Monday, December 10, 2012

Happy Holidays from EAP


Justin and Liza would like to wish you and yours a very Happy Holiday this year!  We love bringing you news from the theatre, dance and opera worlds and we are so grateful that you choose us as your go to for -in-the-know updates.  Toronto is a wonderful place to cover the arts and we could not be happier that this is the end of our FIFTH year as Toronto Arts Bloggers.

 Both Justin and Liza are off on separate adventures this holiday season - Justin is in Brazil for a month and Liza is spending the holidays with family in Thailand.  In the spirit of togetherness and family we will be taking a hiatus from updates for the next several weeks. (Except in the case of BREAKING NEWS.) We look forward to blogging again in the new year. Have a very merry and safe holiday this year!


Preview: Robin Hood



 "A long time ago in a distant land, shrouded in history, a land on the brink of collapse, a land called Enge-land, there was a great Crusade. And all the gallant youth of that land followed their righteous king, Richard the Lionheart, to another land. A holy land. And there they performed many righteous acts of murder, rape and pillage. And all were glad of heart. Yet in King Richard's absence, the first land - the land of Enge-land - suffered under the rule of Richard's brother, Prince John. His tyrannical rule and heavy taxes were more than the people could bear. They were destitute. They were famished, diseased, and had many unidentified rashes. Like so many before or since, they were poor. What they needed was a hero... no, wait... what they needed... was a legend..."
- Prologue from Robin Hood: The Legendary Musical Comedy

Hart House Theatre is proud to present the hilarious  and thrilling Canadian musical, Robin Hood: The Legendary Musical Comedy. The epic tale of Robin Hood and his Merry Men opens at Hart House Theatre on Friday, January 11th, 2013 for a three week run.

This Canadian-made musical is a witty and amusing twist on one of the most famous legends in the English language: that of the dashing, daring and handsome man in tights, Robin of Locksley, who steals from the rich and gives to the poor. Helping him defeat the ridiculously evil Prince John and The Sheriff of Nottingham is the rag-tag band of Merry Men, Little John, the beautiful Maid Marian, the unexpectedly feminine Will Scarlet, Friar Tuck, and a slew of new friends Len, Ben, Ken, Glen and Glen. And Sven. With fast-paced, witty lyrics and a polished, sophisticated score, this show is sure to have you singing "The Evil Song", "Undercover Lover" and "After Intermission" long after the curtain has come down. Irreverent to the core, Robin Hood: The Legendary Musical Comedy is tongue-in-cheek entertainment that jabs an accusing finger at the social, political and religious constructs which inform our notions of status and the distribution of wealth.

Robin Hood: The Legendary Musical Comedy features music and lyrics by Kieren MacMillan and Jeremy Hutton, and book by William Foley, Jeremy Hutton, Jesse MacLean, Kevin MacPherson and Kate Smith. The show is based on the collective creation originally presented by Shakespeare By The Sea (SBTS) in Halifax in 2005, one of the most popular productions in the company's 20 year history. It has since been remounted in various incarnations by SBTS and Toronto Youth Theatre. The 2011 SBTS production was voted "Best Theatre Production" in The Coast's Best of Halifax 2011 Reader's Poll and appeared in several year-end "Best of 2011" lists by local critics. Hart House Theatre's production of Robin Hood: The Legendary Musical Comedy is the first full-scale production of the piece, while featuring an eight piece orchestra.

Director Jesse MacLean is thrilled to be part of the team bringing Robin Hood: The Legendary Musical Comedy to Toronto. A veteran of nine seasons at SBTS, he has directed 21 productions for the company and was named Co-Artistic Director prior to the start of the 2012 summer season. Selected directing credits for SBTS include Richard III, MacBeth, Julius Caesar, Dracula, and the collective creations' Robin Hood, Cinderelly and Alice In Wonderland. Jesse was born and raised in Nova Scotia, studied theatre at Bishop's University in Quebec, and has worked steadily in theatre and film since graduating in 2002. He has toured extensively across North America and Asia with the internationally acclaimed puppetry company Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia.

Kieren MacMillan (Co-Creator, Music Director) is a music director and classically trained composer. His works have been performed by choirs, new music ensembles, chamber groups , and vocal and instrumental soloists across North America. His multidisciplinary work, Just Out of Reach (Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble, 2008), was named one of Pittsburgh's top ten concerts and was remounted at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Jeremy Hutton (Co-Creator/Music Director) is the Artistic Director of Hart House Theatre and a classically trained musician. He was the founding Artistic Director of Toronto Youth Theatre, where his other collaborations with Kieren MacMillan received their premieres. As an actor he has worked with Classical Theatre Project, Shakespeare By The Sea, Canopy Theatre, among others. He has directed numerous productions for Hart House Theatre, Canopy Theatre and Toronto Youth Theatre and is also in demand as a fight director. Together, MacMillan and Hutton are writing some of the funniest and most compelling musicals to out of Toronto since The Drowsy Chaperone. They have written three original musicals (A Musical Called Robin Hood, Fairy Tale Ending and ToboR the RoboT) with a wide appeal for audiences of all ages.

Monday, December 3, 2012

Preview: A Christmas Carol at Soulpepper


















Photo Courtesy of Soulpepper.ca

Opening this evening in the Distillery District is the deliciously moving production of A Christmas Carol from  Soulpepper. The production, which we first witnessed in 2010, is one of our most memorable theatre experiences at Soulpepper ever. Joseph Ziegler is such a force of nature and it is a gift to watch him unravel this role. For tickets to the production please click here!


Show Description:

Bah Humbug! Soulpepper's beloved production of Michael Shamata's A Christmas Carol has become a Toronto holiday tradition. Follow Joseph Ziegler's Ebenezer Scrooge as he is visited by three ghosts who help him understand the importance of charity in the holiday season.

Directed by Michael Shamata
Featuring Kevin Bundy, Daniel Chapman-Smith, Charlotte Dennis,Oliver Dennis, Deborah Drakeford, Matthew Edison, Rhys Fulton-Doyle,Anton Gillis-Adelman, Stephen Guy-McGrath, Maggie Huculak, John Jarvis, Tangara Jones, Sabrina Nardi, Sarah Wilson and Joseph Ziegler

Beginning December 5, at the end of each performance Soulpepper will collect donations for The Stop Community Food Centre. We hope you will consider a donation, and thank you in advance for your generosity.


