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musicals

Save the Date: Mirvish’s Musical 2012/13 Season

The Book of Mormon comes to Toronto in May 2013

Toronto’s biggest producer of theatrical entertainment yesterday announced an all-
singing, all-dancing slate of must-see shows for its upcoming 2012/13 season. Mirvish Productions’ six major stagings comprise an energetic lineup of familiar fare that’s sure
to energize the city’s theatre goers. Check out our photo gallery for a glimpse of what
to expect—and what to come back for!

 

—Faiza Siddiqui

Hot Dates: Disney’s Beauty and the Beast

February 8 to 12

Beauty and the Beast photo by Joan Marcus

The beloved Broadway musical rolls into town this winter, filling the Queen Elizabeth Theatre with tunes such as the toe-tapping “Be Our Guest,” the heart-wrenching “If I Can’t Love Her” and the unforgettable title song. Catch Mrs. Potts, Chip, Lumiere, Cogsworth and all your other favourite characters in this tale as old as time.—Sheri Radford

W-F 7:30 pm; Sa 11 am, 3:30 and 8 pm; Su 2 and 7:30 pm. $25+. Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Hamilton St. at Dunsmuir. Tickets 1-855-985-5000. www.broadwayacrosscanada.ca

Hot Dates: Mamma Mia!

Mamma Mia!

August 16 to 21
More than 45 million people have already seen this hit Broadway musical, which just might be the happiest show ever produced. Filled with ABBA’s hits—everything from “Does Your Mother Know?” to “Dancing Queen” to “Take a Chance on Me”—it gets toes tapping and audiences smiling. Experience it for yourself at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, and don’t even try not to sing along.—Sheri Radford

Weekend Roundup: Best Bets for Aug. 12 to 14

Campfire & Storytelling takes place Friday nights through August.

Friday, Aug. 12
Snuggle up ‘round the fire and let your imagination run wild at the weekly Campfire & Storytelling event. The Ottawa Storytellers host an evening of oratory for both young and old at Billings Estate National Historic Site. These artists continue the age-old old tradition of storytelling, no book or paper in sight. Enjoy tales for adults and separate stories and songs for children, as well as plenty of marshmallows to roast.

Give date night a lift by grabbing snacks and laying out a blanket on the grass of Dundonald Park for the Centretown Movies Outdoor Film Festival. On Friday night, follow Harry and the gang in the second last installment of the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. On Saturday night the magic continues with awkward goofball Michael Cera in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, about a teenager who must win the heart of a girl by defeating her seven evil exes. This is the final scheduled two-night showing of the festival, with Aug. 19 as a make-up date for any rained out films and Aug. 20 either a make-up date or a surprise film.

Blues fans and rib lovers come together for the aptly titled Calabogie Blues & Ribfest. This brand new event boasts talent such as Kelly Prescott, Anders Drerup, and MonkeyJunk. There’s also a beer garden, a vendor’s area, a kids’ zone with face painting and rides, Canadian and American “ribbers” who are vying for the honour of best ribs in town, and fireworks. There are even spots for camping so you can make a weekend of it.

Saturday, Aug. 13
Remember the board game Clue? Well Miss Scarlett, Colonel Mustard, Mr. Green and the rest of the motley crew are getting together again for a dinner party, only this time you’re invited! Suzart Productions presents Clue: The Musical, a hilarious dinner theatre show based on the popular game, in which audiences receive clues to help them figure out the mystery of who killed Mr. Boddy, in what room, and with what weapon. Show runs Thursday, Aug. 11, until tonight. (more…)

Hot Entertainment: Anything Goes

Photo of Lauren Bolwer and Todd Talbot courtesy Theatre Under the Stars

It’s all aboard the S.S. American in this fun-lovin’ alfresco musical at Theatre Under the Stars (to Aug. 20). Grab a seat in Stanley Park’s Malkin Bowl, snuggle under a blanket and sway to the sounds of Cole Porter classics including “I Get a Kick Out of You” and “It’s De-Lovely.”—Jennifer Patterson

Hot Entertainment: Hairspray

Photo of Jennie neumann and Jay Brazeau in Hairspray by David Cooper

Big, bright and bouncy, this popular musical also has heart. It tells the story of pleasantly plump Tracy Turnblad, whose fondest desire is to dance on The Corny Collins Show—and maybe win the heart of dreamboat Link Larkin and achieve racial integration in 1960s Baltimore at the same time. Catch all the fun at the Stanley Industrial Alliance Stage (May 7 to Jul. 10).—Sheri Radford

Hot Entertainment: Mazel Tov!

Fiddler on the Roof comes to Vancouver Apr. 29 to May 1

Watch Tevye, Golde, ol’ Yente the matchmaker and, of course, the fiddler sing their way through Tsarist Russia in the Tony Award–winning Fiddler on the Roof (Apr. 29 to May 1). The rousing choruses of “If I Were a Rich Man” and “Tradition” guarantee a standing ovation at The Centre in Vancouver for the Performing Arts.—Jennifer Patterson

Hot Entertainment: Male Bonding

Photo by David Cooper

Alvin and Thomas’s childhood friendship survives for decades in the musical The Story of My Life, at the Revue Stage (Mar. 2 to 19) on Granville Island.—Sheri Radford

Hot Entertainment: Legally Blonde

Legally Blonde photo copyright 2010, Carol Rosegg

It’s not easy being blonde. Just ask sorority girl Elle Woods, whose boyfriend dumped her in order to find someone more studious. To win him back, she enrolls in Harvard Law School. The story started life as a novel, morphed into a movie, then became a Broadway musical filled with colourful numbers such as “Omigod You Guys.” Catch all the fun at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre (Mar. 1 to 6).—Sheri Radford

Hot Dates: Whoville Holiday

DECEMBER 17 TO JANUARY 2 Make a yuletide trip to Whoville as Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical comes to life with spectacular costumes and sets inspired by the original illustrations. Watch as the Grinch—with his heart “two sizes too small”—steals Christmas from the merry Whos, only to learn, of course, that the day is about much more than gifts. It’s a heartwarming tale that never fails to put everyone in the seasonal spirit. Sony Centre for the Performing Arts, various times, $25 to $74; call 416-872-2262 or click here to buy.

