The debate between Creationism and Evolution heats up the Scarborough stage in Inherit the Wind

The Scarborough Players take on the classic story, Inherit the Wind, by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee, a tale that evaluates the ongoing debate between the theory of evolution and Christian dogma. This fictionalized dramatization of the Scopes “Monkey” trial in 1925 puts a school teacher, Bertram Cates (Josh Mott), to trial for teaching his class Darwin’s Theory of Evolution which violates Christian state law. The story boils down to one debate, one that’s still argued out to this day, progressive science vs. the Bible.

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One woman takes on three generations in Shelley Marshall’s auto-biographical show at Toronto’s Alumnae Theatre

Hamilton native Shelley Marshall has had one hell of a life. Having survived two generations of mental illness and then a bout of her own that resulted in a suicide attempt and hospitalization – including days kept in solitary – Shelley found her freedom and passion through creation and comedy. Inspired by the words of one of her doctors and the show Who’s Line is it Anyway?, Shelley enrolled in Second City.

Hold Mommy’s Cigarette is an autobiographical one-woman show where Shelley takes on portraying her grandmother, her mother and her younger self, reliving her tumultuous past and emerging as the talented comedic artist she is today.

The performance starts out with, what I hope, is an exaggeration of Shelley’s grandmother in the 70s – ignoring the incessant phone calls, grumbling about the state of the nation while reading the paper, chain smoking, and yelling into the void at her unseen husband. What we learn about grandma is clear: she’s not easy to live with, has a homophobic streak, values old fashioned tradition, and sends a young Shelley out to buy her cigarettes.

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Theatre Smith-Gilmour adapts Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying for the Toronto stage

Dean Gilmour and Michele Smith of Theatre Smith-Gilmour bring to life the bizarrely adventurous and darkly humorous tale of a family’s Odyssean journey to bury their deceased mother, in William Faulkner‘s As I Lay Dying, playing at the Theatre Passe Muraille main space for the month of March. In a re-imagining of this tale told in a manner very reminiscent of O Brother Where Art Thou, this is an adventure you won’t soon forget.
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Stunningly executed site-specific theatre production Nightmare Dream fills the Campbell House Museum in Toronto

In honour of Black History Month, IFT Theatre in association with Newface Entertainment bring to life a story of cultures colliding in this dynamic site-specific production that uses the historic Campbell House Museum to its fullest colonial potential. Nightmare Dream embraces the use of movement, sound and dialogue to explore the heart and soul of Africa as it meets head on with European colonization and influence.

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Scarborough Music Theatre in Toronto explodes with dynamism with their production of Sweeney Todd

A musical that’s a bloody delight; Scarborough Music Theatre, a community theatre troupe serving the Scarborough area since 1963, is presenting Sweeney Todd for the month of February at the Scarborough Village Theatre. For anyone who’s a fan of the play or who has only seen the movie adaptation starring Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, this is a performance not to be missed.

Continue reading Review: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Scarborough Music Theatre) →