Friday, November 30, 2012

Canadian Stage Announces Their 2013/14 Season Lineup













Canadian Stage has announced their upcoming season line up, with a big promotional subscription offer.  If you don’t want to miss visionary Robert Lepage, stunning dance spectacles from choreographers Akram Khan and Crystal Pite, or a new productions of a 5-star musical documentary from London’s National Theatre and an award-winning plays from Broadway, or the World Premiere of a mixed-media masterpiece from director Kim Collier then be sure to check out the offer available now through the CanStage Website by clicking here.

Why subscribe now? Because this dynamic mix of programming includes production runs of 1 week to 4 weeks, your seat, reserved by other subscribers in a different week for our longer-run shows, could be purchased by one of those subscribers for our shorter-run shows. Remember: seats for short-run shows are booked on a first come, first served basis, so ordering now is your best chance to get your preferred seat for all shows.

Whether you're a renewing subscriber or joining for the first time, you'll get the regular subscriber benefits:  saving over 25% on ticket prices, the option to buy extra tickets at the subscriber discount, savings at local restaurants, and free ticket-exchange privileges.

The best time to order is right now, during the subscribers’ advance renewal period. If you're a 2012.13 subscriber, your renewal package will be in the mail in the next few days.

Preview: Ordinary Days



We are super excited for tonight's opening of  Ordinary Days at the Toronto Centre for the Arts.  This is a show that we have been excited about since it came out in 2009 at the Black Box Theatre in New York.  Although the show went on to have a very short run on the Great White Way it has developed a second wind through regional productions.

 Angelwalk Theatre has also made a name for itself here in Toronto by producing: high-caliber, lesser known and new musical theatre, bringing more variety and sophistication to audiences, at their uptown home.  The show, which opens tonight, runs until December 9th, and would make the perfect early gift for the theatre lover in your life.  Click here for ticket information.

When Deb loses her most precious possession – the notes to her graduate thesis – she unwittingly starts a chain of events that turns the ordinary days of four New Yorkers into something extraordinary.  From one of musical theatre's most exciting new composers, ORDINARY DAYS is a funny and refreshing story about four young 20-30 year olds whose lives intersect as they search for fulfillment, love and happiness.


Music and Lyrics by Adam Gwon
Orchestrations by Joseph Aragon
Directed by Kayla Gordon
Music Directed by Paul De Gurse
Choreographed by Brenda Gorlick
Set and Costumes Designed by Scott Penner
Lighting Designed by Siobhán Sleath
Starring…
Justin Bott, Jay Davis, Connie Manfredi, Clara Scott

Co-produced with Winnipeg Studio Theatre.  Don't miss this CANADIAN PREMIERE!






Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Preview: A Brimful of Asha


Returning to The Extra Space at Tarragon is a season highlight from last year, A Brimful of Asha. We haven't seen the piece yet but we have heard through the community that performances are strong and the humour plentiful. Check below for details or click here for tickets:

Show Description/Press Release:

This acclaimed (and very Canadian) laugh-out-loud true story returns after a sold-out extended run this past season. Real-life mother and son, Asha and Ravi Jain, tell the tale of how Ravi’s parents planned a surprise trip to India to intercept him on his vacation and arrange his marriage. Ravi resents the intrusion but, as far as his parents are concerned, it’s time for him to get a wife.

The title A Brimful of Asha comes from a song written by British alternative rock band Cornershop (www.cornershop.com) in 1997 and is based upon the history of film culture in India. Asha is my mother's name. In Hindi it means Hope. This play is about the challenges that arise out of the hope for happiness that you want for your parents (or for your kids).

A BRIMFUL OF ASHA
A Why Not Theatre Production
Written and performed by Ravi Jain and Asha Jain
Directed by Ravi Jain
Set Design by Julie Fox
Lighting and Video Design by Beth Kates (Playground Studios)
Production Manager Joey Morin
Interview Videos by Kate Fraser and Nabil Shash (Heartist Productions)


A Very Spicy Christmas


EAP is super excited to see our friends Wannabe - The Spice Girls Tribute Band perform their first Christmas Concert!



When it comes to celebrations, epic dance parties and conjuring up serious nostalgia, no one does it better than the darlings of Wannabe: The Spice Girls Tribute! Join Sporty, Baby, Ginger, Scary and Posh for an unforgettable night featuring all the Spice hits, sing-alongs, dance-alongs and a little holiday cheer!


THURSDAY DECEMBER 6 - 8:00PM at the Lower Ossington Theatre.  Click here for tickets (they are only $20.00)  See you there!

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Preview: Ignorance




Canada’s foremost adult puppet troupe, The Old Trout Puppet Workshop, is bringing their newest piece Ignorance to the Berkeley Street Theatre for a 3-week run starting Tuesday Nov, 27th..

Funny, wildly creative, and visually stunning, Ignorance is a playful show that questions where we went wrong in our search for happiness. Can our grunting, howling, prehistoric ancestors help us find our lost bliss? Bouncing between primitive and modern man, urban sprawl and prehistoric cave life, Ignorance explores this question with humour, over-sized puppet heads, balloons, video effects, and more. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to see Calgary’s world-renowned troupe in Toronto.

On stage November 27 to December 15. Tickets $22 to $49 at our website. Click here for tickets.

SummerWorks call for submissions



Open for submissions


We are pleased to announce that Summerworks has officially opened submissions for the 2013 SummerWorks Performance Festival.  Currently SummerWorks is accepting submissions for both the Theatre Series (formerly Local Series) and the National Series. The call for submissions for the Live Art Series will be open in the new year.

NATIONAL SERIES
The National Series provides the opportunity for independent artists from outside Ontario to showcase their work in Toronto. The Festival will cover successful applicants travel, accommodation and shipping costs. Companies are responsible for production costs with some negotiated assistance from the Festival. Download the application package by CLICKING HERE. This year, artists are required to submit their work online as well as in hard copy.

