Chaos reigns in family tale
Orphans make mood intense, Beast battles authority and Improv Games throw a party
Orphans Watch this if: You want to see a nice evening devolve into chaos.
Closing their third season, Coal Mine Theatre presents British playwright Dennis Kelly’s exploration of racism, violence and familial ties in Orphans (not to be confused with the Lyle Kessler play of the same name, which ran on Broadway in 2013 starring Alec Baldwin).
Kelly’s Orphans, featuring Coal Mine co-founder Diana Bentley, explores the frail divisions between liberal progressives and what they morally oppose: prejudice, violent ag- gression and injustice. As usual in the Coal Mine’s intimate storefront space, expect the mood to get intense.
Sunday to April 30, Coal Mine Theatre, 1454 Danforth Ave. Sound of the Beast Watch this if: You need some social and artistic inspiration.
Donna-Michelle St. Bernard is a two-time Governor General’s Award-nominated playwright who takes the spotlight for herself in Sound of the Beast. As an accomplished writer and spoken-word poet, St. Bernard, a.k.a. Belladonna the Blest, closes Theatre Passe Muraille’s 2016-17 season with a multimedia performance about pushing back against powers of authority. It’s inspired by the Tunisian rapper Weld-El 15, who spent two years in jail for a song called “Boulicia Kleb (The Police Are Dogs).” As a revered voice in Canadian theatre, St. Bernard’s work is always worth a ticket and her ideas worth taking in.
Thursday to May 7, Theatre Passe Muraille, 16 Ryerson Ave. Canadian Improv Games 40th Anniversary Watch this if: You were ever an improv kid, knew an improv kid, have an improv kid or might have an improv kid in the future.
The Canadian Improv Games are kind of a big deal if you’re a high school student with a funny streak or just trying to break out of your shell. For 40 years, CIG has been providing workshops, classes and showcases to high school students in improv and all its associated life skills (quick thinking, teamwork, communica- tion and leadership; as one alumnus once told me, improv literally got him jobs). To celebrate the milestone and raise funds for the organization (which trained actors including Sandra Oh, Tatiana Maslany and Seth Rogen), there’s a party with food, dancing and performances by Mark Little ( Mr. D), the Sufferettes (Kayla Lorette and Becky Johnson), the improvised musical troupe Song buster and more.
Saturday, The Great Hall, 1087 Queen St. W.