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Volume 6 Issue 6 - March 2001

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  • Toronto
  • Theatre
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t Music Theatre

t Music Theatre Spotlight ·· Carmen, Carbone, Chet and Charlemagne By Sarah B. Hood · . MARCH OFFERS EVERY TYPE OF MUSIC THEATRE This is one of those months · based on John Gay's Beggar's when Toronto's "bench strength " in the music theatre domain really makes itself felt. At first glance it might seem that there isn 't anything spectacular on the agenda (not like April, anyway, which is looking like an amazing month. but don 't let me give anything away!) However, when you stan to read through the listings, you see that there's a little something for all tastes. If your taste runs to the avante-garde, and dance/theatre is your fancy, then Woman As Landscape (March 22 to April , 1) is your best bet. A coproduction of Toronto's alternative theatre incubator (The·T.heatre Centre) and Montreal's renowned Carbone 14 dance company, the show is a synthesis of music, video, poetry and voice that conducts a journey through the land of a woman's body .. It is conceived and performed by Lin Snelling with both live and recorded music by Michael Reinhart, and extra vocals from Josee ' Gagnon. It has been performed to excellent reviews in Montreal, where the Montreal Gazette called it "sensuous and startling". This production, at the very intimate Artword Theatre, is its Toronto premlere. Or perhaps, opera is your special niche. The COC may not be launching a new double bill until next month, but you still have several choices. One of th~ most appealing is Opera Mississauga's Carmen (March 17 to 24); you can't really miss with Bizet's classic. For a more recherche option, pick Opera In Concert's presentation of Ariodante by Handel (March 31 · to April 1). For operetta lovers, the Waterloo Gilbert and Sullivan Society is offering H.M.S. Pinafore ("What, never? No, Never!"): Then there are lots of musicals. T4e biggest production (apart from long-running Lin Snelling photographed by Michael Reinha,rt in Woman As Landscape ~hows like Mamma Mia and Emperor Charlemagne, as The Lion.King) is probably unlikely a subject as that may Fame tlie Musical (running at sound for a musical. It's a sweet the Pantages Theatre from little piece, redolent of its era March 21 to April 8). This is of (1972), with no particularly well ' course the stage version of the known hit songs (the music and same property that was both a lyrics.are by Stephen Schwartz, hot movie for Irene Cara and who also wrote Godspell) . . others 'in 1980, and a television However, it was originally series with a six-year run, directed by. Bob Fosse (Chistarring Debbie Allen and Janet cago, All That J.azz), and Ben Jackson. In .case your memory Vereen was in the original cast, needs further coaxing, Fame is along with Irene Ryan ("Granthe story of a fictional class of nie" on The Beverly Hillbillies). students at New York's High In fact, Ryan was still perform- School of the Performing Arts,, ing in the show in 1973 when · striving for their chance at a she suffered a fatal stroke·. place in the spotlight. I'm pleased to see a seldom-produced show running from March 23 to April 7 under the auspices of Hamilton Theatre Inc. Pippin is actually the story of the son of the 22· wholenote MARCH 1, 2001 - APRIL 7, 2001 Less sweet is The Thre~ Penny Opera, by Berthold . Brecht and Kµrt Weill, being presented on March 7 at the University of Toronto's Scarborough Campus. The caustic tale of human vice was Opera, and updated to fit the bleak political and social atmosphere of Germany in the late 1920s. Its "Mac the Knife" has of course become a jazz standard, and the rest of the musical score is as challenging and provocative as_ ever. It would make an interesting double bill with Mixed Company's This City of Angels, which finishes a three-week run at the St. Lawrence Centre on March 2 and 3. I should first state my personal involvement with the latter production (as publicist; take what I say with as much salt as you like!) before describing it as a robust . performance created and acted by a company of young people who have all had experience with life on the streets of Toronto. It's a true musical, with a full roster of original songs based on situations suggested by the,story of two young sisters who leave an abusive home to drift. into an · existence of squats and squeegees, at the mercy of both the law and the lawbreakers. I think Brecht would have liked it. A final mention is due to James O'Reilly's new play, Time After Time, which runs at Theatre Passe Muraille from March 23 to April 15. O'Reilly had a big hit some years ago . with his one-man show Work, characterized by his remarkably intelligent and witty approach to storytelling. He followed it up with Gheqo, also at Passe Muraille. Just when you think O'Reilly's writing is digressing into distraction, it executes a neatly-turned arabesque that winds the story liqe tightly in upon itself; Now he turns his attention to jazz trumpeter Chet Baker, who is played by musician Danny DePoe. Crow's Theatre's Jim Millan directs a cast that also includes O'Reilly hims.elf; Phillipa Domville and , the always-wonderful Martin . Julien. \ •

