Deborah Cox releases new album

Although this entry is not entirely theatre related, I have to give a shout out to Deborah Cox who released her long awaited album The Promise yesterday. Cox is a well known Canadian icon - a belting black diva if you will. She has released a number of albums and has appeared in numerous contemporary films. She is probably best known in our theatre community from her starring role on Broadway in Aida.

Check out her album and her new song "Beautiful U R" below!

Sharon performs tonight

The delightful and always entertaining Sharron Matthews performs tonight in the city. Matthews is playing at the Toronto Centre for the Arts (5040 Young Street) in her one woman show - Sharron Matthews... Uptown Girl.

The show starts at 8:15 p.m. and tickets are $15. Call 416-872-1111 to purchase or inquire.

Opening this week in Toronto

Here is the list of theatre openings for this week:

The Abduction From The Seraglio by WA Mozart (Opera Atelier). Two men plot to rescue their girlfriends from an Ottoman Pasha in this commedia dell'arte opera. Opens Nov 8 and runs to Nov 15, Fri-Sat and Tue-Wed 7:30 pm, Sun 3 pm. $30-$135. Elgin Theatre, 189 Yonge. 416-872-5555, operaatelier.com.

And Stockings For The Ladies by Attila Clenmann (Holocaust Education Week). A Canadian airman helps Jewish refugees in post-WWII Germany in this solo show. Nov 7-9, Fri 2 pm, Sat 8 pm, Sun 2:30 pm. Free. Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People, 165 Front E. 416-862-2222, holocausteducationweek.com.

Banana Boys by Leon Aureus (fu-GEN Asian Canadian Theatre Company). Five young Asian-Canadian men wrestle with issues of race and identity. Opens Nov 12 and runs to Nov 15, Wed-Sat 8 pm, mat Sat 2 pm. $20, student/seniors $12. Hart House Theatre, 7 Hart House. 416-978-8849, harthousetheatre.ca.

Emilia Galotti by Gotthold Ephraim Lessing (Stratford Festival). A prince's obsession with another man's fiancée leads to murder and abduction. Nov 6-9, Thu 8 pm, Fri-Sun 2 pm. $50-$90, student/seniors $22-$69. Avon Theatre, Stratford. 800-567-1600, stratfordfestival.ca.

A Glimpse Of The Light by Ben Finn (TEATRON Jewish Theatre). Holocaust survivors witness the birth of Israel in this musical. Opens Nov 12 and runs to Nov 23, (preview Nov 12 at 1 pm), Thu and Sat (and Nov 12) 8 pm, Sun 2 pm. $22-$44. Leah Posluns Theatre, 4588 Bathurst. 416-781-5527, teatrontheatre.com.

Kindertransport by Diane Samuels (Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company). This drama looks at Jewish children separated from their parents during WWII. Opens Nov 6 and runs to Nov 23, Mon-Thu and Sat 8 pm, mats Tue-Wed 1 pm, Sun 2 pm. $32-$52. Al Green Theatre, 750 Spadina. 416-366-7723, hgjewishtheatre.com.

Nikola Tesla, An Evening With Genius by J Michael Newlight and Frank Tabbita (Professional Engineers of Ontario/IEEE Toronto). The inventor recounts his life and envisions a wireless future. Nov 6-8 at 8 pm. $20-$25, stu/srs $15-$20. Betty Oliphant Theatre, 404 Jarvis. 1-888-222-6608, vasicweb.com/tesla.

ScrABrrRrraaNNG - A Cabaret Of Futurist Performance (Graduate Centre for Study of Drama U of T). Performances by Jess Dobkin, Sky Gilbert and others are presented as part of the Futurist Dramaturgy and Performance Conference. Nov 6-8, Thu-Fri 9 pm, Sat 10 pm. (Conference runs Fri-Sat at Robert Gill Theatre, 214 College.) $8-$12. Studio Theatre, 4 Glen Morris. 416-978-7986, graddrama.utoronto.ca.

Soulless by Aaron Bushkowsky (505 Productions Equity Co-op). Five people question their apathy for others and their love of material goods. Opens Nov 6 and runs to Nov 23, Tue-Sat 8 pm, Sun 2:30 pm. $20, Sun pwyc. Factory Theatre Studio, 125 Bathurst. 416-504-9971, soullessplay.com.