Deadline for submissions are January 7th, 2013.

THEATRE SERIES
The Theatre Series is now open for submissions. Download the application package by CLICKING HERE. This year, artists are required to submit their work online as well as in hard copy. Please note that SummerWorks welcomes National and International applicants for the Theatre Series, though successful applicants are required to cover their own travel and accommodation expenses.

Deadline for submissions are February 1st 2013


Good luck to all applicants.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

ARTATTACK! at BUDDIES happening on Thursday evening!



QUEER ART COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER FOR AN AUCTION IN SUPPORT OF BUDDIES IN BAD TIMES THEATRE

The most outrageous auction of the holiday season, ARTATTACK!, is back. Buddies’ signature fundraising event offers a remarkable line-up of contemporary art by Canada’s hottest queer artists, along with an exciting array of design, entertainment and travel packages – all in support of Buddies in Bad Times Theatre.

ARTATTACK! is a chance for collectors to grab work by the next big names in queer art before they’re famous, and to enjoy a fun, sexy, surprise-filled evening that is un-like anything else.
ARTATTACK! 
hosted by Shawn Hitchins 
curatorial advisor Chris Ironside 
curators Bill Clarke, Cecilia Berkovic, Elise Victoria Louise Windsor, Johnson Ngo and Keith Cole 
Thursday, November 22, 2011 
Preview & Silent Auction 7PM. Live Auction 8PM. 
Tickets $25 / VIP Tickets $100 
Buddies in Bad Times Theatre 12, Alexander Street, Toronto ON


Established in 1979, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre is a professional Canadian theatre company dedicated to the development and presentation of queer theatre. Over the course of its history, it has evolved into the largest facility-based queer theatre company in the world and has made an unparalleled contribution to the recognition and acceptance of queer lives in Canada.

Monday, November 19, 2012

Preview: The Arsonists














The Arsonists, a funny yet dark post-war farce, is on stage now at the Bluma Appel Theatre.  Featuring a live band performing original music, and some stellar vocal performances, this is a one-of-a-kind show that’s sure to heat up your holidays.

This show has been generating serious buzz with local critics. And is a definitely must see this season. The cast sizzles in their dynamic roles: don’t miss the chance to see Michael Ball, Christine Bougie, Dan Chameroy, Sly Juhas, Sheila McCarthy, Fiona Reid, Justin Rutledge, and Shawn Wright on stage.

Check out the Canadian Stage's website for show info, tickets, videos, design images and more.

BONUS: There's a pre-show chat with set designer Ken MacDonald this Tuesday at 7:15 pm. Free with your ticket to that night’s performance.

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

The Competition is Heating Up at the Opera House


From the COC -

 Out of a pool of 146 young, aspiring opera singers from across the country, the Canadian Opera Company has selected 10 to compete in the Second Annual COC Ensemble Studio Competition on
November 29, 2012 at 6:30 p.m. in the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts.  The young singers competing are: bass-baritone Gordon Bintner (Regina, Sask.);
mezzo-soprano Charlotte Burrage (Woodstock, Ont.); soprano Aviva Fortunata (Calgary, Alta.); baritone Clarence Frazer (Toronto, Ont.); tenor Andrew Haji (London, Ont.); mezzo-soprano Danielle MacMillan (Toronto, Ont.); bass Nathan Keoughan (Charlottetown, P.E.I.); tenor Michael Marino (London, Ont.); soprano Lara Secord-Haid (Winnipeg, Man.) and soprano Kelsey Vicary (Niagara Falls, Ont.).

The 10 finalists were chosen following preliminary auditions in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and New York City.  Over the course of the two-hour event on November 29, each finalist will perform two arias showcasing their vocal technique and range before an audience and panel of judges.  Select finalists will be invited to join the COC’s 2013/2014 Ensemble Studio, with the number of offers to be determined by the judging panel.  First, second and third prizes, worth $5,000, $3,000 and $1,500, respectively, will be awarded, in addition to a People’s Choice Award, selected by audience vote, worth $1,500.


The Ensemble Studio Competition highlights the finest young opera talent from across Canada.  Winning a place in the COC’s Ensemble Studio can be these singers’ first step towards an international opera career.  The audience at the vocal competition will be hearing the singers selected to follow in the footsteps of such renowned Ensemble Studio graduates as Ben Heppner, Isabel Bayrakdarian, John Fanning, Joseph Kaiser, David Pomeroy and Krisztina Szabó, among many others.

The Second Annual Ensemble Studio Competition is almost sold-out, with only a limited number of standing-room tickets available.  Standing-room rickets are $15 and may be purchased online here, or by calling COC Ticket Services at 416-363-8231.  Tickets are also available in person at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts Box Office, located at 145 Queen St. W., Monday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Last week/end to check out THE NORMAL HEART in Toronto!



One of the most incredible pieces of theatre you will ever witness on stage has its last shows this week at Buddies in Bad Times. Passion drives this intense early study of HIV/AIDS. The Toronto production delivers here and I must say you will be spellbound and held breathless by curtain time as this cast is so strong and rhythmically bang on. CHECK IT OUT!

Click the header for tickets or for more info please!

Monday, November 12, 2012

Preview: Lord of the Flies


Opening next Thursday November 22nd, at the Lower Ossington Studio Theatre is the classic Lord of the Flies.  If you have never seen this play or read the book then you do not want to miss this opportunity to see this incredible show at one of Toronto's hottest new theatres.

Lord of the Flies tells the story of a group of school boys who are the only survivors of a deadly plane crash. Stranded on a desert island with no adults and no rules, their fragile sense of civilization quickly crumbles in this dynamic exploration of power, democracy, and the dichotomy of good and evil.

Lord of the Flies runs from Nov 22nd - Dec 9th.  Click here for tickets and click here to see all of LOTs offerings this season.  They have a great line-up of family friendly shows and great date night offerings.  

