What's on: In Queer Toronto Theatre Scene?
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OuteXpressions online newspaper is a Publication of the Toronto Queer West Arts Centre. Copyright 2012. All Rights Reserved. Outexpressions is copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of Outexpressions or its publisher. We are dedicated to promoting the Queer Toronto and it's performing arts community to the world, for the past ten years. We're not an exclusively gay and lesbian publication. Each year we help to inform the entertainment decision-making process of more than 685,000 visitors from within Canada and abroad. We are consistently No 1 or on Page One in Google for most search returns. "Our entertainment event lists are now hosted on: DigitalJournal.com One of the worlds leading alternative news networks. Listing editor: OUTeXpressions@gmail.com Phone: 1-416-879-7954 If your not on OUTexpression, your not being seen.

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A Brimful of Asha. @ Tarragon Theatre mother and son Asha and Ravi Jain to reenact their true story of generational and culture clash, between traditional Indian and modern Canadian values. The Jains stage and recount how Ravi, an Indian Canadian on vacation in the motherland, meets his parents by surprise, after which they attempt to fix him into an arranged marriage. Runs January 24 to February 18, 2012. Tarragon Theatre ExtraSpace, 30 Bridgman Ave. www.tarragontheatre.com

Beckett: Feck It! @ Berkeley Street Theatre One of the great playwrights of the twentieth century gets his due in Beckett: Feck It!, a tribute show to Irish writer Samuel Beckett. A co-production of the Canadian Stage Company and Queen of Puddings Music Theatre, the show is directed by Jennifer Tarver, with musical direction by Dáirine Ní Mheadhra and John Hess. One of the key figures of the Theatre of the Absurd movement, Samuel Beckett is best known for Waiting for Godot and Endgame. Beckett: Feck It! features text from the playwright's shorter works, as well as modern classical music from Irish composers inspired by his work. Runs February 17 to 25. https://www.canadianstage.com/Online/

Cabaret by Joe Masteroff, John Kander and Fred Ebb (Hart House Theatre) In the midst of Nazi Germany, the cabaret is an oasis where people go to escape reality and share in some scrap of happiness. In the cabaret anything goes: loose women, looser men and a cocktail of drugs, booze and music that keeps the fantasy alive. This dark, sexy musical has played around the world to great acclaim and now Hart House Theatre’s skilled, young and dynamic artists will produce the work for the first time the Theatre’s long history.. Opens Jan 13 and runs to Jan 28, Wed-Sat 8 pm, mat Jan 28 at 2 pm. $25, stu/srs $10-$15. 7 Hart House Circle. 416-978-8849, harthousetheatre.ca.

Cruel And Tender @ Bluma Appel Theatre by Martin Crimp (Canadian Stage). A general fighting a war in Africa sends a local woman back home to his pampered wife in this modern update of Sophocles' Trachiniae. Previews Jan 21-25. Opens Jan 26 and runs to Feb 18. $22-$99. Bluma Appel Theatre, 27 Front E. 416-368-3110, canadianstage.com.

Dark Matters @ Bluma Appel Theatre Multiple-award-winning choreographer Crystal Pite's Dark Matters features six dancers and an original score by long-time collaborator Owen Belton. The piece explores dark matter, both the kind explored by scientists in a lab and the kind that is within the human mind. Dark Matters combines pure dance and puppetry and explores Pite's curiosity of the unknown. The show was created by Pite's company Kidd Pivot. Runs February 28 to March 3. 416-368-3110 https://www.canadianstage.com/Online/

Divisadero @ Theatre Passe Muraille: A Performance based on the novel by Michael Ondaatje (Necessary Angel/the Film Farm). A family is forever changed by a violent event in this musical adaptation about memory, identity and love. Previews Feb 8. Opens Feb 10 and runs to Feb 26. $25-$35, preview $10, Sun pwyc. Theatre Passe Muraille, 16 Ryerson. 416-504-7529, necessaryangel.com.

Funkyland (Famous People Players). The blacklight theatre company presents a twist on Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland. Opens Jan 24 and runs to Apr 28. $62, srs $56, child $40 (includes meal). 343 Evans. 416-532-1137, fpp.org

Hamlet Live (Hamlet Live Team) @ Annex Theatre. Shakespeare's tragedy is adapted to a dystopian post-apocalyptic future in this production that can be viewed live onstage or via computer live stream. Opens Jan 26 and runs to Feb 11. $5-$40. Annex Theatre, 730 Bathurst. hamletlive.com

Henri Fabergé's Heligoland Follies (Stages). This monthly six-part performance series features music, comedy, film and narrative theatre about an 1820s community trying to reach a utopian ideal. Runs Jan 12 at 9 pm. Feb 2 at 9 pm. Mar 1 at 9 pm. Pwyc. Hart House, Arbor Room, 7 Hart House Circle. harthouse.utoronto.ca/arts/stages/henri.

