Stage Door Listings
July 2023

On July 7 the musical Hadestown by Anaïs Mitchell opens at the Royal Alexandra Theatre.
Illustration: Poster for Hadestown.
TORONTO
Larger Theatres (Professional)
Hadestown (musical) by Anaïs Mitchell. The mythic stories of two couples – Hades and Persephone and Orpheus and Eurydice. Previews from Jul 5, opens Jul 7, runs to Aug 20. Royal Alexandra Theatre, 1-800-461-3333, www.mirvish.com.
Hamilton (musical) by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The story of Washington’s right-hand man who died in a duel with Aaron Burr. From Feb 23, booking to Aug 20. Princess of Wales Theatre, 1-800-461-3333, www.mirvish.com. ★★★☆☆
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (drama) by Jack Thorne. 19 years after the events of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, a new generation arrives at Hogwarts and a new menace threatens the world. Runs Jun 19, 2022, to Jul 2, 2023. CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre, 1-800-461-3333, www.mirvish.com. ★★★★☆
Mughal-E-Azam: The Musical (musical) by Naushad Ali. A musical based on the 1960 epic film Mughal-e-Azam by K. Asif. In Hindi with English surtitles. Runs Jul 7 to Jul 9. Meridian Hall, cinemaonstage.com.
Royal Canadian International Circus (circus). A traditional one-ring circus but without exotic animals. Runs Jun 29 to Jul 2, Woodbine Mall; Jul 20 to Jul 30, Bridlewood Mall, www.royalcanadiancircus.ca.
Smaller Theatres (Professional)
Alice in Wonderland (children) by David Savoy. A stage adaptation of the children’s classic. Runs Jul 12 to Jul 22. Guild Festival Theatre, www.guildfestivaltheatre.ca.
The Butterfly Project (opera) by Teiya Kasahara. A focus on the original purpose of the Japanese melodies in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly. Runs Jul 12 only. Walter Hall, University of Toronto, torontosummermusic.com.
Dialogues of the Carmelites (opera) by Francis Poulenc. During the French Revolution an aristocrat’s daughter seeks to become a nun. Runs Jul 29, Aug 1, 5 & 6. Alumnae Theatre, www.solt.ca.
Don Giovanni (opera) by W.A.Mozart. Serial seducer Don Giovanni finally receives his comeuppance. Runs Jul 28, Aug 2, 3 & 5. Alumnae Theatre, www.solt.ca.
The Effect (drama) by Lucy Prebble. Tristan and Connie fall in love during a drug trial, but is it love or just the drug? Runs Jul 9 to Jul 30. Coal Mine Theatre, 2076 Danforth Ave, www.coalminetheatre.com.
Family Fest (festival). A variety of free performances and activities for people of all ages. Runs Jul 7 to Jul 9. Guild Festival Theatre, www.guildfestivaltheatre.ca.
50 Years of Funny (revue) by The Second City. The Second City celebrates its 50th anniversary in Canada with a collections of its greatest skits. Runs from May 4, booking to Jul 31. Theatre ’73, 1 York St, www.secondcity.com.
Julius Caesar (opera) by G.F. Handel. Julius Caesar helps Cleopatra become sole ruler of Egypt. Runs Jul 29, 30, Aug 2 & 4. Alumnae Theatre, www.solt.ca.
King Gilgamesh & the Man of the Wild (drama) by Ahmed Moneka et al. A present day story of friendship interwoven with the ancient Mesopotamian epic of Gilgamesh. Previews from Jul 25, opens Jul 27, runs to Aug 6. Young Centre, www.soulpepper.ca.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (comedy) by William Shakespeare. Four lovers escape into a magical forest. Runs Jul 21 to Sep 3. High Park Amphitheatre, www.canadianstage.com.
Skyline’s the Limit (comedy). All the most important comedic topics in Toronto from the tallest skyscraper to the depths of Lake Ontario. Runs from Mar 30, booking to Aug 27. The Second City, One York St, www.secondcity.com.
Tango in the Dark (dance) by Pointe Tango. Two lovers discover each other as they journey through a city transformed by the shadows of nightfall. Runs Jul 24 only. Isabel Bader Theatre, University of Toronto, torontosummermusic.com.
