How are we in November already? It feels like the fall has simply FLOWN by! But we’ve had some amazing theatrical adventures this month, with plenty more on the way.
What the Constitution Means to Me – Soulepper Theatre and Nightwood Theatre in association with Necessary Angel and Talk is Free Theatre
What the Constitution Means to Me took Broadway by storm when it premiered in 2019, and was a Tony nominee for Best Play and a Pulitzer Prize finalist. Now, five years later and timed to overlap with the US election, playwright Heidi Schreck re-imagines the play specifically for Canadian audiences in this exclusive and limited run.
Featuring a tour-de-force performance by Amy Rutherford as Heidi Schreck, What the Constitution Means To Me allows audiences to explore the dynamic relationship between individuals and the foundational principles of their country, sparking conversations around citizenship, rights, and democracy.
Schreck is a wonder who earned her American college tuition by winning constitutional debate competitions across the United States. In her invigorating and hilarious play, she traces the profound relationship between four generations of women in her family and the founding document that shaped all of their lives.
October 31 – November 10
Michael Young Theatre at the Young Centre for the Performing Arts – 50 Tank House Lane
Soulpepper Theatre – Plays, Concerts & Musicals
Phantasmagoria 3D! – Eldritch Theatre
In the 18th century, the audiences of Europe were gripped by a new form of horror theatre. Using magic lanterns, shadows, puppetry, and parlour illusions, artists like Phylidor, Johann Carl Enslen, and the Mysterious Robertson created the “Fantasmagorie”, during which ghosts would rise from their mouldering tomb, fiery demons and smokey phantoms would cavort through the theatre, and rotting skeletons would materialize from out of thin air, and then fade back into the ether.
Using a never before imagined process known as Live 3D!, Eldritch Theatre brings the Phantasmagoria Shows of the gothic past into the cosmic terror of the 21st century.
You will not believe your eyes!
October 30 – November 10
Red Sandcastle Theatre – 922 Queen Street East
Phantasmagoria 3D! ‣ Eldritch Theatre
Dead Broke – Lost Dreams Collective
This surreal, thrilling, dark comedy and horror-hybrid play asks us what we do when we are at a point of identity crisis. How do we take accountability for our life? And what’s the cost of living for nothing?
Oliver, a university student, is in trouble. After switching majors and losing all financial support, he begins squatting in an abandoned home to reduce costs and save his relationship with his girlfriend, Charlotte. To convince their friends that his new living situation is viable, they arrange a birthday party for Oliver’s best friend, Johnny, at his new, run down place. Joined by Laura, a plucky law school student, and Irina, a runner crashing with Johnny, everything appears to be falling into place. But when the house is revealed to have a sinister past, and someone goes missing, Oliver’s life, and reality, spiral desperately out of control.
October 31 – November 10
The Theatre Centre – 1115 Queen St W
I Don’t Even Miss You – Factory Theatre and Tiny Bear Jaws
Non-binary computer programmer Basil (they/them) wakes to a new world and devastating loss. They spend the next three years wandering an eerily quiet world searching for loved ones, building a virtual assistant (Orchid), and creating a 90s-inspired “musical” about their life. After months of preparation, today’s the premiere, but not everything goes as planned.
Using live music, dance, and video, I Don’t Even Miss You is a bold exploration of grief, love, artificial intelligence, and legacy that asks how gender, identity, and family can exist with no one to perceive them.
A dystopian pop “solo” show featuring Elena Belyea, winner of the 2023 Betty Award for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical. This is the second stop in the national tour of Tiny Bear Jaws’ multidisciplinary new work, I Don’t Even Miss You.
October 31 – November 10
Factory Theatre Studio Theatre – 125 Bathurst Street
I Don’t Even Miss You — Factory Theatre
Not a Cult: The Musical – Small But Mighty Productions
“Not A Cult”, set in the iconic early 80s, takes place at ReJoyce Camp Retreat for the depressed, the troubled, and the downtrodden. In the rising culture of “good vibes” and “wellness”, our leader Joy has created a method of helping those in need with her unique and slightly controversial program. We find our misfits here, bringing their own sinful pasts and stories with them. Will they conform? Will they fall in love? Will they die an untimely death? You’ll have to come see the show to find out.
