Theatre here, theatre everywhere. Not only indoors, but outdoors as well. Herewith, a look at the most exciting shows of this coming summer. To paraphrase a line from an inspired radio commercial: tear out this page and place it on your refrigerator door.
INSIDE
Rent
Toronto’s Fallen Rock Productions have mounted their annual production at the Bathurst Street Theatre for the past nine years, raising more than $350,000 for charity. This year, the rock musical Rent will run from June 14 to 18 (fallenrock.ca).
Hugh Jackman in Concert
A major coup by the fine folks at Mirvish in securing this wildly popular song-and-dance show starring the Wolverine himself, Aussie showman Hugh Jackman. Running July 5 to 17 (mirvish.com).
Carrie Fisher Wishful Drinking
If the thought of Princess Leia in a one-woman show doesn’t strike your fancy, it is important to note that this production, which premiered in 2006, has garnered rave reviews everywhere it is produced. New York Times theatre critic Ben Brantley described it as “An extremely funny full-frontal confession.” It runs July 12 to Aug. 21 (mirvish.com).
Come Fly Away
This evening of song and stories-in-dance performed against the classic voice of Frank Sinatra is reportedly a wonderful experience. It runs from Aug. 16 to 28 at the Four Seasons Centre (dancaptickets.com).
9 to 5: The Musical
Based on the well-known Dolly Parton film, it runs at the Toronto Centre for the Arts from June 29 to July 10 (dancaptickets.com).
Next to Normal
One of the most daring, successful, haunting, meaningful musicals I’ve seen. The plot is hardly traditional for musicals: a woman is having a mental breakdown, and her husband and children learn to cope with her condition. Don’t let that scare you: the music, lyrics and book are very powerful. At the Four Seasons Centre from July 19 to 31 (dancaptickets.com).
OUTSIDE
The Winter’s Tale
For decades now, Canadian Stage’s Dream in High Park has been rewarding entire families with a grand chance to experience Shakespeare at low cost ($20 recommended donation; kids under 14 free) with its enjoyable, professional productions. This year, the Bard’s deeply moving, heartbreaking late romance The Winter’s Tale is showing in High Park from June 28 to Sept. 4 (canstage.com).
Lysistrata
Here is a shocker: the brilliant author Germaine Greer has adapted Aristophanes’ daring and funny comedy Lysistrata, adding a subtitle that gives away its plot: The Sex Strike. The Canopy Theatre Company production takes place on the “unique outdoor stage” on Philosopher’s Walk, behind the University of Toronto. “This is not a family show!” they warn. The show runs July 20 to Aug. 6 (canopytheatre.ca).
The Comedy of Errors
The Humber River Shakespeare Company is touring an outdoor production of one of the comedic gems from the Bard’s canon throughout the GTA this summer with stops at the Old Mill and Humber Bay Shores in Toronto (humberrivershakespeare.ca).
FESTIVALS
Luminato
Toronto’s festival of the arts has a heady theatrical program featuring its own commission One Thousand and One Nights. Described as the festival’s most ambitious commission to date, the play is a theatrical version of the classic Arabic tale of Shahrazad. This bold new production runs from June 7 to 19 (luminato.com).
Toronto Fringe Festival
The Toronto Fringe Festival features approximately 150 productions in dozens of venues, from traditional theatres to parking lots, over 12 days each summer. The festival runs from July 6 to 17 (fringetoronto.com).
Summerworks
The other summer theatre festival in the city, offering a more rigorous and dramatic lineup, is back for its 20th season. The theatrical portion of the festival boasts some serious talent including one of the city’s most gifted young playwrights Hannah Moscovitch (Little One) as well as Judith Thompson, Diane Flacks and Adam Pettle. It runs Aug. 4 to 14 (summerworks.ca).
OUT OF TOWN
Shaw
In honour of their 50th anniversary season this summer, I shall lead with the younger of the two: the Shaw Festival, in the prettiest town in Canada: Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Among the shows I am determined to see this year (shawfest.com):
My Fair Lady — a near-perfect musical, probably because its book is based on Shaw’s hilarious Pygmalion. It runs in the beautiful Festival Theatre until Oct. 30 and stars the very witty Deborah Hay as Eliza Doolittle.
Heartbreak House — one of Shaw’s most powerful, poetic and prophetic dramas, runs from May 10 to Oct. 7. It is an extraordinary evening of theatre.
On the Rocks — a little-known play by Shaw “in a new version” by one of Canada’s finest playwrights, Michael Healey, is all about politics, and it sounds intriguing. It runs from June 14 to Oct. 8.
Candida — arguably one of Shaw’s best, about a wife struggling between the love of her pastor-spouse and a young poet. A perfect example of a “thinking comedy,” it runs until Oct. 30.
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof — hardly Tennessee Williams at his best, but it’s angry, sexy, bursting with symbolism and great fun, running from May 3 to Oct. 23.
Stratford
The Stratford Festival has a dozen shows in its larger theatre and nearly all sound promising (stratfordfestival.ca).
Twelfth Night — a funny-romantic comedy of Shakespeare at the peak of his powers, starring TV legend and now Stratford regular Brian Dennehy as Sir Toby Belch, runs June 26 to Oct. 28.
The Misanthrope — by Molière, possibly the French master’s greatest, runs July 31 to Oct. 29.
The Grapes of Wrath — a dramatization of John Steinbeck’s powerful novel, starring Janie Wright of Corner Gas fame (to Oct. 29).
Richard III — who would dare miss the superb Seana McKenna as the title character of Richard III, directed by hubby Miles Potter? (to Sept. 25).