There are some issues to sort out, and there’s more info to come, but for now, here’s a few bits and bobs:

• No personal or private information was ever at risk
• The site itself wasn’t actually hacked or compromised – the ad server that we used served up the nastiness
• You’ll notice that there aren’t any ads on the site right now. See above
• We recreated the entire site from scratch anyway, with new, freshly baked code from WordPress, just to be sure
• We’re very very sorry, but if you came to the site while our adserver was being nasty, you may have been given malware from it. You should use a good anti-virus to make sure you’re ok. This is a good free one. So is this.
• You should scan your computer anyway. It’s just good practice

Even though we’ve cleaned up, you may get warnings and errors from various sources (Google, Firefox, etc) about our site anyway. That will continue until Google looks at our site and decides that we’re ok.

But, don’t worry, articles galore are to come, since Summerworks starts this week, and so does our coverage of it.

You might remember The Toxic Avenger. The campy horror/comedy film about a vigilante mutant nerd debuted in 1984 to little fanfare, but quickly captured the hearts of B-movie aficionados. Well it’s back, and more musical.

This Halloween marks the Canadian debut of the musical The Toxic Avenger by Dancap Productions, which is loosely based on the cult classic. Meet Melvin: He’s on a quest to save his fictional New Jersey city from the pollution that chokes the air. He’s also madly in love with the beautiful blind librarian. Problem is, Melvin’s the typical sweatervest square. Smooth he is not.

All that changes when he discovers that the Mayor has been dumping nuclear waste in the harbour. Before he can tell anyone, the Mayor’s cronies dump little Melvin into a vat of radioactive waste and leave him to die. But when the duo try to rape the librarian, a mutant with superhuman strengths and slimy green dreads tears their limbs off. The librarian falls in love with her saviour, who she calls Toxie. The graphic violence is extremely satisfying. Thankfully it continues throughout the play.

The love story and quest to stop pollution are predictable and unengaging: the latter carries no modern-day relevance or even much of an environmental message (although that may be a relief to some). But plot hardly matters when it comes to quality camp. With that, the Toxic Avenger delivers a hilarious and must-see show. Of course, I only saw the preview and changes and fine-tuning will continue until the official opening night, and I’m sure it’s only going to get better.

While Toxie himself is a bit of a bore (with the exception of “Thank God She’s Blind”, why so many lame love songs?), the rest of the characters carry the play. I loved Louise Pitre, who played both the devious and sexy Mayor and Melvin’s no-nonsense mother–which made for an epic confrontation. To add to the camp value Jamie McKnight and Daren A. Herbert played various (and hilarious) supporting characters, managed to conquer the art of physical comedy while dancing, singing and looking damn sexy in heels.

And the one-liners don’t disappoint (“Listen up Manhattan, we know you’re stinking rich. Your bed sheets may be satin, but Jersey’s not your bitch!”) Okay that was two lines but you get the point. The dialogue is tight and sharp, and far from PC–I even found myself feeling offended a few times, which I absolutely love. The play opens on Halloween, a perfect way to start off a night of cheesy scary movies. Don’t miss out.

Photo of Evan Alexander Smith courtesy of Paula Wilson
Details:

The Toxic Avenger plays from Oct. 31 to Jan. 3 at The Music Hall (147 Danforth Ave, Toronto) Showtimes: Tuesday to Saturday at 8pm, Sat. at 4 pm, Sun. at 3 pm. Tickets are available online, at the box office or by calling 416 644 3665 Prices range from $55.25 to $89.70.

True Love Lies

Brad Fraser’s newest play, True Love Lies about a father’s past coming back to change his family’s life, is opening the 40th anniversary season at Factory Theatre. After a well-received world premiere in London, England at the start of the year, Fraser’s play is a witty piece of writing.

I should say upfront that I am a touch biased on this play. This is because True Love Lies has a couple of very familiar Fraser characters from Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love returning to the stage. I directed Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love a number of years ago, and have written papers and given lectures on the play. In fact, the movie version, Love and Human Remains, was the first gay movie I ever bought. So, these characters hold a special place in my heart.

With this in mind, if you have not seen Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love then you may want to rent Love and Human Remains to get up to speed. Although, it is not necessary by any means, the show does certainly stand on it’s own.

The staging of True Love Lies is fairly simplistic. The set is minimalist and no one actually eats the food put before them – and there are a large number of plates that rotate though the scenes. The scene transitions are tight with swift movement of actors, props, and lighting never missing a beat.

Like the transitions, Fraser’s writing is tight and swift, so listen and process fast because it’s a whirlwind of words. It’s a great comedy that, although it has a load of one-liners, is still a poignant play about honesty and family.

