☛ TORONTO ✭ JANUARY 2019 ☚

---Larger Theatres--- 

Champions of Magic  (magic).  Five of the world’s finest magicians show off their best illusions.  Opened Dec 20, 2018, runs to Jan 6, 2019.  Bluma Appel Threatre, www.stlc.com.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory  (musical) by Marc Shaiman & Scott Wittman.  Willy Wonka opens his mysterious chocolate factory to a few lucky kids.  Opened Nov 21, 2018, runs to Jan 6, 2019.  Princess of Wales Theatre, 1-800-461-3333, www.mirvish.com.  Runtime: 2h30m.  ✭✭✩✩✩

Come From Away  (musical) by Irene Sankoff and David Hein.  On September 11th, 2001, 38 planes with 6,579 passengers are stranded in Gander, Newfoundland.  Opened Feb 13, 2018, booking to Jun 30, 2019.  Royal Alexandra Theatre, 1-800-461-3333, www.mirvish.com.  Runtime: 1h40m.  ✭✭✭✭✭  

Elektra  (opera) by Richard Strauss.  Elektra plans to take revenge on her mother for killing her father.  In German with English surtitles.  Opens Jan 26, runs to Feb 22.  Four Seasons Centre, 416-363-8231, www.coc.ca. 

Réversible  (circus) by Les 7 Doigts.  A unique mix of theatre, circus, dance, music and acrobatics.  Opened Dec 12, 2018, runs to Jan 6, 2019.  CAA Theatre, 1-800-461-3333, www.mirvish.com.  Runtime: 90m.  ✭✭✭✭✩     

School of Rock  (musical) by Andrew Lloyd Webber & Glenn Slater.  A wannabe rock star posing as a substitute teacher turns a class of straight-A students into a rock band.  Opened Nov 28, runs to Jan 6, 2019.  Ed Mirvish Theatre, 1-800-461-3333, www.mirvish.com.  Runtime: 2h30m.  ✭✭✭✩✩

The Simon & Garfunkel Story  (musical) by Dean Elliott.  A musical chronicle of the rise, stardom, split-up and reuniting of folk-rock duo Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel.  Previews from Jan 17, opens Jan 22, runs to Jan 27.  CAA Theatre, 1-800-461-3333, www.mirvish.com.     

Tartuffe  (comedy) by Molière.   The father of a family falls under the spell of a religious con artist.  Previews from Jan 13, opens Jan 17, runs to Jan 27.  Bluma Appel Theatre, 416-368-3110, www.canadianstage.com. 

The Wizard of Oz  (panto) by Matt Murray.  A panto version of the well-known story.  Opened Dec 6, 2018, runs to Jan 5, 2019.  Elgin Theatre, 1-855-599-9090, www.rosspetty.com.  Runtime: 2h.  ✭✭✭✭✩

---Smaller Theatres (Professional)---  

After the Fire  (drama) by Matthew MacKenzie.  Two couple’s lives are deeply affected by the 2016 Fort McMurray fire.  Runs Jan 10 to Jan 19.  The Theatre Centre, 1115 Queen St West, 416-538-0988, http://theatrecentre.org.

The Best Is Yet To Come Undone  (revue) by The Second City.  A brand new comedy commute down the hyper-conscious highway. Opened Apr 9, 2018, booking to Jan 31, 2019.  The Second City, 51 Mercer St., 416-343-0011, www.secondcity.com/shows/toronto/spring-2018-revue-2.  Runtime: 90m.  ✭✭✭✭✩

Boys, Girls and Other Mythological Creatures  (children) by Mark Crawford.  In Simon’s basement Simon and Abby encounter dragons, princesses and other mythological creatures.  For Grades 1-4.  Jan 23 only.  Toronto Centre for the Arts,  www.sonycentre.ca/calendar-event-details/?id=465.  

Don Giovanni  (opera) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.  The legendary womanizer finally receives his comeuppance.  In concert.  Jan 20 only.  College St. United Church, 452 College St, 416-455-2365, http://operabyrequest.ca. 

Eve of St. George  (performance) by Julia Cratchley.  Masked audience members roam around four levels of room where the story of Dracula unfolds around them.  Opens Jan 17, runs to Jan 27.  The Great Hall, 1087 Queen St West, www.eventbrite.ca/e/eve-of-st-george-tickets-49927595783.

