Listening to The Strumbellas is like driving over a rickety old bridge between the present and the past. While a lot of their country-tinged contemporaries use banjos and fiddles to replicate the musical traditions of years gone by, the Strumbellas use similar elements to craft something vibrant and new while still paying homage to the past.
Nancy Palk says she’s playing the role of a lifetime. The Soulpepper veteran is referring to her latest character, Amanda Wingfield, from Tennessee Williams’ first successful play, The Glass Menagerie. Known for its unique narration and relatable characters, The Glass Menagerie opens at Toronto’s Soulpepper Theatre tomorrow. We caught up with Palk to discuss her role and why she considers this classic to be the perfect play.
Toronto’s highly popular 2011 Fringe Festival opens tomorrow, and with over 150 productions showing in just 12 days, it’s the city’s marathon of theatre. Of course, this being indie theatre, there’s an “anything goes” (pun intended) feel to the variety of productions that range from edgy dramas to daring musicals to, well, puppetry. Though it’s hard to predict which show will be the next Drowsy Chaperone, here are our top picks for this year’s fest.
The theme for this year’s Southern Ontario Oyster Festival is “Grit Happens.” What the shuck does that mean? Well, it’s an homage to the wild western movie True Grit, and the dirt that, at times, finds its way into a freshly shucked oyster. Hey, it happens.
Canadian artists will soon be swarming to downtown Toronto for the upcoming Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition (TOAE). Taking place at Nathan Phillips Square, the exhibit will run July 9-11. Admission is free and over 35 cash prizes will be presented to showcasing artists. This annual event highlights Canadian culture and our country’s talented artists. Below is a list of five things that you may not have known about the TOAE, until now.
I’ve always thought that Ontario could make world-class rosé, and in a couple of cases we do. Southbrook Connect Rosé 2010 is not your run-of-the-mill pink wine. This one is deep pink with an orange tint. It has a nose of strawberry compote and flavours of strawberries and redcurrants. Full in the mouth with a touch of sweetness in mid-palate, it has enough citrus acidity to finish dry and clean. Food match: serve with chicken salad or grilled ham.
Not too long ago, I flew to Boston for a short getaway. Aside from the boisterous sea of yellow and black that swept over the city during the Bruins rolling rally, Boston — or more precisely, Bostonian dress — was essentially exactly as I remember it from my first visit there as a kid in the 80s: country club chic.
Over 30 years ago, Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Dolly Parton charmed millions of moviegoers with 9 to 5, a soft but often very funny satire of sexism and emerging feminism in American offices. Four years ago, the country-western singer/songwriter presented a musical version for Broadway, writing over a dozen new songs. It had a four-month run and was nominated for several Tonys. After some considerable tampering and improvements, it’s been on tour since the fall of last year.
The big Pride weekend takes over Toronto today and it’s going to be loud and proud, baby! With so much to do, Pride can be a bit overwhelming, so we reached out to four of the queer community’s most prominent (and fabulous!) figures for their top tips to help guide us through it all.
Ever had a smoked hamburger before? Neither had David Neinstein over at Barque Smokehouse, until recently. “I’ve got a big-ass smoker,” he says, “so why not smoke some burgers?” He’s looking at adding hamburgers to Barque’s menu anyway, and figured Canada Day would be a good time to test them out. People are apparently digging them so far.
Canada is celebrating the big 1-4-4 this weekend. And while we’re not getting the royal treatment here in Toronto, that doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate the birthday of our beloved country in style. Whether you’re relaxing in the city over the long weekend or headed up to the cottage to enjoy our true north strong and free, the items from this week’s sales roundup will do our country proud.
For culture-goers, national holidays tend to be stay-at-home-with-the-Paris-Review days more than out-and-about-town days. However, one place that will be open this Canada Day is the Royal Ontario Museum. On July 1, the museum opens four new galleries to the public. Here’s a sneak peek at what to expect:
