http://www.livewithculture.ca A Guide to Toronto Culture Scene Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:42:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 en hourly 1 http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/kid-pleasing-puppetmongers/ http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/kid-pleasing-puppetmongers/#comments Fri, 16 Dec 2011 17:27:07 +0000 Christopher Jones http://www.livewithculture.ca/?p=10214 There was a mini mob scene at the Tarragon Extra Space Theatre on Wednesday following the season's first school performance of Bed & Breakfast by Puppetmongers Theatre. One of two school groups had to bolt to catch a bus but the other group rushed the stage to pepper actors/puppeteers Ann and David Powell with questions about how the puppets work, how the set was built and to marvel at the tiny mouse trap, among other delightful doll's house details.]]> http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/kid-pleasing-puppetmongers/feed/ 0 http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/melanie-mcneils-life-in-the-wings/ http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/melanie-mcneils-life-in-the-wings/#comments Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:58:04 +0000 Christopher Jones http://www.livewithculture.ca/?p=10091 Climbing the theatre ladder has never been easy or especially rewarding. Devotees, especially those backstage and in the wings, practice their craft for love not money with a few lucky souls able to scrape their way to long and fruitful careers. Melanie McNeil has been paying her dues for a decade and is finally on a rung somewhere in the middle of that ladder. She says that when she was in a student in Ryerson's Theatre Production program (class of 2002) she had two dreams: to win a Dora and to be flown somewhere to work. Both of those dreams came true for her in 2011.]]> http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/melanie-mcneils-life-in-the-wings/feed/ 1 http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/public-consultation-on-city-theatres/ http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/public-consultation-on-city-theatres/#comments Tue, 01 Nov 2011 20:55:50 +0000 Christopher Jones http://www.livewithculture.ca/?p=9767 The Mayor's Task Force on the Arts and Theatre is inviting participation in a public consultation with reference to the future of Toronto's three civic theatres: the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, and the Toronto Centre for the Arts. Public consultation will be held Wednesday, November 9 at 9:30 am at St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts (27 Front Street East) and on Wednesday, November 9 at 6:3 pm at Toronto Centre for the Arts (5040 Yonge Street).]]> http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/public-consultation-on-city-theatres/feed/ 0 http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/2p4h-a-bulletproof-production/ http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/2p4h-a-bulletproof-production/#comments Tue, 01 Nov 2011 19:21:02 +0000 Christopher Jones http://www.livewithculture.ca/?p=9738 In separate interviews last week, 2 Pianos 4 Hands creators Richard Greenblatt and Ted Dykstra both observed that they have "nothing left to prove" with the remount of their wildly popular show, on now at Toronto's Panasonic Theatre until November 20. And yet, rather than resting on their laurels, the pair are knocking it out of the park with what is billed as the "farewell" performance of the show that was born as a Tarragon Theatre workshop piece in 1994.]]> http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/2p4h-a-bulletproof-production/feed/ 0 http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/greatness-becomes-daniel-macivor/ http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/greatness-becomes-daniel-macivor/#comments Tue, 04 Oct 2011 15:01:57 +0000 Christopher Jones http://www.livewithculture.ca/?p=9435 Daniel MacIvor is a fixture on the Toronto theatre scene for a very good reason, he never stops working. He confesses that it may be a bit of a problem, this workaholism, "but I love my work and it satisfies me so what am I going to do? The problem is that I'm really, really bored otherwise. When I'm not working it's just the dog and me; being busy is better." MacIvor is clearly enjoying his turn as Tennessee Williams's assistant in His Greatness, a play the writer premiered in Vancouver in 2007 but has never acted in himself. And being in the show has encouraged him to rethink a significant aspect of the show.]]