Three Men in a Boat (comedy) by Mark Brownell. The misadventures of three bachelors and their dog as they punt up the river Thames in the 1890s. Runs Jul 27 to Aug 13. Guild Festival Theatre, www.guildfestivaltheatre.ca.
Toronto Fringe Festival (festival). A festival of new work from Toronto, Canada, and around the world. Runs Jul 5 to Jul 16. Various venues, fringetoronto.com.
Young, Gifted, & Jazz (dance) by Raoul Pillay. An immersive experience of true jazz culture. Runs Jul 6 to Jul 8. High Park Amphitheatre, www.canadianstage.com.
Smaller Theatres (Student and Community)
Arms and the Man (drama) by GB Shaw. An impressionable girl falls in love with a soldier who takes refuge in her bedroom. [community] Runs Jun 30 to Jul 15. Scarborough Village Theatre, theatrescarborough.com. ‑masks required‑
BANCROFT
Murder at Ackerton Manor (comedy) by Stephen Gallagher. An Agatha Christie murder mystery spoof set in rural Quebec. Runs Jul 12 to Jul 16. Village Playhouse, www.tweedandcompany.com.
BARRIE
How We Got To Jersey: A Tale of Two Frankies (performance) by Jeff Madden & Adrian Marchuk. A musical concert telling the behind-the-scenes story of playing Frankie Valli in the smash-hit Jersey Boys. Runs Jul 26 only. Georgian Theatre, www.tift.ca.
Simcoe County Theatre Festival (festival). A festival of five new plays and an opera. Runs Jul 12 to Jul 23. Five Points Theatre, theatrebythebay.com.
BLOOMFIELD
The 39 Steps (comedy) by Patrick Barlow. Four actors play more than 100 characters in this stage adaptation of Hitchock’s classic 1935 film. Runs Jul 15 to Aug 6. The Eddie Hotel and Farm, countystage.ca.
BLYTH
Liars at a Funeral (comedy) by Sophia Fabiilli. A grandmother fakes her own death to get her family together. Runs Jun 14 to Jul 8. Blyth Festival, blythfestival.com.
St. Nicholas Hotel (drama) by James Reaney. The second part of the Donnelly Trilogy showing how the success of the Donnellys’ stagecoach business causes resentment among the locals. Runs Jul 13 to Sep 2. Blyth Festival, blythfestival.com.
Sticks and Stones (drama) by James Reaney. The first part of the Donnelly Trilogy about Johannah’s march to save her husband. Runs Jun 22 to Sep 1. Blyth Festival, blythfestival.com.
The Waltz (comedy) by Marie Beath Badian. A young man on his way to BC meets a girl in the prairies he will never forget. Runs Jul 12 to Jul 29. Blyth Festival, blythfestival.com.
BOBCAYGEON
The Great Palm Tree Beach Tiki Bar Tragedy (comedy) by Sarah Quick. There's a murder at the Palm Tree Beach Tiki Bar grad opening. Runs Jul 19 to Jul 29. Globus Theatre, globustheatre.com.
Sexy Laundry (comedy) by Michele Riml. A middle-aged couple aim to jump start their marriage with a trip to a spa hotel and a copy of Sex for Dummies. Runs Jun 21 to Jul 8. Globus Theatre, globustheatre.com.
BRAMPTON
Outlaw (comedy) by Norm Foster. A young Canadian homesteader finds himself accused of murder in the state of Kansas in 1871. Runs Jul 6 to Jul 9. The Rose Studio II, tickets.brampton.ca.
CAMPBELLFORD
Les Misérables (drama) by C-M Schonberg & A. Boublil. An obsessed policeman hunts down a parole-breaker who has started a new life. In concert. Runs Jul 25 to Aug 2. Westben Festival, www.westben.ca.
CAMBRIDGE
A Few Good Men (drama) by Aaron Sorkin. A young lawyer defends two marines accused of killing one of their own on the US base at Guantanamo Bay. Runs Jul 5 to Jul 23. Hamilton Family Theatre, 1-855-372-9866, www.draytonentertainment.com.
COLLINGWOOD
2023 Porchside Festival (festival). A collection of revues, concerts and plays performed on various porches throughout Collingwood. Runs Ju1 1 to Jul 30. Theatre Collingwood, theatrecollingwood.ca.
DRAYTON
The New Canadian Curling Club (comedy) by Mark Crawford. A bigoted curler is put in charge of a Learn-to-Curl class for recent immigrants. Runs Jul 13 to Jul 29. Drayton Festival Theatre, 1-855-372-9866, www.draytonentertainment.com.
