Virtual Shows that Caught Our Eye in Toronto for the Week of March 23, 2020

So we’re going digital this week!  We are all being responsible and doing lots of social distancing, but I have found the digital world to be just crammed full of amazing content in the past week.  Concerts, authors doing book talks and readings of their own material, play readings… the content is endless! And with new digital options cropping up each day we’re having a hard time keeping up!  But we’re doing our best. It just means that you’ll need to keep checking back here on the regular to see if there’s anything new coming up.  See you online!

From Judy to Bette: The Stars of Old Hollywood (Toronto): A fire-side livestream that looks at the lives and times of Garland, Ball, Davis and Hutton: four names that have stood the test of time and planted themselves in the hearts of millions the world over. Trailblazers refusing to be “just another ingénue” during Hollywood’s Golden Age, they broke the mold, taking the studio system to task, fighting for the roles that made them famous, and opening doors that had previously been firmly shut for women in the film industry. Weaving together scandalous headlines, bestselling timeless songs and classic comedy gold, we journey through the ground-breaking careers of these screen legends of yesteryear.  Thursday, March 26th at 6:30EST
www.rebeccaperry.ca/youtube

Mezrab Storytelling Night Online (Amsterdam): We will be doing a
short online version of our two weekly nights. So every Wednesday and Friday we are showing people doing short stories, sometimes music! FREE – Wed & Fri at 3 PM EDT. Watch live here: http://www.mezrab.nl/mtv

Places, Please – A Virtual 24-Hour Telethon to Benefit the AFC: The AFC and Olivier Award-winning producer Michael Rubinoff are excited to announce a 24-hour virtual telethon to benefit members of the entertainment industry impacted by COVID-19. The online fundraiser will begin on Wednesday, March 25 at 2PM EST and will continue live for 24 hours, until Thursday afternoon, with all donations going to The AFC. Co-hosted by Rubinoff, award-winning playwright Nick Green and Second City veteran Ashley Botting, Places, Please will feature performances and interviews with Canada’s leading artistic directors, performers, writers and composers. A special segment will feature student hosts from Sheridan College’s Honours Bachelor of Music Theatre Performance’s Class of 2020, who will conduct interviews and show performances by theatre students from around the world. To make a charitable donation to The AFC visit: https://AFChelps.ca/placesplease
Show Link: https://www.youtube.com/ActorsFundofCanada

Smile (Toronto): A lot of things are closed and some of us
families are stuck inside. So what can we do? Smile, Laugh, Sing,
Play. Join me and my talented friends for an interactive online family-friendly variety show. The events are free. If you can, instead of paying for admission, we ask that you make a donation to Daily Bread Food Bank instead. Our goal is $500. FREE – donations welcome. Events run from Mar 19 – Apr 4 – see link for all dates and times. Hosted on Zoom (to watch on a phone or tablet you will need to download the free Zoom app. On a computer you simply log on via the website. You will need to create a free Zoom account to watch. )
Show Info

The Social Distancing Festival – a site for celebrating art from all over the world, showcasing amazing talent, and coming together as a community. Information on all events at:
https://www.socialdistancingfestival.com/

Theater On-Call (Dopolavoroteatrale, Toronto ). This project is a collection of short telephone based performances created by guest artists and DLT core members including the company’s leading actors Rory de Brouwer, Danya Buonastella and Vincent Leblanc Beaudoin. The artists invited are asked to create a performance and share a story that they think is pivotal today. The project aims to bring together established and emerging artists, and reaching audiences anywhere anywhere in the world that will be able to connect at the times that the difference performances are scheduled, an opportunity to gather as a community in Canada and globally. See website for shows, dates/times and reservation information.
Project Info​

True Stories Told Live (Toronto): This is the first time we’ve gone online but if this show has taught me anything over the last 7 years it’s that, in BANANAS times when everything feels uncertain and weird and sometimes terrifying, listening to stories together makes everything feel better. FREE – March 23, 7:30 PM EDT.
Live on Zoom — link to be announced, if you’d like it emailed to you (along with instructions for how to join), click here: https://app.convertkit.com/landing_pages/465999

#URGNT – Solo Concert Feature – Quique Escamilla. Mar. 24 at 7pmEDT. Tune in at: urgnt.ca ; URGNT on Facebook or
Maclean’s

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