☛ TORONTO ✭ OCTOBER 2017 ☚

---Larger Theatres--- 

Arabella  (opera) by Richard Strauss.  To save her family from financial crisis, Arabella needs to marry a wealthy man.  In German with English surtitles.  Oct 5-28.    Four Seasons Centre, www.coc.ca.  Runtime: 2h55m.  ✭✭✭✭✩   

Bat Out of Hell  (musical) by Jim Steinman.  Strat falls in love with Raven, daughter of the most powerful man in post-apocalyptic Manhattan.  Oct 14, 2016-Jan 7, 2018.  Ed Mirvish Theatre, 1-800-461-3333, www.mirvish.com.  Runtime: 2h40m.  ✭✭✩✩✩ 

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time  (drama) by Simon Stephens.  A 15-year-old boy with autism tries to discover who killed his neighbour’s dog.  Oct 10-Nov 19.  Princess of Wales Theatre, 1-800-461-3333, www.mirvish.com.  Runtime: 2h30m.  ✭✭✭✭✩

The Elixir of Love  (opera) by Gaetano Donizetti.  Nemorino buys a love potion from a charlatan in hopes of winning Adina’s love.  In Italian with English surtitles.  Oct 11-Nov 4.  Four Seasons Centre, www.coc.ca.  Runtime: 2h30m.  ✭✭✭✩✩ 

Fall for Dance North  (festival).  A festival of dance including 11 companies in two mixed programmes.  Oct 4-6.  Sony Centre, www.ffdnorth.com.

The Marriage of Figaro  (opera) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.  Count Almaviva wants to sleep with Figaro’s fiancée before the wedding.  In Italian with English surtitles.  Oct 26-Nov 4.  Elgin Theatre, 1-855-622-2787, www.operaatelier.com.  Runtime: 3h.  ✭✭✭✭✭   

Las Minas Puerto Flamenco (dance).  Eleven award-winning artists (dancers, guitarists, singers, percussionists as well as a flamenco flute and saxophone) perform traditional flamenco.  Oct 13 only.  Elgin Theatre, 189 Yonge St., https://www1.ticketmaster.ca/event/10005309F1D27AC8?dma_id=527.

PJ Masks Live! Time to Be a Hero  (children).  A live show based on the animated TV series featuring Catboy, Owlette, Gekko and the Baddies.  Oct 10 only.  Sony Centre, www.sonycentre.ca. 

Salt-Water Moon  (drama) by David French.  Two former lovers meet to confront their past choices and contemplate a possible future together.  Oct 12-29.  Panasonic Theatre, 1-800-461-3333, www.mirvish.com.  Runtime: 90m.  ✭✭✭✭✩

Volta  (circus) by Cirque du Soleil.  Free spirits help a gameshow host get back in touch with his inner self.  Sep 7-Nov 26.  Grand Chapiteau, The Port Lands, 1-877-924-7783, www.cirquedusoleil.com/volta.  Runtime: 2h.  ✭✭✩✩✩

---Smaller Theatres (Professional)---

The Aliens  (drama) by Annie Baker.  Two misfit souls have made the out-back of a Vermont coffee shop their private refuge from the real world. Sep 17-Oct 8.  Coal Mine Theatre, 1454 Danforth Ave., www.brownpapertickets.com/profile/752042.  Runtime: 2h15m.  ✭✭✭✭✩ 

“Are You There Margaret? It’s Me, Gahd”  (comedy) by Ryan Sauvé.  A one-woman drag comedy about fame, family, feminism and failed marriages.  Oct 6-7.  Glad Day Bookshop, 499 Church St., www.gladdaybookshop.com/pages/events.   

Asking for It  (drama) by Ellie Moon.  A look at gender roles and sexual consent in the wake of the Ghomeshi scandal.  Oct 6-21.  Streetcar Crowsnest, 345 Carlaw Ave., http://crowstheatre.com.  100m.  ✭✩✩✩✩      

Assassins  (musical) by Stephen Sondheim & . A musical about the people who tried successfully or not to assassinate the American president.  In concert.  Oct 21 only.  Eastminster United Church, 310 Danforth Ave., www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3094407.

Avenue Q  (musical) by Robert Lopez & Jeff Marx.  A new college and his friends struggle to find jobs, dates and a purpose in life.  Sep 22-Nov 26.  Lower Ossington Theatre, 100 Osssington Ave., 416-907-0468, http://lowerossingtontheatre.com. 