FENELON FALLS
African Showcase Circus (circus). While celebrating African culture and dance you'll see incredible balancing acts, mesmerizing juggling displays and impossible acrobatic feats. Runs Jul 29 only. Grove Theatre Festival, www.grovetheatre.ca.
The Comedy of Errors (comedy) by William Shakespeare. Separated identical twin masters and servants cause confusions in Ephesus. Runs Jul 20 to Aug 27. Grove Theatre Festival, www.grovetheatre.ca.
Million Dollar Quartet (musical) by Floyd Mutrux. A recreation of the 1956 jam session held by Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley. Previews from Jul 21, opens Jul 28, runs to Aug 26. Grove Theatre Festival, www.grovetheatre.ca.
GANANOQUE
The Sound of Music (musical) by Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II. A novice nun becomes the nanny for the seven children of a gruff naval officer. Runs Jul 4 to Aug 6. Springer Theatre, 1000 Islands Playhouse, www.1000islandsplayhouse.com.
GRAND BEND
Beautiful - The Carole King Musical (musical) by Douglas McGrath. The true story of Carole King’s remarkable journey from teenage songwriter to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Runs Jun 15 to Jul 1. Huron Country Playhouse, 1-855-372-9866, www.draytonentertainment.com.
The Crooner (revue) by Michael Vanhevel. A salute to legendary male singers from Bing Crosby to Michael Bublé. Runs Jul 5 to Jul 22. South Huron Stage, 1-855-372-9866, www.draytonentertainment.com.
Kinky Boots (musical) by Cyndi Lauper. A young man saves the family shoe factory by switching to footwear for drag queens. Runs Jul 12 to Jul 29. Huron Country Playhouse, 1-855-372-9866, www.draytonentertainment.com.
HALIBURTON
How We Got To Jersey: A Tale of Two Frankies (performance) by Jeff Madden & Adrian Marchuk. A musical concert telling the behind-the-scenes story of playing Frankie Valli in the smash-hit Jersey Boys. Runs Jul 29 only. Abbey Gardens, abbeygardens.ca.
HAMILTON
Hamilton Fringe Festival (festival). A festival of new work. Runs Jul 19 to Jul 30. Various venues, hftco.ca.
La Traviata (opera) by Giuseppe Verdi. A father tries to break up the affair of his son with a vivacious courtesan. In Italian with English surtitles. Runs July 14 only. brottmusic.com.
LONDON
The Lawyer of La Salette (comedy) by Adam Corrigan Holowitz & Kydra Ryan. The crops have failed and the farms of Fingal, Ontario are facing ruin, but one man, Neil McAlpine, thinks he can help. Runs Jul 26 to Jul 29. Fanshawe Pioneer Village, www.alvegoroottheatre.com.
MAYNOOTH
Tom Thomson & The Colours of Canada (musical) by Ish Theilheimer. A ragtime musical about the life and death of Canada’s most famous artist. Runs Jul 28 only, Emond Hall, stone-fence-theatre.square.site.
MEAFORD
Confessions of a Red-Headed Coffeeshop Girl (comedy) by Rebecca Perry. An anthropology graduate uses her skills to analyze the denizens of the coffeeshop where she works. Runs Jul 11 to Jul 15. Meaford Hall, www.meaford.ca.
One-Man Star Wars Trilogy (comedy) by Charles Ross. Ross plays all the characters in this stage recreation of the first Star Wars trilogy (1977-83). Runs Jul 25 to Jul 29. Meaford Hall, www.meaford.ca.
MILLBROOK
The Tilco Strike (drama) by D’Arcy Jenish. Small-town Ontario residents collide with the Hollywood stars in Trenton in the 1920s. Runs from Jun 29 to Jul 22. Winslow Farm, www.4thlinetheatre.on.ca.
MORRISBURG
Buying the Farm (comedy) by Shelley Hoffman & Stephen Sparks. A young city real estate agent attempts to persuade an aging farmer to sell his property. Runs Jul 27 to Aug 13. Upper Canada Playhouse, uppercanadaplayhouse.com.