Hughie @ Theatre Centre by Eugene O'Neill (The Alley Theatre Workshop). A night clerk at a NYC hotel hears a small-time hustler's tale of woe in this one-act play. Previews Feb 7. Opens Feb 8 and runs to Mar 3. $25, stu/srs $20, Theatre Centre 1087 Queen W. 416-538-0988 www.theatrecentre.org

La Fille Mal Gardée @ Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts First staged by the National Ballet of Canada in 1976, Sir Frederick Ashton's famous rendition of La Fille Mal Gardée (or: The Wayward Daughter) returns to the company's repertoire this year. Arranged by John Lanchbery from the 1828 score by Ferdinand Hérold, the ballet features performances by Sonia Rodriguez and Aleksandar Antonijevic. La Fille Mal Gardée is the comedic love story about a country girl who wants to marry a handsome farmer, although her mother has set her up to marry a rich fool. The original version, first performed in Bordeaux in 1789, had a score based on fifty-five anonymously-written French songs. Runs February 29, to March 4. tel: (416) 363-6671 or box office: (416) 363-8231 145 Queen St. West , Toronto , ON http://national.ballet.ca/

Les Rythmes De La Foret Collective of Black Artists and Harbourfront NextSteps present dances and rhythms from the sub-Saharan region accompanied by traditional drums and chants. Feb 3-5, Fri-Sat 8 pm, Sun 3 pm. $22-$30, stu/srs $18-$25. Fleck Dance Theatre, 207 Queens Quay W. 416-973-4000,harbourfrontcentre.com.

Love from Afar Opera @ Four Seasons For The Performing Arts. The Canadian Opera Company stages one of the most acclaimed operas of our time, Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho's Love from Afar. A 12th-Century tale of a search for love, the show is conducted by Johannes Debus and directed by Daniele Finzi Pasca, with performances by Russell Braun, Erin Wall and Krisztina Szabò. Love from Afar follows the journey of a French troubadour (Braun) who's weary of the common pleasures of life and, spurred by a pilgrim's (Szabò) stories, sets off to find the Countess of Tripoli (Wall), who represents his vision of ideal love. Runs February 2 to 22, 2012. http://www.coc.ca

Motown Gold @ Stage West Dinner Theatre Yet another hit musical revue, this time delivering the heart and soul of the Motown era! In 1960, Berry Gordy, Jr. incorporated the first record label featuring artists who infused a “soul” into the industry. It became the future of pop; Motown churned out artist after artist with hit after hit. Runs to February 5, 2012 Stage West Dinner Theatre -- 5400 Dixie Rd, Mississauga Ontario. www.stagewest.com

My Granny The Goldfish @ Factory Theatre A Toronto premiere by Vancouver novelist and playwright Anosh Irani. This acclaimed comedy by Vancouver novelist and playwright Anosh Irani (http://www.anoshirani.com/) tells the story of a hospitalized young man and his whiskey-toting grandmother from Bombay who comes to visit. Runs March 17 to April 15. 125 Bathurst St. www.factorytheatre.ca

Obeah Opera An opera set during the Salem witch hunt @ 918 Bathurst Street b current comes a new look at the infamous Salem, Massachusetts witch hunt and trials of the 1690s. Obeah Opera, a fully a capella opera written by Nicole Brooks and directed by ahdri zhina mandiela is a co-production with Theatre Archipelago, starring Saidah Baba Talibah, Joni NehRita, Ella Andall, Saphire Demitro and Brooks.Exploring the Caribbean connection of the notorious event, Obeah Opera tells the story of five women accused of forbidden spiritual acts in their Puritan town. Using music and a ten-woman chorus, the opera exposes the myth of obeah as a sinful practice. Musical direction by Tova Kardonne. 416-533-1500 http://www.bcurrent.ca/ Runs Wednesday February 15 to Sunday March 4

Penny Plain by Ronnie Burkett (Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes). A reclusive old woman's sanctuary is disrupted by a chaotic outside world. Previews Jan 20-24, Fri-Sat and Tue 8 pm, Sun 7 pm. Opens Jan 25 and runs to Feb 26, Tue-Sat 8 pm, Sun 2 pm. $30-$55. Factory Theatre, 125 Bathurst. 416-504-9971, factorytheatre.ca.

Pinkalicious, The Musical by Elizabeth Kann, Victoria Kann and John Gregor (Vital Theatre). A girl turns pink after eating too many cupcakes in this family show. Opens Aug 21 and runs Jan 15-29, Sun 1 pm. $20. Lower Ossington Theatre, 100A Ossington. 416-642-8973, vitaltheatre.ca.