That Came Out Wrong by Graeme Gerrard (Buddies in Bad Times Theatre). A gay teen deals with coming out in rural Ontario in this comedy. Opens Nov 6 and runs to Nov 16, Thu and Sat-Sun 8 pm, mat Sun 2 pm. $15. 12 Alexander. 416-975-8555, ticketweb.ca.

Unconditional/Waiting For Lefty Brett C Leonard/Clifford Odets (Column 13 Actors Company). This double bill features a drama about sex and violence in the lives of nine New Yorkers, and a one-act play about the taxi cab strike of 1934. Opens Nov 12 and runs to Nov 29, Wed-Sat 8 pm, (Waiting For Lefty Fri-Sat only, 10:30 pm). $15, student/seniors $12, Wed is pwyc. Dancemakers Centre for Creation, 55 Mill, bldg 58. 647-377-4903, column13.org.

(listings courtesy of nowtoronto.com)

Statler's update

I know everyone has been very concerned about the status at Statler's. Jenni Burke, who hosts Curtain's Down sent out an email letting everyone know that this weeks closure on Monday night, was NOT a permanent thing, and Statler's will be back in action soon. I hope this shocks all fans back into regular attendance. Statler's is one of the only venues in Toronto where emerging talent can showcase, mingle and promote themselves. It deserves our support, and there is no better way of supporting than showing up. And not just on Monday nights. Statler's hosts tons of private cabaret events, with a wealth of talent. And it is usually cheap and sometimes free, so get out there.

A Rough Road Ahead for Broadway

Great article in the Times yesterday. Nobody saw it of course because of election coverage, but I always love Patrick Cohen. Photo courtesy of Hiroko Masuike for The New York Times.

Curtains Down at Statlers tonight

We adore Jenni Burke and the weekly Curtains Down cabaret evening at Statlers.

Appearing this week is:

Derrick Paul Miller
James Lesvesque
Jeigh Madjus
Chis Wilson
Michael Gill
Ashley Keefer
Nadia Dubeau

O here we go again - "Million-Dollar Quartet"

I always get pegged as a tough critic, a nay-sayer, what-have-you, but I cannot help but be a bit concerned about this trend in musical theatre. The regurgitated song cycle. A new musical is making news in the New York Times, as well as regionally, Washington and Chicago specifically, "Million Dollar Quartet." It is based on a historic, almost mythical jam session, between Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins, with a score that includes "Blue Suede Shoes" among many others of the period's blue chip rock and role. The Times is expecting "Million-Dollar Quartet" to do very well, and likely make its way to Broadway, a speculation made all the more likely with a New York Times puff piece under its belt.
Here is what concerns me. On Wednesday Justin and I went to see Jersey Boys. Despite the SNOW and reoccurring sound problems we enjoyed ourselves. But after we left the theatre I said to Justin, "in all honesty that was not better than "The Drowsy Chaperone". You may recall that Jersey Boys beat out "The Drowsy Chaperone" to win the Tony for best new musical in 2006. I mean sure the music was great and I was totally into it. And I can see how with a stellar cast "Jersey Boys" would explode off the stage, but where is the creativity in stitching a musical together from period hits.
Now I love "Mamma Mia!" just as much as the next musical geek, but the difference is that ABBA wrote musicals, and most of their music was so theatrical in intention, that it seems more appropriate. I have also been guilty of suggesting, albeit late one night, that the Carpenters story and songs would make an awesome musical. So I don't want to rule it out completely, it just concerns me that creativity is dying.
Look at the most successful shows in New York in the last few years, many have been film-to-stage adaptions and revivals. And Toronto is even worse, the biggest hits here this year were "We Will Rock You" and "Dirty Dancing", both awful - in terms of writing, development, and even basic character evolution. And "Jersey Boys," which I overheard an usher say, will likely have a second extension beyond the February extension announced when the show opened. That is good for the city and for performers working here, since it will continue with a local cast. But why is it that people wont come out for multiple extensions of "The Drowsy Chaperone"? A show that was born here, and was brought back to Toronto with the original Man in the Chair, Bob Martin, in tow. It baffles me. Anyway we will have to wait and see about "Million-Dollar Quartet." (image from the New York Times.)