The five actors in this production work well together. This was opening night, and in the moments where mom and dad finish what the other is saying needs to be broken in a bit more, but that will come as they settle into the groove. Oddly, everyone seems to hold his or her arms up and out more often than most of us ever would in real life. But, if this is the worse I can say, you can imagine that the production is a great show.

My buddy Evan, who had yet to see a Brad Fraser play, agreed that the play was fast moving and required that extra second to process. He thought it was a superb production. His favourite actor was the mother, Carolyn, played by Julie Stewart. Stewart is a perfect representation of a middle-aged mother who suddenly finds her world turned upside down. She has some great moments.

True Love Lies is a full two hours of great laughs and good moments and well worth seeing.

Details
-True Love Lies plays at the Factory Theatre (125 Bathurst St) until November 1st , 2009
-Performances run Tuesday to Saturday at 8pm with Sunday matinees at 2pm.
-Ticket cost ranges from $25-$35. Sunday matinee is pay-what-you-can.
- Tickets are available at the Factory Theatre by calling 416.504.9971

Photo by Ed Gass-Donnelly. Julie Stewart, Ashley Wright and Andrew Craig in True Love Lies.

I wasn’t sure I wanted to trek all the way to Saint John for the Canadian Comedy Awards, but I’m glad I did.

This year is the 10th anniversary of the awards, and this has been a great way to celebrate that.  The Imperial Theatre in Saint John is beautiful and provides a pomp and circumstance that the awards deserve. 

In the world of arts awards, comedy often gets short shrift.  It’s as though established awards don’t think that comedy is artful enough.  Let me tell you though, comedy?  Not an easy thing to pull off.  There were an incredible number of very talented people nominated this year, and they worked their asses off to get there. 

Unfortunately these are awards that aren’t very well known in the broader world, but I do think that’s changing slowly but surely.  The awards were being filmed, although not being broadcast live.  It would be great if we got to a point where it was broadcast live on The Comedy Network, but it’s possible that the comedy crowd is a bit to “blue” for a live broadcast.  But there were moments last night where I thought I might pee myself I was laughing so hard, I think that’s the kind of thing that’s worth broadcasting.

The fun for me started on the the plane from Toronto.  I would say 80% of our flight was filled with folks heading to the awards.  There was a bit of a current of excitement, lots of laughing and talking to folks that I didn’t know.  It felt a bit like we were going to camp or something.

But the awards are actually only one part of the festivities, so, for folks in Saint John the fun started on Wednesday with the Funniest Person in New Brunswick contest.  It’s 5 days of festivities, in fact, on Friday, the night of the awards, there were then two more comedy shows. There have been shows in various venues across Saint John, bringing lots of laughs to lots of people.  All of the events are open to the public, there were people at the awards who had bought tickets to watch the festivities.  Maybe next year they’ll get to see them on television!

And, here’s some late-breaking news for you, apparently there’s a party tonight that I’m supposed to be at.  Apparently comics are a resilient bunch with a great deal of stamina.

Last night I found myself in somewhat of a miserable mood. Work was stressful as usual, I forgot money for the TTC ride home, and to top it off I was fighting a useless battle against a cold that’s filled my head with goo. Why am I boring you with these mundane (and gross) details? Because Nursury School Musical, currently playing at the Berkeley Street Theatre, made all of these things fly from my mind.

Nursery School Musical is above all else a good, entertaining show. Parents especially will find a lot to relate to, but the show has something to offer everyone. We’ve seen the over-protective mothers, we’ve endured people’s endless stories of their children and we’ve all had to deal with three year-olds at some point in our lives. 

Nursery School Musical pokes fun at all of these individuals in the best way possible: with simple, catchy songs. Although there were a couple of weaker numbers, the stronger ones more than made up for it. There was the desperate Ms. Epstein’s (played by Kylee Evans) “Single Modern Woman”, a song about choosing a career over marriage, “Brothers in Love” sung by the hilarious Aaron Walpole and Brett McCaig, and many others that stand out.

Bringing the show to life is a talented ensemble cast, most of them playing dual roles as an adult and a child (their ability to transition between these roles was a marvel). The stand-out for both me and my show partner Amber was Aaron Walpole as the redneck Hank among other characters, who never failed to bring the audience into fits of laughter. Cailin Stadnyk as Emma the preschooler and Hayley the stripper mom also impressed with her physical comedy.

For the most part, the show is done in a sketch-comedy style, with only the loosest of plot to hold it together focusing on the children’s first day of school (although I was I under the impression it was a longer period of time until the end of the show). Luckily, the brisk 80 minute running time makes it work and keeps things moving at a good pace. Don’t let the title or the fact that it’s a musical fool you though. As with most sketch-comedies, the intended audience is adult and the satiric jokes, cultural references and occasional risqué scenes are definitely not meant for children.