Potted Potter: The Unauthorized Harry Experience @ Panasonic Theatre A Parody by Dan and Jeff makes its North American debut after playing to sold-out crowds in the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. Written and performed by BBC personalities Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner, the show condenses the Potter series to a mere seventy minutes. With Monty Python-influenced comedy, Potted Potter features songs, costume changes, props and even audience participation in a real-life game of Quidditch, but with different rules. Runs February 11, 2012 to March 04, 2012 http://www.pottedpotter.com/ | http://www.mirvish.com/theatres/panasonictheatre

Red Snow by Diana Tso (Red Snow Collective). This story of love and struggling to reconcile the past with the present is inspired by stories of survivors of the Rape of Nanking. Previews Jan 12-13. Opens Jan 14 and runs to Jan 28, Jan 19-21 and 23-28 at 7:30 pm, mats Jan 21, 25 and 28 at 2 pm (see website for other times). $30, stu $15, Sat mat pwyc. Theatre Passe Muraille, 16 Ryerson. 416-504-7529, redsnowcollective.ca.

The Blue Dragon by Robert Lepage (Mirvish). The life of a Canadian expat living in Shanghai is turned upside down by two women in this multilingual dance-theatre piece. Rruns to Feb 19, Tue-Sat 8 pm, mats Sat-Sun and Wed 2 pm. $25-$99. Royal Alexandra Theatre, 260 King W. http://www.mirvish.com/

The Children's Republic @ Tarragon Theatre. a World War II-set drama about a doctor, educator and champion of children's rights, Janusz Korczak, who runs an orphanage in Warsaw. As the war rages, Dr. Korczak finds the courage and means to survive from a young boy named Israel. Runs to Feb 4, 2012 www.tarragontheatre.com/season/1112/the-childrens-republic/ Tarragon Theatre, 30 Bridgman Avenue, Toronto, ON,

The Double @ Factory Theatre by Fyodor Dostoevsky (TheatreRUN). A man tries desperately to fit in with a grotesque society in this multidisciplinary adaptation. Previews Feb 2. Opens Feb 3 and runs to Feb 19. $20-$28, preview/Sun pwyc. Factory Theatre, Studio, 125 Bathurst. 416-504-9971, theatrerun.wordpress.com.

The God of Hell @ Unit 102 Theatre Directed by Brandon Thomas. Stage managed by Nikol Pavlidou. Starring: Luis Fernandes, Jesse Ryder Hughes, David Lafontaine and Jenny Westoby. A tragic farce about small town dairy farmers, Emma and Frank, trying to live a peaceful life until Frank's old friend Haynes shows up who is running from the government for mysterious reasons involving plutonium. Another mysterious stranger named Welch shows up at the house and his aggressive patriotism puts Frank, Emma and Haynes to the test concluding in a final showdown over free will vs. conformity.

The Details: Unit 102 Theatre - 376 Dufferin unit 102 ( Queen and Dufferin) Just south on Dufferin. Starting Wednesday February 1st – Saturday February 4th @ 8pm and Wednesday February 8th – Saturday February 11th @ 8pm All tickets $15 at door / No latecomers Advance tickets are available for $12 through Unit 102 e-mail at unit102tix@gmail.com Theatre info on-line: www.unit102theatre.com

The Golden Dragon by Roland Schimmelpfennig (Tarragon Theatre). A restaurant's kitchen staff help an illegal immigrant search for his lost sister. Previews Jan 10-17. Opens Jan 18 and runs to Feb 19, Tue-Sat 8 pm, mats Sun 2:30 pm (and Jan 21, 28, Feb 4). $20-$51. 30 Bridgman. 416-531-1827,tarragontheatre.com

The Laramie Project @ Toronto Centre for the Arts A thought-provoking play about a group of ten New Yorkers who investigated a horrible crime in Laramie, Wyoming, interviewing over 200 residents of the town.Directed by Mario D'Alimonte. Runs January 26 to February 5. 416-733-9388 http://www.tocentre.com/studio/thelaramieproject

The Small Room at the Top of the Stairs @ Tarragon Theatre The Tarragon Theatre presents Carole Fréchette's play The Small Room at the Top of the Stairs, translated by John Murrell and directed by Weyni Mengesha. One of the most important playwrights to come out of Quebec in the last twenty-five years, Fréchette won a Governor General's Award in 1995 for The Four Lives of Marie; other acclaimed plays include Elisa's Skin, Seven Days in the Life of Simon Labrosse and Helen’s Necklace.A newly married woman, Grace, finds out that her husband does not permit her to enter a room in their house. The play follows her temptations as she wonders what his dark secret is. Runs February 28 to April 8 30 Bridgman. 416-531-1827,tarragontheatre.com

