Venture forth and discover a new, or classic, play
Take in the art of acting as summer stages spring to life in parks, theatres and more
Summer nights are meant for theatre. Whether it’s venue-hopping through a festival, hitting the highway on a scenic road trip or unfurling a blanket for a night of Shakespeare under the stars, the summer months in the GTA are packed with live entertainment.
Among this summer’s performance highlights are timeless classics and returning favourites alongside world premieres and hidden gems, not to mention theatrical celebrations of Canada 150.
Here is what you need to know about the theatre season before the curtain rises on these 10 must-see productions and festivals. Luminato As the arts festival enters its final four days, some of the best is yet to come, including a lauded Russian production of Uncle Vanya that uses music and mime to complement Anton Chekhov’s script (June 24 – 25); Vertical Influences, a Montreal dance troupe’s mashup of ice skating and street dance (Jun. 22 – 25); and the world premiere of Bearing ( June 22– 25), a dance-opera about Canada’s residential school system.
Through June 25, multiple venues, Toronto, luminatofestival.com Cavalia’s Odysseo The choreographed equestrian display Odysseo comes with no shortage of grandeur: the $30-million production is the largest touring troupe in the world, with 48 performers working alongside 65 masterfully trained horses.
Through July 16, the White Big Top at the Hershey Centre, 5500 Rose Cherry Place, Mississauga, Cavalia.com/Mississauga Soulpepper In the spirit of Canada 150, Canadian histories are being reworked and remounted at Soulpepper’s Distillery District HQ: Michael Hollingsworth’s Confederation Part 1: Confederation & Riel and Confederation Part II: Scandal & Rebellion, Billy Bishop Goes To War and Vimy.
On now through Aug. 19, Young Centre for the Performing Arts, 50 Tank House Lane, Toronto, soulpepper.ca The Wizard of Oz This new production of the perennially popular story promises everything that Oz devotees have come to expect, including those timeless musical numbers.
Through Aug. 27, Lower Ossington Theatre, 100A Ossington Ave., Toronto, lowerossingtontheatre.com The Shaw Festival “Every show has love and laughter in it,” the Shaw Festival’s Tim Carroll wrote of his first season as artistic director. The 11 shows in Niagara-onthe-Lake’s 2017 salute to George Ber- nard Shaw and his contemporaries include Shaw’s own Saint Joan and Androcles and the Lion, a kid-friendly take on Oscar Wilde’s wit with Wilde Tales and a stage adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula.
Through Oct. 15, multiple venues, Niagara-on-the-Lake, shawfest.com Stratford Festival The 2017 season includes the Shakespearean classics the festival is famous for — Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night, Timon of Athens — alongside splashy productions of modern classics such as Guys and Dolls and HMS Pinafore.
Through Oct. 29, multiple venues, Stratford, stratfordfestival.ca Beautiful: The Carole King Musical The musical biography of the celebrated singer welcomes Toronto’s own Chilina Kennedy home from Broadway, where she plays the title role.
June 27 to Aug. 20, Ed Mirvish Theatre, 244 Victoria St., Toronto, mirvish.com Shakespeare In High Park For its 35th anniversary season, Canada’s longest-running outdoor theatre company tackles the tragedy of King Lear in a reimaging that crowns Stratford-seasoned actor Diane D’Aquila as “Queen” Lear. For something a little lighter, the gender-swap romp Twelfth Night delivers feelgood farce set in the hippy subculture of the ’70s.
June 29 to Sept. 3, High Park Amphitheatre, High Park, Toronto, canadianstage.com The Toronto Fringe Festival Who needs a jury? The Fringe’s freefor-all programming strategy of choosing 160 participants based on lottery has launched Broadway hits and TV shows alike (not to mention misguided cringes that will forever haunt your nightmares).
July 5 to 16, Various venues, Toronto, fringetoronto.com Cirque du Soleil’s VOLTA The Montreal-born troupe that redrew the modern blueprint for the circus returns with an acrobatic spectacle inspired by action sports and an original soundtrack by French electronic act M83.
Opens Sept. 7 to Oct. 29, Grand Chapiteau at The Port Lands, Toronto, cirquedusoleil.com