Shows that Caught Our Eye in Toronto for the Week of November 12th, 2018
As always MoT is here with fabulous suggestions for the theatre-goer in you! The Toronto theatre scene is in full swing, so check out our top picks in red, and let us help you plan your next theatre adventure!
Shows Already Reviewed by MoT:
Helen’s Necklace. Berkeley Street Theatre. by Carole Fréchette (Canadian Rep Theatre). A Canadian academic visiting the Middle East searches for her lost necklace with the help of an empathetic taxi driver. Nov 8-11, Thu-Sat 8 pm, mat Sun 2 pm, Fri 1 pm. $32, stu/srs $23. Show Info.
Gods Like Us. Factory Theatre. Theatre Nidana presents a play created and performed by Zazu Oke and Vince Deiulis. In 1917, on a yam field in Nigeria, a farmer is approached by a Canadian war recruiter to join the Allied troops to push back the German advance in East Africa. Previews from Nov 8, opens Nov 9 and runs to Nov 17, Tue-Sat 8 pm, mat Sat-Sun 2 pm. $35. In the Studio Theatre. Show Info.
The Penelopiad. Hart House Theatre. Hart House Theatre presents a play by Margaret Atwood. A re-telling of the epic tale in which a wife’s loyalty is rewarded with butchery and abuse. Opens Nov 9 and runs to Nov 24, Wed-Sat 8 pm, mat Nov 24 at 2 pm. $28, srs $17, stu $12-$15. Show Info.
And Everything Else:
Middletown. Streetcar Crowsnest. by Will Eno (Crow’s Theatre/Shaw Festival). Inhabitants of a small town intersect in strange and poignant ways in this play about loneliness and the very little things in life. Previews from Nov 12, opens Nov 16 and runs to Dec 1, Mon-Sat 8 pm, mat Wed & Sat 2 pm. $30-$55. Show Info.
Dark Day Monday 09. Burdock. Dark Day Monday is a curated monthly performance series featuring artists who defy expectations and break boundaries. We seek out acts that explore, play, and fuck with performance forms or genres. This month’s theme is Nevertheless, She Persisted. Nov 12 at 7 pm. $10. Show Info.
Another Brick in the Wall: The Opera. Sony Centre for the Performing Arts. by Dominic Champagne & Julien Bilodeau. (Opéra Concept MP). Psychological drama based on lyrics & music of Roger Waters from Pink Floyd’s The Wall. Opens Nov 13 and runs to Nov 23, Nov 13-16 and 23 at 8 pm, mat Nov 17 at 2 pm. $50-$190. Show Info.
Moving On. Alumnae Theatre. Alumnae Theatre presents a play by Elmar Maripuu. A knockabout farce involving a visionary software proposal, a swindling investor, an ex-girlfriend hiding from her pot-dealing brother and a vanished bag of limes. Opens Nov 14 and runs to Nov 18, Wed-Sat 8 pm, mat Sat-Sun 2 pm. $15. Week 2 of Alumnae Theatre’s Fireworks Festival. Show Info.
Weesageechak Begins to Dance 31. Daniels Spectrum. Native Earth Performing Arts presents the annual festival of theatre, dance, opera and multidisciplinary creations in development from across Turtle Island. Featuring readings, workshop productions, a panel discussion and a 2-Spirit Cabaret. The festival opens with a book launch for Indian Act: Residential School Plays, edited by Donna-Michelle St. Bernard. There will also be plays by Waawaate Fobister, Beverley McKiver, Cherish Blood, Ondinnok, Christine Friday, JP Longboat and others. Nov 14-24, see website for schedule details. $15, festival pass $60. In the Aki Studio. Show Info.
We Keep Coming Back. Factory Theatre. by Michael Rubenfeld, Sarah Garton Stanley, Mary Berchard and Katka Reszke (Factory Theatre). A mother and son who are descendants of Holocaust survivors go to Poland to find their lost identity and mend their fractured relationship. Opens Nov 14 and runs to Nov 25, Tue-Sat 8 pm, Sun 2 pm. $20-$50. Show Info.
