Preview: Angelwalk's Songs For a New World

Previews start tonight for Anglewalk's production of Songs For a New World, which is playing at the Toronto Centre for the Arts, up at Yonge and Sheppard. The show originally ran off-Broadway for 28 performances at the WPA in New York City. Songs... introduced Jason Robert Brown, one of the best contemporary composers, to theatre audiences. Often called a song-cycle instead of a musical Songs... is connected through theme rather than through narrative. Four performers take on various roles, and while those individual characters aren't consistent they do have a consistent character arc throughout the show.

Anglewalk's production of [title of show] was one of Justin and my favourites from the fall. We are very excited to see Songs... which features Justin Bott's return for another show with Angelwalk this season. He is joined by Erica Peak, of We Will Rock You fame, Denise Oucharek, and Steward Adam Mckensy. Songs... has got great music and is a particular favourite of mine. EAP will be at the show this Friday. Hope you'll be there too. And if you need more convincing check out the teasers below.

As always click the header for ticket information. The show runs till April 23rd, on various dates.

Preview: After Akhmatova

On stage now at Tarragon is After Akhmatova. This world premiere production was written by Cate Cayley and is being directed by Alan Dilworth. The story focuses on Alan, a young American academic who travel to the U.S.S.R to interview Lev Gumilyov. Alan thinks he knows all there is to know of Lev's late mother Anna.

Anna, was a poet who became famous for her love poem Requiem, an ode to her imprisoned son, and a dangerous condemnation of Stalin. But as Alan searches for information he becomes entangled in Lev's relationship with his mother, Requiem and its impossible legacy. He unravels a story of a mother's love, and public cry, and a son's betrayal.

Click the header for more ticket information. After Akhmatova runs until May 1st, at Tarragon.

The Canadian Opera Company - La Cenerentola

The Canadian Opera Company spring season starts off with a bang next month. Gioacchino Rossini's classic rendition of Cinderella, La Cenerentola kicks things off, beginning April 23rd and running on various dates until the end of May. The opera hasn't been seen at the COC since 1996. This version, of La Cenerentola, come from the acclaimed Houston Grand Opera production, which was described as, "a riot of color with sophisticated comedy, just oozing with mirth." (Houston Chronicle). Italian conductor Leonardo Vordoni is making its COC debut with this production, as is the Spanish theatre trope Els Comediants and director Joan Font.

It is also exciting to note that this season the COC is introducing standing room tickets for $12.00 a piece, available beginning at 11 am on the morning of each performance, at the Four Seasons Box Office. Standing room isn't for the fair-weather opera fan. But for serious opera lovers getting to see world class opera for such a good price is going to be amazing. Patrons fifteen and under can also get great deals when accompanied by a sitting adult. Tickets go as low as $31.00. And for Patron's under thirty, $22.00 tickets are available online and at the box office beginning Saturday April 9th at 10 am . Rush tickets can be purchased, subject to availability, at the box office the morning of each performance beginning at 11 am. Rush tickets are also $22.00 each.

And for all of you designers and creative types out there, click here to learn more about the COC's Cinderella outfit challenge. The winner gets an opera package worth over $3,000. The contest involves creating a doll's dress inspired by Cinderella, and submitting it to the COC, by April 3rd. Check out the cute promo below.

Shows to check out this weekend...

It is the final weekend for two of our favourite show of the year so far. We wanted to encourage you to check out:

first...



Brothel #9 @ Factory Theatre

Brothel #9 is a captivating and very affecting piece of theatre. A powerful and riveting performance by the playwright herself, Anusree Roy, along with strong performances from the entire cast make this an important see. Roy will blow you away. Seriously. We also must swoon over the set design by Shawn Kerwin. Her choices are simply brilliant.

For tickets to Brothel #9 please click here!

And for our favourite show so far this year...




SPIN, by Evalyn Parry.

What can we say? This show will make you very, VERY happy. Evalyn is beyond charming, you will seriously want to befriend her immediately after viewing this piece, and her show is simply amazing. Seriously folks, you have to go and see it!!! Liza and I have been gushing about the show since we saw it last week and we really urge you to check out this weekend! Only 3 more days as well!

For tickets please click here!

Preview: paper SERIES

Opening tonight at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts down in the Distillery District is the World Premiere of David Yee's paper SERIES.

Show Description:

From an ill-advised waiter who finds new uses for fortune cookies, to an orphan who creates parents out of paper dolls, to a cab driver who replaces his taxi license with his medical credentials. Written by Dora Mavor Moore Award and Governor General’s Literary Award nominee David Yee, paper SERIES examines how we use paper to create, amuse, define and communicate. paper SERIES is a collection of six short plays that explore how we use paper to create, amuse, define and communicate. It is, at times, quiet and reflective, raucous and violent… changing tone with every fold.

paper SERIES was developed with the assistance of Diaspora Dialogues and Factory Theatre’s Performance Spring Festival, and was workshopped at the 2007 SummerWorks Festival, where NOW Magazine named it one of the Outstanding Productions of the festival. paper SERIES was published in Canada’s first Asian-Canadian drama anthology, love & relasianships (Playwrights Canada Press) in 2009.

