All the shows this week have some kind of classical origin–whether that means folk stories, canonized literature, or fairy tales! The one thing they all have in common, though, is a very affordable pricetag. Check out the picks for this week under the cut!
Continue reading Cheap Theatre in Toronto the Week of December 14th
When you walk into the Red Sandcastle Theatre for John D. Huston’s A Christmas Carol, you’re stepping back into the 19th Century. Long-forgotten carols welcome you into the small shoebox theatre, sung beautifully by an a cappella trio (the MadriGALS, comprised of Denise Norman, Sara Stahmer, and Trish O’Reilly-Brennan). On the stage, there sits only a Victorian writing desk and a single dusty tome: A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens.
Really and truly, this is “A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens.” Continue reading Review: A Christmas Carol (John D. Huston and the MadriGALS)
The holiday shows continue to pile in, but all hope’s not lost for those theatre-Scrooges out there! As always, we’re here to highlight our most anticipated picks in red text and give you a sense of what we’re most excited about. Here are the weekly picks under the cut:
The Christmas Tree, on stage in Toronto, is a “sweet way to start off the holidays”Lately, it’s been hard for me to get into the holiday spirit. Maybe the snowless streets make me forget that it’s even December. Maybe it’s that I have a bitter heart that can’t be swayed by eggnog and silver bells. I’m not too sure what it is, but I still decided to take a chance on seeing The Christmas Tree at the Red Sandcastle Theatre.
My heart didn’t grow a few sizes today, but it was shockingly warmed by the music and merriment provided by Baby Gumm Productions.
Continue reading Review: The Christmas Tree (Baby Gumm Productions)
Break out the boa for the LOT’s Fancy Nancy The Musical, now on the Toronto stage!In honour of the delightful show I saw earlier — Fancy Nancy The Musical (on now at Lower Ossington Theatre) — I’m drinking water from my fanciest bejewelled wine glass. That’s one of the inspirations I took home from Fancy Nancy The Musical today: anything can be fancy!
Based on the Fancy Nancy books by Jane O’Connor, this show is a light-hearted story about Nancy, a fancy girl, and her fun, fancy friends. When her dramatic dreams are crushed and the coveted role in a school play goes to someone else, can Nancy use her fancy flair to bring her role to life, even though she’s disappointed?
I’m not going to tell you! But I will tell you why I loved this show.
Continue reading Review: Fancy Nancy The Musical (Lower Ossington Theatre)