Who’s Under Where (comedy) by Marcia Kash & Douglas E. Hughes. Designers Jane and Sybil arrange a showing of their line of men’s underwear but their husbands think they are having an affair. Runs Jul 6 to Jul 23. Upper Canada Playhouse, uppercanadaplayhouse.com.
NIAGARA FALLS
Wonder (magic) by Greg Frewin. Christian Mascia performs new large-scale illusions designed by Greg Frewin. Runs Oct 13, 2022, booking to Dec 30, 2023. Greg Frewin Theatre, 905-356-0777, gregfrewintheatre.com.
NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE
THE SHAW FESTIVAL 2023:
The plays run in repertory from Feb 28 to Dec 23 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
The Amen Corner (drama) by James Baldwin. A teenage musical prodigy has to choose between his mother, the pastor and choir leader of the church, and his washed-up father. Previews from Jul 30, opens Aug 19, runs to Oct 8.
Blithe Spirit (comedy) by Noel Coward. A novelist has to cope with his second wife and the ghost of his first wife. Previews from Jun 14, opens Jul 8, runs to Oct 8.
Gypsy (musical) by Jule Styne & Stephen Sondheim. Momma Rose pushes her daughter Gypsy into the world of show business. Runs May 17 to Oct 7.
At the Royal George Theatre
On the Razzle (comedy) by Tom Stoppard. Two shop assistants go “on the razzle” in Vienna and get into lots of trouble. Runs May 26 to Oct 8.
Prince Caspian (children) by Damien Atkins. Young Prince Caspian needs the four Pevensie children to help defeat his wicked uncle. Runs May 28 to Oct 8. For ages 8+.
The Shadow of a Doubt (comedy) by Edith Wharton. A new wife is suspected of having a secret, which is enough to poison several lives. Previews from Jul 16, opens Aug 20, runs to Oct 15.
Village Wooing (comedy) by GB Shaw. On a cruise ship an antisocial wirter and a sparky young woman become attracted to each other. Previews from Jun 8, opens Jul 8, runs to Oct 7.
At the Studio Theatre
The Apple Cart (comedy) by GB Shaw. A power struggle between the king and his prime minister triggers a constitutional crisis. Previews from Jun 13, opens Jul 9, runs to Oct 7.
The Playboy of the Western World (comedy) by JM Synge. Pegeen Mike falls in love with a man who claims to have just killed his father. Previews from May 25, opens Jul 7, runs to Oct 7.
At the Spiegeltent
The Game of Love and Chance (comedy) by Pierre de Marivaux. A betrothed couple who have never met switch places with their servants in order to see what each other is really like. Runs Jun 28 to Oct 8.
Mother, Daughter (drama) by Selma Dimitrijevic. An exploration of the changing relationships between children and their parents. Runs Jun 3 to Oct 7.
At the BMO Stage
A Grand Night of Singing (revue) by Walter Bobbie. A showcase of the great songs by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. Run Jun 29 to Sep 30.
ORILLIA
Bed and Breakfast (comedy) by Mark Crawford. A gay couple from the city opens a B&B in a small town. Runs Jul 26 to Aug 12. Orillia Opera House, www.orilliaoperahouse.ca.
Moving In (comedy) by Norm Foster. Fiftysomethings Mark and Grechen have decided to move in together. Mark’s son want to help; Gretchen’s daughter wants to stop them. Runs Jul 5 to Jul 22. Orillia Opera House, www.orilliaoperahouse.ca.
OSHAWA
The SpongeBob Musical (musical) by Tina Landau & Kyle Jarrow. When the citizens of Bikini Bottom discover that a volcano will soon erupt, SpongeBob and his friends come together to save their undersea world. Runs Jul 14 to Jul 30. Regent Theatre, regenttheatre.ca.
OTTAWA/GATINEAU
Affairs of State (comedy) by Louis Verneuil. A school teacher is persuaded to marry a wealthy US senator to cover up his romance with the wife of an ex-Sectretary of State. Runs Jul 7 to Jul 30. Arts Court Theatre, classictheatre.ca.
Around the World in 80 Days (comedy) by Mark Brown. A stage adaptation of the Jules Verne novel. Runs Jul 12 to Jul 29. [community] Ottawa Little Theatre, www.ottawalittletheatre.com.
Corteo (circus) by Cirque du Soleil. A joyous procession, a festive parade, imagined by a clown. Runs Jun 28 to Jul 2. Canadian Tire Centre, www.cirquedusoleil.com.
