Stage Door News
Stage Door News
Presenting an exceptional array of distinctive artistic experiences, thought-provoking theatre, international dance collaborations and vibrant musical evenings, Civic Theatres Toronto (CTT) announces its inaugural season.
“We are passionate about people, ideas and communities that elevate the artistic creativity of Toronto,” said Clyde Wagner, President and CEO. “With over 150 nights of exceptional entertainment booked in our seven performance venues, we are committed to keeping your venues alive with dance, world music and theatre.”
The 2018/19 season includes:
DANCE COLLECTION
Circa (Australia), Humans, Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, November 9, 2018
•Ten acrobats from the award-winning contemporary circus ensemble Circa take us on a stirring journey of what it means to be human. Circa has stripped down the traditional circus show and combined it with contact and contemporary dance, constituting this performance as a unique contribution to dance culture today. Humans is touching, genuinely funny and an incredible feat of human movement pushing the boundaries of flexibility and strength.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater – 60th Anniversary Tour (US), Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, February 1-2, 2019
•The boundary-breaking Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is one of the world's most popular dance companies. Led by Artistic Director Robert Battle, Alvin Ailey's must-see masterpiece Revelations is the uplifting finale of each performance.
Ballet BC (Canada), Bluma Appel Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, March 29-30, 2019
•Returning to Toronto after an absence of almost a decade. Bold and innovative, the Company’s style and approach have made its repertoire a distinctive and invaluable contribution to the development of dance in Canada. The mixed programme will feature Crystal Pite’s Solo Echo and Petite Cérémonie by Medhi Walerski as well as one more piece TBC.
Batsheva Dance Company (Israel), Venezuela, Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, April 9, 2019
•Hailed as one of the world’s preeminent contemporary choreographers, Ohad Naharin created Venezuela in two 40-minute sections placed in juxtaposition. In this multi-faceted and compelling work, the endless possibilities of a choreographer’s craft are at play, and in turn, Venezuela compels the audience to challenge their own freedom of choice.
Eifman Ballet St. Petersburg (Russia), Tchaikovsky. Pro et Contra, co-presented with Show One Productions. Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, May 9-11, 2019
•Eifman Ballet St. Petersburg is distinguished by its brilliant technique, dramatic intensity, and exquisite artistry. In Tchaikovsky. Pro et Contra, internationally-acclaimed choreographer and Toronto favourite Boris Eifman takes the audience deep into the composer’s tortured imagination to examine how Tchaikovsky’s internal struggles inspired his music. The narrative soars on a score featuring some of the composer’s most beloved symphonies and ballets, including Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker.
Special thanks to BMO Financial Group for its support of the 2018/19 Dance Collection.
MORE DANCE
Daina Ashbee (Canada), Pour, presented in association with Native Earth Performing Arts. The Theatre Centre (off-site, 1115 Queen St. W.), February 21-24, 2019.
•A dark and devastating solo, Pour explores the vulnerability and strength of women. Daina Ashbee has quickly become a prolific and prominent Canadian choreographer, whose work is rooted in her relation to the land, the environment and her ancestors. A BC native of Cree, Métis and Dutch heritage, she is now based in Montreal.
Uptown Moves Dance Series, Lyric Theatre, Toronto Centre for the Arts, May 10-12, 2019
•An inspiring new Canadian/International double-bill presentation featuring Human Body Expression (Canada) and Art Project BORA (Korea). Renowned for creating stunning work based in contemporary dance, film, performance art, music, and fashion, Seoul-based choreographer, Bora Kim, brings Thank You to North America for the first time. Toronto choreographer, Hanna Kiel, remounts her acclaimed work, Chasing the Path, tapping into her personal experience of loss, and asking how we move into the present while still mired in grief.
JAZZ at the GEORGE
Etienne Charles (Trinidad and Tobago), Carnival -- The Sound of a People, George Weston Recital Hall, November 16, 2018
One of the most compelling and exciting young jazz artists ushering the genre into groundbreaking new territory. Celebrating the traditions that best exemplify the cultures of Trinidad and Tobago, and inspired by the noises and sounds heard throughout their many festivals, Etienne Charles’ Carnival: The Sound of a People brings the celebrations to the stage.
•The New York Times calls Charles an auteur who is "one of [jazz's] more ambitious soloists and composers," JazzTimes applauds him as a "daring improviser" and DownBeat celebrates his tone as "melodically captivating" and "rhythmically agile" that makes his music "immediately pleasing."