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Romeo and Juliet Premieres at Hart House Theatre

 

Premiering this week at Hart House Theatre is the highly buzzed (within the arts community) production of Romeo and Juliet from up and coming director, Jeremy Hutton. Mr. Hutton was the director behind the brilliant Boeing Boeing piece last spring through Rogue Theatre Co-op and last seasons Richard III and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels with Hart House. Expect passion, ingenuity and vigor.

Info and ticket link below:

Romeo and Juliet
By: William Shakespeare
Directed by: Jeremy Hutton
Set and Costume Design by: Brandon Kleiman
Lighting Design by: Andre de Toit
Sound Design by: Jeremy Hutton
Dramaturgy by: Susan Bond
Choreography by: Melanie Mastronardi

November 7 - 24, 2012
at Hart House Theatre (7 Hart House Circle)

Performances:
Week 1: Wednesday - Saturday at 8PM
Week 2: Wednesday - Saturday at 8PM
Week 3: Wednesday - Saturday at 8PM + Saturday at 2PM

Ticket Prices:
Adults $25; Student & Seniors $15
$10 Student Tickets every Wednesday

Tickets can be purchased at UofTtix Box Office by phone, 416.978.8849 , online at www.uofttix.ca or in person.

Hart House Theatre offers weekday matinees for $15/ticket. For more information and to book a performance please call the Box Office.

For more information please visit www.harthousetheatre.ca.

Talk Backs and Discussions:

Postshow Talk Back:
Date: Saturday, November 10, 2012 after the performance

Preshow Artist Chat:
Date: Saturday, November 24, 2012 @ 1:00PM

Ticket Prices:
Free and open to the public

Monday, November 5, 2012

Avenue Q Returns at the Lower Ossington Theatre This December


After a sold out run Avenue Q is set to return to the Lower Ossington Theatre on December 13, and will run until January 20th.  This show is back by popular demand, and with special savings available now get your tickets early.  Avenue Q is a hilarious crowd pleaser and you do not want to miss it.

 Avenue Q tells the story of Princeton, a bright-eyed college grad who moves to NYC with big dreams and a tiny bank account. The only apartment he can afford is way out on Avenue Q, where everyone’s looking for the same things he is: a decent job, a stable relationship, and a “purpose.” Eventually, Princeton learns to embrace the ups and downs of city life and realizes that “the real world” isn’t so bad, after all! *Not intended for children.

Click here for tickets.  And if you book now until Nov. 15 with the promo code MOREFUN you can get special 50% off ticket rates.  Don't delay.


Sunday, November 4, 2012

Weekend Theatre Picks

Looking for a show to see this weekend?  Well look no further than Tarragon Theatre's Miss Caledonia. A one woman show developed and performed by Melody A. Johnson, Miss Caledonia, was first seen at the 2010 Summerworks Festival where it was a critical hit.  This time around Ms. Johnson brings her much developed piece about small town life and 1950's pageantry, to Tarragon until November 22nd.  The show has been a hit with local critics and audiences.

Miss Caledonia  is the story of a small town girl with big time dreams.  Peggy Ann idealizes Debbie Reynolds, and wants to become a star too.  And just like her idol she dreams of being discovered while competing in beauty pageants.  A timely and well developed comedy Ms. Johnson soars in Miss Caledonia.  

Miss Caledonia  written and performed by Melody A. Johnson
musical accompaniment and original score by Alison Porter
and directed by Rick Roberts and Aaron Willis
Click here for ticket information and performance information.


Also this weekend at Soulpepper are two very different offerings.  Samuel Beckett's classic but bleak Endgames  and Alligator Pie  a family friendly and life affirming adaption of work by classic children's poet Dennis Lee.  Both shows opened at The Young Centre of Performing Arts last weekend and run for several weeks.  Click here for information for both shows.

Endgame - Directed by Daniel Brooks
Featuring Diego Matamoros, Eric Peterson, Maria Vacratsis and Joseph Ziegler

Alligator Pie - Poems by Dennis Lee
Created by and featuring Ins Choi, Raquel Duffy, Ken MacKenzie, Gregory Prest and Mike Ross



Friday, November 2, 2012

Angelwalk Announces Cast and Creative for Ordinary Days


One show EAP is looking forward to seeing this season is Angelwalk's production of Ordinary Days.  This show got a lot of buzz and even made it to the Great White Way before fizzling out in a disappointing four day run.  However, many who saw the show,during Its New York debut thought it was wonderful, if not a Broadway sensation.  So when Angelwalk's announced that they would be bringing Ordinary Days to Toronto we were intrigued   Yesterday the company announced its cast and creative for the run, which is November 29 - 9th.

As previously announced, the cast will star past Angelwalk Theatre performers Justin Bott, Jay Davis, and Clara Scott, along with newcomer Connie Manfredi, who is making her Toronto and Angelwalk Theatre debut.

Ordinary Days follows four young 20-30 year olds whose lives intersect as they search for fulfillment, love and happiness. When Deb loses her most precious possession - the notes to her graduate thesis - she unwittingly starts a chain of events that turns the ordinary days of four New Yorkers into something extraordinary. Ordinary Days made its world-premiere at the Roundabout Theatre in New York City in 2009 to rave reviews. "Full of idiosyncratic charm" (Time Out New York), Ordinary Days contains an emotionally powerful score with lyrics that are "arrestingly poetic" (LA Times). Remotegoat London gave the show five stars and calls it "one of the best musicals I have seen all year".


Angelwalk Theatre and Winnipeg Studio Theatre are excited to announce that they have commissioned Canadian musical theatre composer, arranger and playwright Joseph Aragon (Theatre20's Bloodless: The Trial of Burke and Hare) to arrange the first-ever orchestrations for Ordinary Days. Canadian audiences will be the first to hear these new arrangements, which will go on to be included in future productions of Ordinary Days.


Angelwalk is making a name for itself in Toronto by bringing new and unseen musical theatre to the Toronto audience.  Their development work on this show helps to push them onto the international stage.  Dora-nominated producers of I Love You Because, Off-Broadway On Stage, [title of show] and Altar Boyz, Angelwalk Theatre, is thrilled to reveal the creative team for its upcoming Canadian premiere of Ordinary Days, being co-produced with Winnipeg Studio Theatre. From exciting new composer Adam Gwon, this honest, touching and funny musical runs at Manitoba Theatre Centre's Tom Hendry Warehouse Theatre from November 21-25, 2012 before opening at the Toronto Centre for the Arts on November 30, 2012 and running until December 9, 2012.

