Stage Door Reviews 2022
It Runs in the Family
✭✭✭✩✩
by Ray Cooney, directed by Alex Mustakas
Drayton Entertainment, Huron Country Playhouse, Grand Bend
July 21-August 6, 2022;
Hamilton Family Theatre, Cambridge
August 12-28, 2022
Dr. Bonney: “Ahoy in front and avast...
Girls & Boys
✭✭✭✭✭
by Dennis Kelly, directed by Lucy Jane Atkinson
Here For Now Theatre Company, Falstaff Family Centre, Stratford
July 28-August 7, 2022
Woman: “I met my husband in the queue to board an easyJet flight and I have to say I took...
Forty-Seven
✭✭✭✩✩
by Deanna Kruger, directed by Rebecca Cuthbertson
Here For Now Theatre Company, Falstaff Family Centre, Stratford
July 21-31, 2022
Trish: “It’s hard being a person”
The doughty Here For Now Theatre Company has embarked...
Wingfield Unbound
✭✭✭✭✩
by Dan Needles, directed by Douglas Beattie
Douglas Beattie Theatrical Productions Ltd., Player’s Backstage, Stratford Perth Museum, Stratford
July 25, 2022
Editor: “Knowing history makes us able to concentrate on making new...
Detroit
✭✭✭✭✩
by Lisa D’Amour, directed by Jill Harper
Coal Mine Theatre, 1454 Danforth Avenue, Toronto
July 10-August 7, 2022
Sharon: “Does anyone talk to their neighbors anymore?”
Steppenwolf gave Lisa D’Amour’s play Detroit its world...
The Drawer Boy
✭✭✭✭✭
by Michael Healey, directed by Gil Garratt
Blyth Festival, Harvest Stage, Blyth
June 22-July 16, 2022
“Each be other’s comfort kind” (from “At the Wedding March” by Gerard Manly Hopkins)
The Blyth Festival is currently...
Wingfield’s Folly
✭✭✭✭✩
by Dan Needles, directed by Douglas Beattie
Douglas Beattie Theatrical Productions Ltd., Player’s Backstage, Stratford Perth Museum, Stratford
July 17, 2022
Walt: “They realize that I cooperate best when I don’t know what’s...
Wingfield’s Progress
✭✭✭✭✩
by Dan Needles, directed by Douglas Beattie
Douglas Beattie Theatrical Productions Ltd., Player’s Backstage, Stratford Perth Museum, Stratford
July 10, 2022
“Elegance in Harmony with Nature”
On July 10 Rod Beattie performed...
My Hero
✭✭✭✩✩
by Norm Foster, directed by Simon Joynes
Port Stanley Festival Theatre, Grace Auditorium, Port Stanley
June 17-July 9, 2022
Corinne: “If I want to cavort, I’ll cavort”
Norm Foster is already known as Canada’s most prolific...
Letter from Wingfield Farm
✭✭✭✭✩
by Dan Needles, directed by Douglas Beattie
Douglas Beattie Theatrical Productions Ltd., Player’s Backstage, Stratford Perth Museum, Stratford
July 3, 2022
Editor: “There’s a lot to read in a weekly newspaper”
A one-time...
2 Pianos 4 Hands
✭✭✭✭✭
written & directed by Ted Dykstra & Richard Greenblatt
The Marquis Entertainment Inc. & Talking Fingers, Royal Alexandra Theatre, Toronto
June 12-July 17, 2022
“We’re the two best pianists in the neighbourhood”
2 Pianos...
Wildfire
✭✭✭✭✭
by David Paquet, translated by Leanna Brodie, directed by Soheil Parsa
Factory Theatre, Toronto
June 2-19, 2022
Claudine: “Come to think of it, you’re exactly like my cookies”
Imagine a combination of Aeschylus, Samuel...
Distant Early Warning
✭✭✭✩✩
by Justin Miller, directed by John Turner
Pearle Harbour & Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Toronto
May 19-29, 2022
“I don’t want to set the world on fire” (popular song, 1941)
Imagine that there...
Lessons in Forgetting
✭✭✩✩✩
by Emma Haché, translated by Taliesin McEnaney with John Van Burek, directed by Ash Knight
Pleiades Theatre, Young Centre, Toronto
May 12-22, 2022
Elle: “Oui, mais à part moi, tu ne te souviens de rien”
Pleiades Theatre...
