If you are in the Toronto theatre industry you may have heard about the impromptu forum that happened on Sunday January 11, 2015 spurred to life from a status on Facebook posted by Derrick Chua on December 3, 2014 where he said “At some point, I’d really love to have an open and frank discussion / forum to hear people’s thoughts and opinions on how to attract a larger audience / how to convince the general public to attend more original Canadian theatre!”
Then, he did it, as Derrick is wont to do. He didn’t do it alone, he also enlisted the help of Sue Edworthy and Sheila Sky. Between them, by eight days later they had announced Disappearing Act? A Public Forum on Canadian Theatre & Toronto Audiences with time and location. Location eventually had to be changed because the interest in the event was so high that the original venue wasn’t big enough.
There’s something special about catching a show for the few days that it’s playing. Sure, there are shows that play for months, if not years – but isn’t it nice knowing that you’re one of the few people who get to see a particular production? This week’s Cheap Theatre listing contains a variety of shows that have short runs. They all cost $25 or less per ticket, so, that’s even more of a reason for you to catch them while you can!
Today is Blue Monday. Supposedly the most depressing day of the year – it’s Monday, which sucks, plus it’s already been a month since Christmas, and we’re a month away from Valentine’s Day. So what to do? How about getting out of the house and seeing some theatre! Here are our playlistings for the week. Anything highlighted in red with two asterisks before it comes highly recommended by our Editor, Mike.
Canadian Stage with Crow’s Theatre bring the Anton Chekhov classic to life in Toronto
Crow’s Theatre had me with the trailer: super-stellar cast making toasts around a dining table, up close interviews with actors, and sneak peeks of the stage. I had to see The Seagull.
Opening night, a cold Toronto winter night. The stage is bare, the air is smokey, there’s the sound of crickets chirping in the distance. For the next three hours, the audience was pulled into the 1895 world of Anton Chekhov: hurting with the hurt while digging deeply into love, life and the meaning of art. Continue reading Review: The Seagull (Crow’s Theatre)→
Toronto’s Hart House Theatre presents the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s bombastic, over-the-top rock opera treatment of the Easter story is now a classic musical that’s regularly staged by community theatres, high school drama clubs, and regional theatres around the world. The Hart House Theatre is the latest company to mount a production in Toronto.
Written in 1970 as a concept album, the musical has shown a remarkable ability for adaptation to reflect the politics and culture of the times in its subsequent productions throughout the years. For this production, director Luke Brown draws inspiration from the youth culture and political movements of today. Continue reading Review: Jesus Christ Superstar (Hart House Theatre)→