Die Fledermaus  (operetta) by Johann Strauss, Jr.  To discover her husband’s infidelity, a wife and her maid exchange costumes at a masked ball.  Opened Dec 28, 2018, runs to Jan 2, 2019.  Jane Mallett Theatre, 416-366-7723, www.torontooperetta.com.

Grace  (drama) by Jane Doe.  In the wake of a young woman’s disclosure of childhood sexual assault, a family presses charges.  Previews from Jan 8, opens Jan 10, runs to Jan 26.  Streetcar Crowsnest, 345 Carlaw Ave., http://crowstheatre.com. 

Gruesome Playground Injuries  (drama) by Rajiv Joseph.  The lives of two people from age of 8 to 38 who are brought together by their delf-destructiveness.  Runs Jan 18 to Feb 9.  The Assembly Theatre, 1479 Queen St West, www.leroystreettheatre.com.     

Hansel and Gretel  (opera) by Engelbert Humperdinck.  A brother and sister get lost in the woods and meet a witch who like to eat children.  Semi-staged.  Jan 18 only.  College St. United Church, 452 College St, 416-455-2365, http://operabyrequest.ca. 

Hook Up  (opera) by Chris Thornborrow.  Questions of consent, shame and power arise in the lives of three new university students.  Preview Jan 29, opens Jan 30, runs to Feb 9.  Theatre Passe Muraille, https://tapestryopera.com/hook-up.

In the Next Room (or the Vibrator Play)  (comedy) by Sarah Ruhl.  A doctor treats women and some men for hysteria by use of a new invention called the vibrator.  Previews from Jan 16, opens Jan 18, runs to Jan 27.  Tarragon Theatre Extraspace, www.tarragontheatre.com/season/2018-2019-rentals.    

It’s a Wild, Rowdy, Wonderful Life  (revue) by The Second City.  Laugh along as we skewer all the broken down traditions that plague the holiday season.  Runs Nov 19, 2018-Jan 1, 2019.  The Second City, 51 Mercer St., 416-343-0011, www.secondcity.com/shows/toronto/its-a-wild-rowdy-wonderful-life.

Kiviuq Returns: An Inuit Epic  (drama) by The Qaggiq Collective.  Kiviuq gathers strength from his ancestors and spirit guides as he fights his way home.  In Inuktitut with English surtitles.  Previews from Jan 4, opens Jan 9, runs to Jan 27.  Tarragon Theatre Mainspace, 416-531-1827, http://tarragontheatre.com.   

Magic Tonight  (magic).  James Alan presents a weekly live magic show with guest magicians.  Every Sunday.  The Cage, 292 College St., 416-995-1736, www.magictonight.ca/tickets/.

Mary Poppins  (musical) by Richard M. Sherman & Robert S. Sherman.  A magical nanny improves the lives of everyone in the household.  Opened Nov 8, 2018, runs to Jan 6, 2019.  Young People’s Theatre, 416-862-2222, www.youngpeoplestheatre.ca.  Runtime: 90m.  ✭✭✭✭✩  

Mary’s Wedding  (drama) by Stephen Massicotte.  A boy and girls fall in love in 1914 but are separated by the events of World War I.  Previews from Jan 31, opens Feb 1, runs to Feb 16.  Streetcar Crowsnest, 345 Carlaw Ave., http://crowstheatre.com. 

Nabucco  (opera) by Giuseppe Verdi.  The Jews are conquered and exiled from their homeland by the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar.  In concert.  Jan 12 only.  College St. United Church, 452 College St, 416-455-2365, http://operabyrequest.ca. 

The Naughty Listers  (children) by The Second City.  One of Santa’s most trusted elves goes rogue.  Runs Dec 15, 2018-Jan 5, 2019.  www.secondcity.com/shows/toronto/the-naughty-listers-2. 

Next Stage Theatre Festival  (festival).  Twelves plays from members of the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals.  Opens Jan 9, runs to Jan 20.  Factory Theatre, 416-966-1062, https://fringetoronto.com.

1979  (comedy) by Michael Healey.  A naive, honourable statesman, Joe Clark sticks to his principles during the dying days of his new government.  Preview Jan 9, opens Jan 10, runs to Jan 27.  Berkeley Street Theatre, 26 Berkeley St, 416-368-3110, www.canadianstage.com.

Once On This Island  (musical) by Stephen Flaherty & Lynn Ahrens.  A peasant girl on a tropical island uses the power of love to bring people together.  Runs Jan 6 to Mar 3.  Lower Ossington Theatre, 100 Ossington Ave., https://tickets.ticketwise.com/event/once-on-this-island-toronto.

