wrote 33 1/3 (with Paul Sportelli), and it was first performed at Sheridan College’s Canadian Music Theatre Project in 2015.  

33 1/3 was first produced at the Dobama Theatre in Cleveland in 2019.  33 1/3 was the winner of the Playwrights Guild of Canada Stage West Pechet Family Best New Musical Award in 2015.  Jay co-wrote Erik with a K (with Paul Sportelli) and it was first performed at Sheridan College’s Canadian Music Theatre Project in  2018.  Commercial recordings of Tristan and Maria Severa, as well as two pop recordings as the jaypaul project are available on iTunes.  Jay co-conceived and co-adapted (with Paul Sportelli) The Next Whisky Bar, featuring the music of Kurt Weill, and it was produced at the Shaw Festival in 2015. Jay co-conceived and co-adapted (with Paul Sportelli) Gatsby’s Jazz, Sonny’s Blues, featuring works of  

F. Scott Fitzgerald and James Baldwin, and it was produced at the Shaw Festival in 2021.  Jay co-wrote  and co-curated (with Paul Sportelli) 1922, and it was produced at the Shaw Festival in 2022. Jay co-adapted (with Paul Sportelli) The Secret Garden, a play with songs based on the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, which was produced at the Shaw Festival in 2024. Jay created, curated and directed La Vie En Rose, a French cabaret that is being produced in the Shaw Festival spiegeltent in 2025. In addition to his work as a writer, Jay is also a director and an actor.  Jay received his BA from McMaster University.