Heather studied film at Humber College and English and Theatre at UTSC. She works as a stage manager, usually watching from the booth or lurking backstage. She has written for various websites since 2009. Unofficially, she’s also a total nerd with an obsession with sci fi TV series, fantasy novels, Dungeons and Dragons, and and video games. Follow her on Twitter at @bluealbow4eva.
Pieces is the story of Jim (Jim Downing), who is married to Susan (Rosemary Dunsmore). Jodi (Allison Price), his former mistress – shows up on his doorstep one day suffering from cancer and with a child in tow. Pieces is running until June 9 at Unit 102.
Pieces is a series of scenes that tell a chronological story no matter their order. The script’s sequence is randomly determined thirty minutes before each show, allowing for 120 different ways for the story to be told. Therefore, the show I saw will be told differently from the one you will see. It’s definitely an interesting concept from a creative standpoint, and I can absolutely see the appeal of this challenge. However, this raises some interesting questions.
Young People’s Theatre welcomes Montreal’s Théâtre Motus in a co-production with the SÔ Company of Mali for Baobab, presented in the Studio from May 8 to 17, 2012. Baobab is recommended for children ages four to eight. Baobab features Ralph Prosper, Mireille Tawfik, Nathalie Cora and Aboulaye Koné, and is written and directed by Hélène Ducharme.
The story, inspired by West African legends, is about an ancient baobab tree during a drought. One day the tree produces an egg, from which a little boy, Amondo, hatches. The villagers recognize that Amondo is the only one who can undertake the quest to bring water back to the land, completing three tasks that will lead him to the heart of the sun.
Undertaken by visual and performance artist Shary Boyle and songwriter and performer Christine Fellows, Everything Under the Moon is part of the Fresh Ground new works programme, which seeks artists who don’t normally set out to create child-friendly performances. The result can be described as performance art for kids.
The show tells the story of a honeybee, Idared, and a brown bat, Limbertwig, on an urgent quest to save themselves and their respective species. On their journey they encounter an owl, a man, a woolly mammoth, a mummified child and a top-hat wearing spider. Everything Under The Moon intends to touch on themes of loss, environmental threat, adaptation and the restorative powers of friendship and community.
The Rhubarb Festival playing at Toronto’s Buddies in Bad Times Theatre showcases experimental works from emerging artists
For the next two weeks, over one hundred artists will transform Buddies in Bad Times Theatre into a centre of creativity and experimentation.
There are several different categories which this year’s performances explore: the politics of our communities, spotlighting queer history, and confronting the fragility and resilience of our bodies. The shows I caught yesterday explored the latter.
I had never been to a Rhubarb Festival before, and knew only to expect some avant-garde (experimental) theatre. What happens is that you are confronted with a choice upon arrival – shows run simultaneously in The Cabaret, to your left, and The Chamber, to your right (or you can stay in the lobby for a while and catch some performance art – yesterday was a made-to-order café set up). Each show has a half-hour slot, and your ticket allows you to go back and forth between the two spaces – you pick and choose which show you want to attend at what time. It is a little bit confusing as to what show is going on where, but the staff is pretty helpful when it comes to that.
Canadian Stage’s upcoming season brings you David Mamet, puppets, robots from Japan, and even Jason Priestley
Today Canadian Stage‘s Artistic and General Director Matthew Jocelyn announced its 2012/2013 season, the 25th anniversary of the company. “The productions and artists on our stages in 2012/2013 will explore some of the big questions about our human experience while pushing the boundaries of what live theatre can be,” said Jocelyn. “To mark our 25th anniversary, we’ve created a season that brings together the best in Canadian and international theatre and dance. The playbill features a mosaic of today’s most talented and thrilling artists.”
Pieces is the story of Jim (Jim Downing), who is married to Susan (Rosemary Dunsmore). Jodi (Allison Price), his former mistress – shows up on his doorstep one day suffering from cancer and with a child in tow. Pieces is running until June 9 at Unit 102.
