Toronto Theatre Features

Preview: Les Coquettes Bid Farewell with a BANG!

Leading cabaret and burlesque troupe Les Coquettes bid a fond farewell to the Toronto stage

For the past 11 years, the lovely ladies and gents of Les Coquettes have wowed and dazzled Toronto audiences with their signature blend of song-and-dance cabaret with tongue-in-cheek burlesque. Their performances taking up residence at Toronto’s Revival Club have sold out year after year and their Halloween and holiday spectacles have become a regular tradition for many.

And now with a bittersweet turn, the fine Coquettes have decided to hang up their garters and stockings with their final show in time for this year’s All Hallow’s Eve. As apropos to the troupe, they’ve decided to go out with a BANG!

With two final nights at the Revival and only four opportunities to see this troupe perform for the last time, be sure to grab your tickets as they’re selling out fast.

Continue reading Preview: Les Coquettes Bid Farewell with a BANG! →

An Invitation to Hold Mommy’s Cigarette: an interview with Shelley Marshall

Shelley Marshall performs her play Hold Mommy’s Cigarette in Toronto for Mental Illness Awareness Week

When Shelley Marshall suggested the interview take place at her Full Bawdy Loft, I didn’t realize until I arrived that it was, in fact, her loft; a lived-in space that she was inspired to adapt for the October run of her show Hold Mommy’s Cigarette.

The eclectic 1970’s inspired set dominated the room. She gave me a tour, showing me some props and describing the lighting design for her show, opening tomorrow. I felt like I was invited into her home, shown family trinkets, and invited to ask my questions. It’s not surprising Marshall has inspired others to open up about mental illness.

Continue reading An Invitation to Hold Mommy’s Cigarette: an interview with Shelley Marshall →

Preview: TUDS – Toronto Urban Dance Culture Festival (Gadfly)

Toronto Urban Dance Culture Festival

TUDS – The Toronto Urban Dance Culture Festival celebrates the street dance scene in Toronto

It’s hard to find sometimes if you don’t know where to look for it, but Toronto’s street dance scene is as lively as it’s ever been. Popping into its fifth year, TUDS is Toronto’s own celebration of all things urban dance running from September 24-28. A festival with a full lineup of street and urban dance culture elements, TUDS has expanded to five days of impressive productions, intense battles, heart-pumping workshops and engaging open discussions.

Created and produced by Gadfly, TUDS has become an annual gathering of some of Canada’s forefront dance artists specializing in every variety of street dance you could want. The festival kicks off with Gadfly’s anniversary and a debate about urban dance and concludes with the Gadfly Awards, honouring Canada’s breakout urban dance artists, productions and industry trailblazers.

Continue reading Preview: TUDS – Toronto Urban Dance Culture Festival (Gadfly) →

A Taste of Scotiabank Buskerfest 2014

rsz_11401395789_20130824_tobfest_9576

Street performances take over downtown Yonge Street at the Scotiabank Buskerfest supporting EPILEPSY Toronto

It’s been a whirlwind of a summer for Toronto, at least in terms of theatre festivals. With the Toronto Fringe Festival, Luminato and Summerworks just to name a few, there have been a lot of live performances bringing the city to life.

Unlike the other festivals, however, Scotiabank Buskerfest brings the performances to the streets of the city, namely Yonge Street between Carlton and Queen, between August 21st (today) and August 24th (Sunday). That’s right – Yonge Street, normally home to thousands of hurried urbanites, will instead be filled with live street performances for the next four days. It’s the biggest festival of its kind in North America, and the entire event is being held in support of EPILEPSY Toronto.

Even if you aren’t familiar with busking (I was a busking virgin before today, I’ll admit!), it’s definitely worth giving Scotiabank Buskerfest a visit or three. With talented performers from Toronto and all over the world, the streets are full of theatre, and you never know what you’ll witness!

Continue reading A Taste of Scotiabank Buskerfest 2014 →

New performance festival grows out of SummerWorks: Michael Rubenfeld discusses Progress

3 Comments

Michael Rubenfeld headshot

Michael Rubenfeld is the kind of guy who easily turns his energy into action. “If I find myself complaining about something that I think is missing, that’s when I realize that somebody just has to do it,” the artistic producer of SummerWorks tells me over coffee at the Theatre Centre on Saturday.

That’s the energy that drove Rubenfeld to create the Music Series at SummerWorks three years ago, pairing musicians and theatre artists for innovative hybrid performances throughout the festival, and now it’s pushing him and his collaborators to start Progress, a brand new multi-arts festival of performance and ideas launching February 4-15.

Continue reading New performance festival grows out of SummerWorks: Michael Rubenfeld discusses Progress →