November 6 – 10
Alumnae Theatre – 70 Berkeley Street
Small But Mighty | Toronto Queer & Fem Inclusive Production Company
A Case for the Existence of God – Coal Mine Theatre
A thoughtful and meditative two-hander, Samuel D. Hunter’s extraordinary play is both intimate and expansive as it explores themes of parenthood, financial insecurity and empathy. Unfolding in a cubicle where two seated people unexpectedly choose to bring one another into their fragile worlds, in the play mortgage broker Keith, and Ryan, a yogurt plant worker seeking to buy a plot of land that belonged to his family many decades ago, realize they share a “specific kind of sadness.” At this desk in the middle of America, loan talk opens up into a discussion about the chokehold of financial insecurity and a bond over the precariousness of parenthood. With humor, empathy and wrenching honesty, Hunter commingles two lives and deftly bridges disparate experiences of marginality.
November 3 – 24
Coal Mine Theatre – 2076 Danforth Ave
A CASE FOR THE EXISTENCE OF GOD — CMT
Timon of Athens – Dandelion Theatre and William Shakespeare & Friends
Starring veteran actor Brian Smegal as Timon, this innovative production offers audiences a chance to dine with the ill-fated philanthropist at one of his grand banquets. Guests who opt for the Honoured Patrons ticket category will be seated alongside Timon, enjoying a feast as the story unfolds around them. This immersive element transforms Shakespeare’s tragic tale of betrayal and rage into a captivating, visceral experience, allowing attendees to interact with the world of the play in real-time.
November 12 – 17
The Theatre Centre – 1115 Queen St W
Timon of Athens – The Theatre Centre
Bone Cage – Alumnae Theatre
Everything in its path it eats. In rural Nova Scotia, 22-year-old Jamie works a tree processor, clear-cutting for pulp. After each shift, he walks the forest carnage, salvaging fallen nests, injured birds, slivers of life. His half-sister mows the sod fields, confessing sins and dreams to a dead tree. His father claws at soil and science, attempting to resurrect a dead child. Winner of the Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama, Bone Cage offers gripping lyricism, dark humour and visceral drama in this portrait of self-destruction. It is a raw and poetic examination of the lives of those who strip the environment and their souls.
November 13 – 24th
Studio Theatre at Alumnae Theatre – 70 Berkeley Street
Machinal – The Flare Productions
“Machinal” was written by journalist and playwright Sophie Treadwell, and first produced in 1928. The show, based on a true story, follows a young woman working in a monotonous office and looking after her overbearing and old fashioned mother. She is pressured into marrying her boss- an older man who puts work first. The longer they are together, the more she feels trapped, even crushed by her patriarchal controlled life. Until she meets a new man, who gives her the opportunity to break free. But that comes with an inexcusable price. This production features a mechanical and torn back approach, with a chorus of actors creating boxes and whirlwinds to create and dismantle a patriarchal oppressed world.
November 15 – 25
Red Sandcastle Theatre – 922 Queen St E
Big Stuff – A Baram and Snieckus Production in Association with Crow’s Theatre
Celebrated comedy team, Matt Baram (The Umbrella Academy, Painkiller) and Naomi Snieckus (Pretty Hard Cases, Mr. D, The Social) invite you to participate in the unpacking of some big stuff.
Channeling their distinct blend of storytelling and improvisation (cultivated at The Second City and tested vigorously through their real-life marriage), Matt and Naomi explore all the stuff that gets left behind when we lose someone. Not just the stuff piled up in our basements, but the stuff that lives on rent free in our hearts.
BIG STUFF explores the conflicting values of keepsakes, gun store lineups, pitching TV show ideas to border guards, in a touching but mostly hilarious, two-hander.