The Herd
✭✭✩✩✩
by Kenneth T. Williams, directed by Tara Beagen
Tarragon Theatre with Citadel Theatre & NAC Indigenous Theatre, Tarragon Theatre Mainspace, Toronto
May 11-29, June 7-12, 2022
“In the beginning was the apocalypse”
The Tarragon...
Is God Is
✭✭✭✭✩
by Aleshea Harris, directed by Mumbi Tindyebwa Otu
Obsidian Theatre Company, Necessary Angel Theatre Company & Canadian Stage, Berkeley Street Theatre, Toronto
May 11-22, 2022
Racine: “Ain’t nobody innocent”
Three theatre...
The Magic Flute
✭✭✭✭✩
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, directed by Anna Theodosakis
Canadian Opera Company, Four Seasons Centre, Toronto
May 6, 8, 11, 14, 17, 19 & 21, 2022
Pamina und Tamino:
“Wir wandeln durch des Tones Macht
froh durch des...
A Northern Lights Dream
✭✭✭✩✩
music and libretto by Michael Rose, directed by Guillermo Silva-Marin
Toronto Operetta Theatre, Jane Mallett Theatre, Toronto
May 5-7, 2022
Mrs. Duke: “Just let the world unfold”
Toronto Operetta Theatre’s first live production...
La Traviata
✭✭✭✭✩
by Giuseppe Verdi, directed by Arin Arbus
Canadian Opera Company, Four Seasons Centre, Toronto
April 23, May 1, 3, 7, 12, 18 & 20, 2022
Alfredo: “Io vivo quasi in ciel”
The Four Seasons Centre has not hosted an opera live...
The Huns
✭✭✭✭✭
by Michael Ross Albert, directed by Marie Farsi
One Four One Collective & The Spadina Avenue Gang,
Assembly Theatre, 1479 Queen Street West, Toronto
April 29-May 8, 2022;
Regency Square, Brighton, GBR
May 21-29,...
Three Women of Swatow
✭✭✭✩✩
by Chloé Hung, directed by Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster
Tarragon Theatre, Tarragon Theatre Extraspace, Toronto
April 27-May 20, 2022;
May 15-25, 2022 online
Grandmother: “I’m not in the mood for biblical homicide”
Three...
Grow
✭✭✭✩✩
music by Colleen Dauncey, lyrics by Akiva Romer-Segal, book by Matt Murray, directed by Dennis Garnhum
Grand Theatre, Spriet Stage, London
April 22-30, 2022
Ruth: “Kindness makes things grow”
The new Canadian musical Grow...
Toka
✭✭✭✩✩
written and choreographed by Indrit Kasapi, directed by Cole Alvis
Theatre Passe Muraille & lemonTree creations, Theatre Passe Muraille, Toronto
April 20-23, 2022 online
Mrs. Noka: “Forgiveness is our only salvation”
Indrit...
Pipeline
✭✭✭✩✩
by Dominique Morisseau, directed by Weyni Mengesha
Soulpepper Theatre Company, Yonge Centre, Distillery District, Toronto
April 14-May 8, 2022
Nya: “I’m sinking.... Like I just can’t even fight this pulling down”
Soulpepper’s...
The House of Bernarda Alba
✭✭✭✭✩
by Federico García Lorca, translated by David Johnston, directed by Soheil Parsa
Aluna Theatre & Moden Times Stage Company, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, Toronto
April 14-May 15, 2022
Bernarda: “Needle and thread for women,...
The Antipodes
✭✭✭✭✩
by Annie Baker, directed by Ted Dykstra
Coal Mine Theatre, 1454 Danforth Avenue, Toronto
April 6-May 15, 2022
Sandy: “No dwarves or elves or trolls”
The Coal Mine Theatre is currently presenting The Antipodes by American...
Orphan Song
✭✭✩✩✩
by Sean Dixon, directed by Richard Rose
Tarragon Theatre, Tarragon Mainspace, Toronto
April 1-24, 2022
Mo: “Louse not meat”
Orphan Song by Sean Dixon was originally meant to have its world premiere in April 2020. The Covid-19...
Le Club des éphémères
✭✭✭✭✩
by Alain Doom, directed by Dillon Orr
Le Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario & Le Théâtre français de Toronto, Berkeley Street Theatre, Toronto
March 30-April 9, 2022;
Salle Trisac, Collège Boréal, Sudbury
April 20-23, 2022
Our Fathers, Sons, Lovers and Little Brothers
✭✭✭✭✩
by Makambe K. Simamba, directed by Donna-Michelle St. Bernard
Tarragon Theatre & Black Theatre Workshop, Tarragon Extraspace, Toronto
March 17-April 10, 2022 in person,
March 22-April 10, 2022 online;
Theatre Aquarius,...