Cahoots Theatre Company
in association with The Young Centre for the Performing Arts Present...
paper SERIES
Written by David Yee
Directed by Nina Lee Aquino

Starring Byron Abalos, Kawa Ada, Rebecca Applebaum, Marjorie Chan, Nicco Lorenzo Garcia and Rosa Laborde

Set & Costume Design by Camellia Koo
Lighting Design by Michelle Ramsay
Sound Design by Richard Lee

Performances run March 21 through April 9, 2011
Monday – Saturday at 8 PM, Saturday at 2 PM

Tickets: $10 - $30
416-866-8666 or click here!

Preview: SPIN

Photo by: Tanja-Tiziana

Opening this week is a show that Liza and I have been desperately waiting for all winter! We saw Evalyn Parry perform in the fall at an appreciation gathering for Kyle Rae. We instantly knew we liked her and both of us couldn't wait to see her again. Her show SPIN opens this week at Buddies and we have heard nothing by glowing things about it.

Show Description:
Through a series of songs played live on a vintage bicycle, SPIN recounts a theatrical cycle of stories about bikes, women and liberation. Inspired by the incredible true tale of Annie Londonderry, the first woman to ride around the world on a bicycle in 1894, SPIN blends theatre, music and technology in a unique tribute to the bicycle as muse, musical instrument and agent of social change.

Written and performed by critically-acclaimed actor, singer and songwriter, Evalyn Parry (Breakfast, Clean Irene & Dirty Maxine), SPIN features Parry’s unique talents as vocalist and raconteur. Parry’s outspoken, personal and political performances are inspired by a powerful vision of social activism. Called “equally funny and dangerous” by CBC Radio, her irreverent wit holds nothing sacred.

For tickets and more info click here!

For more info on Evalyn Parry please click here!

Buddies in Bad Times Theatre
in association with OutSpoke Productions presents

SPIN
Written and Performed by Evalyn Parry
Directed by Ruth Madoc-Jones
Musicians Anna Friz and Brad Hart
Production Design Beth Kates
And Starring The Bicycle

March 15 – 27, 2011
Wed-Sunday at 8pm
$20
Buddies in Bad Times
12 Alexander Street
Toronto Ontario

Preview: More Fine Girls

Tarragon Theatre presents the World Premiere of More Fine Girl's. In this follow up to, The Attic, the Pearls & 3 Fine Girls, we find the three sisters ten years after the fight that drove them apart, coming together again. A tragedy has befallen them, forcing them back to one another in an attempt to rescue each other. Set in the basement this time, our three sister improvise their way through hardship to come together in the name of family.

The Attic ... garnered five Dora Award nominations, and was appreciated by audiences and critics alike. Be sure not to miss this charming and hilarious exploration of aging, sisterhood and loss. More Fine Girls runs through April 3rd. Click the header for more ticket information.

Granny Boots Presents: On Growin' Up @ the Gladstone

Our good friend Ryan Kerr, wrote a wonderful book which has developed a cult-ish following, and taken him as far afield as Scandinavia, and the exotic land known as L.A. Recently he was asked by the Gladstone's Ryan Z. Hinds, who hosts the monthly curated Granny Boots at The Gladstone, to develop a cabaret inspired by the book, On Growin' Up . And it is tonight!

We are so excited to see the show, and are proud to say we had a small hand in its development. The line-up is incredible, and includes the likes of local legend, Jenni Burke and drag extraordinaire Fay Slift. And the whole show is being narrated by the legendary porn star Ryan Russell. The show starts promptly at 8pm at the Hotel, and is expected to be packed, so get there early. And click the header for more information about the book and tonight's show.

Donny & Marie, Colm Wilkinson and American Idiot all part of more great Dancap news

At a media announcement yesterday, Dancap Productions added two new shows to their 2011 line-up at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts: DONNY AND MARIE and COLM WILKINSON IN CONCERT: BROADWAY AND BEYOND; and one new show at the Toronto Centre for the Arts, the explosive Broadway musical GREEN DAY'S AMERICAN IDIOT. This is very exciting news for Dancap and, I have to admit, I think that these are good choices. Also, I think this is great news for the Toronto theatre scene.

In his address yesterday, Aubrey Dan, President of Dancap Productions, stated that "Dancap Productions is constantly seeking out the newest and most interesting theatrical experiences for Toronto audiences," "and we are committed to providing the most flexible customer service options available as part of our endless season of programming!" Dancap is offering the new and innovative FLEXI-Subscription, Dancap Productions is offering the convenience and cost savings of buying a minimum of three shows in advance of a general on-sale, access to the best seats in the theatre, and helpful email reminders prior to the show.


DONNY AND MARIE
July 5-17, 2011 - Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts
This theatrical concert, which marks the first time the duo have performed live together in almost 30 years, showcases Donny and Marie's greatest hits including "Paper Roses," "Puppy Love," "Go away Little Girl," and others, in a rave-reviewed multi-media spectacle with a big rock band and show-stopping production numbers, audience interaction, and the trademark teasing between siblings.