Bello  (children) by Vern Theissen.  A lonely young boy named Bern gets lost traveling home from school and meets an old woman.  Ages 5-9.  Oct 10-20.  Young People’s Theatre, 165 Front St. East, 416-862-2222, www.youngpeoplestheatre.ca.  Runtime: 50m.  ✭✭✭✭✩   

Big City Improv Festival  (festival).  Canada's largest improv showcase with the best improvisers from across North America.  Oct 13-21.  Various venues, http://bigcityimprovfestival.com/tickets/index.html. 

The Chance  (comedy) by George F. Walker.  A one-night stand leaves a wallet with a large cheque in the apartment shared three women.  Oct 14-28.  The Assembly Theatre, 1479 Queen St. West, www.leroystreettheatre.com.

Circles  (musical) by Lucas Penner.  A band called Dante plays in an infernal club for a producer called Virgil.  Oct 3-5.  Cameron House, 408 Queen St. West, http://circlesdeadandlovely.brownpapertickets.com.

Cloud  (drama) by Daniel Pagett.  The story of humanity’s discovery of a practical collective consciousness.  Oct 20-Nov 5.  Artscape Sandbox, 301 Adelaide St. West, https://cloudTO.eventbrite.ca.  Runtime: 90m.  ✭✭✩✩✩

Curious George and the Golden Meatball  (children) by John Kavanaugh & Jeremy Desmon.  Curious George wants his friend Chef Pisghetti to win the Golden Meatball Prize.  Saturdays & Sundays, Oct 14-Nov 26.  Lower Ossington Theatre, 100 Osssington Ave., 416-907-0468, http://lowerossingtontheatre.com.  

The Diana Tapes  (drama) by James Clements.  A thriller about the publication of Andrew Morton’s book about Princess Diana.  Sep 20-Oct 7.  Red Sandcastle Theatre, 922 Queen St. East, www.wwtns.org/current-productions.

Dido and Aeneas / Aeneas and Dido  (operas) by Henry Purcell / James Rolfe.  Virgil’s tale of tragic love told from two perspectives.  Oct 20-21.  Trinity-St. Paul’s Centre, 427 Bloor Steet West, http://torontomasquetheatre.com.  Runtime: 1h50m.  ✭✭✭✭✭ / ✭✭✭✭✩

Don Carlo  (opera) by Giuseppe Verdi.  In concert.  Oct 4 only.  College St. United Church, 452 College St., 416-455-2365, http://operabyrequest.ca.

Dreamgirls (musical) by Henry Krieger & Tom Eyen.  The story of a young black female singing trio from Chicago who become music superstars.  Sep 8-Nov 18.  Lower Ossington Theatre, 100 Osssington Ave., 416-907-0468, http://lowerossingtontheatre.com.

Festival of Arabic Music & Arts  (festival).  A festival of all sorts of Arabic music from classical to jazz to rock along with comedy and theatre.  Oct 28-Nov 12.  Various venues, http://canadianarabicorchestra.ca/fama.

The Fish Eyes Trilogy  (dramas) by Anita Majumdar.  The coming-of-age stories of three teenage girls featuring traditional and contemporary Indian dance.  Sep 26-Oct 15.  Factory Theatre Mainspace, 416-504-9971, www.factorytheatre.ca.  Runtime: 2h35m.  ✭✭✭✩✩/✭✭✭✩✩/✭✭✭✭✩ 

Flashing Lights  (drama) by the company.  When an unremarkable guy  inexplicably becomes famous, his dizzying rise and fall effects everyone around him.  Oct 7-22.  The Theatre Centre, 1115 Queen St. West, 416-538-0988, http://theatrecentre.org.

The Future Theatre Festival (festival).  A festival of new plays created to advance Fantastic Realism in Toronto.  Oct 19-29.  The Attic Arts Hub, 1403 Queen St. East, www.sevensiblingstheatre.ca/ftftickets.   

Grab ‘Em by the Pussy  (comedy) by Rouvan Silogix.  A surrealist vaudeville farce about the recent rise of populism and fascism.  October 26-November 5.  Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace, 16 Ryerson Ave., 416-504-7529, http://www.artsboxoffice.ca.   

Gray  (drama) by Kristofer Van Soelen.  Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray updated to present day Toronto.  Sep 20-Oct 1.  The Commons, 587A College St., www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3067028. 

Guswenta Gathering  (festival).  A festival of Indigenous theatre, dance, music, and storytelling.  Oct 16-21.  Young Centre, 416-866-8666, https://soulpepper.ca/performances/guswenta. 