Room
✭✭✭✭✩
by Emma Donoghue, directed by Cora Bissett
Grand Theatre, Covent Garden Productions & Mirvish Productions, Grand Theatre, London
March 11-19, 2022;
Princess of Wales Theatre, Toronto
April 7-May 8, 2022
“Mind over...
Rinaldo
✭✭✭✭✩
by George Frideric Handel, directed by Tom Diamond
The Glenn Gould School, Royal Conservatory of Music, Koerner Hall, Toronto
March 16 & 18, 2022
Rinaldo: “Or la tromba in suon festante / Mi richiama a trionfar”
The first...
Mercy
✭✭✭✩✩
by Drew Carnwath, directed by Rosemary Doyle
Theatre Kingston, Baby Grand Theatre, Kingston
March 10-26, 2022
Jordan: “Not forgiveness, not compassion”
To celebrate Theatre Kingston’s 30th season the company has programmed...
Fantasma
✭✭✭✭✩
music by Ian Cusson, libretto by Colleen Murphy, directed by Julie McIsaac
Canadian Opera Company, Joey and Toby Tanenbaum Opera Centre, 227 Front St. East, Toronto
March 9, 10 & 12, 2022
Manon: “Let’s make some wonderful memories”
Light
✭✭✭✩✩
by Rosa Laborde, directed by Jackie Maxwell
Tarragon Theatre, Tarragon Mainspace, Toronto
March 8-13, 2022 in person
March 15-27, 2022 online
Michael Sontag: “It’s okay not to be okay”
Rosa Laborde, known for such...
Gloria
✭✭✭✩✩
by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, directed by André Sills
ARC with Crow’s Theatre, Streetcar Crowsnest, 345 Carlaw St., Toronto
March 4-20, 2022
Lorin: “Why are people only interested in someone if they die?”
Great comedies like...
Things My Fore-Sisters Saw
✭✭✭✭✩
written and directed by Leslie McCurdy
Li’l Ol’ Me Productions, Theatre Orangeville, Orangeville
March 3-13, 2022
“This land is your land, this land is my land”
Leslie McCurdy premiered her solo play Things My Fore-Sisters...
Iphigenia and the Furies (On Taurian Land)
✭✭✭✩✩
by Ho Ka Kei, directed by Jonathan Seinen
Saga Collectif, Architect Theatre & Theatre Passe Muraille, Toronto
February 23-26, 2022 online
Iphigenia: “I’m trapped in a cycle of sacrifice – having been spared from one I now inflict...
This Is How We Got Here
✭✭✭✩✩
written and directed by Keith Barker
Native Earth Performing Arts, Shaw Festival, Studio Theatre, Niagara-on-the-Lake
February 12-19, 2022
Paul: “This worried the fox. He had never lost his own story before”
By scheduling...
She’s Not Special
✭✭✭✭✩
written by Fatuma Adar, directed by Fatuma Adar & Graham Isador
HomeMadeIt Productions & Pressgang Theatre with Pandemic Theatre, Next Stage Theatre Festival, Toronto
February 7-13, 2022 online
Fatuma: “You like it when I check...
Solstice d’hiver
✭✭✭✭✩
by Roland Schimmelpfennig, translated by Camille Luscher & Claire Stavaux. directed by Joël Beddows
Groupe de la Veillée, Théâtre Prospero & Théâtre français de Toronto, Berkeley Street Theatre Upstairs, 26 Berkeley Street, Toronto
Heart of a Dog
✭✭✭✩✩
written and directed by Mohammad Yaghoubi, translated by Mahsa Ershadifar & Mohammad Yaghoubi
Nowadays Theatre Company, Next Stage Theatre Festival, Toronto
January 31-February 13, 2022 online
Zina: “No human can interfere...
Stories of a Dish
✭✭✭✩✩
by Himanshu Sitlani, directed by Neha Poduval
Nautanki Bazaar, Next Stage Theatre Festival, Toronto
January 19-February 13, 2022 online
Julia Child: “People who love to eat are always the best people”
When live theatre...
The Complex
✭✭✭✭✩
written by Chantal Forde, directed by Mandy Roveda
It’s Not a Pivot Productions, Next Stage Theatre Festival, Toronto
January 19, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29 & 30, 2022 online
“In The Complex there is always more than meets the...