All posts by Wayne Leung

Wayne Leung (1981-2019) Wayne was the Managing Editor of Mooney on Theatre from 2012 - 2019 and will be sorely missed. His death from an apparent heart attack was a loss not just to Mooney on Theatre, but also to the Toronto Theatre Community at large. You can read our publisher Megan Mooney's tribute to him here here. Wayne was a writer, editor and corporate communications professional who was thrilled to be a part of the Mooney on Theatre team. Wayne loved theatre ever since his aunt brought him to a production of Les Misérables at the tender age of ten . . . despite the fact that, at that age, the show’s plot was practically indiscernible and the battle scenes scared the bejeezus out of him. Wayne’s current list of likes ran the gamut from opera, ballet and Shakespeare to Broadway musicals, circus and Fringe theatre. Outside of the theatre Wayne’s interests included travel, technology and food.

This Week in Toronto Theatre: Site-specific Productions

Theatre doesn’t only happen beneath a proscenium arch, site-specific productions take performances out of the theatre and place them in unexpected real-world settings.

Locations for site-specific productions usually have some tie-in to the content of the show, but can be as diverse as parks, bars, museums, churches or parking garages.

This week there are some really awesome-sounding site-specific performances taking place around the city that are definitely worth checking out. Continue reading This Week in Toronto Theatre: Site-specific Productions →

Mooney on Theatre Recommends (Part 2) – 2012 Toronto Fringe Festival

It’s the last weekend of Fringe! So, you’ve procrastinated and waited ‘til now to catch a show? Are you still deciding what you want to see? Well you’re in luck; our super-keen staff went out and reviewed all 141 shows* in the Toronto Fringe Festival by the end of the first weekend!

We already released one list of recommendations after our big push of reviews but now that we’ve had some time to pause, reflect and possibly recover from spending too many late nights at the Fringe Club beer tent, we’ve come up with a second set of staff picks. I mean, with so many shows in the festival who can pick just one favourite, right?

The second weekend of the festival is always the busier weekend, many shows are already regularly selling out so plan ahead, pre-book your tickets or get there early and line up. And, if the show you wanna see happens to be sold out, just go ahead and take a chance on something else. That’s the spirit of Fringe; taking a chance on something new.

Happy Fringing!

More Mooney on Theatre Staff Picks – 2012 Toronto Fringe Festival

Continue reading Mooney on Theatre Recommends (Part 2) – 2012 Toronto Fringe Festival →

Mooney on Theatre Recommends – 2012 Toronto Fringe Festival

These past few days we’ve unleashed our small army of 18 dedicated writers and 6 tireless editors to cover all 141 shows* in this year’s Toronto Fringe Festival! With the sheer number of shows available at the festival, picking the ones you want to see can seem like a daunting task.

Of course, one of the best ways to enjoy the Fringe is to not overly plan it out and just go and take a chance on something that happens to be playing at any given time. I mean, it’s only ten bucks and about an hour of your time and you may discover something you’ll think is amazing.

If you’re still feeling a bit overwhelmed by the number of shows at the Fringe and are looking for a place to start, sit down and take a deep breath. We’ve asked our staff to tell us about their favourite shows they’ve seen at this year’s festival so we could provide you with some of our recommendations.

Oh, and if you’ve seen something you think is amazing that you think others should go see please let us know by leaving a comment.

Happy Fringing!

Mooney on Theatre Staff Picks – 2012 Toronto Fringe Festival

Continue reading Mooney on Theatre Recommends – 2012 Toronto Fringe Festival →

RAW (Ten Foot Pole Theatre) 2012 Toronto Fringe Review

Ten Foot Pole Theatre and writer Rob Salerno are known for taking on political issues with a biting satirical edge. Their latest show at the Toronto Fringe Festival, RAW, tackles the issue of HIV disclosure versus personal responsibility.

James (Jason R. Stroud) learns he is HIV positive from an anonymous letter informing him that he has been exposed to the virus and should get tested. In a rage, he hunts down Stephen (Rob Salerno), the man James believes he contracted HIV from after they had unprotected sex together at a bathhouse.  Continue reading RAW (Ten Foot Pole Theatre) 2012 Toronto Fringe Review →

One Night (Beautiful Gem Productions) 2012 Toronto Fringe Review

One Night (Beautiful Gem Productions) at the Toronto Fringe Festival is about a 32-year-old plus-sized virgin named Penny (Angela Brown). Unhappy with her life; an unsatisfying job, annoying co-workers, an overbearing mother, and of course the absence of any sort of carnal satisfaction, Penny decides to finally lose the big “V”.

Getting laid isn’t as easy as Penny thinks, years of dealing with issues with her negative body image has lowered her self-esteem to the point where she fears intimacy.  Continue reading One Night (Beautiful Gem Productions) 2012 Toronto Fringe Review →