Gracing The Stage

The update’s back! I took a week off to prep for the Summerworks Festival – you really should have a look at the special posts on the Theatre and Music Series – so this here’s the first weekly update since July. Let’s dive right in, shall we?

In Theatre,

Summerworks is wrapping up this weekend, and there’s so many great plays (and performance pieces, and concerts) you should do your darndest to catch before it all wraps up. My must-see shows so far are “Melancholy Play”, ‘Montparnasse”, “The Middle Place”, “Impromptu Splendor”, and “Nohayquiensepa”; I’d also strongly recommend “Fear and Misery of the Third Reich”, “Red Machine: Part 2″, “Benu”, “Underneath”, “Every Time I See Your Picture I Cry”, and “The Epic of Gilgamesh (Up Until the Part When Enkidu Dies)”.

Dana Puddicombe's Summerwalks tour, "Love Letters to Queen Street West", takes its participants through the back alleys and hidden places of the busy neighborhood.

What I haven’t yet written about in the special posts are the more interactive aspects of the festival; namely, the Performance Gallery, and the Summerwalks. The Gallery is PWYC, and gives you a chance to take part in a number of social experiments, plus see some pretty fascinating theatrical pieces; the Walks are something else entirely. They’re opportunities to discover aspects of a fairly well known neighborhood (Queen St. West) from a new perspective, whether that be from the POV of a newcomer to the city (Dana Puddicombe’s “Love Letters to Queen St. W.”) , or through the family history of an immigrant who’s watched the neighborhood change for 30 years (Byron Abalos’ “Lola Lita”).

There IS theatre besides Summerworks running through the weekend, to next week, and beyond, like Canstage’s Dream in High Park production of “The Tempest“,  MacKenzieRo’s “Teach i Dtir: Voices from Ireland Park“, and newly opening shows like Soulpepper’s production of “Billy Bishop Goes to War“, starring Eric Petersen, and Red Tape Theatre’s tiny indie basement performance of Stephen Belber’s”Tape” (I’ll go into more detail of all these next Friday, most like – Summerworks still has me by the throat).

(For Comedy, Film, Music, and the weekly picks, keep going…)

In Comedy,

Summerworks has that too, including the theatrical gymnastics of The National Theatre of the World’s “Impromptu Splendor“, and Project Undertow’s sublimely silly “Melancholy Play“.

Missed "Impromptu Splendor" at Summerworks? Or, want to see them again? You're in luck; the trio (Naomi Snieckus, Ron Pederson, & Matt Baram) host "The Carnegie Hall Show" this Wednesday (and every Wednesday) at Bread and Circus (photo by Skye Regan).

Non-festival chortles? Well, Impromptu Splendor alum Kayla Lorette hosts this weekend’s Sunday Night Live (and also guests on Wednesday on the National Theatre of The World’s variety show “The Carnegie Hall Show” at Bread and Circus); there’s an edition of “Sketch Wars” at Comedy Bar on Tuesday (followed by the weekly screening of “Hotbox” ); Monkey Toast’s improvised talk show is Sunday at the Gladstone; and the popular all-female sketch troupe She Said What has a special on Friday at Comedy Bar, with guest host Debra DiGiovanni.

But the big news this week in comedy is the return of several influential Toronto comedy acts, after long years of absence. The comedy film series Pirate Video Cabaret, which ran 6 years in T.O. until its demise in 2004, is back as of this Thursday, re-launching at Comedy Bar; veteran sketch troupe The Chumps, whose alumni include Lisa Merchant and Jerry Schaefer, are playing at Bad Dog Theatre every Friday in August; and comedy hip-hop & beat box trio Calcu-Lator and the Oral Presentation, who have been silent for several years, have embarked on a monthly residency at the Drake Hotel (they play Friday, with guests like Bob Wiseman and The Remainders).

In Film,

Nazi zombies stalk a terrified party of skiers in "Dead Snow", screening at the After Dark Film Fest.

New and recent films include “G.I. Joe; The Rise of Cobra“, a silly but entertaining popcorn flick based on Hasbro’s 3 3/4 inch special forces figurines; “District 9“, a smart and original sci-fi tale about how humanity quarantines alien refugees in a slum outside Johannesberg, producer by Peter Jackson, and directed by Neill Blomkamp, who is still tapped for an upcoming adaptation of the video game “Halo”; and “Ponyo“, a collaboration between Disney and the legendary Japanese animator Hayao Miyazaki (“Princess Mononoke”, “Spirited Away”, “Howl’s Moving Castle”), in which a wild goldfish falls in love with a boy in a coastal town, and resolves to become human.

Other film attractions this week include a screening of George Lucas‘ “American Grafitti” at the Drake Hotel Sky Yard, hosted by Canadian filmmaker Bruce MacDonald, and the After Dark Film Festival, which runs at the Bloor Cinema until next Friday August 21st (more details on the festival can be found HERE ).