Dianne Reeves (US), Christmas Time Is Here, George Weston Recital Hall, Toronto Centre for the Arts, December 4, 2018
•This holiday-themed show from five-time Grammy-winning jazz legend Dianne Reeves will feature selections from her widely-acclaimed album, Christmas Time is Here and other holiday favourites. Choosing from a song list that includes “The Little Drummer Boy,” “Carol of the Bells,” “Christmas Waltz,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” and “Let It Snow,” Reeves gifts standards with her own distinctive musicianship and timeless elegance. Recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts as a 2018 “NEA Jazz Master,” Dianne Reeves has won the Grammy Award for Best Vocal Jazz Performance for three consecutive recordings and is the first to do this in any vocal category.
Youn Sun Nah (South Korea), George Weston Recital Hall, Toronto Centre for the Arts, February 22, 2019
•The first lady of South Korean jazz, Youn Sun Nah has a vocal range extending from the wildest screams to husky tenderness, a sumptuous instrument that nimbly handles a repertoire combining jazz, chanson and rock. Working on the fringe of jazz vocal convention, she’s been showered with acclaim in a young career that seems unstoppable. Awarded the Chevaliers of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres in 2009 for her musical contributions in France, her most recent album is 2017’s “She Moves On.”
Holly Cole (Canada), George Weston Recital Hall, Toronto Centre for the Arts, March 3, 2019
•Spanning such divergent genres as show tunes, rock, and country music has made Holly Cole one of the best-selling jazz artists ever to emerge from Canada. Her new album, simply titled HOLLY, is produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Russ Titelman, and arranged by pianist extraordinaire Larry Goldings.
Hiromi (Japan), George Weston Recital Hall, Toronto Centre for the Arts, April 12, 2019
•The virtuoso pianist Hiromi is known for her technique, energetic live performances and blend of musical genres such as post-bop, progressive rock, classical and fusion in her compositions. An utterly original improviser and composer who turns each piece into a thrilling ride.
WORLD MUSIC
Goran Bregović (Bosnia), Three Letters from Sarajevo, Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, October 26, 2018
•It is the history of Sarajevo with its multiple beliefs, identity, mixtures and complex paradoxes that inspired Bosnian musician Goran Bregović’s new album "Three Letters from Sarajevo." Along with Goran Bregović and his Wedding and Funeral Orchestra, the performance at the Sony Centre will feature violin soloists Mirjana Neskovic (Serbia), Gershon Leizerson (Israel) and Zied Zouari (Tunis), as well as local musicians, the LV String Quartet led by Rachel Pomedli, and a sextet of male voices from Toronto.
Vusi Mahlasela (South Africa), Bluma Appel Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, November 1, 2018
•Often dubbed as The Voice of South Africa, Vusi Mahlasela’s work is an inspiration to many in the anti-apartheid movement. During his 20 years as a recording artist, Mahlasela has collected many accolades, including a South African Music Awards (SAMA) Lifetime Achievement Award.
Lila Downs (Mexico), Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, November 7, 2018
•Iconic Grammy and Latin Grammy Award winning singer Lila Downs is one of the world’s most singular and powerful voices, whose compelling stage presence and poignant storytelling transcend all language barriers. Few artists have the dynamic power and range of this bilingual warrior-woman and her newest album Salón Lágrimas y Deseo, follows in her artistically outspoken footsteps as an affirmation of feminine power.
Soweto Gospel Choir (South Africa), Songs of the Free – In Honour of Nelson Mandela’s 100th Birthday, George Weston Recital Hall, Toronto Centre for the Arts, November 22-23, 2018
•Heralded as one of the most exciting groups in World Music, the Soweto Gospel Choir celebrates the inspirational power of African Gospel music. The 43-strong choir, under the direction of Beverly Bryer, draws on the top talent from the many churches in and around Soweto. The choir is dedicated to sharing the joy of faith through music with audiences around the world.
Kodō (Japan), One Earth Tour: Evolution, Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, March 21, 2019
•Kodō is arguably the most well-known and most influential taiko groups in the world. Kodō has been visiting Toronto for the past 40 years; the new show, Evolution, premieres in North America in 2019. Taiko is an ancient Japanese form of percussion using large drums. The drums range in size from roughly a snare drum ("shime"), to drums as large as a car (the "o-daiko"). The most common drum size in taiko is the "chu-daiko" which is the size of a wine barrel.
THEATRE
salt. (UK), written and performed by Selina Thompson, Studio Theatre, Toronto Centre for the Arts, February 7-10, 2019
•Winner of The Stage Edinburgh Award, salt. retraces the transatlantic slave route in this moving, personal journey about the painful legacy of the slave trade. salt. presents the arduous and horrific journey that Selina undertook on a cargo ship to trace the routes of the transatlantic slave trade. She makes the journey from the UK to Uganda and onwards to Jamaica. Selina Thompson is an artist and performer based in Leeds. Her work is playful, participatory and intimate, focused on the politics of identity, and how this defines our bodies, lives and environments.