From the release -

Most recently seen in from Justin to Kelly, Justin Bott returns to Angelwalk Theatre after his Dora-nominated performance in [title of show] and his performance in Songs for a New World. Other credits include Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Moonpath), The Wedding Singer and Joseph and the Technicolor Dreamcoat (Stage West), Romeo & Juliet and Macbeth (Classical Theatre Project), and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Citadel Theatre). Jay Davis was recently seen in Queen For A Day: The Musical (Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts), The Last Five Years (Rose Theatre), and Next to Normal (Clearwater Theatre Co.). Jay was a part of Angelwalk Theatre's Dora-nominated production of I Love You Because and also performed in Birdland Theatre's Assassins. Clara Scott appeared in last season's Dora-nominated production of Off-Broadway On Stage. Other credits include Project Actif (Mixed Company), Spring Awakening and Reefer Madness (L.O.T.), Before Breakfast and After the Sun (Williamstown Theatre Festival). Connie Manfredi has appeared in Avenue Q (District Theatre Collective), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and Spring Awakening (Winnipeg Studio Theatre), and The Littlewoods (zone 41). Connie is a graduate of the acting program at the University of Winnipeg.

Also previously announced, Ordinary Days will be directed by Kayla Gordon, Winnipeg Studio Theatre's Artistic Director, music directed by Paul De Gurse, and choreographed by Brenda Gorlick. Set and costumes will be designed by Scott Penner with lighting design by Siobhán Sleath.

Subscriptions for Angelwalk Theatre's 2012/2013 two-show subscription season (Ordinary Days & I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change), are now on sale, with Early-Bird prices in effect until October 31st. In addition to the subscription discount, subscribers also save because there are no additional service fees on subscription tickets, and tickets can easily be exchanged for any other performance.


SHOW DETAILS

Runs: November 29 - December 9, 2012
Opening: November 30, 2012
Schedule: Tues-Sat @ 8 p.m.; Sun @ 2 p.m.
Tickets: $35-$45
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online here
by phone at  1-855-985-2787,
and in person at the Toronto Centre for the Arts .

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Preview: Cirque Éloize iD arrives in Toronto


Opening tomorrow at the Sony Centre is the vibrant, joyous and urban infused iD from Cirque Éloize. Check below for the press release and to purchase tickets! EAP is checking out the piece tomorrow evening at the Sony Centre!

Press Release: 

The Sony Centre For The Performing Arts is pleased to welcome the return of Cirque Éloize and their critically acclaimed production, iD. The Toronto Star raved “You're not going to find a more energetic, mind-blowing, roof-raising piece of entertainment than iD”, and now, after two years, the show finally returns to Toronto, Thursday, November 1 – Saturday, November 3, 2012 at the Sony Centre For The Performing Arts for four performances only.

Created by Jeannot Painchaud, founder and Artistic Director of Cirque Éloize, iD weaves together hip hop, breakdance, trial bike, and ten circus disciplines including tumblers, acrobats, jugglers, and contortionists. The end result is a production rich in youth and athleticism powered by a rousing soundtrack and state-of-the-art video projections. iD’s plotline pulls the audience in to a world where urban circus art meets West Side Story in this seamless combination of contemporary circus and theatricality.

Cirque Éloize has been creating moving performances filled with magic since 1993. Continually striving for artistic perfection, it is one of the leaders in contemporary circus arts. Based on the multidisciplinary talents of its artists, Cirque Éloize expresses its innovative nature and humanity through the combination of circus arts with music, dance, and theatre in a groundbreaking and original manner. With seven original productions under its belt, Cirque Éloize has presented more than 4,000 performances in over 436 cities and 36 countries.

The Sony Centre For The Performing Arts presents
Cirque Éloize’s iD
Sony Centre For The Performing Arts, 1 Front Street East, Toronto
Thursday, November 1 – Saturday, November 3, 2012 @ 7:30pm
Saturday, November 3, 2012 @ 2pm
Tickets can be purchased in person at the Sony Centre Box Office, 1 Front Street East, Toronto, 
over the phone at 1-855-872-SONY (7669) or online at www.sonycentre.ca 
Discounts are available for groups of 8 or more. Call THE Group Tix Company 647-438-5559 or 

Monday, October 29, 2012

Preview: Speaking In Tongues arrives this evening!


Starting previews this evening is the exciting new piece from The Company Theatre, SPEAKING IN TONGUES at the Berkeley Street Theatre. A thrilling play from Australia, Speaking In Tongues is a multi-faceted adventure that reveals the mysterious side of human nature. 


For tickets visit: www.companytheatre.ca


Friday, October 26, 2012

Preview: Harbourfront presents World Stage 2013

Two days ago our friends over at Harbourfront and World Stage have just released their 2013 line up and it looks quite delicious. Please scroll below for information on each individual piece and for exact dates and details.

PRESS RELEASE:
Harbourfront Centre Announces
WORLD STAGE 2013

TORONTO, ON (Wednesday, October 24, 2012) – Harbourfront Centre announces the artists, companies and performance dates for World Stage 2013. The series opens in February 2013 and continues until May, offering select works of provocative and cutting-edge international and Canadian contemporary artists.

This season welcomes productions and artists from Canada, Germany, Côte d’Ivoire, Brazil, Australia, China, Norway, Belgium, Portugal and the Netherlands. The work proposes to redefine the act of witnessing, as it chronicles a day in the life in Auschwitz in KAMP (CAMP), negotiates a thin line between love and brutality in Still Standing You, and throws us to the dogs in Dachshund UN.

