“Vibrant, painful and beautiful all at once.”

“Equal parts revelation as it is revelry, “Grey Rock” is a theatrical force to be reckoned with.”

VOLTA is one of Cirque du Soleil's finest shows driven by a stirring melodic score with a full band and two singers. The talented performers infectious adventure and spirit fuels audience adoration throughout the show 

The Ghost Project, a one person show created and performed by Karie Richards, offers the insight of thirteen characters each with a tale connected to these questions.  Playing this month at The Theatre Centre in Toronto, the performance winds its way into the darkness of these ethereal sightings, but some lack of depth prevents any substantive mining of these ghostly topics.

I can’t even begin to imagine the hardships that a Syrian immigrant and refugee encounters and experiences in leaving a homeland and beginning a new life somewhere else. Performers Ahmad Meree and Nada Abusaleh are quite good in capturing those moments of emotional intensity in both plays needed without it going over the top into histrionics

Nominated for a Tony Award for Best Play and a finalist spot for the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, “What the Constitution Means to Me” will appeal to history buffs, liberals and feminists, but might make some in the audience uncomfortable as the playwright tackles abortion, equal citizen protection and immigration.  

Reminiscent of ‘The Iceman Cometh’, Lynn Nottage’s bar teems with the lot of human frailty.  This cast’s strength is in stomping on the accelerator and not letting go, reminding us of Stan’s unfettered philosophy – “shit follows you everywhere.”

Garland Civic Theatre’s intimate and engaging performance of “The Rat Pack Lounge” paid homage to the revered trio of Sammy, Dean and Frank to craft a fun-filled evening of sing-along classics celebrating their legacy.

Thankfully, Lucy Peacock reprises her Stratford role as the deliciously and dastardly Satan. Qasim Khan and Amelia Sargisson also return as Adam and Eve. Eight other fine cast members were selected for the Montreal run.

Meet Sarah. She's funny. She's dirty. She's 10. And she's got a secret that you'll never guess (unless you read the title).

 Matthew Weaver created a multi-genre entertaining musical Rock of Ages that debuted in Los Angeles at the King King club on Hollywood Blvd. With its success, it was made into a motion picture, and also opened on Broadway. After performing over 2,350 shows, Rock of Ages earned 5 Tony nominations, and branched out to 20 productions worldwide. It appeals to all ages over 12 years old appreciating 30 hit songs from the 80s. It’s now back in Hollywood.

Director Chris Abraham made an extremely brave choice not to downplay the horrific violence that can, does and will probably ensue from the conflicting tension of ‘reason, and our belief that we can use it as an all-powerful tool to govern our own actions, and the actions of others.’

“CARTOGRAPHY is an invitation to stand at the epicenter of your own map and chart your own journey.”

Rover Dramawerks’ 20th Anniversary season kicked off with an action-packed romp through time and space in “Sherlock Holmes and the Portal of Time.” Chock full of wormholes, time travel, and spies, (oh my!) it is a fun, high-tempo show, sure to quicken the pulse of both sci-fi fanatics and mystery lovers alike.

“Or, An Astronaut Play” had a very interesting premise, with great actors, a great set, and a beginning and end that were quite entertaining. However, it suffered from a middle that could have used more momentum.”

Canadian playwright Hannah Moscovitch viscerally overturned the #metoo movement on its head with a sizable goose egg bump at the premiere of her ‘Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes’ at Toronto’s Tarragon Theatre on the Mainstage.

And it’s one helluva of a terrific play that demands to be seen…

“Greater Clements” is a testament to what happens when societal structures and safeguards disintegrate, when mental illness challenges societal and familial norms, and what happens when the ability to cope erodes with out a safety net in place.

The music and lyrics by Mr. Carney and Gary Clark are the spine of this production providing characters with internal structure that is strong and sound always supporting the action. It is a feel-good musical that is neither mawkish nor incredible and strips away extravagance to embellish the fortitude of ordinary people.

The strength of Abbie Spallen’s “Pumpgirl,” currently running at Irish Rep’s W. Scott McLucas Studio Theatre, lies in the playwright’s authentic characters and their believable conflicts that connect to the timeless vicissitudes of the human condition.

There
is nothing new to be learned from this particular production about providing comfort for aging parents, but it may be worth a trip to the theatre just to see these two veteran actors together in nothing more than a sweet dramedy.