Inspirational theatre

Hey kids! How about this gorgeous spring weather? Finally some sunshine – though we did have quite the light and sound show here in T.O. early this morning.

Saw some amazing and inspirational theatre this past Friday night/weekend: the blueSound program at the InspiraTO festival of 10-minute plays (Alumnae Theatre) and Billy Elliot (Canon Theatre).

InspiraTO is in its sixth season now – and this is the second year AD Dominic Loncar has rented the main stage at Alumnae Theatre. The festival is divided into two programs of eight new 10-minute plays each – and each year, the theme is based on one of the senses. This year, it’s sound: blueSound (sounds that float or drift) and redSound (sounds that disturb or awaken).

blueSound plays that stood out for me: Happy New Trout (by Alum gal Suzanne Courtney), Labyrinth, Hum of the Arctic and The Seven Lovers of Bluehat Whistletop. I’ll be going to see the redSound program this coming weekend.

You can still catch InspiraTO – it runs until Saturday, June 11:

http://www.inspiratofestival.ca

And Billy Elliot – well, I was a huge fan of the movie and loved the production I saw in NYC a couple of years ago, so I was very excited to see it finally come to T.O. I went with my friend Lesley and her son Chris – and we had a blast! It was especially cool to see Kate Hennig as Mrs. Wilkinson, Billy’s dance teacher (I saw her in the NYC production as well, and that was her first performance). J.P. Viernes played Billy – and the matinée we saw was his final performance.

I love this story for its message of being who you are – and especially that it’s okay for a kid to do something that’s considered to be outside the realm of “normal” gender behaviour (I love the movie Bend it Like Beckham for the same reason). And I also love how the mining village support of Billy not only helps him to shine, but in a larger sense he becomes a beacon of hope for the entire village. Fave numbers: Express Yourself, the angry dance and We Were Kings (the latter always gets me vklempt).

If you haven’t seen this show, go see it. And if you’ve seen it before, go see it again – and take a kid with you.

p.s. – just got a new tattoo (on my right forearm), so it’s been a tad awkward typing. I’ll try to get someone to take a picture and I’ll post it here.