Volume 6 Issue 10 - July/August 2001

'_ Music THEATRE

'_ Music THEATRE SPOTLIGHT Sweet Dreams,. ~Jock Scenes: a stage set for summer by Sarah B. Hood , A brand new venue opens its doors for Dream A Litfle Dream (sub!itled "the nearly true story of the Mamas and)he Papas") running June 28 to August 4. Many theatre people are eyeing the Isabel Bader Theatre at 93 Charles Street West (across from the ROM) as a potential location for coritemporary opera ·and musical / theatre. ------.--------------'--..;....____ This inaugural show is an an original musical as part of its .'. First of all, it's directed by already successful Canadian centennial celebrations. Scenes - Daniel Brooks, which is about production focused on the from My Dock is a nostalgic, like setting up Tiger 'woods on a memories of Halifax native funny look at cottage culture by . mini-golf course. Then it's got Denny Doherty, one of, the four Vince Grittani, familiar to many · writing by people like comic Lisa members of the unforgettable as The Weekend Guy of Cottage Laniberts and Don (Tw/tch City) Mamas and the Papas. He adm~ts Life. TV, and to othe~s as the McKellar. Most of the perforcreator of Yuppies, The Musical! mers are strong enough to sustain that he's taken some liberties with the.actual events. "As I once and Quiche My What? "I've been .' a 011e-person show and several of . heard Grace'Slick say, 'If you ·a cottager for 30 years. I am a , them (Karen "Pochsy" Hines; can remember the '60s, you perpetual cottager," Grjttani "Primadonna" Mary Lou were11't there,'" he jokes. quips, a·dding, however, that thi:; Fallis; Cliff Saunders and so on) Doherty is . backed up by a. show is ·"not just for cottagers or · have already done just that. house band that has some ! peopie in Muskoka. It's about When the show ran at the legitimate rock chops, and .. life." · 188-seat George lgnatieff Theatre features classic numbers like Meanwhile, dozens of . in the Fringe two· years ago, the "California Dreamin' ", Monday; late Mira Friedlander wrote Monday" and "I Saw Her Again.". ' Toronto isn't the only , place to'catch great music theatre througi).out the summer months. _A special favourite of mine is always 4th Line Theatre, a professional eompany that presents new theatre· based on . local stories on a farm not far ·from Peter'Qorough. ' Some of their inspirations have included the writing .of Susanna Moodie and Catherine Parr Traill, the 1812 Rebellion and the true story of a Port Hope lad who became a .world-famous 'circus celebrity. This y~ar they're ·presenting Two Rounds and a . Square, about the institution of the dance hall and the called country dance. It runs from July .other small-town theatres are presenting full summer seasons with musicals galore. For example, there' are only a few days this summer when' you can't see Dads! The Musical somewhere in southern Ontario. It runs frotn July 2 to August 10 at Huron Country PlayhOuse (Grand Bend); froni July 5 to 21. at the St. Lawrence Stage Company (Brockville); and from August 14 to September 2 at the King's ~harf Theatre / (Peiletanguishene).. And if you w~t to track · down other light favourite~ like Memories of Hank Williams and Patsy Cline, The Sound of Music, Fiddler inthe Roof anq West Si

Artword Theatre. If Cows Could fly! Allan Merovitz, performer; Ron Weihs, director. Musical celebrating the Canadian Jewish experience. Live klezmer music. To July·14. Wed-Sat 8:00; Sun 2:30 & 7:30. 75 Portland St. 416-408-2783. -. Dream Productions. Oream a Little Dream. The nearly true story of The Mamas and )he Papas. Paul Ledoux, director; starring. Denny Doherty. To August 4. Tues-Sat: 8:00; Saturday matinee: 2:00. Isabel Bader Theatre, 93 Charles St. West. 416-872- 1111. , Fri-Sat , st/sr/group rates. Oualtone/T oronto Fringe Festival. Prima Donna. By Arthur Benjamin. The show that • put the soap back int