Gian has been a contributor to MoT since June 2013. Other than a couple of theatre history electives in university, Gian’s main theatre experiences date back to his childhood days when he would accompany his parents to shows at the Elgin Theatre or Princess of Wales Theatre. His fondest memory is seeing Les Mis as a child and being in awe of the larger-than-life costumes and musical numbers. When seeing a show, he loves pieces that come from a sincere place of truth – that tell a heartfelt story. During the day, he’s a Toronto Copywriter and Search Marketing Specialist. You can connect with him on both LinkedIn and Twitter. Twitter: @gian_verano
Five college kids break into an abandoned cabin in the woods. What’s the worst that can happen? Die-hard fans of the Evil Dead trilogy can probably tell you word for word what happens next, but what if this epic tale was told through song? Evil Dead: The Musical, now playing at the Randolph Centre for the Arts, takes us through the storyline of the franchise’s first two films: The Evil Dead and The Evil Dead II. This time with a catchy, upbeat song catalogue and fully choreographed dance routines. Continue reading Review: Evil Dead: The Musical (Starvox Entertainment)→
There’s a lot to love about improv musical One Night Only: The Greatest Musical Never Written
You’re given a setting, a few anecdotal tidbits of information and a general direction for the plot. Create an entire storyline on the spot with an entire theatre of eager spectators hanging on your every word. Now imagine doing this while also having to sing in time and on key accompanied by a full music section. No pressure, right?
Emotionally-charged play, Within the Glass, comes to the Tarragon stage in Toronto
At first glance, Darah and Michael lead the perfect life: the fancy house, the important jobs, the social status. The one thing they’re missing – the one thing they feel would make them complete – is a child to call their own. When a mix up at their fertility clinic causes one of their embryos to be successfully implanted into another woman, they come face to face with the other couple to decide what to do with the unborn child. Within the Glass not only chronicles their struggle with infertility, but also challenges the audience to reassess their ideas of what it means to be a parent. This emotionally charged work from Canadian playwright Anna Chatterton opened to a packed house Thursday night at the Tarragon Theatre, and it’s honestly one of the best written plays I’ve ever seen.
The latest play from The Empty Room explores young suburban life in Toronto
Suburbs often get a bad rep as the place fun forgot. When you’re young, cash-strapped and don’t own a car, there’s not a lot of fun to be had – especially compared to life in the big city. Following the tale of four young boys, Boys from the Burbs (The Empty Room) shows us that not all is as it seems behind the cookie-cutter picket fences and seemingly dull façade of a suburban town. Continue reading Review: Boys from the Burbs (The Empty Room)→
Johnny Salib’s one man show on love and loss played at Buddies in Bad Times in Toronto
While some people seem to fall in and out of love at the drop of a hat, others seem to never forget the sting of a romance gone wrong. And in particular, it is often our first love that we hold on to most dearly. Oasis Love, written and performed by Johnny Salib, follows the story of young man, Damien, who struggles with coming to terms with the end of his first real relationship, as well as the emotional baggage he can’t seem to let go.
There’s a lot to love about improv musical One Night Only: The Greatest Musical Never Written
Emotionally-charged play, Within the Glass, comes to the Tarragon stage in Toronto
While some people seem to fall in and out of love at the drop of a hat, others seem to never forget the sting of a romance gone wrong. And in particular, it is often our first love that we hold on to most dearly.