H.M.S. Parliament  (operetta) by Arthur Sullivan & William Henry Fuller.  A Canadian satire from 1880 using the music of G&S’s H.M.S. Pinafore.  Oct 28-29.  Trinity Presbyterian Church, 2737 Bayview Ave., www.tryptych.org.  Runtime: 2h30m.  ✭✭✭✭✩     

Huff (comedy) by Cliff Cardinal.  Video games meet the Trickster in a one-man show about harsh reality and gas-induced hallucinations.  Oct 16-21.  Young Centre, 416-866-8666, www.soulpepper.ca. 

Ici, les arbres s’enracinent dans l’eau (drama) by Marie-Claire Marcotte & Maxime Robin.  Local artists celebrate Toronto through music, literature and theatre.  In French with English surtitles.  Oct 26-28.  Berkeley Street Theatre Upstairs, www.theatrefrancais.com.

Kiinalik: These Sharp Tools  (drama) by Evalyn Parry & Laakkuluk Williamson Bathory.  Two women, one from Canada’s north, one from its south, travelled from Iqaluit to Greenland together and tell their story.  Oct 24-Nov 5.  Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 416-975-8555, http://buddiesinbadtimes.com.  Runtime: 90m.  ✭✭✭✭✩    

Lela and Co.  (drama) by Cordelia Lynn.  A woman tells her story of being sex trafficked by her husband.  Sep 21-Oct 8.  The Theatre Centre, 1115 Queen St. West, 416-538-0988, http://theatrecentre.org.

Let’s Go!  (comedy) by Robert Fothergill.  A prequel to Beckett’s Waiting for Godot looking at the lives of Vladimir and Estragon in 1913.  Sep 27-Oct 8.  Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace, 16 Ryerson Ave., 416-504-7529, www.artsboxoffice.ca.

Life After  (musical) by Britta Johnson.  Sixteen-year old Alice is left to navigate life after her father dies in a car accident.  Sep 23-Oct 29.  Berkeley Street Theatre, 416-368-3110, www.canadianstage.com.  Runtime: 75m.  ✭✭✭✭✭

Lo (or Dear Mr. Wells)  (drama) by Rose Napoli.  A feminist retake on a student / teacher relationship, wrestling with burgeoning sexuality and consent.  Oct 25-Nov 11.  Streetcar Crowsnest, 345 Carlaw Ave., http://crowstheatre.com.     

Lukumi: A Dub Opera  (musical) by d’bi.young anitafrika & Waleed Abdulhamid.  In 2167 Lukumi must go on a vision quest to save the world.  Sep 22-Oct 14.  Tarragon Theatre Extra Space, 30 Bridgman Ave., www.tarragontheatre.com/show/lukumi.

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/.

Marine Life  (comedy) by Rosa Laborde.  New love and Mariachi musical madness interrupt the work of a tree-hugging activist.  Nov 8-Dec 10.  Tarragon Theatre Extraspace, 416-531-1827, http://tarragontheatre.com.   

Miss  (drama) by Michael Ross Albert.  The connections between a high school teacher, her fiancé and a troubled student lead to a explosive showdown.  Sep 14-Oct 1.  The Assembly Theatre, 1479 Queen St. West, www.unit102actors.com.  Runtime: 70m.  ✭✭✭✭✩ 

Musik für das Ende  (opera) by Claude Vivier.  The first-ever staging of Vivier’s 1971 choral ceremony about life as it moves toward death.  Oct 27-Nov 4.  Streetcar Crowsnest, 345 Carlaw Ave., http://crowstheatre.com.  Runtime: 80m.  ✭✭✭✭✭     

Nuit Blanche  (festival).  The all-night contemporary art event offers art, dance, light and sound installations, interactive performances and more.  Sep 30-Oct 1.  Various venues, http://nuitblancheto.ca.

Other Side of the Game (drama) by Amanda Parris.  The stories of Black women who support their men, their families and communities, even in the face of dire consequences.  Oct 14-Nov 5.  Daniels Spectrum, 585 Dundas St. East, 416-531-1402, www.nativeearth.ca/otherside.   

