TORONTO – A rehearsal/yoga studio, dozens of mismatched office chairs and a stripped-down set has helped a buzzy Toronto play overcome the wrath of the city’s flooding and live by the time-honoured theatre motto, “the show must go on.”

“The Musical of Musicals: The Musical,” which has been a sold-out hit with patrons and critics alike at the 2013 Toronto Fringe Festival, is among several productions at the annual theatre event that have been affected by this week’s record-setting rainfall.

Monday’s severe weather forced the musical theatre spoof to cancel a sold-out festival performance due to flooding at its venue, Factory Theatre Mainspace.

On Tuesday, producers figured they’d have to cancel again at the last minute after rolling blackouts imposed by the city cut electricity at its venue.

But their fate changed when they were offered a spot for an impromptu performance at the Mirvish Productions rehearsal space they’d previously used.

Adrian Marchuk, one of the show’s four stars, says the 200 audience members who’d been waiting outside the Factory Theatre to see the show made their way to the Mirvish space — by foot, car and transit — and lined up outside.

“It was a parade,” said the former “Jersey Boys” star. “We all decided to march down the street and off we went.”

John Karastamatis, Mirvish’s director of communications who is helping out with the show, recruited some patrons to help grab chairs from all over the building.

“And before you knew it we had assembled about 120 mismatched office chairs and some tables that we had put against the walls so people could sit on the tables,” said Karastamatis. “When it was all said and done, we could accommodate just over 120 people and that included people sitting on the floor.

“We improvised a stage, we used some folding screens to create wings so that the actors could exit and enter.”

The cast performed without costumes, props or stage lights. Musical director Michael Mulrooney played an upright piano that was already there.

“The audience just loved it, gave them a standing ovation and cheered them on and it was fantastic,” said director Vinetta Strombergs.

“You love these unexpected, glorious moments.”

Marchuk called it a “very exciting” night that brought him back to his days performing Shakespeare in Whitehorse.

“That had some similar elements of, ‘Oh, the wind blew the set down,’” he said. “Anyone who’s done some small theatre touring or theatre for young audiences touring has dealt with these kinds of issues before.”

Wednesday’s performance was expected to go on as scheduled at the Factory Theatre.

“But now that we know that we have this availability — the chairs are still up there, we haven’t moved them — so should it not happen, we’ll do exactly the same thing,” said Karastamatis.

Eric Rockwell and Joanne Bogart wrote the book for “The Musical of Musicals: The Musical,” which features music by Eric Rockwell and lyrics by Joanne Bogart.

The story of a young woman who can’t pay her rent is told through different musical theatre styles in five acts.

Strombergs first saw the show with producer Jim Aldridge at the off-Broadway York Theatre Company in 2006 and has been trying to bring it to city ever since.

She’s hoping its Fringe run will interest other producers in mounting a full production.

“That’s why it was just devastating to lose two shows,” she said. “Because people, if they can’t see it, how do they know if they want to pick it up?”

Mirvish Productions has produced three shows from the Fringe in the last dozen years — “The Drowsy Chaperone,” “‘Da Kink in My Hair” and “My Mother’s Lesbian Jewish Wiccan Wedding.”

Karastamatis said he feels “The Musical of Musicals: The Musical” is “quite a special piece,” noting it’s an “affectionate spoof” that appeals even to those who aren’t familiar with the genre.

Producer David Mirvish has also seen it and “quite liked it,” said Karastamatis.

“Will it have a future? I hope it will but we don’t know,” he added. “It’s just one of those things.”

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Online: www.fringetoronto.com