Music Theatre Listings Artword Theatre; Cu'Fu? Charly Chiarelli, songs, stories & harmonica. To March 4. 75 Portland. 416-408-2783. Artword Theatre. the time has come ... Slinky Listening to Wall #1 (duet for dance & grand piano); Listening Piece #2 (dance 1>olo with aluminum pipes); impro;-isations in dance and music. Eryn Dace Trudell, dancer/chore· ographer; Boo Watson, singer/songwriter & piano. March 15 to 17: 8:30. 75 Portland St. 416-588·2213. ,. Canadian Opera Company. Britten: Billy Budd. Russell Braun, Nigel Robson, Jeffrey Wells and other performers; Richard Bradshaw, conductor. 7: 15: Pre-performance Opera Chat. April 6, 11, 14, 19: 8:00; April 17: 7:00; April 8: 2:00. Hummingbird Centre for the Performing Arts, 1 Front St. East. 416· 872-2262. -5, $·15-(young per· son). Canadian Opera Company. Mozart: ldomeneo. Michael Schade, Emma Selway, Elzbieta Szmytka~ Isabelle Vernet, Michael Colvin, performers; Nicolae Moldoveanu, con· ductor. April 7, 12, 18,20: 8:00; April 10: 7:00; April 22: 2:00. Pre-performance Opera Chat 45 minute prior to each performance. Hum· mingbird Centre for the Performing Arts, 1 Front St. East. 416-872-2262. -5, ·(young person). · Northumberland Players. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Music by. Sondheim. March 1,2 & 3: 8:00; March 3. & 4: 2:00: The Concert Hall at Victoria Hall, 55 King St. West, Cobourg. 905·372-2210. $ 20(eve), (mat). Opera in Concert. Handel· Ariodante. Kimberly Barber, Jackalyn Short, Barbara Hannigan, Daniel Lichti, Allyson McHardy, performers; Gary Thor Wedow, conductor. March 31: 8:00; April 1: 2:30. Jane Mallet) Theatre, 27 Front St. East. 416-366· 7723. ,. Opera:Mississauga. Bizet: Carmen, Dwight. Bennett, general & artistic director. March 17,20,22 & 24: 8:00. Hammerson Hall, Liv· ing Arts Centre, 4141 Living Arts Drive, Mississauga. 905-306-6000. -, · (sr/st). P.M. Productions. Purim Oay: For a Time Such as This. Cubecity Musical. March i & 3: 8:00. Trinity Workshop Theatre, 619 · Stierbourne St. 416·944· 1493. Royal Conservatory of Music. Mozart: Cosi fan Tufte. Brahm Goldhamer & Roxolana Rosiak, artistic directors. March 24 & 26: 8:00. Ettore Mazzoleni Concert Hall, 273 Bloor St West. 416-408-2824 ext.321. ,: Hamilton Theatre Inc. Pippin.· A Musical Comedy. March 23,24,29·31, April 5,6 & 7: 8:00; March 25 & April 1: 2:00. Studio Thea· tre, 140 MacNab St. North, Hamilton. 905· 522·3032. . • Living Arts Centre Mississauga: Show· boat. Book & lyrics by Oscar Hammestein II; music. by Jerome Kern. April 6 '& 7: 8:00. Hammerson Hall, 4141 Living Arts Drive. 905· 306-6000. -. Meadowvale Theatr~ ; Lorne Elliott · The Collected Mistakes fl Contemporary satire, music, storytelling, performance art. March 4: 8:00. 6315 Montevideo Rd., Mississauga. 905·821 ·0090. ,. Mirvish Productions. The lion King. Stage musical of Disney's 1994 animated feature. To July 1. Princess of Wales Theatre, 300 King St. West. 416-872-1212. to 5. Mixed Company. This City of Angels. Musi· cal stories of life on the stieets. Written by ·Laura J. Forth; Cobblestone MapleLeaf Youth Troupe, performers. March 2: 1 :30 & 8:00; March 3: 8:00. Jane Mallett Theatre, 27 Front St. East. 416-366· 7723. Music Theatre Mississauga. Oklahoma! Rogers and Hammerstein. March 23, 24, 29, 30, 31: 8:00; March 25: 2:00. Meadowvale Theatre, 6315 Montevideo Rd., Mississauga. 905-821 -0090. .50,.50. Sanderson Centre. H.MS Pinafore. Gilbert & Sullivan Society, Waterloo Regional Branch; Alex Mustakas, director. March 31: 2:00 & 8:00. 88 Dalhousie St. Brantforif. 1 ·800·265· 0710. ,, (st/sr). · SFX Theatrical Group.Annie. March 20-25. Pantages Theatre, 244 Victoria St. 416·870· 8000. tu . SFX Theatrical Group. Fame: The Musical March 27-April 1. Pantages Theatre,.244 Vic· toria St. 416-870-8000. .50 to .50. Theatre Aquarius./ Can Sing! {Can't l?J By · Jo·Ann Waytowich. Musical parody on the art of singing. TO March 3. Thursday-Saturday: 8:00; Saturday: 2:00. Studio Theatre, 190 .King William St., Hamilton. 1·800·465·7529. to . Theatre Passe Muraille/Crow's Theatre. Time After Time: The Chet Baker Project. Story & music of jazz trumpeter Chet Baker. Performers include Phillipa Domville, Martin Julien, Danny Depoe, &John Alcorn. Previews March 20 & 21; regular run March 22 to April 8. Tuesday-Saturday: 8:00; Sunday matinee: 2:30. Mainstage, 16 Ryerson Ave. 416·504· 7529. i Toronto Opera Repertoire. Bizet: Carmen. Giuseppe Macina, artistic director. March 3: 8:00. Bickford Centre Theatre, 777 Bloor St. West. 416-698-9572. ,. continued • FACULTY •{MUSIC r~~ ~\ UNJ\..tUIH orroROl''TO University of Toronto· Faculty of Mosic Open Division presents A f Te11Ch Double Bill 1Qmeau Prologue to Castor et Pollux ~vel L:Enfant et les Sortileges Stephen Ralls. conductor Michael Patrick Albano. directOf' Fred Perro22a. lighting designer Diane McCann_-Davis. costume designer Song in French with English sortitfes® MaTCh 9, 10, ffi, 11, 2001 2! pm, MacMWaTI Theatte 115 (seniors & students) Box Offi.ce: ~16-97 8 -3 H~ ~ Bank of Montreal ... ~$%7' The Opera Series and the Opera Outreach programme ~~~.C~ are generously sponsored by Bank of Montreal. ·- · "t·~:.."": ....... This production is supported in part by Consulat Gerierat . de France A Toronto and Alliance Fran ~a ise. MARCH 1, 2001 - APRIL 7, 2001 wholenote 23

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