Shakespeare is turned on his head in a triptych of works that make the Bard relevant, immediate and moving with Toronto’s own LEAR, and 2 German works, She She Pop & Their Fathers: Testament and Othello c’est qui (Othello, who’s that).
Dance is featured prominently for aficionados and newbies alike, as dance and soccer fans can rally around Norway’s A Dance Tribute to the Art of Football, scratch the surface of contemporary expression from superpower China with TAO Dance Theater, and warmly welcome the return of dance heavyweights Grupo Corpo.
As a pioneering culture port, World Stage’s commitment to developing Toronto artists continues with bold new work from Ame Henderson/Public Recordings in what we are saying, and Heidi Strauss/Toronto Dance Theatre with Everyday Anthems.
Established in 1986, World Stage has presented artists and companies from over 40 countries, bringing the world’s most dynamic performance leaders to share and develop contemporary viewpoints with Toronto audiences while showcasing local artists who have gone on to tour internationally. From the 2012 season, The Dietrich Group’s Paris1994/Gallery has traveled to Singapore and Evan Webber and Frank Cox O’Connell’s Ajax & Little Iliad has been booked across Canada and in Europe. 

Over the past decades, World Stage has granted access to performances and in-depth discussions with the industry’s best including; Christopher Plummer, Laurie Anderson, Robert LePage, Cillian Murphy, Atom Egoyan, Elizabeth LeCompte, Kitt Johnson, Wayne McGregor, and Young Jean Lee to name a few.
World Stage productions have received Dora Award nominations and multiple wins, most recently Outstanding Production, Dance Division for Out of Context - for Pina by Alain Platel (Les Ballets C de la B) and Outstanding Touring Production, General Theatre Division for Mabou Mines DollHouse.

World Stage 2013 Season: Productions and Dates:

Othello, c’est qui (Othello, who’s that)
Gintersdorfer/Klaßen (Germany | Côte d’Ivoire)
Performed in English and French
February 6-9, Enwave Theatre, 70 mins
While Othello may be the single most famous black man on the Western stage, in Africa, hardly anybody has heard of him. In this fearless and radical reinvestigation of one of Shakespeare’s most iconic characters, what begins as a playful conversation about the clichés surrounding Othello and Desdemona quickly evolves into a provocative confrontation between two cultures. A mischievous but hard-hitting exchange, Gintersdorfer/Klaßen’s frank and very human production won first prize at the 2009 Theater Festival Impulse, and has engaged audiences around the world ever since.

Sem Mim & Ímã
Grupo Corpo (Brazil)
February 19-23, Fleck Dance Theatre, 110 mins, including intermission
Two spectacular dance productions from this world-renowned company. In Sem Mim, meaning “without me,” “tattooed” dancers merge the rhythm of the sea with the music of medieval Portuguese-Galician chants. The second work, Ímã, meaning “magnet,” takes inspiration from the law of magnetism where dancers passionately entwine and separate in poetic polarities. Always a hit with World Stage audiences, Grupo Corpo combines classical ballet technique with a contemporary rereading of Brazilian and world dance forms. The end results are performances that are virtuosic, athletic, breathtaking and simply spectacular.

Dachshund UN
Bennett Miller (Australia)
Production Sponsor: PawsWay
February 28-March 3, Enwave Theatre, 50 mins
Shock, delight, cacophony! A meeting of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights is staged with the help of specially recruited dachshunds in this wild performance installation. Joyful and chaotic, spectacular and fascinating, Dachshund UNquestions our capacity to imagine and achieve a universal system of justice. Creator Bennett Miller is a sculptor and installation artist whose aim is to create theatre as a political arena by exploring active viewership and durational performance. Admittance to this show is free on a first-come, first-serve basis. Performances will also be webcast. If you have a dachshund and want to participate, email dogshow@harbourfrontcentre.com.

LEAR
Philip McKee (Canada)
Co-produced by Harbourfront Centre
March 5-10, Studio Theatre, 80 mins
Canadian performance legend Clare Coulter steps into the title role of Shakespeare’s King Lear in this intimate and powerful portrait of passing on a legacy, in a family and in the theatre. A reinvigorated and sensitive overturning of a timeless tragedy. Philip McKee is an emerging performance maker and director within Canada’s theatre scene. In LEAR, he’s assembled an exciting group of collaborators for this surprising staging. LEAR originally appeared as part of Harbourfront Centre’s HATCH performing arts residency programme in 2011. For more information about HATCH, visit harbourfrontcentre.com/hatch.

Everyday Anthems
Toronto Dance Theatre (Canada)
March 6-9, Fleck Dance Theatre, 70 mins
Choreographed by rising star Heidi Strauss, along with text from playwright Brendan Gall, this new dance work explores anthems as a metaphor for overcoming obstacles, for things unrequited, for personal strength and belonging. An impassioned performance that poses questions around power, pride and unity in the face of difference. Strauss’s first creation for Toronto Dance Theatre draws on the embodied histories of her performers to create a richly physical ensemble work. Toronto Dance Theatre, under the artistic direction of Christopher House, is recognized for intelligent choreography and the exceptional artistry of its dancers.

Weight x3 & 2
TAO Dance Theater (China)
Production Sponsor: ManuLife Financial
March 20-23, Fleck Dance Theatre, 90 mins, including intermission
Two incisive works by China’s emerging leaders of contemporary dance that shatter expectations. Weight x3 is a triptych of pieces concerned with stretching the boundaries of physical practice. In 2, the dancers’ bodies fold, collapse, invert and mirror each other to convey the movement (and rigidity) of language. Since its inception in 2008, TAO Dance Theater has established itself as one of the most provocative contemporary dance companies in China. Through rigorous, sincere, and exploratory corporeal research, they are discovering the body’s unknown possibilities and taking Chinese dance in bold new directions.

A Dance Tribute to the Art of Football
Jo Strømgren Kompani (Norway)
Production Sponsor: BMO Financial
April 10-13, Fleck Dance Theatre, 60 mins
A series of comic, tough and tender vignettes celebrating the world’s favourite game in which the form and physical patterns of football (soccer) are deconstructed. This work offers an opportunity to reflect on the similarities and differences between sport and art. Behind slow-motion replays and locker room rituals lurks a sophisticated take on a global obsession that speaks volumes about the human condition. Jo Strømgren Kompani is one of Scandinavia’s most established independent dance theatre companies, combining raw physicality with absurd humour.
Advisory: Contains partial nudity.

