The fate of salmon, doomed at the end of their legendary migrations upstream to spawn in their home waters, can be a source of great drama. Upstream Downtown, currently playing in the Toronto Fringe Festival at the St. Vladimir Institute, thanks to the efforts of the Animacy Theatre Collective, shows this. Through an inventive combination of physical humour, ingenious costuming, and a canny grasp of theatre space, Upstream Downtown emerges as an original hour of theatre well worth seeing.
Plays In Cafés is returning to the Toronto Fringe for the 4th time. The signature series, created by Shadowpath’s Artistic Director, Alex Karolyi, launched in Newmarket in 2006. It has since provided a platform for new works and has frequented dozens of cafés in six different municipalities in York Region. In 2015, Plays In Cafés expanded its reach into Toronto and Vancouver via the Fringe!
Part of Shadowpath’s new work development is to nurture female theatre creatives. Plays In Cafésshowcases the Shadowpath Femme5 with an all-female production team and new plays created by women and directed by the unstoppable, Rosanna Saracino.
This year, Plays In Cafés has a new venue partner – Poetry Jazz Cafe, introducing a jazz trio to the production. Guests receive a menu where each item tells a story. The audience then charts the artistic course of action by ordering their entertainment off the menu. Three of the five possible plays will be performed each night and an evening of theatre and song shall be served throughout the venue. The flavour of plays includes rich, bitter, dry, sweet and spicy
Shadowpath was founded in 2002 and is a charitable arts organization that turns everyday spaces into creative places. Plays In Cafés is Shadowpath’s version of café theatre, integrating the performing arts with café culture. Shadowpath received the 2016 Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Award for Innovation in Newmarket and the 2016 Creativity Connected Award for Best Innovation in Richmond Hill.
Details
Plays In Cafes plays at the Poetry Jazz Cafe. (224 Augusta Ave.)
Tickets can be purchased online, by telephone (416-966-1062), from the Festival Box Office at Scadding Court (707 Dundas St. W.), and — if any remain — from the venue’s box office starting one hour before curtain.
This summer, the Toronto Fringe Festival will feature two works by award-winning playwright Michael Ross Albert (Tough Jews, Dora Award nomination– Outstanding New Play), including the world premiere of his newest drama, Anywhere.
When a young businesswoman returns to her AirBnB, she finds that her host has been waiting up for her. What started as a cordial relationship between strangers begins to steadily escalate into a tense and unnerving battle for control. The two women find themselves facing off against each other in a struggle for meaning, connection, and power.
The world premiere production will be directed by David Lafontaine (artistic director, Unit 102). David recently directed the Canadian premiere of Michael Ross Albert’s play, Miss, for which he received the My Entertainment Critics’ Pick Award for Outstanding Direction in the small theatre division.
The cast of Anywhere features two pillars of Toronto’s indie theatre community: Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster(founding member of The Howland Company, resident artist at Soulpepper Theatre Company) and Cass Van Wyck (Therac 25, Unit 102).
With a thrilling new script, and a knockout cast and creative team, the world premiere of Anywhere promises to be an intense and unforgettable Fringe experience.
Details
Anywhere plays at the Factory Theatre Studio. (125 Bathurst St.)
Tickets can be purchased online, by telephone (416-966-1062), from the Festival Box Office at Scadding Court (707 Dundas St. W.), and — if any remain — from the venue’s box office starting one hour before curtain.
Content Warnings: Mature language; Sexual content; Realistic violence or gore.
The Fringe Festival considers this venue to be wheelchair-accessible.
Be aware that Fringe performances always start exactly on time, and that latecomers are never admitted.
Let’s get clinical! Generally Hospital is a comedic show about a serious place: the hospital. Impossible rules for newborns, songs about death, and finding love in a room filled with farts – we have you covered for an hour of laughter, tears, and other bodily functions.
Directed by award-winning comedian Leigh Cameron (Second City Mainstage alum, 32 Short Sketches About Bees – 2017 Toronto Fringe Patron’s Pick and Second City Award forOutstanding New Comedy), this sketch comedy revue lifts the veil that shrouds the hospital and lets the audience in on all the weird, wacky, and bewildering things that happen inside.