In Music,

The Summerworks Music Series wraps up this Saturday, with sets by Great Bloomers, who’ve been on the road for most of the summer, and Germans, a local band who haven’t played locally for almost a year and a half. It’s one of the most highly anticipated shows of the fest (for people in music circles, anyway).

Post-Music Series, it’s still a busy week; Pony Da Look and pals play Trash Cinema (one of Toronto’s most interesting underground venues) this Monday; on Wednesday, there’s tough choices to be made by music fans, including the country twang of Carolyn Marks and $100 at the ‘Shoe, a strong and eclectic line-up on the Tranzac Club’s Wombat Wednesday showcase (including I Am Robot and Proud), and Do Make Say Think, who play the launch party for The Bicycle Film Festival.

Thursday, there’s a show by The Owle Bird and The Weather Station at the acoustically pleasing Music Gallery; and on Friday, there’s a second edition of the Bowszer series at Bread and Circus, bringing 8-bit and video game inspired music acts together with gamers; you can challenge the musicians (including PDF Format and Tetris Hold ‘Em) to a round of Mario Kart between sets!

Gordon Lightfoot's new favourite band, Great Bloomers, close the Summerworks Music Series this Saturday night at the Theatre Centre (photo by Kathy Grant).

Steve’s Weekly Picks for Aug. 14th – Aug. 21st, 2009:

Dapper Dan: Ennis Esmer stars in the hit Summerworks comedy "Melancholy Play" closing this Saturday, then brings his beat box and hip hop comedy outfit Calcu-Lator and the Oral Presentation to the Drake Underground next Friday.

FRIDAY Aug. 14th: Summerworks: “Nohayquiensepa“, w/ Carlos  Gonzalez-Vio, Beatrice Pizano, Ravi Jain, more, @ The Factory Theatre Mainspace, 4:30pm, $10 (less w/ pass)      /       Summerworks: “The Ecstasy of Mother Teresa, or Agnes Bojaxhiu Superstar“, w/ Kaitlyn Regehr, Matthew Boden, nisha ahuja, more, @ The Theatre Centre, 6pm, $10 (less w/ pass)       /     Summerworks Performance Gallery, w/ Chris Stanton, Laurel McDonald, Clinton Walker, more, @ The Gladstone Hotel (2nd floor), 7-9pm, PWYC      /       Summerworks: “Every Time I See Your Picture I Cry“, w/ Daniel Barrow, @ Theatre Passe Muraille, 8:30pm, $10 (less w/ pass)      /       Summerworks Music Series: Sunparlour Players, w/ Josh Reichmann, @ The Theatre Centre, 10:30pm, $10 (less w/ pass)

SATURDAY Aug. 15th Aft.: Summerworks: “Toronto Noir“, w/ Murray Foster, Sarah Mennell, Jack Grinhaus, more, @ The Theatre Centre, Noon, $10 (less w/ pass)    /    Summerwalks: “Lola Lita”, w/ Byron Abalos, @ The Factory Theatre Courtyard, 1:15pm, $5    /     Summerworks: “The Nick Drake Project“, w/ Ryan Tilley, Melissa Lynn Dozois, Ryan Ward, more, @ The Factory Theatre Mainspace, 2:30pm, $10 (less w/ pass) / Summerwalks: “Love Letters to Queen West”, w/ Dana Puddicombe, @ The Factory Theatre Courtyard, 3pm, $5 /      Summerworks: “Impromptu Splendor“, w/ Ron Pederson, Naomi Snieckus, Matt Baram, @ Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace, 4:30pm, $10 (less w/ pass)

SATURDAY Aug. 15th Eve:  Summerworks: “Fear and Misery of the Third Reich“, w/ Marjorie Chan, Ben Sanders, Lisa Li, more, @ The Theatre Centre, 6pm, $10 (less w/ pass) /        Summerworks: “Red Machine: Part 2“, w/ Chris Stanton, Paula-Jean Prudat, David Yee, more, @ The Theatre Centre, 8pm, $10 (Less w/ Pass)      /       Summerworks: “Melancholy Play“, w/ Ingrid Rae Doucet, Ennis Esmer, Melissa Jane Shaw, more, @ The Factory Theatre Mainspace, 10:30pm, $10 (less w/ pass)      /     Summerworks: “The Middle Place“, w/ Akosua Amo-Adem, Antonio Cayonne, Jessica Greenberg, more, @ Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace, 10:30pm, $10 (less w/ pass)      / Summerworks Music Series: Great Bloomers, w/ Germans, @ The Theatre Centre, 10:30pm, $10 (less w/ pass)

SUNDAY Aug. 16th Aft.: Summerworks: ” XXX Live Nude Girls“, w/ Ginette Mohr, Christine Duncan, Kate Fenton, more, @ Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace, 12:30pm, $10 (less w/ pass)      /        Summerworks Summerwalks: “A Length of Chain”, w/ Bruce Beaton, @ The Factory Theatre Courtyard, 1:15pm, $5         /         Summerworks: “Montparnasse“, w/ Erin Shields, Maev Beaty, @ Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace, 2:30pm, $10 (less w/ pass)     /     Summerworks: “Benu” , w/ d. bi. young, @ Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace, 4:30pm, $10 (less w/ pass)

That poor sunflower knows it'll never outshine Kayla Lorette (Impromptu Splendor alumni, Ghost Jail Theatre); the cherub-cheeked improviser hosts Sunday Night Live at Comedy Bar this weekend, and guests on "The Carnegie Hall Show" on Wednesday at Bread and Circus.

