Shows That Caught Our Eye in Toronto the Week of September 5th.
This week, we have everything from magic to the apocalypse on order in Toronto. The outdoor standards are winding down, and in their place we have all sorts of new and exciting shows opening up across the city. This week, it’s my turn to highlight my most anticipated shows in red text. Check them out under the cut.
Already Reviewed by Mooney on Theatre:
Matilda: the Musical by Dennis Kelly and Tim Minchin (Mirvish/Royal Shakespeare Company/The Dodger). A gifted girl uses her imagination and sharp mind to fight against the cruel and cynical people in her life in this musical based on the novel by Roald Dahl. Opens Jul 5 and runs to Oct 16, Tue-Sat 7:30 pm. mat Wed, Sat-Sun 1:30 pm (no performances Sep 6-11). $38-$139. Show Info.
Luzia by Daniele Finzi Pasca and Julie Hamelin Finzi (Cirque du Soleil). Acrobats, musicians, dancers, storytellers and more are used to tell a story inspired by the monarch butterfly’s journey from Canada to Mexico. Opens Jul 28 and runs to Oct 2, see website for schedule. $49 & up. Show Info.
Killer Tunes. Presented by Mysteriously Yours Dinner Theatre. Music superstars gather at an awards show in this interactive dinner theatre whodunnit. July 8 to Sep 17, Fri-Sat 7:30 pm (dinner from 6:30 pm), see website for matinees. $45-$87. Show Info.
Thank You For Being a Friend (Joseph Patrick/LOT). Dorothy, Sophia, Rose and Blanche of TV’s Golden Girls take the stage in puppet form in this tribute show. Opens Jul 29 and runs to Sep 24, Tue-Sat 7:30 pm, mat Tue, Sat-Sun 1:30 pm. $60-$80. Show Info.
West Side Story by Arthur Laurents, Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim (LOT). A young man falls in love with a rival gang member’s sister in this musical. Opens Aug 11 and runs to Sep 18, Thu-Sat 7:30 pm, mat Sat-Sun 3:30 pm. $55-$65. Show Info.
And the rest:
Milf Life Crisis. Anne Marie Scheffler performs her hit comedic solo play about mid-life dating after divorce. Opens Aug 30 and runs to Sep 10, Tue-Sat at 8 pm. $20. Show Info.
Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare (Shakespeare in the Ruff). The romantic tragedy is performed outdoors. Previews from Aug 16, opens Aug 20 and runs to Sep 4, Tue-Sun 8 pm. Pwyc. Show Info.
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams (73H Productions/the Howland Company). A broken Southern family struggles to fulfill their dreams on the eve of WWII. Opens Aug 31 and runs to Sep 11, Tue-Sat 8 pm (and Sep 4), mat Sep 10-11 at 2 pm. $25-$30 (arts workers $15-$20). Show Info.
The Container by Clare Bayley (Theatre Fix). Five migrants who paid to be smuggled into England try to survive their journey in this site-specific play being performed inside a shipping container outside the theatre. Previews from Aug 31, opens Sep 4 and runs to Sep 18, Thu and Fri 6 & 9 pm, Sat and Sun 3 & 6 pm, plus Aug 31 at 6 pm, Sep 7 at 9 pm. $39-$44 stu $29-$34, previews $25. Warning: Confined space, dark, mature language and subject matter. THE CONTAINER is performed inside a restricted space that is neither accessible nor suitable for those with claustrophobia. EXTREMELY limited seating. Show Info.
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller (Ashkenaz Festival and Joseph Papp Yiddish Theatre). The classic play about the quest for the American dream is performed in Yiddish with English surtitles. Opens Aug 31 and runs to Sep 8, Wed-Fri 8 pm, Sat 2 pm. $36, stu $18. In the Studio Theatre. Show Info.
Ice Age on Ice (Stage Entertainment/Twentieth Century Fox). Characters from the animated movie franchise perform live on an ice rink. Sep 2-4, Fri 3-7 pm, Sat 11 am, 3 & 7 pm, Sun 11 am & 3 pm. $25-$75. Show Info.
Toronto International Buskerfest for Epilepsy. This festival of music, dance and European street theatre features comedians, contortionists, fire jugglers, musicians, acrobats, clowns, daredevils, street food and more. The new Be A Busker Zone is an interactive area for kids to get some hands-on experience in a few of the many arts that buskers perform. There will also be games, face painting and other kids’ activities. Performers include new acts Ace-K from Japan, Cirque No Problem from Israel, Dr Bubblito from Mexico, returning acts The Budapest Marionettes, Pancho Libre and Throw 2 Catch, and local acts The Silver Starlets, Fireguy and many more. Sep 2-5: Fri noon-11 pm, Sat 11 am-11 pm, Sun-Mon 11 am-8 pm. Admission by donation (supports Epilepsy Toronto). Show Info.
Dames At Sea by George Haimsohn, Robin Miller and Jim Wise (The Civic Light-Opera Co). This musical parodies the flashy Busby Berkley 1930s movie musicals. Opens Sep 7 and runs to Sep 18, Wed 7 pm, Thu-Sat 8 pm, mat Sun (and Sep 17) 2 pm. $28. Show Info.
Intangible Trappings. Lester Trips presents a play by by Lauren Gillis and Alaine Hutton. A civilization balanced precariously inside a giant cyclone has collapsed and been flung across the planet. Dorothy wakes up in a heap of rubble to find everyone dead (including Aunt Em), everything unrecognizable, and her hands missing. She manages to locate some living prosthetics belonging to a disembodied talking head with a big plan, and sets off across the wasteland with the weight of the world on her shoulders. A butoh-infused theatrical investigation into peri-apocalyptic responsibility. Opens Sep 7 and runs to Sep 11, Wed-Sat 8 pm, Sun 4 pm. $20, stu $15. Show Info.
Les Belles-Soeurs by Michel Tremblay (Bloor West Village Players). Working-class women in a poor Montreal neighbourhood discuss their lives, religion and small joys. Opens Sep 9 and runs to Oct 1, see website for schedule. $24, under 30/srs $20. Show Info.
Magic & Martini. Grand Spirits presents magician/conjurer/sleight-of-hand artist James Alan performing a theatrical show. Sep 10 at 7:30 pm (doors 6:30 pm). $39. Show Info.
The Monkey King. Starlight Chinese Opera & the Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts presents a show by the Young Academy Cantonese Opera Troupe. A monk and his disciples overcome many obstacles on their quest for enlightenment in this performance featuring acrobatics, action sequences and elaborate costumes. Suitable for all ages, subtitles in English and Cantonese. Sep 10 at 7:30 pm. $70-$100. Show Info.
Listings based primarily on NOW! Stage Listings.