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Category: Culture

Black History Month in Canada: a five point primer

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How much do you know about Black history in Canada and in Toronto? How much is there to know? “The average sixteen-year-old in Canada can tell you something about slavery and abolition in the United States,” Toronto author Lawrence Hill once remarked, “but do we know that the story of African-Canadians spans 400 years, and includes slavery, abolition, pioneering, urban growth, segregation, the civil rights movement and a long engagement in civic life?”

How to make Ontario Place the coolest venue of all time

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Ontario Place is getting a revamp. According to the Globe, most of the park will be closed until 2017 as a panel led by John Tory (yes, that John Tory) tries to figure out how to make it a profitable, must-visit destination. While turning this quintessentially boring “amusement park” into something mind-blowing is no small order, we think it can be done with a bit of imagination. Below, our suggestions for making Ontario Place amazing.

Trending in Theatre This Week: The Double, The Laramie Project, Hamlet Live, Closer, The Who's Tommy

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In TheatreRUN’s world premiere, two actors and a bassist collide in a schizophrenic world that combines physical theatre with live, jazzy bass. The multi-disciplinary production is dubbed a dark satire, but keep in mind it is adapted from the novella by Fyodor Dostoevski, so, you know, don’t expect jazz hands or anything.
Factory Theatre, Studio, 125 Bathurst Street, 416-504-9971. Feb. 3 – Feb. 19.

Theatre Review: Penny Plain

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For those of you who have seen any of the wildly daring, stunningly delicate, profoundly memorable shows written, performed, “acted” and presented by Western Canadian-born-and-raised Ronnie Burkett, who creates, designs and brings to life the most astonishing puppets you have ever seen, he is back with a new show, Penny Plain. I treasure his regular appearances in Toronto, his chosen city for over a decade now.

Theatre Review: Avenue Q

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Are you a recent college grad? Unemployed? Single? Or perhaps you’re still looking for your purpose in life? Then you belong on Avenue Q. There you’ll find confused-yet-hopeful fleshy and furry characters spontaneously bursting into song about their dreams, concerns and, uh, porn. But unfortunately, Avenue Q isn’t a real place. It’s actually a Tony Award-winning musical that opened at the Lower Ossington Theatre last week.

Q&A: singer-songwriter Joanna Chapman-Smith on living in Toronto, traveling and her upcoming album

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Joanna Chapman-Smith is a charming and breezy folk singer who mixes sounds from around the world in a hodgepodge of delectable musical delights. She’s performed in more than 100 cities in four countries and those travels shine through her music. Recently, she settled in Toronto after a decade-long stint in Vancouver. If you don’t know her yet, you’re in luck: she’s playing at Hugh’s Room tonight.

Finding Ford

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Etobicoke is Ford country. A suburban, mom-and-pop enclave that is home to Toronto’s boisterous mayor Rob and his councillor and big brother Doug. The houses are nondescript post-war bungalows, ranchers and side-splits with wide lots, driveways and actual backyards. It seems like there are more Tim Hortons per capita than most city neighbourhoods, and the big shopping attractions are clustered in strip malls. I’d say it’s leafy and idyllic, but it’s the middle of January and too darn cold. I’m in the belly of the beast on a mission: track down the mayor.

Meet a comedy troupe: Shoeless

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Shoeless, already one of the largest-in-size sketch comedy troupes in the city, got a little larger when acclaimed Toronto comedian Ron Sparks joined the team late last year. In addition to Sparks, the troupe landed another comedic coup: they’re headlining a comedy series at Hard Luck Bar. We talked to Shoeless’ Andrew Kines about the influences and history of this troupe, which could end up becoming the next Picnicface.

Real Estate rocks a sold-out crowd at Lee’s Palace

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Real Estate has grown up quickly. Just this past summer, the band was playing to a half-attentive Toronto crowd at The Garrison. On Friday night, only half a year later, they quickly sold out Lee’s Palace, and this time around the crowd was completely tuned in.