Party Today, Panic Tomorrow  (comedy) by The Second City.  When you’re suffering from political exhaustion, sometimes you just need to scream over board games.  Aug 23, 2017-Feb 3, 2018.  The Second City, 51 Mercer St., 416-343-0011, www.secondcity.com/shows/toronto/venue/toronto-mainstage.  Runtime: 90m.  ✭✭✭✩✩

Picture This  (comedy) by Morris Panych & Brenda Robins.  Struggling artists hope to film a Napoleonic saga in only two weeks.  Sep 15-Oct 7.  Young Centre, 416-866-8666, www.soulpepper.ca.  Runtime: 2h10m.  ✭✭✭✩✩      

pool (no water)  (drama) by Mark Ravenhill.  A famous artist dies during a party she holds for her old friends.  Sep 27-Oct 15.  Citadel Theatre, 304 Parliament St., www.cue6.ca.  Runtime: 60m.  ✭✭✭✭✩    

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner  (poem) by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.  David Fox recites this famous long poem the the supernatural and the sea.  Oct 26-Nov 5.  Red Sandcastle Theatre, 922 Queen St. East, 416-845-9411, www.redsandcastletheatre.com.

Title and Deed  (comedy) by Will Eno.  An unnamed man has recently arrived here, from an unnamed place — a homeland somehow familiar, yet decidedly not.  Sep 19-Oct 8.  Tarragon Workspace, 30 Bridgman Ave., www.tarragontheatre.com/show/title-and-deed.  Runtime: 65m.  ✭✭✭✭✩  

Tragedie of Lear  (tragedy) by William Shakespeare.  Lear divides his kingdom between two of his daughters and banishes a third.  Oct 12-22.  Palmerston Theatre, 560 Palmerston Ave., www.tragedieoflear.com. 

Turtleneck  (drama) by Brandon Crone.  Four men pursue Vicki, a recovering sex addict.  Sep 23-Oct 8.  Tree of Life Theatre, 888 Dupont St., www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3080500. 

Unapologetically Me: Sharron’s Cabaret for Kids  (children) by Sharron Matthews.  An hour of pop, rock, funk and story from the effervescent singer-comedienne.  Ages 9-11.  Oct 2-21.  Young People’s Theatre, 165 Front St. East, 416-862-2222, www.youngpeoplestheatre.ca.     

Undercover  comedy) by Rebecca Northan & Bruce Horak.  An audience member must help Rebecca and her team find a murderer.  Sep 19-Oct 29.  Tarragon Theatre Mainspace, 416-531-1827, http://tarragontheatre.com.  Runtime: 2h20m.  ✭✭✭✭✩ 

Villains: An 80s Musical Cabaret  (cabaret) Melly McGrath & Caitlin Turner.  A woman opens a boot camp to try to reform criminals with superpowers.  Oct 20, 21, 27, 28 & 29.  Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 416-975-8555, http://buddiesinbadtimes.com. 

Waiting for Godot  (drama) by Samuel Beckett.  Two tramps wait in vain for a man named Godot to arrive.  Sep 14-Oct 14.  Young Centre, 416-866-8666, www.soulpepper.ca.  Runtime: 2h20m.  ✭✭✩✩✩

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

The Deep Blue Sea  (drama) by Terrence Rattigan.  A portrait of a woman caught between forbidden love and the fear of loneliness.  Sep 24-Oct 7.  [community]  Fairview Library Theatre, 416-299-5557, www.stagecentreproductions.com. 

Hedwig and the Angry Inch  (musical) by Stephen Trask & John Cameron Mitchell.  The story of an East German rock star and victim of a botched sex-change operation.  Sep 22-Oct 7.  [student]  Hart House Theatre, 416-978-8849, https://tickets.harthouse.ca.

The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (drama) by Stephen Adly Guirgis.  The trial of Judas takes place in hell.  Oct 20-26.  [student]  Ryerson Studio Theatre, 345 Yonge St., 416-979-5118, https://ryersonperformance.ca/show/last-days-judas-iscariot.

Thirteen Hands (comedy) by Carol Shields.  A group of women revel in their once-a-week gathering at a bridge club.  Oct 20-Nov 4.  [community]  Alumnae Theatre, 70 Berkeley St., 416-364-4170, www.alumnaetheatre.com.  

The Veil  (drama) by Conor McPherson.  In 1822 in Ireland a defrocked priest is to escort a 17-year-old girl to England to be married.  Sep 21-Oct 7.  [community]  Alumnae Theatre, 70 Berkeley St., 416-440-2888, http://torontoirishplayers.com.

Wait Until Dark (drama) by Frederick Knott.  A blind woman is threatened by three thugs searching her house.  Oct 6-21.  [community]  Scarborough Village Theatre, 416-267-9292, www.theatrescarborough.com.