> http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/greatness-becomes-daniel-macivor/feed/ 0 http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/a-bold-boisterous-game-of-chess/ http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/a-bold-boisterous-game-of-chess/#comments Thu, 29 Sep 2011 18:51:53 +0000 Christopher Jones http://www.livewithculture.ca/?p=9409 British lyricist Tim Rice, centre, was in the house at the Princess of Wales Theatre for yesterday's opening night performance of Chess: The Musical. A big hit with critics, the show -- which has never played in Toronto before -- is boisterous and bold with a graphic stage set, camp costumes and virtually non-stop singing. ]]> http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/a-bold-boisterous-game-of-chess/feed/ 0 http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/warm-up-for-war-horse/ http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/warm-up-for-war-horse/#comments Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:18:13 +0000 Christopher Jones http://www.livewithculture.ca/?p=9318 Master puppeteers Basil Jones, left, and Adrian Kohler, right, touched down at the TIFF Bell Lightbox this morning to kick-start the buzz on the Mirvish production of War Horse, opening in February at the Princess of Wales Theatre. Based on a novel by Michael Morpurgo and adapted by Nick Stafford in association with Handspring Puppet Company, War Horse explores the role played by horses in World War 1. The life-size horse puppet shown above requires three operators and is staggeringly realistic in its movements, its ribs even expand and contract to mimic breathing. Single tickets go on sale September 24.]]> http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/warm-up-for-war-horse/feed/ 0 http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/walter-carsen-prize-for-richard-rose/ http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/walter-carsen-prize-for-richard-rose/#comments Wed, 24 Aug 2011 15:08:53 +0000 Christopher Jones http://www.livewithculture.ca/?p=9103 Toronto theatre veteran Richard Rose has won the $50,000 Walter Carsen Prize from the Canada Council for the Arts. The honour recognizes the highest level of artistic excellence and distinguished career achievement by Canadian artists who have spent the major part of their career in Canada in dance, theatre or music. Said Robert Sirman, Director and CEO of the Canada Council: “Richard's intense passion for interpreting and presenting stories in new and creative ways aligns perfectly with what Walter Carsen intended for this prize.”]]> http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/walter-carsen-prize-for-richard-rose/feed/ 0 http://www.livewithculture.ca/family/the-dark-heart-of-hansel-and-gretel/ http://www.livewithculture.ca/family/the-dark-heart-of-hansel-and-gretel/#comments Mon, 08 Aug 2011 15:24:54 +0000 Christopher Jones http://www.livewithculture.ca/?p=8962 There’s nothing run-of-the-mill about a Shadowland Theatre production and this week’s run of Hansel and Gretel: A Case Study is no exception. The show takes the classic Grimm fairy tale and combines it with the music of Brecht and Weill’s Threepenny Opera while calling upon Sigmund Freud to narrate and make sense of this dark, coming of age tale. Shadowland co-founder Brad Harley, says he and his wife, director Anne Barber, are using the Grimm story to work through their feelings about their own children, ages 17 and 20, leaving home.]]> http://www.livewithculture.ca/family/the-dark-heart-of-hansel-and-gretel/feed/ 0 http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/no-stage-no-problem-for-humber-river-shakespeare/ http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/no-stage-no-problem-for-humber-river-shakespeare/#comments Thu, 21 Jul 2011 19:34:47 +0000 Christopher Jones http://www.livewithculture.ca/?p=8856 The Humber River Shakespeare Company performs on the banks of its namesake this weekend with shows at Etienne Brulé Park Saturday (July 23, 7 pm) and Montgomery’s Inn Sunday (July 24, 2 pm), followed by three nights at the Old Mill (July 27 – 29) then back to Monty's Inn from July 30 – August 1 (details here). I caught the company's Comedy of Errors earlier this week at Humber Bay Shores park, a new venue for the troupe. The show is lively, saucy fun and didn't suffer in the least for want of more elaborate sets, sound or lighting. "We embrace whatever park we're in and do what we can to bring the setting into the show," says artistic director Kevin Hammond. "We don't try to trick anyone; we don't build a theatre in a park, we make the park into a performance space."]]> http://www.livewithculture.ca/theatre/no-stage-no-problem-for-humber-river-shakespeare/feed/ 0