Wayne Leung (1981-2019)
Wayne was the Managing Editor of Mooney on Theatre from 2012 - 2019 and will be sorely missed. His death from an apparent heart attack was a loss not just to Mooney on Theatre, but also to the Toronto Theatre Community at large. You can read our publisher Megan Mooney's tribute to him here here.
Wayne was a writer, editor and corporate communications professional who was thrilled to be a part of the Mooney on Theatre team. Wayne loved theatre ever since his aunt brought him to a production of Les Misérables at the tender age of ten . . . despite the fact that, at that age, the show’s plot was practically indiscernible and the battle scenes scared the bejeezus out of him. Wayne’s current list of likes ran the gamut from opera, ballet and Shakespeare to Broadway musicals, circus and Fringe theatre. Outside of the theatre Wayne’s interests included travel, technology and food.
PANAMANIA presents It Comes in Waves, a unique immersive play on the Toronto Islands
It Comes in Waves is a piece that defies the conventions of theatre. Performed as part of PANAMANIA, the arts and culture festival presented in conjunction with the Toronto 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games, the show is an immersive, site-specific piece staged in different indoor and outdoor spaces on the Toronto Islands and features elements of song, dance, and script. It’s also the first time I’ve had to sign a waiver before a show. Continue reading Review: It Comes in Waves (Necessary Angel/bluemouth inc./PANAMANIA)→
PANAMANIA presents the premiere of 887 by Robert Lepage in Toronto
887, the newest play written, designed, directed and performed by Canadian theatre wizard Robert Lepage makes its premiere in Toronto as part of PANAMANIA, the 35-day arts and culture festival presented as part of the Toronto 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games.
887 is the ultimate memory play in that it examines the very nature of memory itself. Lepage recounts personal stories from his childhood growing up in Quebec City and sets them against the backdrop of the big moments in Quebec history at the time like the infamous visit by French President Charles “Vive le Québec libre” de Gaulle and the October Crisis. It’s a kaleidoscope of personal remembrances and collective memory. Continue reading Review: 887 (Ex Machina/PANAMANIA)→
Who’d have thought a bunch of singing and dancing newsboys in a Disney-ized class struggle story could make for such an exhilarating night of theatre? I was a fan of the movie, but I actually enjoyed the stage version even more. I really didn’t expect to love it as much as I did. Continue reading Review: Newsies (Mirvish)→
This past weekend Mooney on Theatre sent its dedicated team of 30 writers and editors to cover all 147 shows* in this year’s Toronto Fringe Festival! With the sheer number of shows available at the festival, picking the ones you want to see can be a daunting task.
If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by the number of shows and you’re looking for a place to start, we’ve asked our staff to tell us about their favourite shows they’ve seen at this year’s festival. We hope our staff picks can help you navigate the Fringe.
If you’ve seen something you think is amazing that you think others should go see please let us know by leaving a comment.
PANAMANIA presents It Comes in Waves, a unique immersive play on the Toronto Islands
PANAMANIA presents the premiere of 887 by Robert Lepage in Toronto
Mirvish presents Disney’s award-winning musical Newsies in Toronto