One Thing Leads to Another  (children) by Maja Ardal et al.  Performers engage YPT’s youngest-ever audience with music, enticing visuals and tactile experiences.  For ages 3-12 months.  Opens Jan 12, runs to Jan 25.  Young People’s Theatre, 416-862-2222, www.youngpeoplestheatre.ca.

Peter Pan  (children) by Fiona Sauder & Reanne Spitzer.  A new musical adaptation of the classic tale of the boy who would not grow up.  For ages 3+.  Opened Dec 12, 2018, runs to Jan 5, 2019.  Young Centre, 416-866-8666, http://www1.soulpepper.ca.     

Le Premier Homme  (drama) by Jean-Paul Schintu.  A stage adaptation of the autobiographical novel by Albert Camus.  Jan 25 only.  In French.  Alliance française de Toronto, 24 Spadina Ave, www.alliance-francaise.ca.

Progress  (festival).  The fourth annual international festival of performance and ideas.  Opens Jan 30, runs to Feb 17.  The Theatre Centre, 1115 Queen St West, 416-538-0988, http://progressfestival.org.

The Raven / Futari Shizuka  (operas) by Toshio Hosokawa.  A double bill of two operas – one based on the Edgar Allen Poe poem, one based on a Japanese Noh play.  Jan 17 only.  Walter Hall, University of Toronto, https://music.utoronto.ca/concerts-events.php?eid=2132. 

Rose  (musical) by Mike Ross & Sarah Wilson.  To discover her place in the world Rose must conquer the mountain that stands in her way.  Previews from Jan 17, opens Jan 23, runs to Feb 24.  Young Centre, 416-866-8666, http://www1.soulpepper.ca.     

The Scavenger’s Daughter  (drama) by Susanna Fournier.  Jack and Ash must fight their way through the violence of withdrawal, scarcity, militarization, and each other.  Previews from Jan 15, opens Jan 17, runs to Jan 27.  Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 416-944-1740, http://buddiesinbadtimes.com. 

She The People  (revue) by The Second City.  A sketch show entirely created, designed, and performed by women.  Opened Aug 11, 2018, runs to Jan 27, 2019.  The Second City, 51 Mercer St., 416-343-0011, www.secondcity.com/shows/toronto/she-the-people-5.  Runtime: 100m.  ✭✭✭✩✩  

The Tashme Project: The Living Archives  (drama) by Julie Tamiko Manning & Matt Miwa.  The story of Japanese Canadians subjected to Canada’s internment laws during World War II.  Preview Jan 29, opens Jan 30, runs to Feb 10.  Factory Theatre, 416-504-9971, www.factorytheatre.ca.

The Telephone / Rita  (operas) by Gian Carlo Menotti / Gaetano Donizetti.  In the first opera Ben tries to propose to Lucy, but she’s always on the phone; in the second Rita henpecks her second husband, but then her first husband turns up alive.  Semi-staged.  Jan 19 only.  College St. United Church, 452 College St, 416-455-2365, http://operabyrequest.ca.  

Ugly Duckthing  (children).  A puppet musical about a strange animal looking for a family.  For ages 3+.  Runs Jan 5 to Feb 3.  Artscape Wychwood Barns, 601 Christie St., 416-368-8031, http://solarstage.on.ca.

The Virgin Trial  (drama) by Kate Hennig.  Princess Elizabeth must navigate a labyrinth of political and sexual intrigue in the Tudor court that threatens her life.  Previews from Jan 19, opens Jan 24, runs to Feb 3.  Young Centre, 416-866-8666, http://www1.soulpepper.ca.     

We Are Not Alone  (drama) by Damien Atkins.  Are a host of mysterious occurrences a sign of otherworldly visitors, or are we being deceived?  Previews from Jan 7, opens Jan 11, runs to Jan 26.  Streetcar Crowsnest, 345 Carlaw Ave., http://crowstheatre.com. 

The Wizard of Oz  (musical) by Harold Arlen & EY Harburg.  Dorothy Gale from Kansas is transported via tornado to a magical land.  Opened Dec 8, 2018, runs to Jan 27, 2019.  Randolph Theatre, 736 Bathurst St, 416-907-0468, http://lowerossingtontheatre.com.

---Smaller Theatres (Community & Student)---

Dick Whittington and His Cat  (panto) by Ben Crocker.  A poverty-stricken youth becomes Lord Mayor of London after he sells his cat to a rat-infested country.  Opens Jan 31, runs to Feb 9.  [community]  Tranzac Club, 292 Brunswick Ave,  http://nagsplayers.com.  