Nursery School Musical only has a few performances left, so if you haven’t yet seen it I would highly recommend rushing to get tickets. Whether you’re a parent, a teacher, or just someone who needs a good laugh, Nursery School Musical will provide a surplus of them.

Details:
-Nursery School Musical plays until October 3 at the Berkeley Street Theatre at 26 Berekley Street.
-Shows start at 8pm
-Tickets are $27.80 and are general seating.
-Tickets are available online or by calling the box office at 416-368-3110.

Photo by Rachel McCaig: Kylee Evans and Diana Coatsworth in Nursery School Musical 2009.

Jerry Springer-the Opera is tacky, cheesy and bound to offend you. In other words–go see this show. The premise: a man hosts a talk show that caters to the voyeur in us all. His lineup includes cheated lovers, secret fetishes and a women who just wants to follow her dream of dancing on a pole.

Right before intermission, Springer is shot. He finds himself in front of Satan, who offers him a choice between eternal suffering and hosting a reconciliation show. Seems Satan wants Springer to settle the oldest of feuds.

Special guests include Mary, mother of God, and Jesus, who sparkles in sequins and can’t stop complaining about that dying for our sins thing. Springer’s assignment: get god to apologize for throwing the devil out of heaven. (God would rather that Satan talked to the hand.)

Springer, of course, needs no introduction. The production takes everything you love about him and his show–the incredulous asides, the chair-throwing, that security guy named Steve–and turns it into a beautifully-sung opera. The actors are also singers, and even the trashiest, weirdest and wildest guests can reach notes no amateur could hope to achieve.

Insults are sung instead of shouted, and the music is performed by a live band (the conductor gets really into it, occasionally taking a page from the brilliant concerts conducted by Mr. Bugs Bunny).

I liked everything about this play/opera, especially the devil, played by Jason Zinger, who managed to sing, dance and flail with just the right amount of cheese. Springer’s audience (the huge ensemble) sometimes stole the show–each had specific characters and personalities that are bound to remind you of people you know (or maybe sat beside on the streetcar.) The friend I brought couldn’t stop laughing.

It’s not that easy to describe Jerry Springer, the Opera. It’s horribly clichéd yet socially insightful, like watching an episode of South Park. It got surreal at times as the music overtook the content of the conversation, like the melodic chorus composed entirely of the c-word.

See this show, there’s something to offend everyone.

Details:
- Jerry Springer- The Opera runs until Oct 10, 2009 at Hart House Theatre (7 Hart House Circle, University of Toronto)
- Shows run Wednesdays to Saturdays at 8pm

- Tickets: Adults $25, Students & Seniors $15, $10 student tickets every Wednesday night

-Tickets are available online or by calling the box office at (416) 978-8849

Photo by Daniel Dimarco

“Why do good people rush to do evil?”

Michael Redhill seeks to answer this question in the newest incarnation of Volcano Theatre‘s Goodness, which opened last night at The Theatre Centre. Although the question is never truly answered, the intense journey and look into humanity’s complicated and bloody morality is one that will leave you questioning your own views.

Goodness follows Redhill, played by Gord Rand, as he journeys to Poland in the hopes of filling in the gaps of the story of his family who were victims of the Holocost. Instead he meets Althea, played in her older version by Lily Francks and in her younger version by Tara Hughes, who grudgingly reveals her own story centering around another genocide.

Right from the beginning, the audience is slowly drawn into the author’s world. As the lights dimmed, voices began to hum out from within the audience, haunting and full of hope all at the same time.

Redhill takes a slightly more meta-theatrical approach to his story, stating at the beginning that he is being played by an actor and acknowledges the presence of an audience watching a play. It is a clever decision and one that helps the audience to understand the play’s initially narrow view of the world.

The tone continues with characters inserting themselves into flashback scenes, complaining about their roles, or even placing themselves in the audience. Part of me was waiting for the chaotic jumping back and forth to confuse me, but somehow the perfect balance is kept and the work is seemless.

With only the bare bones of a set to work with and providing their own soundscape, the cast perform admirably as the myriad of characters visited through the story. Their energy and intensity was a marvel to watch, culminating in a tense climatic scene that I didn’t even want to blink for. With such great ensemble acting, I couldn’t choose a single favourite.

The music itself is almost its own character, weaving in and out of the show. It adds beautifully to the story, and the use of multiple styles and languages was a thing of wonder. Hopefully music director Brenna MacCrimmon has given herself several pats on the back for that accomplishment.

