Tymisha Harris as Josephine Baker (Image Credit: Submitted Photo/City of Medicine Hat)

By Jett Schwaier

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Award-winning musical telling the story of Josephine Baker is coming to Medicine Hat

Feb 11, 2026 | 12:36 PM

As part of Black History Month in Medicine Hat, the Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre is set to host Josephine: A Burlesque Cabaret Dream Play to honour the true story of Josephine Baker.

The city of Medicine Hat stated that before Ella, Tina, Billie or Beyoncé, there was Josephine, widely and famously known as a dancer, singer, movie star, WWII spy, civil rights activist and cultural icon.

Josephine Baker is the first African-American international superstar, winning over 20 awards across several continents, and created a successful off-Broadway run in 2018.

The play, proudly presented by MY96 FM, is an international award-winning one-woman biographical musical starring Tymisha Harris, combining cabaret, theatre and dance to tell the story of the iconic Josephine Baker.

Harris has been portraying Josephine for 10 years after performing as an assistant choreographer for NSYNC.

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“I have been performing for 20 plus years in different ways, my career technically started in Orlando, Florida,” Harris said.

“I got together with my co-creator, director and show producer [of the Josephine play], and we figured, let’s do a show,” she added.

“We’re no spring chickens, but we are seasoned chickens.”

Josephine: A Burlesque Cabaret Dream Play is displayed all year, but Harris is proud to perform during Black History Month in Medicine Hat.

“It means so much that people are still aware that Black History Month happens, and want different things to accentuate the history,” Harris said.

“I’m really grateful to bring Josephine Baker’s story to the forefront for people to be able to do their own research and realize how much she was trying to do.”

Harris said she is always incredibly honoured to tell Josephine’s story every time she steps on stage.

“I get to get lost in her story and tell it to people in my own unique way, I do have some audience participation,” Harris said.

“I have the fortunate privilege of being able to tell this story the way that I want to and the way that we created it to be,” she added.

The co-creator, director and show producer of the play, Michael Marinaccio, said showing Josephine’s story to inspire people is a gift that keeps on giving.

“This show is a way of helping people empower themselves, so that they can do anything, that they can overcome anything,” Marinaccio said.

Marinaccio said he notices the audiences in Canada are more engaged compared to those in the United States.

“This show really has a much greater impact in smaller communities. We go to a community like Medicine Hat, and the people come out,” Marinaccio said.

“In a lot of big cities and in a lot of places in the United States, it just feels like it’s a struggle to get people to come in and experience it,” he added.

“In Canada, people really appreciate the arts and are so happy to have you there, it really just feels like a warm hug every time we come tour here.”

The play begins at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 13, with limited tickets available for purchase online.

The City of Medicine Hat is also commemorating Black History Month by sharing profiles and stories of individuals in the city.

Those profiles can be viewed on the city’s website.