She She Pop & Their Fathers: Testament
She She Pop (Germany)
Performed in German with English surtitles
April 17-20, Enwave Theatre, 120 mins
Mirroring the story of King Lear and his daughters, She She Pop members take to the stage with their own aging fathers to enumerate their inheritances and negotiate how power, money, memory and love are passed along across the generations. With the drive of a game show, this heart wrenching and humourous work strives to find the intersections of responsibility and respect between parents and children. She She Pop, based in Berlin and Hamburg, is one of Germany’s most important performance collectives.

Still Standing You
Pieter Ampe & Guilherme Garrido/CAMPO (Belgium/Portugal)
April 23-24 & 26-27, Enwave Theatre, 45 mins
Unadorned, hilarious, moving and disturbing. With the instruments of their bodies, this Belgian Portuguese duo offers a mischievous glimpse into the kaleidoscope of friendship. From slaps on the back to violent strokes of a leather belt, the pair tests the strength of their relationship. The artists invite the audience to consider associations of touch, tenderness, violence and struggle between the bodies of men. CAMPO, which brought That Night Follows Day to World Stage audiences in 2009, is a Ghent-based art centre that creates and presents work at all stages of development on a national and international scale.
Advisory: contains full frontal nudity

what we are saying (Canada)
Ame Henderson/Public Recordings
Presented in association with The Power Plant
May 23-26, The Power Plant, 60 mins
Expanding upon findings from 300 Tapes and relay, Public Recordings asks: "What can we say about our future and how do we say it together?" Using language and movement to explore new perspectives of our world and each other, an assembly of performers responds to uncertainty, potential danger, and possibility in an unobstructed performance space. Since 2003, widely-acclaimed Public Recordings has been supporting and promoting the works of dancemaker Ame Henderson and her collaborators. The Power Plant, part of Harbourfront Centre, is Canada’s leading public gallery devoted exclusively to contemporary visual art.

KAMP (CAMP)
Hotel Modern (Netherlands)
May 23-26, Enwave Theatre, 60 mins
With an enormous scale model of Auschwitz filling the stage, thousands of eight-centimetre-tall handmade puppets represent the prisoners and their executioners. The performers move through the set like giant war reporters, or silent gods, filming the horrific events with miniature cameras. The audience becomes witness. Hotel Modern attempts to imagine the unimaginable: the greatest mass murder in history, committed in a purpose-built city. Established in 1997, Hotel Modern blends visual arts, puppetry, music and film in evocative productions by representing harsh reality in a refined poetic manner.

World Stage Tickets: Help deliver world-renowned programming like World Stage by becoming a Harbourfront Centre donor. Donors receive advance World Stage 2013 ticket purchasing opportunities, starting October 24, before the public on sale date of November 7. Regular ticket buyers can save up to 50% with a World Stage Flex Pass. Purchase four tickets to any World Stage shows for only $110 or eight tickets for $180. The Flex Pass is only on sale until January 23, 2013. Regular ticket packages (three or more productions) offer discounts and exclusive partner offers, discounted parking and more. The CultureBreak programme, designed for 13-25 year-old arts and culture cravers and/or students of all ages offers $15 tickets to any show, any time. Seniors, groups of 10 or more, arts workers and NextSteps ticket buyers save 20%. Single tickets available anytime via our box office by calling 416-973-4000 , Tuesday to Saturday, 1-6pm, or online atharbourfrontcentre.com.

Extras: World Stage goes deeper to deliver a more textured performance experience for audiences by offering post-performance talkshows on the second night of the run with guest hosts and cast members, opening night receptions and artist development workshops.
Harbourfront Centre’s World Stage 2013 gratefully acknowledges the support of the Department of Canadian Heritage, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council and Westin Harbour Castle, the official host hotel of World Stage.

ABOUT HARBOURFRONT CENTRE
Harbourfront Centre is a Canadian charity operating the 10 prime acres of Toronto's central waterfront as a free and open public site. We celebrate the multiplicities of cultures that comprise Canada and enliven the city through the creative imaginations of artists from across the country and around the globe. Harbourfront Centre attracts more than 17 million visits to its site each year to experience 4,000 diverse public events and activities. Harbourfront Centre receives operational support from the Government of Canada and the City of Toronto and program funding from all levels of government, the private sector and individual donors.

For more information and unparalleled access to interviews, videos and commentary on the World Stage 2013 season visitwww.harbourfrontcentre.com/worldstage

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Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Preview: Delicacy by Kat Sandler












Opening this weekend is a new piece from the prominent Canadian playwright Kat Sandler and the spicy theatre company - Theatre Brouhaha. Expect lots of laughs, lots of yelling and social commentary served straight up!

Preview:

Delicacy is the story of a wealthy Yorkville couple who meets a younger, open-minded couple at an underground sex club. Two weeks later the Yorkville couple invites the younger couple back to their condo for wine and cheese to see if lightning strikes twice. What follows is an emotional brouhaha that will leave both couples wondering if marriage is all it's cracked up to be.

Delicacy is written and directed by Kat Sandler
Featuring: Andrew Trithardt, Kaleb Alexander, Tennille Read and Kelly McCormack

On at the Factory Studio Theatre until November 3rd

Tickets are on sale at the Factory Theatre box office and can be purchased online here.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Canadian Stage Preview: POLITICAL MOTHER


Photo by Tom Medwell


Opening tomorrow is the second show in the Canadian Stage lineup and we hear it is a very strong one. We love dance here at EAP so we are excited to see it and see what all the buzz is about!

Press Release:

                    Electrifying dance and rock spectacle 
Political Mother 
sweeps through Toronto for six performance run
Dynamic production by UK-based Israeli choreographer
Hofesh Shechter on stage from October 24 to 28

Toronto, October 11, 2012 – Hofesh Shechter’s electrifying dance and rock spectacle, Political Mother, stops in Toronto for six performances as part of an international tour that has captivated audiences around the world. Presented by Canadian Stage and performed by Hofesh Shechter Company, this dance-performance-meets-rock-concert is a full-throttle, immersive experience that has taken the dance world by storm.

