Volume 5 Issue 8 - May 2000

Act II Studio. Our

Act II Studio. Our Canadian Century -An Historical Revue. Musical revue celebrating the highlights of Canada throughout the past century including musical hits & darices. June 1,2(gala),3,8,9 & 10: 8:00; June 4,7,8 & 11: 2:00. Robert Gill Theatre, 214 College St. 978-7986. 0une 2 gala),, (group rates). Alexander Singers & Players. Sweeney Todd (The Demon Barber of Fleet Street). Music by Sondheim; book by Wheeler; Angela Hawaleshka, musical director; Vincenzo Sestito, director; Brian Brockenshire & other performers. May 13, 19 & 20: 8:00; May 14 & 21: 3:00; May 17: 1 :00. Leah Posluns Theatre, 4588 Bathurst St. 785-0333. ,; matinees , (group rates). Arbor Oak Trio. A Royal Entertain- · ment. Evening of masque, song & . dance. May 10: 7:30. Massey College,.4 Devonshire Place. 256- 9421. ,. Ballet Creole. Contemporary African/Caribbean music & dance. Patrick Parson, artistic director. May 4-6: 8:00 & matinee May 5: 1 :00. Premiere Dance Theatre, 207 Queens Quay West. 973-4000. - , & (sr). - Music.THEATRE LISTINGS Canadian Children's Opera Chorus. The Star Child. John Greer, composer; Ned Dickens, librettist; co-directed by Tom Diamond & Mark Wilson; John Tuttl.e, conductor. May 13: 2:00 & 7:30; May 14: 2:00. du Maurier Theatre Centre, 231 Queens Quay West. 973-4000. .50, . Civic Light Opera Company. State Fair. Musical by Rodgers & Hammerstein. Joe Cascone, director; John Ricciardelli, musical director; Mac Mcinnes, Sandi Horwitz, Peter Loucas & other performers. May 18, 19, 20, 25, 26, 27: 8:00; May 21 & 28: 2:00. Fairview Library Theatre,' 35 Fairview Mall Drive. 203-7839. ,.50(st/sr); Thursdays. Encore Entertainment. The Fantasticks. Book & lyrics by Tom Jones; music by Harvey Schmidt. May 25, 26, 27, June 1, 2, 3: 8:00; . May 28, June 4: 2:00. Studio Theatre, Ford Centre for the Performing Arts, 5040 Yonge St. 733-0558. (eve),(mat). Etobicoke Musical Productions. L'il Abner. Music by Mercer & de Paul .­ Musical based on Al Capp's cartoon strip. May 5, 6, 12 & 13: 8:00; May · 7: 2:00. Burnhamthorpe Collegiate Auditorium, 500 The East Mall. 248- 0410. (group rates). Toronto School of Music Canada _ Maureen Forrester, Honorary Chair Colin Yip, President We offer superb musical instruction by a distinguished teaching faculty of world-renowned musicians. International Opera Centre One year profussional opera training program with William Shookhoffas artistic director and perfonnance with orchestral accompaniment. Profeuional Performance Diploma For high school graduates who wish to become professional musicians. (Piano, Voice, Strings, Woodwinds, Composition, Ja7.7., Chinese Music, Church Music, Opera, Musical Theatre) Professional Advanced Certificate Program Advanced level studies for the profussional student. (Piano, Voice, Strings, Woodwinds) S