Hot Entertainment: The Wiggles

The Wiggles come to Vancouver on October 10

Slap on some face paint and get your kiddie’s costume ready because The Wiggles are bringing their Wiggly Circus to the Pacific Coliseum (Oct. 10). This dance-packed musical circus includes everyone’s favourites: Captain Feathersword, Dorothy the dinosaur, Henry the octopus and Wags the dog. Audience participation is welcome, so come ready to sing along with your favourite Wiggle.—Jennifer Patterson

Rockin’ Good Time

A new rock musical proclaims: “Don’t Stop Believing” in the power of 1980s nostalgia.
By Meaghan Lamb

Rock-musical revivalists will recognize Yvan Pedneault, lately of We Will Rock You (photo by Cylla von Tiedemann)

OPENS APRIL 20 Teeze out your hair, dust off your Flying V guitar and raise your lighter high as the Tony Award–nominated Rock of Ages thunders into the Royal Alexandra Theatre for its Canadian premiere.

Taking full advantage of the trend of using popular music to tell a story (think Queen and Ben Elton’s We Will Rock You and ABBA’s Mamma Mia!), Rock of Ages matches retro ‘80s mega-hits with a boy-meets-girl saga of love and ambition. For the Toronto version of this Broadway blockbuster, a lusty-lunged Canadian cast dons distressed denim and headbands to belt out bombastic anthems including Twisted Sister’s “We’re Not Gonna Take It” and Bon Jovi’s “Wanted Dead or Alive.”Quebec native Yvan Pedneault—rock chops sharply honed thanks to his lead role in the Toronto production of We Will Rock You—plays Drew, an edgy musician with vocal cords set to wail, while British Columbia–bred ingenue Elicia MacKenzie co-stars as Sherrie, a small-town girl with a big-screen dream. The actress knows a thing or two about wish fulfillment—she got her own big break when Canadian television viewers picked her to star as fräulein Maria in the recent acclaimed staging of The Sound of Music.

(more…)

15 Things We Love About Vancouver: November

15 THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT VANCOUVER

You may see mascots Quatchi, Miga, Sumi and Mukmuk out and about in Vancouver before the 2010 Winter Games. Photo courtesy VANOC/Covan

You may see mascots Quatchi, Miga, Sumi and Mukmuk out and about in Vancouver before the 2010 Winter Games. Photo courtesy VANOC/Covan

1 Quatchi. The sasquatch is the most huggable of the 2010 Winter Games mascots (pictured left).
2 A big, juicy, messy burger from White Spot or Fatburger.
3 Jogging along the seawall, even in the rain and fog.
4 Countless Christmas celebrations already underway. Ho ho ho!
5 All the breakfast choices at Paul’s Place Omelettery Restaurant.
6 The miniature aboriginal art at Spirit Wrestler Gallery, on display during Mini-Masterworks III.
7 The art deco-style Burrard Street Bridge.
8 The chocolate bar at Urban Fare at Shangri-La, which tempts with 400 different styles and flavours from around the world, including incomparable Thomas Haas.
9 All the great musicals on local stages, such as Evil Dead: The Musical, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, A Chorus Line and Pink Floyd’s The Wall.
10 The sense of anticipation in the air as the city primps and preens for the 2010 Winter Games, coming here in just three months.
11 Cookworks, which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary.
12 Critical Mass. At 6 p.m. on the last Friday of each month, thousands of cyclists meet in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery for a mass bike ride along an ever-changing route. Find out more at vancouvercm.blogspot.com.
13 Cheering for the Vancouver Canucks.
14 The picturesque mountains and ocean. Vancouver has been described as the supermodel of world cities.
15 BC Place (pictured below), where the opening and closing ceremonies and nightly victory ceremonies will take place during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

BC Place and downtown Vancouver. Photo courtesy Tourism British Columbia

BC Place and downtown Vancouver. Photo courtesy Tourism British Columbia

Did you snap a great picture of Vancouver? Enter our My Favourite Vancouver Photo Contest at www.where.ca/vancouver and you could win a gift certificate for dinner for four at Voya Restaurant and Lounge.

November Hot Date: A Chorus Line

A CHORUS LINE

You're in for a showstopper with <i>A Chorus Line</i>. Photo by Paul Kolnik

You're in for a showstopper with A Chorus Line. Photo by Paul Kolnik

What do you get when you put 17 dancers on a bare stage to audition for the chorus line of a new show? You get the premise for the longest-running American Broadway musical ever. It won nine Tony Awards, as well as the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for drama. See for yourself what all the fuss is about when this musical juggernaut high-kicks its way into The Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts (Nov. 3 to 8).—Sheri Radford