Most details about the genocide are kept ambiguous, which is one of the best things the play has going for it. The country itself is never named, the actors used do not adhere to any particular ethnic background, and the music is a mix of styles ranging from Eastern Europe to South Africa. I’ve seen many shows focusing on the same theme that often get bogged down in the political and cultural details of a country’s history and I end up trying to make sense of facts rather than focusing on the emotional core of the story. 

By stripping away the details, Redhill allows the audience into his story and challenges them to question their own morality. And question you will. By the end of Goodness, there is still no clear answer to the questions the author asks throughout the show.

If anything, Goodness will leave you dissatisfied with the lack of conclusion, but that of course is the author’s intention. The theme of genocide is not a new one, but the intimate and unique approach Goodness takes will definately get your attention and hold it. If you want a moving piece of theatre, go see it (insert your own “for goodness sakes” joke if you like).

Details:

-Goodness is playing at The Theatre Centre (1087 Queen Street West) until September 27.
-Shows run Tues-Sat at 7:30pm, with Sat and Sun matinees at 2:30pm.
-Tickets are $20 for Tues-Thurs & Sun matinees, $25 Fri & Sat, and PWYC Sat matinee. Seniors/Student tickets can be bought for $20.
-Tickets can be bought online or by calling 416-538-0988.

Photo by John Lauener

Edward Albee’s first play The Zoo Story is a conversation between two strangers who meet on a park bench. So Red One Theatre decided to forego actually renting theatre space and carting around a bench prop, and is staging it on park benches across the city throughout September.

And it works. Okay, it mostly works, but the company can hardly be blamed for the Air Show flying overhead, can they?

The Zoo Story is a… well, story about two people who meet on a park bench in New York’s Central Park. There’s Peter (Brenhan McKibben), a publisher with a wife, two kids, and two parakeets. And there’s Jerry, a disheveled nobody who lives in a cramped boarding house. In other words, order meets disorder.

Making a last desperate attempt to reach out to someone, Jerry tells Peter the “Dog Story” and the “Zoo Story,” which become not simply about animals but metaphors for love and death. As Jerry becomes increasingly unbalanced, the play escalates to an intense surprise ending, which my friend Matt and I agreed was terrific. (You didn’t think I’d tell you what it is, did you?)

Tyrone Savage plays Jerry with lots of energy and skill. This is really Jerry’s story, and Savage handles his many long monologues well. Brenhan McKibben does a decent job as Peter, capturing the character of the bookish fellow who doesn’t like getting his feathers ruffled. McKibben’s voice doesn’t carry as well as Savage’s in the outdoor space, but it grows – as his part does – towards the end of the play. Both actors kept up their concentration well, despite the interruptions that can come with an outdoor space – the dogs barking, car engines roaring, and did I mention the Air Show?

At a brief 50 minutes, The Zoo Story is a nice way to spend an autumn night outdoors. (Traditionally, The Zoo Story is actually performed as the second act of a longer play, but not to worry, the story stands on its own.)

Matt and I are also in agreement about our least favourite part of the evening: the bug bites. I count 7, he has 4. So, bring insect repellent.

Okay, so, this is an odd press release for me to publish here on Mooney on Theatre, since we’re basically about theatre in Toronto, and, at the very least, about theatre in Canada, but I’m intrigued by the idea of the Free Night of Theatre Campaign, so this caught my eye.  How come we don’t have a free night of theatre campaign in Canada?

Anyway, if you have a play you want produced in Alabama, then check out the release below:

________________________

The Layman Group is very proud to be joining the Theatre Communications Group’s very popular national FREE NIGHT OF THEATRE Campaign!!

This successful national audience development program was designed to attract new patrons to live theatre and give existing patrons access to venues they might not be familiar with. This fall, theatre-goers from coast to coast will be given the opportunity to attend performances presented by over 700 theatres, in more than 120 cities, completely free of charge.

With that, we are currently IN SEARCH of a dynamic, thought provoking theatre script to present as a live staged reading for this event! Spread the word to all your playwright friends!

Here are few guidelines:

1. Scripts from Alabama based playwrights are preferred, but ALL will be considered.

2. Scripts must not have been produced before.

3. Scripts must read longer than 45 mins.

4. One submission per playwright.

5. Casting will be handled/finalized by The Layman Group.

6. We are not accepting adaptations.

7. We are not accepting musicals.

8. Deadline to submit is Sept 10th.

The selected script will be announced by Sept 15th. The staged reading is targeted to go up between OCT 15th & Oct 31st.
Playwrights: This a great way to develop your script to full potential, as well as obtain some national recognition for your work!

Please send scripts in WORD or PDF format, with contact info and playwright bio to :  public@thelaymangroup.org, with PLAY SUBMISSION as the subject.

We look forward to reading your work!!