November 12 – December 8
Studio Theatre at Streetcar Crowsnest – 345 Carlaw Avenue
The Bee’s Knees – Tall Poppy Productions
The Bee’s Knees is a compelling look at leadership, gender, and power, set in 1920s Canada as women step into politics for the first time, highlighting struggles that remain relevant today.
November 15 – 24
The Theatre Centre – 1115 Queen St W
The Bidding War – Crow’s Theatre
In THE BIDDING WAR, the city’s last affordable house is for sale. Heads roll and shrimp tails fly when a frantic, 12-hour bidding war erupts during what was supposed to be a routine open house. Agents turn on buyers, buyers turn on agents, and everything spirals into an uproarious dark comedy of desperation and anxiety.
November 12 – December 15
Guloien Theatre at Streetcar Crowsnest – 345 Carlaw Ave
The Bidding War – Crow’s Theatre
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Young People’s Theatre
Grab your golden ticket and join Charlie Bucket on this delectable adventure into Willy Wonka’s world famous chocolate factory! A world of pure imagination awaits as Charlie, Grandpa Joe and four golden ticket-winners embark on a journey brimming with chocolate rivers, gumdrop trees and mysterious Oompa Loompas.
Based on the beloved novel by Roald Dahl, now celebrating its 60th anniversary, enjoy this delightfully scrumptious musical adaptation that brings to life all of your favourite characters, songs – and confections. A gobstoppingly good time for the whole family!
Directed by Thom Allison (Stratford Festival’s La Cage Aux Folles and Rent; YPT’s Mary Poppins), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory features an original score and lyrics, as well as songs from the classic 1971 film including “Candy Man”, “I’ve Got a Golden Ticket”, “Oompa Loompa Song” and “Pure Imagination”.
November 12 – December 30
Young People’s Theatre – 165 Front Street E
CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY | Young People’s Theatre
Honey I’m Home – Factory Theatre
What’s a hard-working full-time career person to do when her entire job is done by AI, but her body still has to show up to work? To combat her raging boredom, Janine uploads her consciousness into her home, literally. Slow Wi-Fi soon leads to a horrifying discovery in this physical theatre body horror mystery.
November 21 – December 1
Factory Theatre – 125 Bathurst St
HONEY I’M HOME — Factory Theatre
The Jinx and Dela Holiday Show! – Bendelacreme Presents
You better watch out, you better not cry, because “The Queens of Christmas” (Entertainment Weekly) are coming back to YOUR town with a brand new edition of the internationally acclaimed The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show!
Another holiday season brings another year of fabulous spectacle, whip-smart comedy, brand new songs, and annual favorites. Join the sugary DeLa and spicy Jinkx for an evening the New York Times says is “sure to lift your spirits and make you howl with laughter.”
November 26
Meridian Hall – 1 Front Street East
Craze – Tarragon Theatre and Modern Times Stage Company in association with Theatre ARTaud
Out of the storm and straight into the inferno.
Two couples shelter from an epic storm for a late night drinking session where technological mayhem and sexual frivolity may turn into something more… At times surrealist, dangerous, and laugh-out-loud outrageous, Craze is sure to keep you right on the knife’s edge.
November 19 – December 15
Tarragon Theatre Mainspace – 30 Bridgman Ave
Cabaret – Horrorshow Productions
Set in a seedy cabaret called the Kit Kat Klub in 1929–30, the innovative musical tells the story of two doomed romances set against the emergence of anti-Semitism and fascism in Germany.
November 27 – December 7
Alumnae Theatre – 70 Berkeley Street
Little Women – Wren Theatre
Dive into the heart of “Little Women,” masterfully brought to life by acclaimed director Tatum Lee, known for the riveting “The Drowning Girls.” This upcoming production breathes new life into the cherished narrative of the March sisters—Jo, Meg, Beth, and Amy—exploring timeless themes of love, loss, and personal growth. With Lee’s innovative direction, the enduring story of these four sisters striving for their dreams against the backdrop of the Civil War era becomes a poignant, yet uplifting exploration of family bonds, resilience, and female empowerment.
November 29 – December 7
Alumnae Studio Theatre – 70 Berkeley Street
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