In Theatre,

The immensely popular edgy new opera series, Tapestry’s “Opera to Go“, runs this weekend, with four new mini-operas debuting, all hewing to the series’ stated mandate to create accessible, “blue collar” opera; Small Wooden Shoe’s “Dedicated to the Revolution“, the final show in their brilliant theatrical meta-physic and philosophy show series, previews this weekend and opens mid-week at Buddies in Bad TImes Theatre; and two up and coming companies preview their productions of theatre classics this week, The Red Light Theatre Co. @ The Drake Hotel with their production of Moliere’s “The Misanthrope“, and Column 13’s double bill of David Mamet plays “American Buffalo” & “Edmond” at Theatre Passe Muraille.

Also, Layne Coleman’s “Tijuana Cure”closes this weekend at The Factory Theatre, as does Kristen Thompson’s “Patient Hour” at The Tarragon, and there’s just one week remaining for Theatre Smith-Gilmour’s “Katherine Mansfield” @ Factory, and Studio 180’s “Blackbird” and Theatre Columbus’ “And Up They Flew” at Canstage Berkeley.

In Comedy,

Laugh Sabbath takes advantage of the 5th Sunday in March by producing a “Best of” showcase, featuring some of the top acts to have performed in recent times on their stage, including “This Hour has 22 Minutes” on-air interviewer Nathan Fielder, character comic Kathleen Phillips, and improv duo The Flirts (Kurt Smeaton & Alana Johnston), plus most of the core members of the Laugh Sabbath collective.

Monday, there’s an edition of the “Awkward Show and Tell” series, featuring a mix of “amateurs” (like host Danny Shapiro) and “pros” (like improviser Becky Johnson and comic Megan Fraser) taking a turn at the mic to reveal embarrassing moments along the night’s theme of  work and school; Wednesday, there’s the eighth annual “Comedy Festival in a Night” at the Rivoli, featuring clown (Mark Andrada), stand-up (Mark Forward), and more; and Friday, all female sketch troupe She Said What, whose first showcase last month had to turn away people at the door due to over-capacity sales, performs a new show at Comedy Bar, with host Andrew Johnston.

(Read on below for Film, Music, and the week’s picks.)

In Film,

The comedy “Hank and Mike“, featuring local funnymen Paolo Mancini and Thomas Michael as the titular Easter bunny suit wearing slackers, has an exclusive run at the Yonge & Dundas AMC. The Hank and Mike sketches were the highlight of the late 90’s Canuck comedy show “Y B Normal”, and the reviews for their feature have been fairly positive. Also, in continued runs, there’s still Canuck flicks “Pontypool” and “One Week” (and “Watchmen“, of course).

In Music,

On Saturday, it’s the last show in a while for gospel / blues / rock collective Bruce Peninsula, who play Lee’s Palace; later on in the night, there’s a very special Shit La Merde, with DJ sets from local live electronic bands Holy Fuck and OPOPO. Sunday, there’s an excellent edition of the PWYC showcase music series Wavelength, w/ KidStreet (the band that got me sweatiest due to dancing at CMW), Adam & the Amethysts (featuring Adam Waito of Miracle Fortress and Telefauna), and DJ Slippers (AKA Dwight Schenk).

In the upcoming week, the Weakerthans and Constantines play three nights (Tuesday to Thursday) at the Phoenix ( the first two shows are technically sold out, though tix are likely available at the door, or scalped - ugh); Gravity Wave plays a second annual April Fools bonanza show, premiering the video for their single “Buffalo Jump”, and featuring the debut of Colour Bars, a new band fronted by precocious teen scenester (and Gravity Wave alumni) Tom MacCammon; Thursday, there’s a goodbye show for The Phonemes and Laura Barrett, who are departing on a cross Canada tour together, at the Tranzac Club, and a welcome home show for Peter Katz, playing his first local headlining gig since his return from his grueling 5th national tour, at Hugh’s Room.

Finally, The No Shame series brings The Whitsundays (members of Faunts and Shout Out Out Out Out) to Sneaky Dee’s next Friday, w/ openers Pick a Piper (members of Caribou) and The Superstitions; music blogger extraordinaire Frank Yang’s has sample MP3s and a chance to win tickets up on Chromewaves.

Steve’s Weekly Picks for Mar. 27th - Apr. 3rd, 2009:

FRIDAY Mar.“Elephant Empire“, w/ Peter Stevens, David Reale, Punch Drysdale, more, @ Comedy Bar, 7:30pm, $10     /     Run With the Kittens, w/ Chinese Food, Major Grey, @ The Horseshoe Tavern, 9:30pm, $10     /     The Warped 45s, w/ Drew Hawkins, @ The Dakota Tavern, 10pm, $5     /     “Late Night Horror Show“, w/ Brian Froud, Christie Bruce, Kevin Matviw,  host Sean Browning, more, @ Bad Dog Theatre,  11:59pm, $5