Doubt, A Parable  (drama) by John Patrick Shanley.  A nun suspects a popular priest of inappropriate behaviour in school.  Opens Jan 11, runs to Jan 26.  [community]  Scarborough Village Theatre, 416-267-9292, https://theatrescarborough.com.  

The Pirates of Penzance  (operetta) by Arthur Sullivan & WS Gilbert.  A young has been apprenticed to a pirate instead of a pilot.  Opens Jan 25, runs to Feb 3.  [community]  Parish Hall Auditorium, 651 Dufferin St., 416-922-4415, www.saintanne.ca.

Top Girls  (drama) by Caryl Churchill.  A woman celebrates her job promotion with famous women of history and fiction.  Runs Jan 18 to Feb 2.  [community]  Alumnae Theatre, 70 Berkeley St., 416-364-4170, www.alumnaetheatre.com. 

Who Killed Adrianna?  (opera).  A student composer collective suggests various possibilities for the murderer of opera singer Adrianna Amaro.  Jan 20 only.  [student]  Macmillan Theatre, University of Toronto, https://music.utoronto.ca/concerts-events.php?eid=2162.

☛ ELSEWHERE ✭ JANUARY 2019 ☚

*BARRIE*

Every Brilliant Thing  (comedy) by Duncan Macmillan.   As a mother battles chronic depression, a child creates a list of everything that makes life worth living.  Runs Jan 24-Feb 2.  Five Points Theatre, 705-792-1949, www.tift.ca.       

*GUELPH*

Coppélia  (ballet) by Bengt Jörgen to music by Delibes.   A toymaker falls in love with a mechanical doll.  Jan 20 only.  River Run Centre, 519-763-3000, http://riverrun.ca.    

Me Squared  (children) by Sursaut.  Dance, shadow play and movement demonstrate the importance of being true to yourself.  Opens Jan 29, runs to Jan 31.  River Run Centre, 519-763-3000, http://riverrun.ca.     

Physical Illusions  (mime) by Tottering Biped.  A series of short stories told without words.  Opens Jan 22, runs to Jan 24.  River Run Centre, 519-763-3000, http://riverrun.ca.        

*HAMILTON*

Crees in the Caribbean  (comedy) by Drew Hayden Taylor.  The story of two First Nations seniors, on their very first trip out of the country.  Previews from Jan 30, opens Feb 1, runs to Feb 16.  Dofasco Centre, 1-800-465-7529, www.theatreaquarius.org. 

*KINGSTON*

What a Young Wife Ought to Know  (drama) by Hannah Moscovitch.  A look at the dilemmas of a young married woman in 1920s Ottawa with no access to birth control.  Opens Jan 30, runs to Feb 17.  Baby Grand Theatre, 613-530-2050, www.theatrekingston.com.    

*KITCHENER/WATERLOO*

Carmen  (opera) by Georges Bizet.  A weak-willed soldier falls in love with a flirtatious gypsy.  In concert.  Opens Jan 11, runs to Jan 12.  Centre in the Square, Kitchener, https://kwsymphony.ca/concerts/carmen-opera-concert. 

Shen Yun 2019  (variety).  A spectacle of 5000 years of Chinese dance, music and stories.  Jan 8 only.  Centre in the Square, 1-800-256-8977, https://centreinthesquare.com. 

*LONDON*

Le Nozze di Figaro  (opera) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.  Figaro’s master wants to sleep with Figaro’s fiancée before her wedding.  Opens Jan 25, runs to Feb 3.  [student]  Paul Davenport Theatre, Western University, https://tickets.grandtheatre.com/single/psDetail.aspx?psn=8450.

The Penelopiad  (drama) by Margaret Atwood.  Why did Odysseus kill ten of Penelope’s handmaidens on his return home after a 20 year’s absence?  Previews from Jan 22, opens Jan 25, runs to Feb 9.  Grand Theatre, 519-672-8800, www.grandtheatre.com.  

*MISSISAUGA*

Shen Yun 2019  (variety).  A showcase of 5000 years of Chinese culture in music and dance.  Opens Jan 9, runs to Jan 13.  Living Arts Centre, 905-306-6000, www.livingartscentre.ca.