Katherine Is Not a Communist. Church of the Messiah. by Katherine Doering (Epigraph Collective). A woman is brought before the McCarthy Committee to testify against MGM Film Studios in this dark satire. Previews Nov 14, opens Nov 15 and runs to Nov 23, Tue-Sun 10 pm. $15, preview pwyc. Show Info.
Scorch. Theatre Passe Muraille. Bustle & Beast and Blarney Productions present a play by Stacey Gregg that explores the complexities of gender identity and first love. When Kes poses as a boy and embarks on an intimate relationship with another girl, it leads to devastating effects both legally and personally. Previews Nov 15, opens Nov 16 and runs to Dec 2, Tue-Sat 7:30 pm, mat Sat-Sun 2 pm. $25, stu/srs $20, Sun pwyc. Show Info
The Monkey Queen. Theatre Centre. Red Snow Collective presents the world premier of a play by Diana Tso. The production weaves text, movement, visual art and music, and reimagines the ancient tale through the playwright’s own personal journey as a Chinese-Canadian female artist. Previews Nov 15, opens Nov 16 and runs to Dec 2, Tue-Sat 7:30 pm, mat Sat-Sun 2 pm. $26-$32, stu/srs $22; gala (Nov 17) $48; preview $20. Show Info.
Chris Hadfield’s Generator. Roy Thomson Hall. Astronaut Chris Hadfield’s famed comedy, music and ideas extravaganza is returning to Roy Thomson Hall. 8 pm. $15-$105. Show Info.
Vitals. The Commons Theatre. by Rosamund Small (Theatre Born Between). The distinction between professional trauma and personal tragedy becomes blurred for Anna, a Toronto paramedic. Previews Nov 15, opens Nov 16 and runs to Nov 25, Wed-Sun 8 pm, mat Sat-Sun 2 pm. $20, preview pwyc. Show Info.
What I Call Her. Streetcar Crowsnest. by Will Eno (Crow’s Theatre/Shaw Festival). Play about trauma, perception, female generational rage and the loneliness of holding onto one’s own truth. Previews from Nov 16, opens Nov 21 and runs to Dec 8, Mon-Sat 8:30 pm, mat Sat 2:30 pm. $45-$50. Show Info.
Unholy. Zoomer Hall. Nightwood Theatre and ZoomerLive present a play by Diane Flacks. A feminist Muslim, an Orthodox Jewish spiritual leader, an excommunicated nun and a lesbian atheist pundit face-off in a no-holds-barred debate on contemporary women in religion. Be a member of the live studio audience for this limited return engagement of Unholy remounted exclusively for a VisionTV television special. Nov 16-18 Fri-Sun 7:30 pm, mat Sat 2:30 pm. $25. Show Info.
The 2-Spirit Cabaret. Buddies in Bad Times Theatre. Native Earth Performing Arts and Buddies in Bad Times Theatre present an evening of music, dance, spoken word, drag, performance art, poetry and comedy by 2-Spirit, Queer and Trans-identified Indigenous Artists. Nov 16 at 8 pm. $20. Show Info.
Space Opera Zero. Red Sandcastle Theatre. Eldritch Theatre presents a play by Eric Woolfe. A 1930s Earth Lesbian is rocket-planed to a distant planet. Gasp in terror as a wicked dog mutant and tentacled slug creature plot to destroy the pulchritudinous Space Princess. Opens Nov 16 and runs to Dec 2, Tue-Sat 8 pm, Sun 3 pm. $35, adv online $25, Sun pwyc. Show Info.
Old Man and the River. Tarragon Theatre. by Lynda Hill and Thomas Morgan Jones (Theatre Direct). A solitary, grumpy old man finds a friend in this puppetry show for ages 3 & up.Nov 17 at 11 am & 1 pm. $17. In the Workspace. Show Info.
Dividing Lines | Líneas Divisorias. Theatre Centre. Aluna Theatre presents a biographical photo-essay created & performed by Beatriz Pizano that asks “How do you want your life to end?” Dividing Lines places individual choice in the context of the history of a continent. Moving from personal to political to spiritual, this live photo-essay offers no easy answers. Previews from Nov 18, opens Nov 22 and runs to Dec 2, Tue-Sat 8 pm, Sun 3 pm. $20-$25, previews $15. Show Info.
Listings Primarily taken from NOW! Stage Listings