Review: Kinky Boots (Mirvish)

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Kinky Boots, Cyndi Lauper-penned musical, “earn[s] every spangle” on the Toronto stage

There are regular-duty opening nights at the theatre – gowns, gays, glamour – and then there’s the extra-strength version that develops at the Royal Alexandra when Cyndi Lauper‘s in town for the opening of her totally charming, irrepressible musical with Harvey FiersteinKinky Boots. Not a sequin was wasted on a lackluster performance, though – Kinky Boots has earned every spangle on display (which, I do not believe anyone will be startled to hear, is quite a fair few). Continue reading Review: Kinky Boots (Mirvish)

The Real Housewives of Murder – 2015 Toronto Fringe Press Release

“Murder is like, super inconvenient when you’re trying to throw a party”

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Excerpt from press release:

 

Murder is like, super inconvenient when you’re trying to throw a party. Two very Real Housewives kind of, sort of, probably for sure kill a staff member as they’re setting up for a tiki gala. What follows is a mashup of the E! Network and Hitchcock, as Rina and Harper try to figure out what to do with the body, and each other, before the guests arrive.

Devon Henderson and Jacqueline Twomey usually perform as a sketch duo, TwoSon. For reasons unknown, they decided to try their hand at playwriting, and wrote every word of this play together from the couch in their apartment. Devon and Jacqueline are roommates, writing partners, and actual real life friends.

As lifelong comedy junkies, Devon and Jacqueline are both currently in the Conservatory and Longform Conservatory programs at the Second City Training Centre, where they met in the Comedy Writing program. Both of them also have improv troupes. Basically, they do all the same things except Devon is good at music and Jacqueline is good at sports.

Now they’re going to play two housewives trying to get away with murder and see what happens.

Showtimes:

July 2, 9:30pm

July 3, 1:15pm

July 5, 8:00pm

July 6, 4:00pm

July 7, 10:15pm

July 9, 8:00pm

July 10, 5:15pm

July 11, 8:00pm

Venue: 
Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace

Tickets for all Fringe productions are $10, $12 in advance. Tickets can be purchased online, by phone (416-966-1062, business hours only), in-person from the festival box office located in the parking lot behind Honest Ed’s, (481 Bloor West), or — if any remain — from the venue box office (cash-only), starting one hour before showtime.

The festival offers a range of money-saving passes for committed Fringers; see website for details.

Be advised that Fringe shows always start exactly on time, and latecomers are never admitted.

Photo by Raul Delgado.

Fringe for Free! Toronto Fringe Ticket Giveaways for Shows on Wednesday, July 1st

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Did you miss us, Toronto? We’ve certainly missed you! Fringe is our favourite time of the year, and we love nothing more than sharing it with you — so every summer, by the kindness of dozens of Fringe Festival companies, we get to literally give it away.

Starting today, we’ll be posting a daily list of 5 shows. Shoot us an email and you might win a pair of tickets to one of the hottest productions in town.

Of course, we’re posting other stuff as well: comprehensive coverage of the festival, with a review of every single production by the end of opening weekend; features, interviews, photographs and summaries; news, analysis, whimsies and warnings, we’ll have it all.

But while this is all fine and well, Fringe is about seeing theatre! So click “Read More” for the contest rules and a little something about the 5 shows we’ve got lined up for July 1st, opening day.

Continue reading Fringe for Free! Toronto Fringe Ticket Giveaways for Shows on Wednesday, July 1st

Let’s Start A Country! – 2015 Toronto Fringe Press Release

“Each night, under the benevolent leadership of these two brave pioneers, the audience-cum-Parliament will pass laws, establish a system of justice and create a national culture from scratch, resulting in a brand new country to call their own!”

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Excerpt from press release:

“Let’s Start A Country!” is a live, experimental comedy show opening July 2nd at the Tarragon TheatreMainspace, created and performed by Brit-ish semiprofessional nation-builder Gerard Harris and his trusty French-Canadian Lieutenant Al Lafrance. Each night, under the benevolent leadership of these two brave pioneers, the audience-cum-Parliament will pass laws, establish a system of justice and create a national culture from scratch, resulting in a brand new country to call their own. The real question is, what does this mean for Canada? The framework for these nations was constructed by Gerard, with significant contributions both to the foundations and the filigree by Al and Asaf Gerchak, the previous Deputy Leader, a resident GTAlien recently returned from serving life without parole for crimes against huge manatees on a large floating prison 1000 miles west of New Zealand.