Festival d’humour de Gatineau (fetsival). Twelve comedians hosted by Neev take to an outdoor stage over three evenings. Runs Jul 6 to Jul 8. Place de la Cité, www.maisondelaculture.ca.
Laisse-moi partir (comedy) by Dominic Paquet. Paquet mimics the people he finds in the world around him. In French. Runs Jul 14 only. Salle Odyssée, Gatineau, www.maisondelaculture.ca.
The Miser (comedy) by Molière. Harpagon wants to marry the same young woman as his son does. Runs Jul 27 to Aug 20. Theatre Under the Stars, Strathcona Park, www.odysseytheatre.ca.
Naturel (comedy) by Jérémy Demay. Demay reveals himself like never before with many confessions about him, his life and his family. In French. Runs Jul 28 only. Salle Odyssée, Gatineau, www.maisondelaculture.ca.
PARRY SOUND
The Spirit Horse Returns (performance) by Kevin Lau & Jodi Contin. A blend of traditional Indigenous teachings, visual art and a rich orchestral score tells powerful stories and legends of the Ojibwe Horses. Runs Jul 29 only. Stockey Centre, festivalofthesound.ca.
PENETANGUISHENE
Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story (musical) by Alan Janes & Rob Bettinson. The life and career of an artistic pioneer are celebrated in this spirited musical biography. Runs Jun 15 to Jul 1. King’s Wharf Theatre, 1-855-372-9866, www.draytonentertainment.com.
Fiddler on the Loose (variety) by David Rogers. A musical variety show with a stirring blend of music, dancing, comedy and, of course, the fantastic fiddling of Jesse Grandmont. Runs Jul 12 to Aug 5. King’s Wharf Theatre, 1-855-372-9866, www.draytonentertainment.com.
PERTH
Mysteries of the Keyhole House (magic) by Ted & Marion Outerbridge. An epic evening of spectacular magic, dance, séance and spine-tingling tales. Runs Jul 28 to Aug 12. Studio Theatre, www.eventbrite.ca.
PETROLIA
Yesterday Once More (revue) by D2 Entertainment. A celebration of the music of 1973, considered by some as the best year in the history of pop music. Runs Jul 4 to Jul 23. Victoria Playhouse Petrolia, thevpp.ca.
PICKERING
Dirty Work at the Crossroads (comedy) by Bill Johnson. A viperous villain, though married, want to get an innocent country girl in his clutches. Runs Jul 28 to Sep 10. Herongate Barn Theatre, www.herongate.com.
Self Help (comedy) by Norm Foster. A pair of second-rate actors decide to reinvent themselves as self-help gurus. Runs Jun 2 to Jul 16. Herongate Barn Theatre, www.herongate.com.
PICTON
Haymaker Comedy Festival (festival). A festival of stand-up comedy. Runs Jun 29 to Jul 1. Base31, countystage.ca.
PORT COLBORNE
On the Air (comedy) by Ephraim Ellis. The new station manager of a small town radio station tries to find a new audience. Runs Jun 28 to Jul 9. Roselawn Theatre, lighthousetheatre.com.
Bed & Breakfast (comedy) by Mark Crawford. A gay couple from the big city open up a B&B in a small town in the country. Runs Jul 19 to Jul 30. Roselawn Festival Theatre, lighthousetheatre.com.
PORT DOVER
Bed & Breakfast (comedy) by Mark Crawford. A gay couple from the big city open up a B&B in a small town in the country. Runs Jun 28 to Jul 15. Lighthouse Festival Theatre, lighthousetheatre.com.
Where You Are (comedy) by Kristen Da Silva. Two sisters are living a quiet retirement together until the daughter of one of them arrives. Runs Jul 19 to Aug 5. Lighthouse Festival Theatre, lighthousetheatre.com.
PORT HOPE
The Ballad of Stompin’ Tom (musical) by David Scott. A celebration of the life and music of Stompin’ Tom Connors. Runs Jun 9 to Jul 2. Capitol Theatre, capitoltheatre.com.
Mickey and Judy (cabaret) by Michael Hughes. Hughes tells how Judy Garland and The Wizard of Oz came to form his love of musicals. Runs Jul 27 to Aug 6. Capitol Theatre, capitoltheatre.com.
