spirit – life with more cowbell

Saying goodbye to the youth of Ireland in the lyrical, hopeful, entertaining Many Young Men of Twenty

Foreground: James Phelan, Tina McCulloch, Emmet Leahy and William Laxamana. Background: Martin McGuane. Set design by Tim O’Connell and Sean Treacy. Costume design by Bernadette Hunt. Lighting design by Karlos Griffith. Photo by Gregory Breen. The Toronto Irish Players take us to a time of desperate hope and dreams, leaving and staying behind, with itsContinue reading “Saying goodbye to the youth of Ireland in the lyrical, hopeful, entertaining Many Young Men of Twenty”

NSTF: Love, grief & celebrating life in the deeply moving, resonant musical Every Silver Lining

Allison Wither & Laura Piccinin. Photo by Tanja-Tiziana. Silver Lining Productions brings its Toronto Fringe 2019 breakout musical theatre hit Every Silver Lining to the Factory Theatre Mainspace for the Next Stage Theatre Festival. Written by Laura Piccinin and Allison Wither, and directed by Jennifer Stewart, with music direction by Aaron Eyre, Every SilverContinue reading “NSTF: Love, grief & celebrating life in the deeply moving, resonant musical Every Silver Lining”

Hope, spirit & skepticism in the vital, timely The Election

Clockwise from top: Anand Rajaram, Rachel Cairns, Augusto Bitter & Joelle Peters. Set design by Anahita Dehbonehie. Lighting design by Kaitlin Hickey. Costume design by Jackie Chau. Photo by John Lauener. Common Boots Theatre, in association with Nightwood Theatre and Theatre Direct, explores the hope, spirit and skepticism on the ground during the 2015 CanadianContinue reading “Hope, spirit & skepticism in the vital, timely The Election”

Self-discovery & reconnecting with the land in the delightful, magical, thought-provoking There is No Word for Wilderness

Shaquille Pottinger, Lisa Hamalainen, Jack Comerford, Joe Recinos & Morgan Johnson. Costume design by Beatriz Arevalo. Mask design by Alexandra Simpson. Puppet design by Patricia Mader. Dress rehearsal photo by Producer Rebecca Ballarin. Animacy Theatre Collective and Arts in the Parks present Lisa Hamalainen’s interdisciplinary, land-based theatrical nature walk There is No Word forContinue reading “Self-discovery & reconnecting with the land in the delightful, magical, thought-provoking There is No Word for Wilderness”

A photo album of family, love & memento mori in the profoundly moving, nostalgic, candid Dividing Lines/Líneas Divisorias

Beatriz Pizano & Julia (projected photo). Scenography by Trevor Schwellnus, with associate lighting designer Rebecca Vandevelde. Costume design by Andjelija Djuric. Photo by Jeremy Mimnagh. “They say blood is thicker than water — I say, love is thicker than blood.” Aluna Theatre premieres Beatriz Pizano’s Dividing Lines/Líneas Divisorias, a photo album of family, love andContinue reading “A photo album of family, love & memento mori in the profoundly moving, nostalgic, candid Dividing Lines/Líneas Divisorias”

Toronto Fringe: Party like a sumo wrestler with Robin F*cking Black in the gutsy, inspirational Enjoy the Hostilities

Robin Black. Photo by John Laszlo Bruce. Pressgang Theatre takes us on a wild, wisdom-filled storytelling ride with its Toronto Fringe production of Enjoy the Hostilities, written by Robin Black and Graham Isador, directed by Isador and performed by Black—running now at The Bovine. Part personal journey, part edgy TedTalk, the storytelling is frank,Continue reading “Toronto Fringe: Party like a sumo wrestler with Robin F*cking Black in the gutsy, inspirational Enjoy the Hostilities”