Fairview Mall Drive. 299-SSS7. revue of dance & song. June 7,8,9 & Theme; Khachaturian: The Comedi~ ,(sr), O(st). 10: 8:00. Sheridan Hall, 1430 ans; Kabalevsky: Comedian's Trafalgar Road, Oakville. 90S-81 S- Gallop; opera arias by Puccini, Stage Right Productions. Alice 4049. ." Verdi, Strauss, Bizet, Saint-Saens & Through the Looking Class. Adapted from Lewis Carroll; book & lyrics by Toronto Operetta Theatre. My Fair Bellini. Natalie Choquette, comic Seymour Reiter; music by Lor Crane; Lady. By Lerner.& Loewe. Gisele soprano; Oakham House Choir of arrangements by Andrew Fredette, Keith Boldt, Gregory Cross Ryerson Polytechnic Institute; Petrasiunas; directed by Ivan Brozie. & Curtis Sullivan, performers; Peter Matthew Jaskiewicz, music director; May 13, 14, 20 & 21: 1 :00. Theatre Oleskevich, conductor. May S, 6, 8, Stuart Hami I ton, master of ceremonies. May 6: 7:30. Bloor Street Aquarius, 190 King William Street, 9, 10, 12, 13: 8:00; May 14: 2:00. Hamilton. 90S-S22-7S29. to Jane Mallett Theatre, 27 Front St. E. United Church, 300 Bloor St. West. . 366-7723. to S. 410-4379. Theatre Sheridan. Style 2000 - Toronto Sinfonietta. La Diva. ·' Victorian Operetta Society. Gilbert "Movin' To The Groove". Annual Lagace: La Diva's Extremely Oriental & Sullivan: H.M.S. Pinafore. Keith Pickett, Jack Jeffery, Della Lee, Mike Munroe, Ruth Harcort & other performers. May 3,4,S,6: 8:00; May 6: 2:00. The Concert Hall at Victoria Hall, SS King Si. West, Cobourg. 90S-372-2210. .SO(opening night); (group rates). Young People's Theatre. Spud Trek. Produced by Theatre Beyond Words. May 28, June 3,4: 11 :OOam; May 27,28, June 3,4: 2:00. Young People's Theatre, 16S Front St. E. 862-2222. . Sweeney to Swedes: fresh!" continued from page 19 "bloodbath theatre" that Twenty years later, Pm sure the specialized in heart-stopping show seems tamer, but none the shock shows. It has had numer- worse for that. Fortuitously and ous stage adaptations, apart from although there has never been a its Hfe in the tawdry, popular professional production in . Victorian newspapers .known as Toronto, to the best of my "penny dreadfuls" and "shilling knowledge,Sweeney Todd is shockers". Who could resist the being mounted from May 13 to twisted tale of a mad barber who 21 at the Leah Posluns Theatre kills his customers and serves by a young company known as them up as pies? Of course, the the Alexander Si!lgers and delicious irony of the legend is Playets. that Todd>s customers find his pies so much more tasty than In this version Sweeney Todd is other kinds of meat. played by Brian Brockenshire, At the time, before the while his real-life parter Ceris Sex Pistols and The Clash had · Thomas is Mrs. Lovett. Tney become popular radio fare, the are members of a company that very sound of the show was started out over ten years ago as terrifying. However, the a choir under the direction of discordant urgency of the score Angela Haweleshka and is in is broken up by hauntingly fact named after her father. lovely material, like the ballad Many of their productions have "Joanna". And then there>s the been Gilbert and Sullivan fare, show-stopping first-act ender "A but they've also presented Little Priest", in which Mrs. productions of The Merry Lovett convinces Sweeney Todd Widow, Oklahoma and Fiddler of the virtues of human flesh as on the RooL pie filling. "Priest", for The group has a strong example, would never "commit educational mandate that sins of the flesh & so it's very includes offering an annual scholarship to outstanding participants. They are also active in fundraising for charitable causes like the Arthritis Society and Variety , Village. With over 60 members of the company and a strong musical foundation,the Alexandra Singers and Players sound like a good bet to produce a worthy production of this nowclassic musical. And finally, just for fun, Mirvish Productions is opening a production of the popular Mamma Mia! by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus (just a few doors down from The Lion King, which you don't need WholeNote for!). Running at the Royal Alexandra Theatre from May 11, it's based not on any Italian theme, as you might have guessed at first but on the weirdly durable music of Abba, the boy-girl-boy-girl pop band of the 70s that soared from a victory at the 1974 Eurovision Sopg Contest to international stardom with songs like "Money, Money, Money", "Super Trouper", "Chiquitita" and "Dancing Queen". A hot cast includes engaging stars like Louise Pitre (Les Miz) and Mary Ellen Mahoney (Crazy For You), so it probably will be if not deep - at least entertaining. Sarah B. Hood is the editor of Peiforming Arts. in Canada magazine. W'IJc !t!usir OLIJamhcr 217 Danforth Ave. (416) 406-1641 Newand Used Classical and Jazz CDs Sheet Music, Reeds, Strings ,,,,i...,. Gins. and Gitt ,('.~ Certificates ,,,.. J;4 ~ - Trade-ins ' · Accepted music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim book by Hugh Wheeler from an adapracion by Christopher Bond Sat May 13 8pm Sun May 14 3 pm Wed May 17 . 1 pm Fri May 19 8pm Sar May 20 8pm Sun May 21 3pm Eve. Stu./Srs. $ 18 Mat. Stu./Srs. 416 785-0333 FAX 96 1-8931