a Cabaret of Tunes & Tales by Michael Louis Johnson, with Jack Wyndham at the piano

Half Moon, Half Crazy is pure cabaret, an intimate evening of tunes & tales told with the wit and charm of a veteran entertainer. Michael Louis Johnson is a hopeless romantic, an aging SwingPunk, two parts Sinatra, one part Strummer with a dash of L. Cohen.  Jack Wyndham improvises a piano score as Johnson tells stories both funny and touching, charting three decades of his on-again, off-again relationship, his journey from lonely musician to struggling parent and all the philosophizing that comes in between.

“….that deep connection to his music carries through in the smoky character of his voice, suited perfectly for his jazz melodies, ….a truly memorable evening,….I left as both a fan and a friend” ~ Galen Simmons – Stratford Times

To the culturally astute of downtown Toronto, Michael Louis Johnson is the epitome of IYKYK. The musician, actor, writer, activist/artist is most known for his weekly performances at a tiny bar called the Communist’s Daughter. Since 2011, every Monday he hosts a night of vinyl records and democracy called Dcide on the Bside.  Since 2003, every Saturday, he sings, plays trumpet, tells stories, all the while keeping the drinks flowing as jazz quartet, the Red Rhythm rips it up in the Manouche Swing style of Django Reinhardt.   Johnson has been on the vanguard of Canadian music since his days as sidekick to Big Rude Jake, their SwingPunk revolution dominating Canadian indie charts for a large part of the 1990’s. The 2000s ignited his passion for protest and his band The New Kings performed from parking spots, rooftops and in the middle of construction street closures, before being recognized and championed by the iconic band Rancid. This period also saw the birth of his artist/activist side as he and a gang of friends created a neighbourhood festival called Pedestrian Sundays in Kensington Market and the annual Blackout Anniversary Party.  Jump to the 2010’s and his band of Balkan Klezmer Party Punks, Lemon Bucket Orkestra, create another new phenomenon in Canadian music, bringing the passion of East European culture to stages around the globe.

For most of 2026 Johnson stepped away from touring with Lemon Bucket for his debut at the Stratford Festival. He broke new ground in theatre history with his creation of a prologue and fresh score for the classic American tragedy Death of a Salesman, both of which he performed as Stanley, the kind-hearted waiter in the act 2 restaurant scene.

For more on his three decade career visit https://www.michaellouisjohnson.ca/