The Seagull @ Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts American-German choreographer John Neumeier's ballet rendition of Anton Chekhov's classic play The Seagull comes to the National Ballet of Canada. Using music by Pyotr Iliych Tchaikovsky, Dmitri Shostakovich, Evelyn Glennie and Alexander Scriabin, the ballet stars Sonia Rodriguez and Zdnek Konvalina. Checkhov's The Seagull, first staged in St. Petersburg in 1896, is about the struggles of love and art between several actors and writers on a country estate. After a disastrous opening, the play was remounted in Moscow by Constantin Stanislavski two years later and has been a standard ever since. Neumeier's adaptation changes the characters to dancers and choreographers.Runs March 21-25 tel: (416) 363-6671 or box office: (416) 363-8231 145 Queen St. West , Toronto , ON http://national.ballet.ca/

The Sound And Feel Of It Peggy Baker Dance Projects presents live musicians alongside dancers performing contemporary works by Baker. Jan 20-22. Jan 25-29, Wed-Sat 8:30 pm, Sun 4 pm. $28, stu/srs $22. Betty Oliphant Theatre, 404 Jarvis. 1-888-222-6608,

The Who's Tommy @ Hart House Theatre by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff (UC Follies). A traumatized boy discovers his talent for pinball in this rock musical. Opens Feb 2 and runs to Feb 11. $25, stu/srs $15. Hart House Theatre, 7 Hart House Circle. 416-978-8849, uofttix.ca.

Taptoo @ Jane Mallett Theatre by John Beckwith and James Reamy (Toronto Operetta Theatre). Set around the War of 1812, this operetta looks at the founding of Upper Canada and Toronto. Opens Feb 22 and runs to Feb 26. $66-$95. Jane Mallett Theatre, 27 Front E. 416-366-7723, torontooperetta.com

Tosca by Giacomo Puccini (Canadian Opera Company). A passionate woman is caught in a web of corruption, lust and betrayal in this Italian opera. Opens Jan 21 and runs to Feb 25, Jan 21 at 4:30 pm, Jan 25, 31, Feb 3, 7, 9, 11, 13, 16, 21, 23 and 25 at 7:30 pm, Jan 29 and Feb 5 at 2 pm. $12-$318. Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, 145 Queen W. 416-363-8231, coc.ca.

University Of Toronto Drama Festival (U of T Drama Coalition). This competitive showcase features plays written, directed and performed by students. Opens Feb 15 and runs to Feb 18. $12, stu/srs $10 (uofttix.ca). Hart House Theatre, 7 Hart House Circle. 416-978-8849, harthousetheatre.ca

Was Spring @ Tarragon Theatre By Canadian playwright Daniel MacIvor, Was Spring, comes to the Tarragon Theatre in a production also directed by MacIvor. Initially written for Nova Scotia's Mulgrave Road Theatre, the play follows three women of different generations who confront each other about a tumultuous past event, in order to learn the truth of what happened.With more than twenty years of influential theatre and film under his belt, Daniel MacIvor has won numerous awards, including a Governor General's Award and two Genies. His plays include Never Swim Alone, The Soldier Dreams, You Are Here, In on It and A Beautiful View. Runs March 27 to May 6, 2012. Tarragon Theatre 30 Bridgman Ave. www.tarragontheatre.com

Your Brother, Remember? by Zachary and Gator Oberzan (Zachary Oberzan/brutproduktion). Home videos, Hollywood film footage and live performance are used to track the journey of two siblings as they grow apart. Jan 26-28, Thu-Sat 8 pm. $22, stu/srs $15. Theatre Centre, 1087 Queen W. 416-538-0988, theatrecentre.org.

Zero Hour @ Bathurst Street Theatre, by Jim Brochu (Lia and Danna Matthow). This solo show looks at the art, humour, temper and wit of Jewish artist Zero Mostel. Previews Feb 8. Opens Feb 9 and runs to Mar 11. $59-$69.50. Bathurst Street Theatre, 736 Bathurst. 1-855-985-2787, zerohourshow.com

Zone by Marcel Dubé (Théâtre français de Toronto/Théâtre la Catapulte). A group of young criminals mix love, dreams and violence in 50s Montreal. Previews Feb 1-2. Opens Feb 3 and runs to Feb 12, Wed-Sat 8 pm, mats Sat 3:30 pm, Sun 2:30 pm. $33-$57, srs $28-$57. Berkeley Street Theatre, 26 Berkeley. 416-534-6604, theatrefrancais.com.