[…] Government
Modelled on the British Parliamentary system, the State decision-making machinery functions as a unique system of direct, instantaneous democracy, unencumbered by partisan politics, red tape or quaint notions of accountability. The noble citizens of these brave new nations will get whatever society they wish for and will, accordingly, have only themselves to blame.

Economy Revenues come mainly from Immigration fees for the Standard Entry Visa and any loose change found under the seats from previous shows. Culture Every country needs a national holiday, defence strategy & pizza topping. Ours will be no different.

History During the Montreal Fringe Festival of 2012, 6 sell-out nations were created to great critical acclaim and received nominative recognition and support from wellknown Canadian NGO’s Just For Laughs, Cirque du Soleil and the Centaur Theatre for Best Comedy, Best Original Production and Best Script respectively. Most impressively of all, it broke even. 4 more nations were created at the Mainline Theatre, Montreal in the Spring of 2013 & 5 more at the Theatre LaChappelle for Just For Laughs’ Zoofest 2013.

Showtimes:

July 02 10:30pm
July 04 5:45pm
July 06 6:15pm
July 08 7:30pm
July 10 12:00pm
July 11 6:15pm
July 12 4:00pm

Venue: 
Tarragon Theatre Mainspace

Tickets for all Fringe productions are $10, $12 in advance. Tickets can be purchased online, by phone (416-966-1062, business hours only), in-person from the festival box office located in the parking lot behind Honest Ed’s, (481 Bloor West), or — if any remain — from the venue box office (cash-only), starting one hour before showtime.

The festival offers a range of money-saving passes for committed Fringers; see website for details.

Be advised that Fringe shows always start exactly on time, and latecomers are never admitted.

Photo by Louis Longpré.

Skunkweed – 2015 Toronto Fringe Press Release

“It stinks to high heaven but it’ll get you Fu@k#D up good!”

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Excerpt from press release:

Get out of Toronto for a moment and experience the Sunshine State. Join Triple ByPass Productions at the 2015 Toronto Fringe Festival as the ensemble brings you a story of unexpected love, hooliganism and a unique brand of Southern hospitality. When two lost and lonely souls find each other amidst life’s chaos, the consequences of their connection are as unanticipated as they are funny and poignant. Eric Bogosian skillfully skewers American values by examining the star-crossed affair between an L.A. screenwriter and a Daytona Beach Books-a-Million cashier. Can they have anything in common other than a one-night-stand? How does their affair affect the people closest to them? And why do hotels get away with gauging at the mini bar? Find out when SKUNKWEED opens at this year’s Fringe on July 1st at 10:30 p.m. at Theatre Pass Muraille.

Triple ByPass Productions, a Toronto-curated collective, was forged by a passion to tell bold, engaging stories that are not only relevant, but told in the way only an acting ensemble can. We focus on characters and relationships that allow us to approach our work as truthfully and honestly as possible, creating unforgettable pieces grounded in realism. Triple ByPass Productions is raw, unrelenting and unapologetic; we are Amanda Armagon (Being Erica, Flashpoint); Chris Whitby (Murdoch Mysteries, Breakout Kings, Bash – The Latter Day Plays); Melanie Pyne (Lemonade); and TJ Cheslea (The Firm, Flashpoint).
This year, the collective has teamed up with Director Adam Bailey, winner of Toronto’s 2014 Best of Fringe for The Assassination of Robert Ford: Dirty Little Coward, to tackle Skunkweed by Eric Bogosian, Obie award-winning writer of subUrbia and Talk Radio.

 

Showtimes:

July 1 – 10:30 p.m.
July 4 – 5:45 p.m.
July5 – 10:30 p.m.
July 6 – 8:15 p.m.
July 9 – 12 Noon
July 10 – 11p.m.
July 12 – 8:30 p.m.

 

Venue: 
Theatre Passe Muraille (16 Ryerson Ave.)

Tickets for all Fringe productions are $10, $12 in advance. Tickets can be purchased online, by phone (416-966-1062, business hours only), in-person from the festival box office located in the parking lot behind Honest Ed’s, (481 Bloor West), or — if any remain — from the venue box office (cash-only), starting one hour before showtime.

The festival offers a range of money-saving passes for committed Fringers; see website for details.

Be advised that Fringe shows always start exactly on time, and latecomers are never admitted.

Photo by Cedric Swaneck.