Colm Wilkinson
August 12 & 13 at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.
A celebrated star in Canada, on Broadway and in London's West End, Colm Wilkinson has spent many years on the stage mesmerizing audiences with his starring roles in international productions of Les Misérables and The Phantom of the Opera. This Dancap presentation of COLM WILKINSON IN CONCERT: BROADWAY AND BEYOND will coincide with the North American release of his new album, Broadway And Beyond The Concert Songs, and will feature such signature songs as "The Music of the Night," "Bring Him Home," and "Danny Boy."



GREEN DAY'S AMERICAN IDIOT
December 28, 2011 - January 15, 2012 - Toronto Centre for the Arts
Direct from Broadway, the smash-hit musical AMERICAN IDIOT tells the story of three lifelong friends, forced to choose between their dreams and the safety of suburbia. Based on Green Day's GRAMMY® Award-winning multi-platinum album and featuring the hits "Boulevard of Broken Dreams," "21 Guns," "Wake Me Up When September Ends," "Holiday" and the blockbuster title track, AMERICAN IDIOT boldly takes the Broadway musical where it's never gone before.

With direction by Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening) winner of the 2010 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical, choreography by Steven Hoggett (Black Watch), orchestrations and arrangements Tom Kitt (Next to Normal), and Tony Award-winning Scenic Design by Christine Jones and Lighting Design by Kevin Adams, AMERICAN IDIOT is an experience Charles Isherwood of The New York Times declares "thrilling, emotionally charged, and as moving as any Broadway musical I've seen this year!"


For more information or to book a FLEXI-SUBSCRIPTION by telephone, call 416.644.3665
or toll-free 1.866.950.7469. Purchase online by clicking here!
For groups of 12 or more, call 416.644.3666 or toll free at 1.866.960.7469

Dancap's line-up of the Best of Broadway in Toronto continues with
SOUTH PACIFIC - ON STAGE NOW through March 20, 2011
9 TO 5: THE MUSICAL ¬- June 29 - July 10, 2011
NEXT TO NORMAL ¬- July 19-31, 2011
COME FLY AWAY - August 16-28, 2011
THE ADDAMS FAMILY - November 16-27, 2011
MEMPHIS - December 6-24, 2011

The Boys in the Band

Playing this weekend at Buddies:



For info and tickets please click here!

Preview: Brothel #9

Opening tonight is the world premiere of Brothel #9, Presented by the Factory Theatre Company. The show is a powerful drama from playwright Anusree Roy, one of the most exciting new voices in Canadian theatre.

Show Description:

In Roy's powerful and riveting drama, Rekha, a young South Asian woman, travels from her village to Calcutta to take a job making light bulbs only to discover she has been sold into a brothel. There she grapples with her destiny and strives for freedom in the face of fear.

Brother #9
Written by Anusree Roy
Directed by Nigel Shawn Williams
Dramaturgy by Iris Turcott

Feb 26, 2011 - Mar 27, 2011
Factory Theatre, Mainstage
125 Bathurst Street, Toronto
Times: Tues-Sat at 8pm, Sun at 2pm, Sun PWYC
Cost: $15-$40. Sundays Pay What You Can ($28 in advance)

For more info and/or tickets please click here!

Preview: L'Orchestre d'Hommes-Orchestres Joue a Tom Waits

Opening this week at The Theatre Centre!

The Theatre Centre presents the multi-instrumentalists from Quebec L'Orchestre D'Hommes-Orchestres who will be performing their unique, carnivalesque tribute to Tom Waits. They perform with over 100 ordinary objects as instruments and bring an element of risk and unpredictability to every performance.

Check out this video below for a taste of how brilliant these performers are:



LISTING INFORMATION:
VENUE: The Theatre Centre, 1087 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON, M6J 1H3
TITLE: The Theatre Centre presents L’Orchestre d’Hommes-Orchestres performs Tom Waits
DATES & TIME: March 2 - 5, 2011, Wednesday – Saturday, 7:30pm
DESCRIPTION: Armed with nearly 100 objects as invented instruments, L’Orchestre d’Hommes-Orchestres perform – in madcap scenes of unbridled energy – a powerful tribute to the world of Tom Waits.
TICKETS: $25
BOX OFFICE: 416-538-0988
Tickets AND INFO: Click here!

Soulpepper keeps rolling out great pieces of theatre this year. And now along with Oleanna and The Fantasticks, which both received great reviews - and are both still playing to packed houses, A Midsummer Night's Dream has just opened to strong reviews at The Young Centre for the Performing Arts. Being praised again is Soulpepper's inspiring new vision of a classic piece and for their consistent passion for making moving pieces of theatre.

For tickets or for more information please click here!

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Written by William Shakespeare

Directed by Rick Roberts

Featuring Douglas John Alan, Derek Boyes, Ins Choi, Tatjana Cornij, Oliver Dennis, Michael Hanrahan, John Jarvis, Trish Lindström, Ken MacKenzie, Abena Malika, Gregory Prest, Karen Rae, Mike Ross, Jason Patrick Rothery, Michael Simpson, Brendan Wall & William Webster.

The Young Centre for the Performing Arts
The Distillery District
Toronto

What a beautiful story