There is so much great theatre this month leading up to the holidays! Unfortunately, I can’t make it to everything I’ve been invited to, but hopefully you’ll be able to check out some of these awesome events!
Weesageechak Begins to Dance 36 – Native Earth Performing Arts
The 36th edition of Weesageechak Begins to Dance will bring together 22 Creators from across Turtle Island to develop and showcase their work. Join us for excerpts from these new works in development, and conversations about artistic process, both in-person at our Aki Studio and online. In addition, we will have fantastic ancillary programming during the festival of various performers.
We invite you to join us in this amazing celebration of Indigenous theatre, dance, and multi-disciplinary works!
November 6 – 19
Aki Studio at Daniels Spectrum – 585 Dundas Street East
Weesageechak Begins to Dance 36 – Native Earth Performing Arts
Championess – Dance Works
CHAMPIONESS is an electrifying performance that combines boxing and contemporary, street, and Latin dance to explore notions of identity and mental health. Choreographers Sam Schleese and Mel Hart reflect on the power of solidarity amongst women as they face fears and navigate life-changing experiences, challenging society’s perceptions of winners and losers.
November 16 – 18
Harbourfront Centre Theatre – 235 Queens Quay West
Join us! CHAMPIONESS by SaMel Tanz – DanceWorks
FireWorks Festival – Alumnae Theatre
Alumnae Theatre, Canada’s oldest women-led theatre company, proudly announces the 10th anniversary celebration of its renowned FireWorks Festival. This remarkable milestone highlights a decade of extraordinary theatrical productions and artistic excellence. The festival, run entirely by dedicated volunteers, has been a cornerstone of Toronto’s cultural scene, with a rich history of promoting women’s contributions to the Toronto theatre community for over a century.
This year’s FireWorks Festival promises to be an unforgettable experience, showcasing three captivating plays that exemplify Alumnae Theatre’s commitment to celebrating diverse voices and innovative storytelling.
The Caligula Exiles (Nov. 8-12)
Written by Sarah Danielle Pitman. Directed by Cassidy Saddler.
Set against the backdrop of an unnamed coastal lighthouse, “The Caligula Exiles” transports the audience into a world of tempestuous storms, cantankerous lighthouse keepers, and a ghost with a passion for poetry. When a bewildered castaway washes ashore, the lighthouse keeper must find a way to return him to safety, all while navigating the ghost’s desperate desire for companionship at the lighthouse. This epic tale is a lyrical blend of humour and tragedy, exploring the depths of human connection.
Smoke Ville (Nov. 15-19)
Written by Genevieve Adam. Directed by Darcy Gerhart.
‘Smoke Ville’ takes audiences on a journey through time, from 1792 to the modern day, as it unravels the consequences of a storm that forces the first Lieutenant Governor of Upper Canada to shelter in the home of Daniel Reynolds. The hilarious culture clash between a big city historian and a skeptical local librarian in the small town of Smoke Ville promises a humorous and thought-provoking exploration of history, identity, and community.
The Great Kelleys (Nov. 22-26)
Written by Natalie Frijia. Directed by Shannon Farrell.
After Pat Kelley’s passing, his wife’s unwavering belief in his return sets off a chain of comically absurd events where someone outside their four walls learns too much about the mad Kelley household in which; one is praying, one is plotting, one killing time and one rotting in the upstairs bedroom. In “The Great Kelleys,” the audience is invited into the quirky and eccentric world of the Kelley household, where the lines between grief, hope, and family are delightfully blurred.
As we celebrate a decade of outstanding theatre and artistic excellence, Alumnae Theatre invites you to join us at the FireWorks Festival from November 8th to November 26th, 2023. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to witness remarkable performances by talented artists, all within the historic walls of the ‘Alum.
November 8 – 26
Alumnae Theatre – 70 Berkeley Street
FireWorks Festival 2023 (alumnaetheatre.com)
Is It Juice? A Comedy & Wine Tasting Special – Cheap Wine
Cheap Wine presents a night of live, scripted sketch comedy! It’s also a wine tasting.
Cheap Wine won the SKETCHIEST SKETCH TROUPE award at the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival 2023, receiving the honour of producing this year’s SKETCHIEST SKETCH SHOW.
Cheap Wine presents IS IT JUICE? A Comedy & Wine Tasting* Special
*YES, there will really be a wine tasting and it WILL be a part of the show. We would not joke around about that.
This show will feature Cheap Wine as well as great wine and also special guests!
November 16 and 17
The Assembly Theatre – 1479 Queen Street West
Night Shadows – ProArteDanza
From award-winning choreographers Robert Glumbek and Roberto Campanella, Night Shadows explores the intriguing vulnerability that blankets the night, when the mind lowers its defenses, allowing hidden demons from the day to resurface.
November 8 – 11
Fleck Dance Theatre – 207 Queens Quay West (3rd Floor)
ProArteDanza – Passion in Performance
The Sellers and Newel Literary Society
There are tons of amazing musical guests coming to Sellers and Newell throughout November. Check out their website for more info and tickets!
Literary Society – sellersandnewel.com
Comic Books LIVE!! – The Assembly Theatre
THE ASSEMBLY THEATRE’s live action comic book reading series COMIC BOOKS LIVE!!! returns to a MONTHLY format this NOVEMBER 26th 2023 with a dramatic reading of VINCENZO NATALI’s brand new graphic novel TECH!
