Associate Artists Rob Joy, Lily Frost
SINGING as GOOD MEDICINE. Choirs, Facilitators/Coaches, New Creation rooted in Song. An Artist-led initiative that supports Live Performance and Digital Creation from artists with lived experience. Connections made through the creative process and through performance serve to enhance the mental health of participants. GOOD MEDICINE is home to The Bruised Years Choir, The Junction Choir (launches this Spring), Bi-Monthly (ish) Open Stage WHAT'S GOIN-ON and supports a host of ad-hoc projects for, and by, artists with most extraordinary minds. Currently in development: HeartBreak Cabaret (a 'live-meets-digital' multi-disciplinary musical to premiere 2025);. The only requirement is a good attitude and shared belief that singing, and creation in general, is DAMN GOOD MEDICINE. "there is clearly something special about this particular group." -CBC TV on The Bruised Years Choir
“[They] have created a magical project in the Bruised Years Choir. When I saw them perform in September their songs were truly the highlights of the evening. Their commitment and rigour was compounded by their true hearts singing and the whole experience was simply beautiful. I would recommend them anytime and wish them all success." – Naomi Campbell, Artistic Director, Luminato Festival
GOOD MEDICINE is led by award-winning artist/producer Jim LeFrancois, and grew quite naturally from his work with THE BRUISED YEARS CHOIR, which began in 2015 as a 6-week course at Workman Arts. In intervening years, the BYC became a year-round labour of love with upwards of forty engaged artists over the course of the season. Out of necessity, the Choir began working in a wider range of media during the pandemic -- which led to the creation of digital projects and in-person & virtual showcases of art created by active members working in all mediums. GOOD MEDICINE is dedicated to supporting the creation of programmes/work for and by creative types with lived experience. Founder Jim LeFrancois' efforts are buoyed by talented Co-Directors, which have included Sistah Lois and ongoing BYC collaborators Rob Joy and prolific songwriter.recording artist Lily Frost. Singers of all proficiency levels are welcome to join. The goal is for us to create in a positive, collaborative and organic fashion. Our Choral groups (The BYC and The Junction Choir) are musically-focused initiatives with a good dash of “fellowship”. They affirm our belief that there are a host of mental health benefits afforded our participating members. We have won over audiences city-wide for heart-felt performances at events such as The Invictus Games, Patrick Conner Awards (Theatre Centre), CAMH Ground-Breaking Ceremony, Luminato Festival (2018, 2019), Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto City Council Chambers, Hot Docs, The Lodge on Queen and most recently at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. Mental Health Benefits of Singing in a Choir:
“Singing in a choir can boost your mental health, a new study has found… Choristers stood out as experiencing the greatest benefit … people who sang in a choir had a stronger sense of being part of a meaningful group and there is a suggestion that there is something unique about the synchronicity of moving and breathing with other people. Previous studies have found that a group of singers actually synchronize their heart beats.” -The Telegraph (UK)
LEAD ARTIST BIOGRAPHY
Jim LeFrancois, Founding Co-Director
Growing up, Jim was a shy girly boy with few friends. His self-esteem and social life improved greatly when he discovered a passion for singing at the piano — first alone, and then (with an encouraging nudge from Mother Bev) with — and for — others. He has since enjoyed a storied career working with some of the countries finest artists and essential arts organizations. Most notably, he held a decade long tenure at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre (leaving the post of Artistic Producer in 2009) and as Producer for VideoCabaret, helping sixteen new works find their way to the stage — including efforts with Co-Producer Deanne Taylor to bring Michael Hollingsworth’s The War of 1812 to Ottawa’s Magnetic North Festival and a season-long Residency with The Stratford Festival in 2012. As creator, Jim’s credits include Buddies’ 2008 opener ArtHouse Cabaret (Dora Award for Outstanding New Musical, co-Devised w/David Oiye), Manitoba Music (premiered at the 2018 Rendezvous with Madness Festival) and his current projects On and Off Yonge Street and The South. In 2015 Jim sharpened his focus to work on projects which speak to the intersection of mental health and the arts. In collaboration with Workman Arts, he founded the Bruised Years Choir — which stands out as rewarding work indeed. Jim directed Die Profundis: From The Depths for WA’s 30th Anniversary, where he also premiered Manitoba Music (with collaborator Rob Joy). Jim was an Artist/Curator-in-Residence for the 2023 Luminato Festival Toronto, and is currently developing a new work, Heartbreak Cabaret, which we hope to premiere in 2025. Jim has volunteered his time as a Board Member and/or Committee Member for the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts, Workman Arts, STAF (now Generator) and the Professional Alliance of Canadian Theatres. He is the recipient of a Dora Mavor Moore Award (ArtHouse Cabaret, Outstanding New Musical), Silver Medal from the Royal Conservatory of Music, Harold Award and was the inaugural winner of the Leonard McHardy and John Harvey Award which recognizes a ten plus year contribution to Toronto’s performing arts sector (administered annually by the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts). Jim is currently an Artist/Curator in-Residence for The Luminato Festival, working on the development of a new multi-disciplinary revue, Heartbreak Cabaret.
