Vincent de Tourdonnet

Vincent de Tourdonnet is a Canadian musical theatre writer. He is known for writing large-scale historical musicals, as well as intimate, cabaret-style musicals. He also serves as stage director.

Biography De Tourdonnet’s epic musical Pélagie, co-written with Allen Cole, premiered at CanStage in Toronto and The National Arts Centre in Ottawa, and was broadcast on CBC radio. De Tourdonnet directed an Eastern Canada touring production of Pélagie, produced by Two Planks and a Passion with a bilingual cast alternating performances in French and English. Starring Québec chanteuse Marie Denise Pelletier, and Canadian actor Rejean Cournoyer, it was translated by Antonine Maillet, author of the Prix Goncourt-winning novel Pélagie-la-charrette, on which the musical is based.

His first production of Snappy Tales, Short Satirical Musicals, (book, lyrics & direction) at the Factory Theatre in Toronto, was nominated for 7 Dora Mavor Moore Awards.

De Tourdonnet’s largest musical to date was the Joan of Arc musical, Jeanne.

De Tourdonnet's current historical project is The Musical McCoy, adapted from Andrew Moodie's award-winning hit play The Real McCoy, based on the life of Elijah McCoy, the 19th-century Canadian-born black inventor who helped revolutionize the steam engine.

While living in New York City, de Tourdonnet taught musical theatre writing at Long Island University. He is now based in Prince Edward County, Ontario with his wife, Beth Easton.

De Tourdonnet has long advocated for cycling and other forms of active transportation, and has worked to help create bike paths, recently in Prince Edward County and previously in Toronto with Cycle Toronto. He has contributed articles to Momentum Magazine and wrote a chapter on the recumbent bicycle for the book On Bicycles: 50 Ways the New Bike Culture Can Change Your Life, He served for years of the board of Transportation Options. At the beginning of 2024, Vincent took on a role as Transit Coordinator with the municipality of Prince Edward County.