Political Mother will be on stage from Wednesday, October 24 to Sunday, October 28 at the Bluma Appel Theatre in the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts (27 Front St. E). Tickets from $24 to $99 are available by phone at 416.368.3110 , online at www.canadianstage.com, or in person at the box office.

“To finally share the brilliance of Hofesh Shechter’s choreography with Toronto audiences is very exciting for Canadian Stage,” said Matthew Jocelyn, Artistic & General Director. “Our mandate is to present the most groundbreaking and powerful productions from Canada and around the world. Political Mother exemplifies this in a storm of dynamic and beautiful dance moments combined with live rock music and electrifying lighting. This show is one of the most sumptuous visual presentations - and at the same time - one of the most riveting and gripping emotional experiences that I’ve had in a long time.”

Shechter, who choreographed and composed this “howling beast of a dance show” in 2010, draws on his training and career as a musician and dancer to create both the music and movement for his work. For Political Mother he assembled a band of seven musicians, including guitarists and percussionists to bring a big sound to the stage, inviting audiences to ride an emotional roller coaster that confuses one’s values and challenges perceptions of what is “normal”.

The ensemble features 12 dancers from Hofesh Shechter Company and includes Maëva Berthelot, Chien-Ming Chang, Sam Coren, Frédéric Despierre, Karima El Amrani, James Finnemore, Bruno Karim Guilloré, Yeji Kim, Kim Kohlmann, Philip Hulford, Erion Kruja and Hannah Shepherd. The score, composed by Shechter, was created in collaboration with Nell Catchpole and Yaron Engler. The dancers are accompanied on stage by a live metal rock band alongside a group of military drummers.


Monday, October 22, 2012

Preview: Romeo and Juliet


 Hart House Theatre is set to continue its tradition of producing high-caliber and accessible classics with the greatest love story the world has ever known, Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. The captivating tale of young love thwarted by circumstance opens at Hart House Theatre on Wednesday, November 7th, 2012 for a three week run.

The show is directed by Jeremy Hutton, Hart House Theatre's Artistic Director.  Hutton has created a raw, dangerous and violent world. While his vision for the play stays true to the original script,  he has moved the action into the present and added elements of Italian hip hop culture. His Verona is a violent and chaotic town in the middle of a decades long war whose cause no one can recall.

Helping Mr. Hutton to create his vision of Verona, is Dora Award winning Lighting Designer Andre de Toit (The Double, TheatreRUN; The Rez Sisters, Factory Theatre; SPENT, Theatre Smith-Gilmour/Why Not Theatre/TheatreRUN) and Set and Costume Designer Brandon Kleiman (You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, The Pirates of Penzance, Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita, Stratford Shakespeare Festival; RENT, Sheridan College/Mirvish; Blind Date, World Stage).

Taking on the iconic roles of Romeo and his beloved Juliet are Paolo Santalucia (The Crucible, The Royal Comedians and Dirt, Soulpepper Theatre Company; Blast Hamlet, Bellrock Theatre Company; Twelfth Night, Canopy Theatre) and Darwin Lyons (Hushabye, Toronto Fringe; Tough!, Factory Theatre at The Magnetic North Festival). Also appearing are Joshua Browne (S-27, Intersection Theatre; Peter Pan, Stage West), Jeremy LePalme (A Midsummer Night's Dream and Christmas Carol, RoseTheatre; bittergirl, Theatre Aquarius), Jonathan Sousa (Boyfriends, Le Carsonage Theatre) and numerous other emerging Toronto theatre artists.


Romeo and Juliet
By: William Shakespeare
Directed by: Jeremy Hutton
Set and Costume Design by: Brandon Kleiman
Lighting Design by: Andre de Toit
Sound Design by: Jeremy Hutton
Dramaturgy by: Susan Bond
Choreography by: Melanie Mastronardi

November 7 - 24, 2012
at Hart House Theatre (7 Hart House Circle)

Performances:
Week 1: Wednesday - Saturday at 8PM
Week 2: Wednesday - Saturday at 8PM
Week 3: Wednesday - Saturday at 8PM + Saturday at 2PM

Ticket Prices:
Adults $25; Student & Seniors $15
$10 Student Tickets every Wednesday
Tickets can be purchased at UofTtix Box Office by phone, 416.978.8849    
Or click here

Friday, October 19, 2012

Don't miss Rachel Corrie

Justin and I saw My Name is Rachel Corrie at Hart House on Wednesday night. And if you only see one show this weekend this should be it.  


In addition to creative staging and direction Rachel Corrie is supremely well acted by Amelia Sargisson.


 A one woman show about a young activist who is killed in Palestine is a tough sell, and I was especially curious to see how they would deal with her death. I think audiences will appreciate that this is not a political piece, although there is a lot of politics behind the story. It is fundamentally a human story. 


The show does drag in places, but at 90 minutes without intermission it is a tidy affair, and well worth seeing. The show only runs tonight and tomorrow.  So hurry to Hart House.  Click here for ticket information.  


Photo Credits - Daniel De Marco

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Preview: The Normal Heart 2012


THE NORMAL HEART

LARRY KRAMER’S MASTERWORK OF LOVE, RAGE AND PRIDE

The story of a society in denial between 1981 and 1984, THE NORMAL HEART unfolds like a real-life political thriller—as a tight-knit group of friends refuses to let doctors, politicians and the press bury the truth of an unspoken epidemic behind a wall of silence.


A quarter-century after it was written, this outrageous, unflinching, and totally unforgettable look at the sexual politics during the beginning of the AIDS crisis remains one of the theatre’s most powerful evenings ever.


THE NORMAL HEART won three 2011 Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Play, and was one of the biggest hit son Broadway this past season. Now it is produced by the acclaimed Studio 180 Theatre, in association with Buddies in Bad Times, with a star-studded, all-Canadian cast under the guidance of the distinguished director Joel Greenberg.


Playing for a strictly limited run, THE NORMAL HEART is performed until November 18, 2011 at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander Street, Toronto. Box Office -- 416-872-1212 or 1-800-416-3333 .