SUNDAY Aug. 16th Eve: Summerworks: “Underneath“, w/  Christine Horne, John Gordon, Pip Dwyer, more, @ Factory Theatre Mainspace, 6:30pm, $10 (less w/ pass) / After Dark Film Festival: Dead Snow”, w/ “Deadwalkers”, @ The Bloor Cinema, 6:45pm, $10-$12 (Zombies half-price)      /      Summerworks: “The Epic of Gilgamesh (Up Until the Part Where Enkidu Dies)“, w/ Frank Cox O’Donnell, Ieva Lucs, Carlos Gonzales-Vio, more, @ Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace, 8:30pm, $10 (less w/ pass) / Sunday Night Live, w/ host Kayla Lorette, The Sketchersons, musical guest Maneli Jamal, @ Comedy Bar, 9:30pm, $8      /      After Dark Film Festival: “The Revenant”, w/ “Bad Roomate”, @ The Bloor Cinema, 9:30pm, $10-$12 (Zombies half price)

MONDAY Aug. 17th: “Teach i dTir: Voices From Ireland Park“, w/ Cathy Murphy, Eli Ham, Viv Moore, more, @ Ireland Park (Bathurst & Queens Quay), 7pm, PWYC      /         Pony Da Look , Buildings, Romo Roto, @ Trash Palace (89-B Niagara), 8pm, $5

Sky Shark (AKA Mack Lawrenz) is the musical guest for the return of Pirate Video Cabaret, this Thursday at Comedy Bar.

TUESDAY Aug. 18th: CanStage Dream in High Park: “The Tempest”, w/ Karen Robinson, Audrey Dwyer, Taylor Trowbridge, more, @ High Park (Bloor & Parkside), 8pm, PWYC /     “Sketch Wars“, w/ Parker and Seville, TITS, The Beautiful Losers, host Norm Sousa, more, @ Comedy Bar, 8pm, $5 (followed by screening of “Hot Box”, 10pm, FREE)      /     Drake Drive-In: “American Grafitti”, w/ host Bruce MacDonald, @ the Drake Hotel Sky Yard, 9pm, FREE      /      “District 9″, @ Rainbow Market Square Cinemas, 11:45pm (also 7pm & 9:30pm), $4

WEDNESDAY Aug. 19th: “Granny Boots“, w/ Casey Mejica (Ohbijou), Gentleman Reg, Katie Sketch (ex-The Organ), more, @ The Gladstone Hotel Ballroom, 7:30pm, FREE      /      Wombat Wednesdays, w/  I Am Robot and Proud, Radius & Helena, Gravity Wave, more, @ The Tranzac Club, 8:30pm, $5       /     “The Carnegie Hall Show“, w/ Kayla Lorette, Cleopatra Willaims, Malignant Humour, more, @ Bread and Circus, 9pm, PWYC      /       Bicycle Film Festival opening night party: Do Make Say Think, w/ The Wooden Sky, Evening Hymns, at the Polish Combatants Hall, 10pm, $22 (ALL AGES)

THURSDAY Aug. 20th: “Tape“, w/ Benjamin Blais, Joe Dinicol, Carrie-Lynn Neales, @ Lennox Contemporary Gallery (12 Ossington Ave.), 8pm, $15 /      The Owle Bird, w/ The Weather Station, @ The Music Gallery, 8pm, $5       /     “Pirate Video Cabaret“, w/ Mark Hickox, Sandra Battaglini, Mark Andrada, host Simon Fraser, musical guest SkyShark, more, @ Comedy Bar, 10pm, $10

FRIDAY Aug. 21st: “The Chumps“, w/ Lisa Merchant, Jerry Schaefer, Moira Dunphy, more, @ Bad Dog Theatre, 8pm, $10       /      Calcu-Lator & The Oral Presentation, w/ D-Sisive, Bob Wiseman, hosts The Remainders, more, @ The Drake Hotel Underground, 8pm, $15      /      She Said What?, w/ host Debra DiGiovanni, @ Comedy Bar, 10pm, $12      /      “Bowser Attacks!“, w/ PDF Format, Tetris Hold Em, Dead Beat Blast, more, @ Bread & Circus, 10pm,  $7 with Mario Bill printed out, $10 w/out

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).

- Theatre and Comedy events are ALL AGES, unless otherwise noted. Music events are 19+, unless otherwise noted (FREE in-store and outdoor performances are ALL AGES, due to the lack of alcohol service).