SPIN (Canada), written and performed by Evalyn Parry, Jane Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, May 8, 2019
•Innovative, award-winning Toronto artist Evalyn Parry takes her audience on an uncommon theatrical and musical journey in SPIN, her tour-de-force performance celebrating the Bicycle as muse, musical instrument and agent of social change.
One part documentary and another part musical activism, SPIN is inspired in part by the incredible true tale of Annie Londonderry, the first woman to ride around the world on a bicycle in 1895.
CABARET
Djuki Mala (Australia), Bluma Appel Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, February 1 - 3, 2019
•Direct from Elcho Island, Djuki Mala perform a high-energy and stunning fusion of traditional Indigenous culture, contemporary dance and storytelling. Since their 2007 clip of 'Zorba the Greek' went viral, they have thrilled audiences with reinterpretations of popular culture and traditional dances in a way that juxtaposes contemporary Yolngu culture. The show tells the genesis of Djuki Mala interspersed with multimedia, giving audiences the opportunity to experience some of the more intimate moments and turning points that have shaped them, in a show that is a marvel of comedic timing and clowning, with a hefty dose of heart and soul.
Hot Brown Honey (Australia), presented in association with Why Not Theatre and Native Earth Performing Arts. Bluma Appel Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, April 5-7, 2019.
•Hot Brown Honey turns up the heat, delivering lashings of sass and a hot pinch of empowerment in the smash-hit that has taken the world by storm. Packing a punch of Hip Hop politics, the Honeys will make you laugh, cry, clap and shake what your mama gave you. This stellar posse of phenomenal women make noise as they defiantly smash stereotypes and remix the system. Fighting the power never tasted so sweet.
CIRCUS & CLOWN
Slava’s Snowshow (Russia), co-presented with Show One Productions. Bluma Appel Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, December 7-16, 2018. 10 performances only!
•Just in time for the holidays, the multi award-winning, international sensation blows back into the Great White North. Slava’s Snowshow is a timeless theatrical spectacle that has enchanted and empowered the imagination of millions of audiences around the world. Created and staged by one of the world’s most famous living clowns, Slava Polunin, the disarming troupe will take audiences on a spellbinding adventure before roaring to its legendary finish.
Cirque Eloize (Canada), Hotel, Bluma Appel Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, February 6-16, 2019
•Let acrobatics, theatre, dance and live music guide you through this intimate refuge, styled with an avant-garde scenography inspired by the elegance of only the greatest hotels. Cross the lobby doors and discover the grandiose and poetic universe of Hotel, Cirque Éloize’ new creation celebrating their 25th anniversary.
Gandini Juggling (UK), Sigma, presented in association with Nova Dance. Jane Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, March 16-17, 2019.
•Sigma features exuberant rhythms celebrating the dialogue between the worlds of juggling, music and classical Indian dance.
Formed in 1992 by world-renowned jugglers Sean Gandini and Kati Ylä-Hokkala, Gandini Juggling continues to be at the vanguard of contemporary circus, reinventing and reinvigorating juggling for the 21st century. Sigma is a spectacular new cross art-form production in collaboration with Gandini Juggling and Bharatanatyam dancer and choreographer Seeta Patel.
AN EVENING WITH …
This Is That, (Canada), George Weston Recital Hall, Toronto Centre for the Arts, January 19, 2019
•Hosted by Pat Kelly and Peter Oldring, produced by Chris Kelly, This is That is a news satire broadcast on CBC Radio, which airs comedic news stories presented in the style of a real CBC Radio public affairs program.
CONCERTS
The Musical Stage Company (Canada), Uncovered: Joni Mitchell & Carole King, co-presented with Civic Theatres Toronto. George Weston Recital Hall, Toronto Centre for the Arts, November 21, 2018.
•The Musical Stage Company’s signature event featuring hit songs interpreted by an all-star Canadian cast. Experience music director Reza Jacobs’ wildly imaginative arrangements of iconic songs by these two revered and award-winning artists. Performers returning to UnCovered include Sara Farb (Stratford Festival), Kelly Holiff (Charlottetown Festival) and Hailey Gillis (Soulpepper). More artists to be announced.
Art of Time Ensemble (Canada), To All A Good Night, George Weston Recital Hall, Toronto Centre for the Arts, December 16, 2018
•Known for its inspired interaction with the Toronto cultural scene, the Art of Time Ensemble has developed an international reputation for daring and eclectic programming. A holiday tradition that’s anything but traditional, this edition of the Art of Time Ensemble annual holiday show brings together new comedic readings, favourite holiday carols, new songs and more.