Each installment of COMIC BOOKS LIVE!!! plucks a comic book from all eras of graphic fiction history, chosen by series host, Assembly alumni and all-around comic fanboy LUIS FERNANDES (Therac 25, The Assembly Theatre; Tough Jews, Dora Award nomination – Outstanding Ensemble) and gives it a high-energy dramatic reading by some of Toronto’s finest live performers! Audiences are encouraged to bring a copy of the graphic novel to the event to read along with the live performance. Copies will also be sold in person at the event courtesy of ENCYCLOPOCALYPSE PUBLICATIONS!
Launched last month, TECH is a sci-fi thriller about an underground BLACK MARKET that trades in leaked and stolen technology and a women named SHEL (played by TIFFANY CLARIE MARTIN) , a low level courier who must negotiate this realm of thieves and smugglers in order to provide for her daughter. Toronto based Writer/illustrator VINCENZO NATALI will be on hand to sign books post show! Best known for his Sci-Fi/Horror films CUBE, SPLICE and IN THE TALL GRASS, TECH is Vincenzo’s first foray into the comics medium! Plus a special musical performance by Indie recording artist GABY GRICE!
November 26
The Assembly Theatre – 1479 Queen Street West
À bout de bras – Parts+Labour_Danse
Parts+Labour_Danse presents a bilingual presentation of their dance-theatre piece À bout de bras on November 29, 2023 as part of Parcours Danse. Having received great acclaim for the piece during its premiere run at Agora de la danse, and following and oversold presentation at Cinars in 2022 and Vancouver tour dates in August 2023, Parts+Labour_Danse is honoured to share this free public presentation of À bout de bras for one night only at the beautiful Maison de la culture Janine-Sutto.
A modern-day Tantalus. In this powerful and theatrical solo, David Albert-Toth explores our innermost paradoxes. Our thirst for solitude flirts with our fear of being alone, and our infinite desires remain eternally unfulfilled.
November 29
Maison de la culture Janine-Sutto – 2250 Rue Ontario E, Montreal
À bout de bras — [ PLD ] (pldanse.com)
Judge & Jury: Space Crime Continuum LIVE! – 6am Productions
Infidelity, sibling rivalries, undercover aliens—nothing says ‘luxury space travel’ like a ‘fairly minor workplace accident’
On the inaugural voyage of the Phoenix Rising Starcruiser, Captain Julia Moss suspiciously died during an emergency spacewalk. Was someone trying to settle a score, or were they out to sabotage the mission at large?
Grab your friends, it’s up to YOU to determine the culprit and punishment in this interactive, improvised murder mystery!
November 16 and 23
OffWorld Bar – 739 Queen St. West
I Love You and It Hurts – Theatre of the Beat
Theatre of the Beat has developed three short forum theatre plays that reflect lived experiences of elder abuse, healthy masculinity, and intimate partner violence in youth relationships, with a focus on how to recognize the subtle early signs of abuse.
“Be a Friend” – by Jessica Moss
The friendships and relationships we forge in our teens and 20s allow us to define ourselves, and survive in a lonely world: but what if those same relationships are steeped in manipulation, lies, and power dynamics? For three interconnected characters, all caught between who they could be and who they’re seen as, subtle forms of abuse can look like a thrilling new kind of love, or the most treasured, oldest friendship. “Be A Friend” is an honest and nuanced look at how young people connect with each other when everyone has roles to play, personas to create, and their true selves to discover; when getting the relationship you need might mean giving up the relationship you depend on.
“Mother” – by Lindsey Middleton
“Mother” explores the dark and desperate realities of financial elder abuse. When a daughter is confronted with personal and financial ruin, her Mother is her last resort. But what is the cost of love? How do we help those we love going through financial and emotional strain? How do we live with and recover from neglect, manipulation and deceit? Can we? After interviewing numerous members of the elderly community who have experienced or witnessed elder abuse in its numerous forms, “Mother” was conceived.
“The Walkover” – By Cedric Martin
“The Walkover” explores contemporary masculinity in the context of a hockey locker room. The play examines the different roles and identities men assume in these spaces and the impact it has on their relationships and communication with others. The production delves into the masks we wear and the barriers we put up to fit into societal norms of masculinity, while also exploring the need for safe spaces for men to discuss their experiences. As one of the last male-only spaces, what can Healthy Masculinity look like?
November 29
Hart House Theatre – 7 Hart House Circle
I Love You and It Hurts | Theatre | Hart House
Whale Fall – Same Boat Theatre
Hamilton-based theatre company Same Boat Theatre is bringing Canadian playwright Stephen Near’s award-winning play Whale Fall to Toronto’s Indie Theatre District at Eldritch Theatre’s Red Sandcastle Theatre in Leslieville. A provocative and moving story of a father and daughter and their connection to the extinction of Canada’s orca whales, Whale Fall will make its Toronto premiere after an award-winning run at the Hamilton and Vancouver Fringe Festivals and sold out shows at HCA Dance Theatre’s Performing Arts Sunday Series.
Part coming of age story and part fable for the era of climate change, Whale Fall is an intimate duet between two characters played by Stephanie Hope Lawlor as Becca (Every Brilliant Thing; Rook’s Theatre, Never Not Once; Theatre Aquarius), and Raymond Louter (Ecclesiaste; The Arts Engine Production, Head of Theatre Dept; Redeemer University)as Steven. The two navigate the painful waters of family, memory and species extinction.
November 17 – 26
Red Sandcastle Theatre – 922 Queen St. E
Tickets | Red Sandcastle Theatre
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