☛ ELSEWHERE IN ONTARIO ✭ OCTOBER 2017 ☚

*BLYTH*

The Guys in the Garage  (comedy) by Rob Gundy.  Six men who go to Tommy’s garage to play darts and discuss life’s questions.  Oct 26-28.  Blyth Memorial Hall, 519-523-9300, www.blythfestival.com.

*CAMBRIDGE*

Rock of Ages  (musical) by Chris D’Arienzo.  In Los Angeles in 1987 an aspiring rocker and a Midwestern girl fall in love.  Oct 11-Nov 5.  Dunfield Theatre, 1-855-372-9866, www.draytonentertainment.com.    

*GANANOQUE*

The Birds and the Bees  (comedy) by Mark Crawford.  Sarah moves back in with her beekeeper mother when a male grad student arrives to study her bee diseases.  Sep 22-Oct 15.  Springer Theatre, 1-866-382-7020, www.1000islandsplayhouse.com. 

*HAMILTON*

A Few Good Men  (drama) by Aaron Sorkin.  Military lawyers uncover a conspiracy while defending their clients accused of murder.  Sep 20-Oct 7.  Dofasco Centre, 1-800-465-7529, www.theatreaquarius.org.  Runtime: 2h30m.  ✭✭✭✭✩

On a First Name Basis  (comedy) by Norm Foster.  An author realizes he knows nothing about his maid of 28 years.  Oct 25-Nov 12.  Dofasco Centre, 1-800-465-7529, www.theatreaquarius.org. 

El Retorno / I Return  (drama) by Marilo Nuñes.  In 1979 a Chilean family prepares for The Return Plan, an international effort to topple the Pinochet regime.  Oct 26-28.  Dofasco Centre, 1-800-465-7529, www.theatreaquarius.org.    

Strange and Unusual  (magic) by NickWallace.  Wallace explores the world of superstitions, conspiracy theories and psychics.  Oct 11-21.  Staircase Theatre, 27 Dundurn St., www.nickwallace.com. 

 

*KITCHENER/WATERLOO*

Dracula  (drama) by Robert Smyth & Kerry Meads.  A stage adaptation of the famous vampire novel.  Reading.  Oct 30 only.  Kitchener Central Library Auditorium, 519-896-2253, www.lostandfoundtheatre.ca. 

Impact 17  (festival).  Local, national and international productions with an emphasis on interdisciplinary and intercultural work.  Sep 26-Oct 1.  Various venues, www.mtspace.ca/impact-17.

Love with Leila  (comedy) by Izad Etemadi.  A charming, flamboyant and bearded Persian woman lives to please her parents and lose herself in love.  Oct 11-14.  Registry Theatre, www.greenlight-arts.com/love-with-leila. 

PJ Masks Live! Time to Be a Hero  (children).  A live show based on the animated TV series featuring Catboy, Owlette, Gekko and the Baddies.  Oct 11 only.  Centre in the Square, 1-800-265-8977, https://centreinthesquare.com.

*LONDON*

The Boneyard Man  (drama) by Jayson McDonald.  The 19th Anniversary Reunion of the fabled live 1940s radio noir series returns with the original cast for a series of 14 all-new adventures.  Sep 22-Oct 1.  London Music Hall, 178 Dundas St., www.boneyardman.com/upcoming-shows.    

The Daisy Theatre  (comedy) by Ronnie Burkett.  Master marionetteer presents a variety show for adults.  Oct 23-Nov 4.  Grand Theatre, 519-672-8800, www.grandtheatre.com.    

The Midnight Village: Donnellys After Dark  (drama) by Jeff Culbert & Jason Rip.  Tales of the infamous Donnelly clan told promenade style by characters from the past.  Oct 13-29.  Fanshawe Pioneer Village, http://fanshawepioneervillage.ca. 

Once  (musical) by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová.  A Czech woman helps an Irish street musician realize his dream of making a record. Oct 17-Nov 5.  Grand Theatre, 519-672-8800, www.grandtheatre.com.  

*MORRISBURG*

Full of Beans  (comedy) by Marshall Button & Sandy Gillis.  Oct 10-15.  Upper Canada Playhouse, 1-877-550-3650, www.uppercanadaplayhouse.com. 

Halfway There  (comedy) by Norm Foster.  In Stewiacke, Nova Scotia, Doctor Sean Merrit, newly dumped by his fiancée, meets are four local women.  Sep 7-Oct 1.  Upper Canada Playhouse, 1-877-550-3650, www.uppercanadaplayhouse.com.

