Author Archive
Review: Everything Under The Moon (World Stage)
Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre stages Everything Under The Moon, a fantastical visual performance for all ages
Harbourfront Centre’s World Stage 2012 season begins with Everything Under the Moon, an adventure tale pairing hand-animated projected image with narrative song at the Enwave Theatre.
Undertaken by visual and performance artist Shary Boyle and songwriter and performer Christine Fellows, Everything Under the Moon is part of the Fresh Ground new works programme, which seeks artists who don’t normally set out to create child-friendly performances. The result can be described as performance art for kids.
The show tells the story of a honeybee, Idared, and a brown bat, Limbertwig, on an urgent quest to save themselves and their respective species. On their journey they encounter an owl, a man, a woolly mammoth, a mummified child and a top-hat wearing spider. Everything Under The Moon intends to touch on themes of loss, environmental threat, adaptation and the restorative powers of friendship and community.
Buddies in Bad Times Theatre presents The Rhubarb Festival
The Rhubarb Festival playing at Toronto’s Buddies in Bad Times Theatre showcases experimental works from emerging artists
For the next two weeks, over one hundred artists will transform Buddies in Bad Times Theatre into a centre of creativity and experimentation.
There are several different categories which this year’s performances explore: the politics of our communities, spotlighting queer history, and confronting the fragility and resilience of our bodies. The shows I caught yesterday explored the latter.
I had never been to a Rhubarb Festival before, and knew only to expect some avant-garde (experimental) theatre. What happens is that you are confronted with a choice upon arrival – shows run simultaneously in The Cabaret, to your left, and The Chamber, to your right (or you can stay in the lobby for a while and catch some performance art – yesterday was a made-to-order café set up). Each show has a half-hour slot, and your ticket allows you to go back and forth between the two spaces – you pick and choose which show you want to attend at what time. It is a little bit confusing as to what show is going on where, but the staff is pretty helpful when it comes to that.
Announcement: Canadian Stage Announces 25th Anniversary 2012/2013 Season
Canadian Stage’s upcoming season brings you David Mamet, puppets, robots from Japan, and even Jason Priestley
Today Canadian Stage‘s Artistic and General Director Matthew Jocelyn announced its 2012/2013 season, the 25th anniversary of the company. “The productions and artists on our stages in 2012/2013 will explore some of the big questions about our human experience while pushing the boundaries of what live theatre can be,” said Jocelyn. “To mark our 25th anniversary, we’ve created a season that brings together the best in Canadian and international theatre and dance. The playbill features a mosaic of today’s most talented and thrilling artists.”
Review: Avenue Q (Lower Ossington Theatre)
Avenue Q is a grown-up parody of Sesame Street. Rather than learning the alphabet and counting, the Jim Henson-like puppets are dealing with growing up – figuring out how to pay their rent, how to handle a relationship or, in some cases, how to come out of the closet. Avenue Q is playing at the Lower Ossington Theatre until February 4th.
Please be advised that the show is most definitely not for children.
I was very excited to see Avenue Q, as its soundtrack has been floating around on my iPod for a while. I mean, who can resist songs like “The Internet is for Porn” and “What Do You Do With a BA in English?” (An issue I’m currently struggling with).
Announcement: Canon Theatre renamed Ed Mirvish Theatre
Today it was announced that the Canon Theatre on 244 Victoria Street would be renamed the Ed Mirvish Theatre, in honour of the late patron of the arts. In addition, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford declared December 6, 2011 to be Ed Mirvish Theatre Day in the city.
“Without a doubt, this may be the most personal and the most important announcement I have ever made in my professional career,” said David Mirvish, the son of the late patron of the arts, “It is something that has been germinating in my mind for many, many years. But I now finally have the opportunity to act on this idea.”
Review: Imprints (Theatre Gargantua)
Imprints tells the tale of Lily (played by Stephanie Belding), while undergoing a sort-of induced coma to treat an incurable disease, Lily accidentally remains in a dream-like state, having been told she would be totally unaware of the passage of time. While in this state, she is haunted by the ghosts of her ancestors – who exist in her genes – and discovers an alarming key to her present situation. Imprints is playing at the Factory Studio Theatre until November 26.
Toronto Fringe’s Creation Lab Open Jam
Last Tuesday, I had the opportunity to attend the Toronto Fringe’s Creation Lab Open Jam. I was admittedly a little nervous, and didn’t really know what to expect. I thought it might be a good opportunity to meet some like-minded people and learn about some work in the early development stage.
Announcement: Dancap Productions 2012 Tony Award®-Winning Subscription Series
Dancap Productions Inc., announced the Dancap Productions 2012 Tony Award®-Winning Subscription Series today, which president Aubrey Dan says is “inspired by the transformative power of the theatre”. The new series features six shows: American Idiot, In The Heights, Shrek The Musical, West Side Story, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and Million Dollar Quartet, plus two “bonus” shows: A Christmas Story, The Musical! and Prince of Broadway.
2011 De Colores Festival of New Works (Alameda Theatre Company)
The Alameda Theatre Company’s De Colores Festival of New Works is Canada’s premiere festival for Latin-American playwrights and is the first playwrights unit in Canadian history to feature Latin-American/Canadian writers.
This festival does not put on full-scale productions, rather, it consists of readings – the actors are not in costume, do not act out the scene, and read directly from the script. This is something you should be aware of going in. This serves to highlight the focus on the playwrights rather well. Each day an excerpt from a play is read, followed by a full read-through of another play.
Review: Best of Arabesque (Arabesque Dance Company & Orchestra)
Last night, I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the black tie gala and show Best of Arabesque at the Fleck Dance Theatre in the Harbourfront Centre. The show was held in celebration of two milestones: the 15th anniversary of the founding of Arabesque Dance Company and Orchestra, and the 30th anniversary of the dance career of the company’s founder, Yasmina Ramzy.