Prairie Nurse (comedy) by Marie Beath Badian. In the late 1960s, two Filipino nurses come to work at a small-town Saskatchewan hospital. Runs Jul 14 to Jul 30. Capitol Theatre, capitoltheatre.com.
PORT PERRY
Innocence Lost (drama) by Beverley Cooper. The true story of Steven Truscott, his trial – his conviction for murder and the campaign to overturn the conviction. Runs Jul 12 to Jul 29. Theatre on the Ridge, theatreontheridge.ca.
PORT STANLEY
On the Air (comedy) by Ephraim Ellis. The new station manager of a small town radio station tries to find a new audience. Runs Jul 12 to Jul 29. Port Stanley Festival Theatre, psft.ca.
Wrong for Each Other (comedy) by Norm Foster. If opposites attract, then Rudy and Norah should be a match made in heaven. Runs Jun 14 to Jul 8. Port Stanley Festival Theatre, psft.ca.
PRESCOTT
The Importance of Being Earnest (comedy) by Oscar Wilde. Algernon impersonates his friend John’s wicked brother to meet John’s winsome ward. Runs Jul 12 to Aug 15. Kinsmen Amphitheatre, www.stlawrenceshakespeare.ca.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (comedy) by William Shakespeare. Four lovers escape into a magical forest. Runs Jul 8 to Aug 15. Kinsmen Amphitheatre, www.stlawrenceshakespeare.ca.
RANKIN
Conspiracy Conniptions (musical) by Ish Theilheimer. The arrival in a small town of unruly protestors causes a young man and woman to re-examine their lives and beliefs. Runs Jul 19 to Sep 30. Rankin Culture and Community Centre, stone-fence-theatre.square.site.
SMITHS FALLS
Mysteries of the Keyhole House (magic) by Ted & Marion Outerbridge. An epic evening of spectacular magic, dance, séance and spine-tingling tales. Runs Jun 30 to Jul 22. The Keyhole House, www.eventbrite.ca.
SOUTHAMPTON
Beauty and the Beast (children) by DuffleBag Theatre. A village girl happens upon a castle where a prince lives who has been turned into a beast. Runs Jul 11 only. Bruce County Playhouse, dufflebag.com.
Robin Hood (children) by DuffleBag Theatre. Robin Hood fights against Prince John and the Sheriff of Nottingham. Runs Jul 12 only. Bruce County Playhouse, dufflebag.com.
SMITHS FALLS
Mysteries of the Keyhole House (magic) by Ted & Marion Outerbridge. An epic evening of spectacular magic, dance, séance and spine-tingling tales. Runs Jun 30 to Jul 22. The Station Theatre, www.eventbrite.ca.
ST. CATHARINES
Outlaw (comedy) by Norm Foster. A young Canadian homesteader finds himself accused of murder in the state of Kansas in 1871. Runs Jun 21 to Jul 2. 3 Acres Farm, Pelham, fosterfestival.com.
ST. JACOBS
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (musical) by Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice. A rock musical retelling of the biblical story of Joseph and his brothers. Runs Jul 12 to Aug 5. St. Jacobs Country Playhouse, 1-855-372-9866, www.draytonentertainment.com.
Perfect Wedding (comedy) by Robin Hawdon. A bridegroom wakes up in his bridal suite on his wedding day with an unknown woman in bed beside him. Runs Jul 19 to Aug 27. St. Jacobs Schoolhouse Theatre, 1-855-372-9866, www.draytonentertainment.com.
STIRLING
Myrtle Mystery (comedy) by Debbie Collins & Ken MacDougall. A woman living in a seniors complex thinks she can solve a real-life crime in her building. Runs Jul 5 to Jul 16. Stirling Festival Theatre, www.stirlingfestivaltheatre.com.
STRATFORD
THE HERE FOR NOW THEATRE FESTIVAL:
A festival of one-act plays of 60 to 90 minutes, including 5 world premieres. Runs Jun 28 to Sep 23, 2023. Marquee at the Stratford Perth Museum, 4275 Huron Rd, www.herefornowtheatre.com.
Corporate Finch (comedy) by Taylor Marie Graham. Two teens break into an old factory in St. Jacobs, but will they both make it out alive? Runs Jul 20 to Jul 22.
Frog Song (opera) by William Rowson & Taylor Marie Graham. A children’s opera about facing your inner fears and discovering your inner song. Previews from Jul 26, opens Jul 28, runs to Aug 12.