*NIAGARA FALLS*

The Show Must Go On  (revue).  The music of the hippy generation brought back in the form of a circus sideshow.  Opened Dec 28, 2018, runs to Jan 26, 2019.  Oh Canada Eh? Dinner Show, 8585 Lundy’s Lane, 1-800-467-2071, www.ohcanadaeh.com.      

Wild Magic  (magic) by Greg Frewin.  Frewin performs stunning large-scale illusions including one with a white Siberian tiger.  Runs Jan 2 to Jun 30.  Greg Frewin Theatre, 905-356-0777, http://gregfrewintheatre.com. 

*OTTAWA*

Apollo / Paz de La Jolla / The Dream  (ballets) by Balanchine, Justin Peck and Ashton.  The National Ballet of Canada performs a triple bill.  Opens Jan 31, runs to Feb 2.  NAC, 1-866-850-ARTS, http://nac-cna.ca.   

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical  (musical) by Douglas McGrath.  The story of Carole King’s rise to fame as a songwriter then as a singer-songwriter.  Opens Jan 1, runs to Jan 6.  NAC, 1-866-850-ARTS, http://nac-cna.ca. 

Cinderella and the Ice Slipper  (panto) by Ken MacDougall.  A panto version of the well-known fairy tale.  Opened Dec 29, 2018, runs to Jan 6, 2019.  The Gladstone, 613-233-4523, www.thegladstone.ca. 

Hamlet_director’s cut  (drama) by William Shakespeare.  A condensed version of Shakespeare’s play performed by one actor.  In French.  Opens Jan 30, runs to Feb 2.  NAC, 1-866-850-ARTS, http://nac-cna.ca. 

Lungs  (drama) by Duncan Macmillan.  Two people banter incessantly whether they should create another human being to join them.  Opens Jan 10, runs to Jan 20.  Arts Court Theatre, www.cartbeforethehorsetheatre.com.

Midsummer (a play with songs) (comedy) by David Greig & Gordon McIntyre.  An upscale lawyer and a petty conman find romance in Edinburgh.  Preview Jan 16, opens Jan 17, runs to Jan 26.  The Gladstone, 613-233-4523, www.thegladstone.ca.  

The Mountaintop   (drama) by Katori Hall.  A poetic imagining of events on the night before the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.  Runs Jan 22-Feb 10.  Great Canadian Theatre Company, 613-236-5196, www.gctc.ca.

The Wedding Party  (comedy) by Kriten Thomson.  A glimpse of a joyous, hellish and often alcohol-fuelled post-wedding reception.  Previews from Jan 30, opens Feb 1, runs to Feb 9.  NAC, 1-866-850-ARTS, http://nac-cna.ca.   

Weird: The Witches of Macbeth (drama) by Phillip Psutka.  Circus arts are used to tell the story behind the three witches in Shakespeare’s play.  Opens Jan 30, runs to Feb 9  The Gladstone, 613-233-4523, www.thegladstone.ca.     

*RICHMOND HILL*

The Paper Bag Princess: A Musical  (children) by Joe Slabe.  A stage version of the story by Robert Munsch.  For ages 3+.  Jan 22 only.  Richmond Hill Centre, www.rhcentre.ca. 

*ST. CATHARINES*

Djuki Mala  (dance).  The Indigenous dance group brings its contemporary dance and storytelling show from North East Arnhem Land, Australia.  Jan 30 only.  FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, 905-688-0722, www.firstontariopac.ca.   

Inner Elder (drama) by Michelle Thrush.  Thrush tells the story of the impact her grandmother had on her life.  Opens Jan 24, runs to Jan 26.  FirstOntario Performing Arts Centre, 905-688-0722, www.firstontariopac.ca.

*ST. JACOBS*

Jack and the Beanstalk  (panto) by Caroline Smith.  Jack’s magic beans makes beanstalk that reaches to a giant’s castle.  Opened Nov 30, 2018, runs to Jan 6, 2019.  St. Jacobs Country Playhouse, 1-855-372-9866, www.draytonentertainment.com.  

*STRATFORD*

Scared Scriptless (comedy) by Colin Mochrie & Brad Sherwood.  An evening of improv from two masters of the genre.  Jan 5 only.  Avon Theatre, stratfordfestival.ca/colinandbrad.

*WOODBRIDGE*

Hansel and Gretel  (opera) by Engelbert Humperdinck.  A brother and sister get lost in the woods and meet a witch who like to eat children.  Semi-staged.  Jan 20 only.  St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, 416-455-2365, http://operabyrequest.ca.