Brit Floyd (UK), Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, April 5, 2019
•The ultimate live Pink Floyd tribute show brings together all the best elements of an original Pink Floyd concert with world-class musicians and cutting edge Floydian animations in a staggering new stage production.
FILM IN CONCERT
Co-presented with Attila Glatz Concert Productions
Casino Royale in Concert, Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, October 11-12, 2018.
•Canadian premiere. Experience Bond on the big screen accompanied by the power of a full symphony orchestra performing composer David Arnold's thrilling musical score live and in sync with the film.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire™ in Concert, featuring the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, November 15-17, 2018.
•Watch Harry Potter, Ron, and Hermione as they face grueling new adventures in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire™. Experience the film live like never before, with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra performing Patrick Doyle’s score live-to-picture.
Amadeus Live, featuring the Motion Picture Symphony Orchestra conducted by Richard Kaufman and the Amadeus Choir, Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, February 21-22, 2019.
•Back by popular demand, experience the Oscar winner like never before — projected on a giant screen while a live orchestra and choir perform the soundtrack of Mozart’s masterpieces live, from the Gran Partita to the haunting Requiem.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix™ in Concert, featuring the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, May 2-4, 2019.
•The rebellion begins! Lord Voldemort is back, but the Ministry of Magic tries to keep a lid on the truth – including appointing a new, power-hungry Defence Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts. The Toronto Symphony Orchestra will perform the magical score live while the entire film plays in high-definition on a 40-foot screen.
Ghostbusters in Concert, Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, June 8, 2019.
•Canadian premiere. Celebrating its 35th anniversary, experience Ivan Reitman’s two-time Oscar® and two-time Golden Globe-nominated film screened live as an orchestra performs Elmer Bernstein’s Grammy-nominated score and Ray Parker Jr.’s Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping theme song, “Ghostbusters.” Peter Bernstein, son of Elmer Bernstein, the orchestrator of the original film, will conduct.
FESTIVALS
Fall for Dance North (Canada/International), co-presented with the Sony Centre. Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, October 3-5, 2018
•Toronto’s premiere international dance festival returns featuring renowned companies from around the world performing alongside bold new artists. Participating artists include: Soweto Skeleton Movers from South Africa, Anne Plamondon and Emma Portner & Artists in an original FFDN festival commission, Red Sky Performance with the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra, and The National Ballet of Canada with The National Ballet Orchestra.
Ladies of Hip Hop (International), presented in association with KeepRockinYou, Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, November 9-11, 2018
•Ladies of Hip Hop Festival (LOHHF) provides girls and women with space to express, learn and share their voice through Hip Hop arts. LOHHF offers workshops, performance opportunities, international artist exchanges and public talks to train, educate, and create the next generation of women in Hip Hop culture.
Uptown Toronto International Children’s Festival, Toronto Centre for the Arts, May 16 – 19, 2019
•Working with a national network of Canadian Children’s Festivals, the Uptown International Children’s Festival will present the very best of international theatre, circus, music and dance for young audiences and families. The inaugural iteration of the event will feature award-winning theatre from Scotland, circus and variety from Quebec, Indigenous dance and more!
Breakin’ Convention (International), Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, Summer, 2019
•The world’s biggest festival of Hip Hop dance theatre returns for an awe-inspiring weekend of exceptional performances from world champion b-boys and b-girls to cutting edge street dance companies.
Best of the Fringe (Canada), Studio Theatre, Toronto Centre for the Arts, July 2019
•Following the Toronto Fringe Festival (July, 2018), the Best of the Fringe provides artists the opportunity to showcase their work to an uptown audience and give patrons who may have missed their initial Fringe run a second chance to see the show.
EDUCATION & ENGAGEMENT
Civic Theatres Toronto opens its doors to the community by providing inclusive multi-disciplinary arts programming.
Free Classes & Workshops
We invite the public to engage with the arts through education, creation, and movement taught by both local and visiting artists.
School Programs
•Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM)
Through a partnership with the Ontario Ministry of Education, Civic Theatres Toronto offers Arts & Culture certification workshops to High School students across Southern Ontario.
•School Matinee Performances at Toronto Centre for the Arts
These performances are designed specifically for schools and are intended to support the Ontario Curriculum through engaging live performances and complementary Study Guides.
Upcoming presentations include:
Fatty Legs (Xara Choral Theatre, Canada) Toronto Centre for the Arts, Oct 18, 2018
Combining ethereal singing, engaging narration, and contemporary Indigenous dance, Fatty Legs is a choral theatre adaptation of the book Fatty Legs by Margaret Pokiak-Fenton and Christy Jordan-Fenton.