Rockin’ All Night: Buddy, Ritchie & The Bog Bopper  (revue) by Chris McHarge & Colin Stewart.  Oct 25-28.  Upper Canada Playhouse, 1-877-550-3650, www.uppercanadaplayhouse.com. 

*NIAGARA FALLS*

Oh Canada Eh? Dinner Show  (revue).  A survey of Canadian music from Maritime folksongs to modern pop.  Apr 27-Oct 21.  Oh Canada Eh? Dinner Theatre, 1-800-467-2071, www.ohcanadaeh.com.   

The Rocky Horror Show  (musical) by Richard O’Brien.  Brad and Janet seek shelter in a castle owned by the mad transvestite scientist Dr. Frank N. Furter.  Oct 27-Nov 4.  Oh Canada Eh? Dinner Show, 8585 Lundy’s Lane, 1-800-467-2071, www.ohcanadaeh.com.

Shotgun Wedding  (circus) by Cirque Cabaret.  Two star-crossed lovers seek to elope before a shotgun wedding seals their fate.  Jun 9-Oct 31.  Greg Frewin Theatre, 905-356-0777, http://gregfrewintheatre.com.        

Wild Magic  (magic) by Greg Frewin.  Frewin performs stunning large-scale illusions including one with a white Siberian tiger.  Jan 5-Dec 31. Greg Frewin Theatre, 905-356-0777, http://gregfrewintheatre.com. 

*NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE*

The SHAW FESTIVAL 2017:

The plays run in repertory from Apr 5-Oct 15 in Niagara-on-the-Lake, two hours south from Toronto.  For tickets and information phone 1-800-511-7429 or visit the website at www.shawfest.com.

--At the Festival Theatre--

Dracula  (drama) by Liz Lochhead.  A stage adaptation of Bram Stoker’s famous vampire novel.  Jul 29-Oct 14.  Runtime: 2h45m.  ✭✭✩✩✩

Me and My Girl  (musical) by Noel Gay & L. Arthur Rose.  A proud Cockney learns he’s the 14th Earl of Hareford.  May 27-Oct 15.  Runtime: 2h40m.  ✭✭✭✭✩

Saint Joan  (drama) by Bernard Shaw.  Joan of Arc works miracles but is tried by the English as a witch.  May 25-Oct 15.  Runtime: 2h45m.  ✭✭✭✭✩ 

--At the Court House Theatre--

Androcles and the Lion  (comedy) by Bernard Shaw.  In ancient Rome a group of Christians are waiting to be thrown to the lions.  Jun 24-Oct 7.  Runtime: 2h15m.  ✭✭✭✩✩

1837: The Farmers Revolt  (drama) by Rick Salutin et al.Immigrant farmers have been working the land when they learn it’s been turned over to government cronies.  May 27-Oct 8.  Runtime: 2h15m.  ✭✭✭✩✩

Wilde Tales  (children) by Kate Hennig.  Four tales by Wilde adapted for the stage.  For ages 6+.  Jun 24-Oct 7.  Runtime: 55m.  ✭✭✭✭✩

--At the Royal George Theatre--

Dancing at Lughnasa  (drama) by Brian Friel.  In the 1930s five women try to eke out an existence in Ireland.  Jun 23-Oct 15.  Runtime: 2h15m.  ✭✭✭✭✩

The Madness of King George III  (drama) by Alan Bennett.  What should the government do when it is clear the king is losing his mind?  May 26-Oct 15.  Runtime: 2h30m.  ✭✭✭✩✩

An Octoroon  (comedy) by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins.  A modern adaptation of Dion Boucicault’s 1859 slave drama of a similar name that brings out all its absurdities.  Jul 28-Oct 14.  Runtime: 2h30m.  ✭✭✭✩✩ 

--At the Studio Theatre--

1979  (comedy) by Michael Healey.  Prime Minister Joe Clark really wants to serve the country but he won’t bend the rules to hold on to power.  Previews from May 20, runs Oct 1-14.

*ORANGEVILLE*

Sugar Road  (comedy) by Kristen Da Silva.  After a night of romance with a rising country music star, a woman wonders if she is ready to meet him again.  Oct 19-Nov 5.  Theatre Orangeville, 1-800-424-1295, www.theatreorangeville.ca.

*OSHAWA*

Cavalleria rusticana  (opera) by Pietro Mascagni.  When a young soldier sees his fiancée has married in his absence, he seduces a young woman in revenge.  In concert.  Oct 29 only.  Kingsview United Church, www.theoshawaopera.com.