SATURDAY Mar. 28th Aft.: “Tijuana Cure“, w/ Ieva Lucs, @ Factory Theatre, 2:30pm, PWYC     /     “Hank & Mike“, @ AMC Yonge & Dundas, 5:05pm, $10-$13

SATURDAY Mar. 28th Eve: Howie Beck in-store performance, @ Soundscapes, 7pm, FREE      /      Tapestry Presents “Opera to Go”, w/ Keith Klassen, Krisztina Szabo, Sally Dibblee, more, @ The Harbourfront Centre (Enwave Theatre), 8pm, $20-$40 / Bruce Peninsula(12am), w/ Sister Suvi(11pm), Takka Takka (10pm), @ Lee’s Palace, $8     /      Shit La Merde, w/ Holy Fuck, OPOPO, @ Sneaky Dee’s, 11pm onwards, $5 /     “The Dumbest Shit“, w/ Pat Thornton, Deborah Robinson, David Dineen-Porter, hosts Chris Locke & Brian Barlow, more, @ Comedy Bar, 12am, FREE

SUNDAY Mar. 29th Aft.: “Katherine Mansfield”, w/ Dean Gilmour, Claire Calnan, Adam Paolozza, more, @ Factory Theatre, 2:30pm, $10      /     “Pontypool”, @ Carleton Cinemas, 4pm (also 1:40pm), $10.50

SUNDAY Mar. 29th Eve: “Best of Laugh Sabbath“, w/ Nathan Fielder, Kathleen Phillips, The Flirts, host Tim Gilbert, more, @ The Rivoli, 9pm, $5 / Junior Boys, w/ Max Tundra, @ The Mod Club, 9pm, $18 /      Wavelength 456, w/ Adam & The Amythysts, KidStreet, DJ Slippers, host Doc Pickles, more, @ Sneaky Dee’s, 10pm, PWYC

MONDAY Mar. 30th: “And Up They Flew“, w/ Paul Braunstein, Michelle Fisk, John Cleland, more, @ Canstage Berkeley Theatre, 8pm, PWYC /     “Awkward Show and Tell“, w/ Becky Johnson, Dylan Reibling, Megan Fraser, host Daniel Shapiero, more, @ The Victory Cafe, 8:30pm, FREE     /      Cut Off Your Hands(11pm), w/ Boys Who Say No (10pm), Siberia(9pm) @ The Horseshoe Tavern, $10

TUESDAY Mar. 31st: “One Week”, @ Rainbow Market Square Cinemas, 5:15pm (also 7:20pm & 9:30pm), $4     /     “Opera 101″, @ The Drake Hotel Lounge, 7:30pm, FREE     /     The East Village Opera Company, @ The Drake Hotel Underground, 8pm, $20         /       “Scared : The Sequel“, w/ Jason DeRosse, James Gangl, Adam Cawley, more, @ Rear View Mirror, 9pm, PWYC     /     The Weakerthans, Constantines, The Waking Eyes, @ The Phoenix, 8:30pm, $25

WEDNESDAY Apr. 1st: “The Misanthrope” preview show, w/ Simon Rainville, Eve Wylden, Ted Witzel, more, @ The Drake Hotel Underground, 8pm, $10     /      “8th Annual Comedy Festival in a Night”, w/ Mark Forward, Sandra Battaglini, Mark Andrada, host Ron Sparks, more, @ The Rivoli, 8pm, PWYC          /      Gravity Wave video premiere, w/ Colour Bars, hypnotist The Magically Hip, more, @ The Habesha Club ( 875 Bloor St. W. @ Ossington), 8:30pm, $7

THURSDAY Apr. 2nd: “Pad Set“, w/ Kris Siddiqi, Julie Dumais, Kurt Smeaton, more, @ Bad Dog Theatre, 8pm, PWYC     /     Small Wooden Shoe presents “Dedicated to the Revolutions“, w/ Frank Cox O’Donnell, Erin Shields, Evan Webber, more, @ Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 8pm, $15-$35    /      Peter Katz (9:15pm), w/ Rob Szabo (8:30pm), @ Hugh’s Room, $15     /     The Phonemes, w/ Laura Barrett, @ The Tranzac Club, 10pm, $6

FRIDAY Apr. 3rd: “She Said What… A Night!“, w/ Carly Heffernan, Megan Deeks, Emma Hunter, host Andrew Johnston, more, @ Comedy Bar, 7:30pm, $12     /     “Crapshoot“, w/ Julia Lederer, Haley McGee, Peter Fulton, more, @ Theatre Passe Muraille, 10pm, PWYRoll ($1-$6)     /     NO SHAME presents… The Whitsundays, w/ Pick a Piper, The Superstitions, @ Sneaky Dee’s, 10pm, $8

Fine Print:

- All prices listed are advance ticket prices (where applicable). With many of these shows, especially music and theatre, if you show up at the door, you run the risk of being turned away due to a sell out.

- All times are start times, NOT door times. If you show up after the posted time, the show will likely already be underway.

- I typically cap the listed performers at three mentioned per show. The bill of bands / acts / performers is often much larger (particularly for comedy and theatre).

Filed under: GTS Update by Steve