Margaret Reid (comedy) by Madeleine Brown. Two young women, one dead body, a period of ten years from childhood to early adulthood. Previews from Jul 12, opens Jul 14, runs to Jul 29.
MixTape: The Field Sessions (performance) by Zorana Sadiq. A mix tape for life – part memoir, part scientific inquiry, part love affair with listening. Runs Jul 4 to Jul 9.
Myth of the Ostrich (comedy) by Matt Murray. Pam finds an inappropriate letter from her teenage son to his mystery girlfriend. Runs Jun 30 to Jul 15.
THE STRATFORD FESTIVAL:
The plays run in repertory from Apr 8 to Oct 29 in Stratford, two hours west from Toronto. For tickets and information phone 1-800-567-1600 or visit the website at www.stratfordfestival.ca.
At the Festival Theatre
King Lear (musical) by William Shakespeare. Lear divides his kingdom between two daughters but excludes the third. Runs May 30 to Oct 29. ★★☆☆☆
Much Ado about Nothing (comedy) by William Shakespeare. Beatrice and Benedick bicker so much people think they must be in love. Runs Jun 16 to Oct 27.
Rent (musical) by Jonathan Larson. The story of Puccini’s La Bohème set in 1990s Manhattan. Runs Jun 2 to Oct 28. ★★★☆☆
At the Avon Theatre
Monty Python’s Spamalot (musical) by John Du Prez & Eric Idle. A musical version of the movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Runs May 31 to Oct 28. ★★★★☆
A Wrinkle in Time (children) by Thomas Morgan Jones. A young heroine goes on a journey through space and time to rescue her father. Runs Jun 17 to Oct 29.
At the Tom Patterson Theatre
Grand Magic (comedy) by Eduardo de Filippo. A master illusionist now performs at a seaside resort when one of his tricks goes awry. Runs Jun 3 to Sep 29. ★★★★☆
Hey, Viola! (musical) by Krystle Dos Santos. A musical exploration of Canadian Civil Rights hero, Viola Desmond. Runs Jul 26 to Jul 30.
Richard II (history play) by William Shakespeare, adapted by Brad Fraser. The story of England’s Richard II (1367-1400) is relocated to the 1970s and ’80s. Runs Jun 17 to Sep 28.
Wedding Band (drama) by Alice Childress. An emotional portrayal of a relationship between a Black seamstress and a white baker in the shadow of World War I and the 1918 flu epidemic. Previews from Jun 20, opens Jul 14, runs to Oct 1.
At the Studio Theatre
Women of the Fur Trade (comedy) by Frances Koncan. Three very different women sit in a fort sharing their views on life, love and Louis Riel. Previews from Jul 8, opens Jul 15, runs to Jul 30.
SUDBURY
Jersey Boys (musical) by Bob Gaudio & Bob Crewe. The formation, success and eventual break-up of the 1960s rock ’n’ roll group The Four Seasons. Runs Jul 7 to Aug 5. Sudbury Theatre Centre, sudburytheatre.com.
TWEED
Murder at Ackerton Manor (comedy) by Stephen Gallagher. An Agatha Christie murder mystery spoof set in rural Quebec. Runs Jul 6 to Jul 8. Marble Arts Centre, www.tweedandcompany.com.
WINDSOR
Jeff Dunham: Still Not Canceled (comedy) by Jeff Dunham. Famed ventriloquist and comedy superstar performs with his cast of bizarre puppets. Runs Jul 15 only. The Colosseum, Casino Windsor, www.caesars.com.
ON TOUR IN ONTARIO
Peppa Pig’s Adventure! (children). Peppa goes on an exciting camping trip with school friends. For ages 2-6. peppapigliveus.com.
• Jul 25: Memorial Centre, Peterborough
• Jul 26: Tribute Communities Centre, Oshawa
• Jul 27: Budweiser Gardens, London
• Jul 28: FirstOntario Centre, Hamilton
• Jul 29: Paramount Fine Foods Centre, Mississauga
Royal Canadian International Circus (circus). A traditional one-ring circus but without exotic animals. www.royalcanadiancircus.ca.
• Jul 6-9: Shoppers World Brampton, Brampton
• Jul 13-16: Pickering Town Centre, Pickering
• Jul 20-30: Bridlewood Mall, Scarborough