TO Live’s inaugural Uptown International Children’s Festival presents Grammy Award-winner Lisa Loeb, and internationally-acclaimed theatre shows A Fool’s Errand (Quebec), The Man Who Planted Trees from the Puppet State Theatre Company (UK) and

Is This a Dagger?  (UK) from one of Scotland’s finest storytellers Andy Cannon.  Plus free family programming all four days outside at Mel Lastman Square.

Grammy Award-winner Lisa Loeb, best known for her platinum-selling Number 1 hit song “Stay (I Missed You)” from the film Reality Bites, is also very well-known to parents and kids for her children’s albums “Catch the Moon” (with Elizabeth Mitchell) and the Amazon Music exclusives, “Nursery Rhyme Parade!” and the 2018 Grammy Award-winning Best Children’s Album, “Feel What U Feel” (featuring Craig Robinson and Ed Helms). She has also published two picture book-CDs for Sterling Children’s Books: “Lisa Loeb’s Songs for Movin’ and Shakin'” and “Lisa Loeb’s Silly Sing Along.”

Lisa Loeb plays the George Weston Recital Hall Friday, May 17, 12:15PM* & 7PM and Saturday, May 18, 1PM & 3PM. $20. Suitable for all ages.

In addition, the Uptown International Children’s Festival will feature three shows for children inside the Toronto Centre for the Arts:

A Fool’s Errand (Quebec)

A show about folly and friendship, world-renowned clown, juggler, and comic acrobat Jamie Adkins uses his unique blend of circus arts, acrobatic skill and unguarded physical comedy to explore the what-ifs along the path of life, accompanied by a charismatic tuba player. With deftly awkward juggling performances or falsely flimsy balancing acts on a slack wire, Jamie Adkins skillfully masters the art of tricks and comedy, and strikes the heart of young and old alike, all accompanied by masterful musician, Julie Houle.

A Fool’s Errand plays the Lyric Theatre, Toronto Centre for the Arts Thursday, May 16, 12:15PM*, Saturday, May 18, 2PM and Sunday, May 19, 2PM.  $20. Suitable for all ages. 

Is This a Dagger? (UK)

Andy Cannon is one of Scotland’s finest storytellers for children. Is This a Dagger? is Andy’s story of Macbeth. Andy Cannon tells Shakespeare’s classic, taking audiences on a thousand-year journey from fact to fiction and back again.

 “A tale of sound and fury, signifying first class theatre for everyone over eight” (Herald)

“Strikingly heartfelt and intelligent…immensely classy stuff” (Scotsman)

Is This a Dagger? plays the Upper Gallery, Toronto Centre for the Arts, Thursday, May 16, 11:15AM*, Friday, May 17, 11:15AM*, Saturday, May 18, 1PM and Sunday, May 19, 1PM. $15. Suitable for adults and children aged 7+

The Man Who Planted Trees (UK)

From Scotland’s Puppet State Theatre Company, this multi-sensory theatrical adaptation of Jean Giono’s environmental classic tells the inspiring story of a shepherd who plants a forest, acorn by acorn, transforming a barren wasteland. As much a touching tale as it is a hilarious puppet show, The Man Who Planted Trees shows us the difference one man (and his dog!) can make to the world.

“Laughs, heartbreak, war, regeneration, scented breezes, sparkling wit and the best dog puppet ever. Perfect for children and grown-ups. Terrific.” (The Guardian)

The Man Who Planted Trees plays the Studio Theatre, Toronto Centre for the Arts, Friday, May 17, 12:15PM*, 7PM, Saturday, May 18, at 12PM, 2PM & 4PM and Sunday, May 19 at 1PM & 3PM. $15. Suitable for adults and children aged 7+

Mel Lastman Square will come alive with four fun-filled days of food, family entertainment and exciting interactive activities – FREE.

May 16 & 17, 11AM – 2PM. May 18 & 19, 11AM – 4PM.

TO LIVE PRESENTS THE INAUGURAL

UPTOWN INTERNATIONAL CHILDREN’S FESTIVAL

May 16-19, 2019

Toronto Centre for the Arts, 5040 Yonge Street

Mel Lastman Square, 5100 Yonge Street

Single tickets range from $15-$20

(Additional service fees and facility fees,

plus order/delivery fees may apply)

Tickets are available online at ticketmaster.ca, by calling 1-855-985-ARTS (2787), or in person at the following TO Live box offices:

Toronto Centre for the Arts Box Office, 5040 Yonge St.,

Tuesday-Saturday 1PM-6PM

St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts Box Office 27 Front St. E.,

Monday-Friday, 12PM–6PM

Ticketmaster phone lines operate 9:30AM–8PM Monday to Saturday, 12PM-8PMSundays and holidays. On-line sales operate 24 hours per day.

For more information, visit www.tocentre.com

*Performances marked with an asterisk (“*”) denote a school matinee. School group bookings are $10/ticket with a free chaperone ticket for every 20 tickets purchased. To book student matinee group tickets, call 416-368-6161;8277 or email education@tolive.com.

Photo: Lisa Loeb. © Juan Patino.