This is the final week of The New Ideas Festival at the Alumnae Theatre. I’m going to miss it – it’s been an interesting three weeks of theatre. I’ve enjoyed it immensely.
The festival consists of three weeks of new plays selected by a jury. There are all kinds of plays; some are very short (5 or 10 minutes), and some are about half an hour. There are also staged readings on Saturdays that are an hour long.
This week’s plays offer the same kind of interesting mix as the past two weeks.
The plays are all presented in the Alumnae Theatre Studio which seats about 80 people. It’s a wide space but not deep, so the performers are very close to the audience. There isn’t much in the way of sets. It’s all very up- close-and-personal.
So what’s in store this week? Something for everyone.
If you are not a lucky winner but would still like to see this acclaimed musical, please visit www.soulpepper.ca, www.stageplay.ca or call the box office at 416-866-8666 to purchase tickets. Tickets are $29 and $70, with show dates Monday through Saturday at 7:30 pm and Wednesday and Saturday matinees playing at 1:30 until April 10. To get more information, please go to the Soulpepper website.
Last week, Toronto theatre got a little bit slapstick, a little bit silly and a lot of funny with the opening of Mirvish‘s Young Frankenstein at the Princess of Wales Theatre. Remember the 1974 Mel Brooks-Gene Wilder film collaboration of Young Frankenstein? I do, and I remember peeing in my pants laughing at the stuff as a kid, so I wasn’t sure that the story would be quite as funny now that I’m pushing thirty.
My fears were unfounded. It could have easily turned out to be one giant, spoofy flop, but, the hilarity of the music, the talent of the cast and the show-stopping ensemble dancing all made this production come together.
This week we highlight five more inexpensive theatre options, including a play about fate, a fresh work from venerable playwright Sky Gilbert and a storytelling festival. Ah, the good old days, when life was simple, and school consisted of sitting in a circle on the carpet, listening to your teacher read a story. This weekend, relive your childhood for just a few dollars. Or spend just a little bit more and see one of the other shows that caught our frugal eye.
Oh What A Lovely War -a musical throw back to The First World War, highlights the songs of an entire generation … and is playing at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts until April 10.
Tickets are $29 and $70 with show dates Monday through Saturday at 7:30 pm and Wednesday and Saturday matinees playing at 1:30. This show had its original debut in 1963, but this week you have the opportunity to win a pair of tickets to the 2010 version directed by Albert Schultz and with musical direction by Marek Norman!
Yep, just be the lucky 13th person to contact us here at contests@mooneyontheatre.com quoting the subject line Oh What A Lovely War. Remember you can enter once per day and the winner will be announced on Wednesday. To purchase tickets visit www.soulpepper.ca, www.stageplay.ca or call the box office at 416-866-8666.
For more information about the play, read excerpts from the press release below .
This is the final week of The New Ideas Festival at the Alumnae Theatre. I’m going to miss it – it’s been an interesting three weeks of theatre. I’ve enjoyed it immensely.
Congrats Phil Rickaby! Woo!
Oh What A Lovely War