Boys Girls and Other Mythological Creatures, (Carousel Players, Canada) Toronto Centre for the Arts, January 23, 2019
Playwright Mark Crawford explores gender expression in this bold play for young audiences. A thoughtful and hilarious play about our ability to transform.
SPIN (Canada), written and performed by Evalyn Parry, Jane Mallett Theatre, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, May 8, 2019
Innovative, award-winning Toronto artist Evalyn Parry takes her audience on an uncommon theatrical and musical journey in SPIN, her tour-de-force performance celebrating the Bicycle as muse, musical instrument and agent of social change. One part documentary and another part musical activism, SPIN is inspired in part by the incredible true tale of Annie Londonderry, the first woman to ride around the world on a bicycle in 1895.
Community Presentations
•Xenia Concerts
These sensory safe performances are designed for children on the autism spectrum and their families.
•Discover Dance
Lunch-hour presentations, hosted by the award-winning choreographer Nova Bhattacharya, are free and for all ages. Through demonstrations, performance, and conversation, we will discover how dance forms from near and far are being woven into Toronto’s cultural scene.
September 2018
Tap dancer extraordinaire Travis Knights
September 11 - Toronto Centre for the Arts
September 12 - Sony Centre for the Performing Arts
October 2018
Daring and innovative Emily Cheung’s contemporary and classical Chinese dances
October 9 - Toronto Centre for the Arts
October 10 - Sony Centre for the Performing Arts
November 2018
Rising star Jasmyn Fyffe’s celebrations of the black female body in dance
November 13 - Toronto Centre for the Arts
November 14 - Sony Centre for the Performing Arts
December 2018
The unique creativity of Norma Araiza working from cultural practices of the Yoeme Nation of Sonora, Mexico
December 4 - Toronto Centre for the Arts
December 5 - Sony Centre for the Performing Arts
Discover Dance continues January-May, 2019, Artists TBD.
KeepRockinYou Partnership
KeepRockinYou is a Hip Hop dance organization that inspires young women by generating new avenues for growth, empowerment, and staying true to themselves. This partnership encompasses multiple programs to serve all young artists in the Hip Hop community.
•Open Sessions: Weekly Drop-in studio hours at Toronto Centre for the Arts
•Open Art Surgery: A professional development opportunity for Hip Hop artists interested in making Hip Hop theatre. It combines an intensive week of training, mentoring and devising, culminating in the Open Art Surgery showcase.
•B-Girl Movement: 12-week mentorship program ending in a Hip Hop battle
Summer Day Camps
•Sony Centre for the Performing Arts
Join Girls Rock Camp Toronto or Regent Park School of Music’s Glee Camp. Rehearse in a professional performing arts venue, tour the backstage area, and headline in the final performance on our lobby stage!
•Toronto Centre for the Arts
Join the Circus and work with renowned international Circus instructors! Learn new skills and hone your abilities, culminating in a final showcase in the Greenwin Theatre.
For more information about Education and Engagement programs, visit www.sonycentre.ca/education-and-engagement.
ABOUT CIVIC THEATRES TORONTO
Civic Theatres Toronto is one of the city’s largest multi-arts organizations, operating three iconic venues and presenting a full range of performing arts, theatrical and concert events in both downtown and uptown Toronto at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts and the Toronto Centre for the Arts.
As a charitable non-profit organization, the mission of Civic Theatres Toronto is to activate creative spaces by inspiring local and international artists, and connecting audiences - to be the nexus for new ideas, elevate artistic potential and be the catalyst for creative expression that is reflective of Toronto’s diversity.
TICKETS & INFORMATION
Visit www.sonycentre.ca for all details
Tickets available online at www.sonycentre.ca, by calling 1-855-872-SONY (7669), or in person at the Sony Centre Box Office, Monday-Friday 12PM to 5PM
Tickets are available online at www.tocentre.com, by calling 1-855-985-ARTS (2787), or in person at the TCA Box Office, Tuesday-Saturday 12PM-6PM
Tickets are available online at www.stlc.com, by calling 1-855-985-ARTS (2787) or in person at the St. Lawrence Centre Box Office, Monday-Friday, 12PM – 6PM
Ticketmaster phone lines operate 9:30 am – 8:00 pm Monday to Saturday, 12 noon to 8:00 pm Sundays and holidays. On-line sales operate 24 hours per day.
Photo: Kodo drummer.
2018-05-10
Toronto: Civic Theatres Toronto announces its inaugural 2018/19 season