Evil Dead the Musical  (musical) by George Reinblatt et al..  In an abandoned cabin a boy unleashes an ancient evil spirit and his friends turn into Candarian demons.  Oct 13-28.  The Dnipro Hall, www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2956584.

*OTTAWA*

Bent  (drama) by Martin Sherman.  Men try to navigate forbidden love during the Nazi persecution of homosexuals.  Oct 8-21.  [community]  The Gladstone, 613-233-4523, http://thegladstone.ca. 

Gabriel Dumont’s Wild West Show  (comedy) by Jean Marc Dalpé et al.  A series of tableaux, about the struggles of the Métis in the Canadian West.  In French.  Oct 18-21.  NAC, 1-866-850-ARTS, http://nac-cna.ca.    

King of the Yees  (comedy) by Lauren Yee.  A Chinese-Canadian playwright has issues with how she is being portrayed on stage.  Oct 25-Nov 11.  NAC, 1-866-850-ARTS, http://nac-cna.ca.    

Ma petite boule d’amour  (children) by Jasmine Dubé.  The tale of a gruff and solitary bear and an irritating little fly.  In French.  Ages 3-6.  Oct 28-29.  NAC, 1-866-850-ARTS, http://nac-cna.ca.    

Mothers and Daughters  (musical) by Jeff Rogers et al.  Janet is turning 50 and her whole family is coming to celebrate.  Sep 21-Oct 7.  The Gladstone, 613-233-4523, http://thegladstone.ca.

On the Strings of the Rain (На струнах дождя)  (comedy) by Albert Kowalski.  A woman lives with the ghosts of her past when suddenly a young man arrives.  In Russian.  Oct 17 only.  Kailash Mital Theatre, 1125 Colonel By Drive, https://showoneproductions.ca.

Ordinary Days  (musical) by Adam Gwon.  Embracing change and choosing hope in the Big Apple.  Oct 31-Nov 19.  Great Canadian Theatre Company, 613-236-5196, www.gctc.ca.   

The Phantom of the Opera  (musical) by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.  A brand new touring production of the classic musical.  Oct 18-29.  NAC, 1-866-850-ARTS, http://nac-cna.ca.   

Sir John A: Acts of a Gentrified Ojibway Rebellion (comedy) by Drew Hayden Taylor.  Bobby Rabbit and two friends want to steal his father’s medicine bundle from a British museum.  Oct 3-14.  NAC, 1-866-850-ARTS, http://nac-cna.ca.   

You Are Happy  (comedy) by Rébecca Déraspe.  To make her brother happy, a girl searches for a wife for him.  Sep 21-Oct 8.  Great Canadian Theatre Company, 613-236-5196, www.gctc.ca. 

*PICKERING*

Bedside Manners  (comedy) by Derek Benfield.  Two “Mr. Smiths” arrive at a country only to find that their girlfriends are each other’s wives.  Sep 22-Nov 4.  Herongate Barn Theatre, 1-866-902-9884, www.herongate.com.    

*PORT HOPE*

August: Osage County  (drama) by Tracy Letts.  After her husband commits suicide a family matriarch berates her children.  Oct 13-21.  Capitol Arts Centre, 1-800-434-5092, http://capitoltheatre.com.

*RICHMOND HILL*

On the Strings of the Rain (На струнах дождя)  (comedy) by Albert Kowalski.  A woman lives with the ghosts of her past when suddenly a young man arrives.  In Russian.  Oct 17 only.  Richmond Hill Centre, https://showoneproductions.ca.

*ST. CATHARINES*

Pantalone Palace  (comedy) by Mike Griffin.  Columbina wants to enjoy Wooers’ Woods in peace, but greedy business tycoon Pantalone plans to turn it into a casino.  [student]  Oct 27-Nov 3.  Marilyn I. Walker Theatre, Brock University, 905-688-0722, www.firstontariopac.ca.  

The Welland Canal Play  (play) by Kevin Hobbs.  A multimedia history of the Welland Canal from its inception and building to the present.  Oct 12-22.  FirstOntario Centre, 1-855-515-0722, www.fosterfestival.com.    

*ST. JACOBS*

Kings & Queens of Country  (revue).  A survey of country music’s pioneers from Johnny Cash to Tammy Wynette.  Sep 19-Dec 24.  St. Jacobs Schoolhouse Theatre, 1-855-372-9866, www.draytonentertainment.com.     

