Alumnae Theatre Company (ATC) opens its annual FireWorks Festival of new works with Natalie Frijia’s Belle Darling Klondike Queen, directed by Lori Delorme, with music direction by Anita Beaty—running upstairs in the Studio. Part cabaret, part vaudeville, all heart—this highly entertaining and engaging piece of musical storytelling takes us on vaudeville star Klondike Kate’s (bornContinue reading “FireWorks Festival: Real-life fame, fortune & fall in the entertaining, heart-felt Belle Darling Klondike Queen”
Tag Archives: true story
Toronto Fringe: Getting in & out of Scientology in the hilarious, heartbreaking, irreverent Squeeze My Cans
Cathy Schenkelberg. Sound & production design by Victoria (Toy) Deiorio. Photo by Michael C. Daft. Squeeze My Cans presents Squeeze My Cans, the true story of Cathy Schenkelberg’s indoctrination into and exit from Scientology—a multimedia solo show trip that is by turns hilarious, heartbreaking, irreverent, infuriating and terrifying. Written and performed by Schenkelberg, andContinue reading “Toronto Fringe: Getting in & out of Scientology in the hilarious, heartbreaking, irreverent Squeeze My Cans”
Identity, recognition & family in the fascinating, moving, intimate Canadian Rajah
Jon De Leon & Barbara Worthy. Costumes by Jennifer Triemstra-Johnston. Photo by Kelsi Dewhurst. The Canadian Rajah Collective presents the world premiere of Dave Carley’s Canadian Rajah, directed by Sarah Phillips and running in the ballroom at Campbell House Museum; it’s the true story of Esca Brooke, the first-born son of one of theContinue reading “Identity, recognition & family in the fascinating, moving, intimate Canadian Rajah”
A legendary & mostly true screenwriting miracle in the hilarious Moonlight & Magnolias
Martin Buote, Rob Candy & Ryan Bannon. Mural by Elaine Freedman. Lighting design by Dustin Woods-Turner. Costumes by Lisha Mohan. Photo by Graeme Hay. The Village Players presents Moonlight and Magnolias, the mostly true story of how the final screenplay for Gone with the Wind was written—the 80th anniversary of the iconic film’s release isContinue reading “A legendary & mostly true screenwriting miracle in the hilarious Moonlight & Magnolias”
Shaken faith & lost innocence in Soulpepper’s haunting yet hopeful Innocence Lost: A Play about Steven Truscott
Berkley Silverman & Dan Mousseau. Set design by Camellia Koo. Costume design by Sue LePage. Lighting design by Bonnie Beecher. Photo by Cylla von Tiedemann. A town divided in the aftershock of the tragic rape and murder of a 12-year-old girl; and subsequent adult trial and conviction of a 14-year-old classmate. A journalist doggedly pursuingContinue reading “Shaken faith & lost innocence in Soulpepper’s haunting yet hopeful Innocence Lost: A Play about Steven Truscott”
Dangerous desires, conflicting memories & a questionable verdict in Village Players’ dark, haunting Tainted Justice
Katherine Anne Fairfoul, Chris O’Bray & Rob McMullan. Set design by Alexis Chub. Costume design by Livia Pravato-Fuchs. Lighting design by Jamie Sample. Photo by Dave A. Fitzpatrick. Did an American drifter or family secrets kill the town innkeeper? The Village Players opened their production of Don Nigro’s Tainted Justice, directed by Victoria Shepherd, atContinue reading “Dangerous desires, conflicting memories & a questionable verdict in Village Players’ dark, haunting Tainted Justice”
Toronto Fringe: Love, joy & taming dragons in the funny, frank, moving The Clergy Project
A rabbi, a minister and a priest walk into a theatre… Happy Fringe, guys! I started my Toronto Fringe adventures with the opening of Soulo Theatre’s production of The Clergy Project, directed by Tracey Erin Smith, which played to a sold-out house and a standing ovation last night at First Narayever Congregation. It’s no secretContinue reading “Toronto Fringe: Love, joy & taming dragons in the funny, frank, moving The Clergy Project”
Memory, loss & insight—true stories of living with mental illness in the funny, poignant Stories Like Crazy double bill
After launching Stories Like Crazy with their inaugural podcast at the beginning of Mental Health Week, Adrianna Prosser and Lori Lane Murphy finished off the week with two real-life solo shows that “stomp on stigma and set fire to adult colouring books”: Lane Murphy’s Upside Down Dad and Prosser’s Everything but the Cat. The doubleContinue reading “Memory, loss & insight—true stories of living with mental illness in the funny, poignant Stories Like Crazy double bill”
Facing death with dignity, humour & love in the thoughtful, sharply funny, moving A Better Place
LilyRose Productions opened Ramona Baillie’s A Better Place, directed by Barbara Larose, with assistant director Ellen Green, in the Factory Theatre Studio last night. Based on a true story, A Better Place takes us on the 14-month journey of a woman faced with a devastating medical diagnosis. Stella Russo (Kris Langille) is an active 55-year-oldContinue reading “Facing death with dignity, humour & love in the thoughtful, sharply funny, moving A Better Place”
SummerWorks: Bittersweet, heartbreaking & hopeful true story of mental illness in Bitter Medicine
What happens when your seemingly average, regular family is touched by mental illness and suicide? Bitter Medicine, a true story written by Clem Martini – based on the graphic novel of the same title by Martini and his brother Oliver – and directed for this SummerWorks production by Patrick Finn, gives a first-person account of theContinue reading “SummerWorks: Bittersweet, heartbreaking & hopeful true story of mental illness in Bitter Medicine”
life with more cowbell 