Producers Ophira Calof and Grace Smith met while completing the Second City Sketch Conservatory Program. During a sketch performance in November of 2017, Calof’s wheelchair tipped over the side of the stage and fell into the audience, resulting in a 2-week hospital stay. The idea for Generally Hospital was borne out of a particularly laugh-filled visit during that stay.“We believe in the power of laughter to ease people into tense and personal subject matter, and as a tool to connect us all and foster empathy,” say Calof and Smith.
Generally Hospital is written and performed by a group of up-and-coming Toronto comedians,all graduates of Second City’s Conservatory. Calof and Smith co-produce the popular monthly All Access Sketch Show, one of the few regular Toronto comedy shows in an accessible venue. They are joined by Alia Rasul (Bad Dog Theatresports), Sabrina Friedman (Only One of us is Jewish), and Devan Islas (Good Judy), with dramaturg Ryan Hughes (Welcome to the Bunker – 2017 Toronto Fringe) and music director Nicole Byblow (Juno Awards Industry Gala).
Generally Hospital is proud to provide a variety of adapted, including a relaxed performance, an audio described performance, and ASL interpreted performance.
Details
Generally Hopsital plays at the Tarragon Theatre Extraspace. (30 Bridgman Ave.)
Tickets can be purchased online, by telephone (416-966-1062), from the Festival Box Office at Scadding Court (707 Dundas St. W.), and — if any remain — from the venue’s box office starting one hour before curtain.
Content Warnings: Mature language; Audience participation; Sexual content.
This venue is barrier-free. Patrons who use wheelchairs or who cannot climb stairs are seated in the front row.
Be aware that Fringe performances always start exactly on time, and that latecomers are never admitted.
Based on a true story set in Mexico, “The Girl in the Photograph” (Quirvan Productions & Chameleon Productions) leads us by the hand as we witness the development of a dangerous romance peppered generously with live acoustic guitar and elements of a telenovela to explore each character’s strength inthe face of manipulation.
More than the sum of its parts, this story alludes to many themes and thought-provoking subjects relevant to a post-#Metoo world: How do we stay strong through manipulation? What is the nature of responsibility and fidelity in romance? How do we gain the strength to seek closure? What does closure even look like? With a predominantly Hispanic cast boasting various up-and-coming television and theatre stars, including Tamara Almeida (The ’94 Club, Heroes Reborn, Good Witch), David Chinchilla (The Expanse, The Handmaid’s Tale, Taken), Andrea Cabeza (Ponysitters Club, Waking, Standby) and Erin Roche (Player in Dear Uncle Wish, Libby in the World Premiere of Blues Bawls) this performance is guaranteed to fuel all theatre-goers to #StartFringeStrong.
To #StartFringeStrong, attend the preview-opening night (Friday July 6th, at 7PM in the Factory Studio Theatre) for discounted tickets and a sneak-peak at the talent. Starring Andrea Cabeza, a two time award winner of the Por Amor al Ar-t Awards in Cancun Mexico (Female Revelation & Best Musical Theatre Actress).
The Girl in the Photograph is lead by creator Andrea Cabeza, and aided by directorial innovators Victoria Urquhart (#ShakesbeersShowdown, Shakespeare-In-Hospitals) and Max Fearon (Hart House Theatre: The Crucible &Titus Andronicus). It is a heartfelt dramatic love-story, based on a true story. It will take you on an emotional roller coaster.
Details
The Girl in the Photograph plays at the Factory Theatre Studio. (125 Bathurst St.)
Tickets can be purchased online, by telephone (416-966-1062), from the Festival Box Office at Scadding Court (707 Dundas St. W.), and — if any remain — from the venue’s box office starting one hour before curtain.
Content Warnings: Mature language; Nudity; Sexual content; Unsuitable for minors.
The Fringe Festival considers this venue to be wheelchair-accessible.
Be aware that Fringe performances always start exactly on time, and that latecomers are never admitted.
The fate of salmon, doomed at the end of their legendary migrations upstream to spawn in their home waters, can be a source of great drama. Upstream Downtown, currently playing in the Toronto Fringe Festival at the St. Vladimir Institute, thanks to the efforts of the Animacy Theatre Collective, shows this. Through an inventive combination of physical humour, ingenious costuming, and a canny grasp of theatre space, Upstream Downtown emerges as an original hour of theatre well worth seeing.