*STRATFORD*

Dracula: A Chamber Musical  (musical) by Marek Norman & Richard Ouzounian.  A stage version of the famous vampire story.  Staged concert.  Oct 30 only.  Knox Presbyterian Church, www.innerchamber.ca. 

Springworks  (festival).  A juried indie theatre and arts festival with programming for both kids and adults.  Oct 12-22.  Various venues, http://springworksfestival.ca. 

The STRATFORD SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL 2017:

The plays run in repertory from May 2-Nov 5 in Stratford, two hours west from Toronto.  For information and tickets phone 1-800-567-1600, visit the website at www.stratfordfestival.ca.

--At the Festival Theatre--

Guys and Dolls  (musical) by Frank Loesser.  A gambler falls in love with a female Salvation Army sergeant.  May 30-Nov 5.  Runtime: 2h45m.  ✭✭✭✩✩ 

Romeo and Juliet  (tragedy) by William Shakespeare.  Two teenagers from feuding families fall in love.  Jun 1-Oct 21.  Runtime: 2h45m.  ✭✩✩✩✩

Tartuffe  (comedy) by Molière.  The father of a family falls under the spell of a religious con artist.  Aug 17-Oct 13.  Runtime: 2h30m.  ✭✭✭✭✩   

Twelfth Night  (comedy) by William Shakespeare.  Orsino loves Olivia who loves Viola who loves Orsino.  May 29-Oct 21.  Runtime: 2h35m.  ✭✭✭✭✩

--At the Avon Theatre--

H.M.S. Pinafore (operetta) by Arthur Sullivan & W.S. Gilbert.  A humble sailor falls in love with his captain’s daughter.  May 31-Oct 21.  2h5m.  ✭✭✭✭✩ 

The School for Scandal  (comedy) by Richard Brinsley Sheridan.  Joseph Surface and Lady Sneerwell try to slander Joseph’s honest brother.  Jun 3-Oct 21.  Runtime: 2h40m.  ✭✭✭✭✩

Treasure Island  (family) by Nicolas Billon.  Pirate Long John Silver needs the treasure map that young Jim Hawkins has been given.  Jun 3-Oct 22.  Runtime: 2h.  ✭✭✩✩✩   

--At the Tom Patterson Theatre--

The Madwoman of Chaillot  (comedy) by Jean Giraudoux.  An eccentric woman defends Paris against corporate greed.  Aug 18-Oct 1.  Runtime: 2h50.  ✭✭✭✩✩

--At the Studio Theatre--

The Breathing Hole  (drama) by Colleen Murphy.  The mythic adventures of a polar bear from First Contact to a future ravaged by climate change.  Aug 18-Oct 6. 

 

The Honest Whore (comedy) by Thomas Dekker & Thomas Middleton.  The Duke of Milan feigns the death of his daughter to thwart her love affair with a young man.  Reading.  Oct 13 only. 

The Rover  (comedy) by Aphra Behn.  In this 1677 play Willmore falls in love with Hellena, who has set out to experience love but a famous courtesan, in love with Willmore, swears revenge on him.  Reading.  Sep 18 only.   

The Virgin Trial  (drama) by Kate Hennig.  The young princess Elizabeth navigates a labyrinth of political and sexual intrigue in the Tudor court.  Jun 27-Oct 8.  Runtime: 2h15m.  ✭✭✩✩✩

*SUDBURY*

Make Believe Spidey!  (magic) by Spidey.  A show by the renowned hypnotists, mentalist and magician.  Oct 28 only.  Sudbury Theatre Centre, 705-674-8381 x21, www.sudburytheatre.ca. 

Million Dollar Quartet  (musical) by Derek Benfield.  Two “Mr. Smiths” arrive at a country only to find that their girlfriends are each other’s wives.  Sep 28-Oct 15.  Sudbury Theatre Centre, 705-674-8381 x21, www.sudburytheatre.ca.  

*WELLINGTON*

The Harrowing of Brimstone McReedy  (comedy) by Eric Woolfe.  A puppet tale for adults about a grifter, the Devil and cursed Klondike gold.  Sep 26-Oct 1.  Storefront Studio, 310 Main Street, http://festivalplayers.ca.  

*WINDSOR*

The Turn of the Screw  (opera) by Benjamin Britten.  A governess tries to protect two children from two vengeful ghosts.  Oct 25-26.  Willistead Manor, 1899 Niagara St., 226-346-8372, www.abridgedopera.com.