Soulpepper to release soundtrack of acclaimed first musical ‘Rose’

TORONTO – The Soulpepper Theatre Company is bringing its acclaimed first original musical to your earbuds.

The original cast recording of “Rose” is set to hit music streaming platforms on Friday.

Soulpepper artistic director Weyni Mengesha said in a statement Thursday that the soundtrack’s international rollout “expands the footprint of Canadian musical theatre.”

The release comes on the heels of the “Rose” scoring a leading 11 musical nominations earlier this week at the Dora Mavor Moore Awards, which recognize excellence in Toronto theatre, dance and opera.

The show is vying for awards including best production; best new musical for playwright Sarah Wilson and composer Mike Ross; best direction for Gregory Prest; and acting nods for lead Hailey Gillis and featured players Peter Fernandes and Sabryn Rock.

Soulpepper says it spent three years developing the project, which had a roughly five-week run at the Toronto theatre this winter.

Based on the Gertrude Stein’s little-known children’s book, “The World is Round,” “Rose” follows a young girl from the town of Somewhere as she sets off on a whimsical adventure.