Dennis Kucherawy

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Artistic Director Ken Gass' new Canadian Rep Theatre (CRT) has given us a theatrical bouquet of eloquence, elegance and excellence in a story of the marriage of true minds with impediments.

In the musical theatre today, it seems the world goes 'round the shows of composer John Kander & lyricist, the late Fred Ebb. On Broadway, one of their final musicals 'The Visit,' starring Chita Rivera with a book by Terrence McNally, begins previews next Month and opens in April.

Five years in development, 'Small Axe' is a compelling, timely, provocative and inspiring new piece of Verbatim Theatre now playing at the Theatre Centre. It is presented by The Theatre Centre and Project: Humanity (PH). Founded in 2008, PH calls itself 'a non-profit organization raising awareness of social issues through the arts.' It reunites actor/writer Andrew Kushnir and director Alan Dilworth, who previously collaborated in 2010 on PH's 'The Middle Place,' a successful play about Toronto's homeless youth. Premiered at SummerWorks, it was restaged as a coproduction of Theatre Passe Muraille, Canadian Stage and PH.

The production of Chekov's 'The Seagull,' now on at the Berkley Street Theatre, is an uneven disappointment. It fails to engage. Like Theatre 20's production of Stephen Sondheim's 'Company,' presented in the same venue last year, this Crow's Theatre production does not deliver on its exciting promise.

Canadian-born triple threat Chilina Kennedy couldn't help but 'feel the earth move' today. The reason was the official announcement she will replace Chicago Tony Award-winner Jessie Mueller as Carole King in the smash hit Broadway juke box musical 'Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.' Her first performance will be March 7th.

“Witch Fulfillment” – that's what next Saturday night's benefit concert of “Into the Woods” (ITW) is for artistic director Christopher Wilson. He adores the beloved Stephen Sondheim/James Lapine fairytale musical and his excitement mounts with each passing day.

Montreal actress/producer Sarah Booth's Toronto debut in the searing, smash indie hit 'Blackbird' is an overnight hit three years in the making. Calling her and her partner David Ferry's performances 'remarkable,' the Toronto Star critic raved 'A must see. Catch it while you can.' 'A heart-stopping production,' opined the Globe and Mail's J. Kelly Nestruck. Martin Morrow for the Torontoist called it 'electrifying.' '(A) gripping, explosive production of an unsettling play,' wrote Lynn Slotkin in her review posted on The Slotkin Letter.

New Year's Eve is a retrospective time when we take a break and glance back at special memories. CBC-TV's Air Farce's New Year's Eve special is no exception with its current affairs jokes, like this one from the recent past: What does Justin Bieber have in common with Times Square in New York on New Year's Eve?

This summer, London's Globe Theatre thrilled Prescott and area audiences with its presentation of 'Hamlet,' the only Canadian stop on its current international tour. Today at 12 noon (December 27th) in Toronto, the esteemed company, in partnership with MEI Events International and Arts Alliance, will continue to spread the Bard's good word in a screening of six plays starting with 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' part of its very popular 'Shakespeare's Globe on Screen' series. It will be 'A Midwinter Afternoon's Treat.'

Singer-guitarist Wendell Ferguson is the anti-Claus. And I was reminded how much I enjoy his Yuletied parodies earlier this month at the CBC taping of this year's Royal Canadian Air Farce New Year's Eve comedy special. Remember the kid in the horror movie 'The Omen' who turns out to be the anti-Christ? Gregory Peck checked the lad's scalp and found three sixes - the sign of the beast - in a circle? Well, if you were to check Wendell's scalp, you'd find three 'Hos' in a circle instead!

One of the last times I heard Toronto singer-songwriter Stephanie Martin in concert, she brought down the house performing before more than 2,000 people at Toronto's lavish and vast Elgin Theatre at the venue's 100th anniversary celebration. With her customary charisma, she performed a duet as Josephine (I've long forgotten the guy) from the Canadian musical "Napoleon," co-written by her husband, lyricist Andrew Sabiston with composer Timothy Williams.

Toronto's best holiday family show is actually in Hamilton at Theatre Aquarius. It's Disney/Cameron Mackintosh's "Mary Poppins," featuring a stellar cast of Shaw, Stratford and Charlottetown Festival vets. It also stars Broadway vets award-winning Steven Sutcliffe and Chilina Kennedy as the beloved, magical nanny. This fabulous, fun-filled production runs until Dec. 28th.

Many people in Toronto's arts communities, especially theatre, are still grieving the loss of TheatreBooks after the venerable bookstore closed its doors forever this July after 39 years. Now, many are lost when needing scripts or monologues for auditions. And others feel the same who just love to read about the performing arts.

Did you attend Acting Up Stage Company's recent 'Uncovered-Billy Joel and Elton John' concerts? If not, you missed a sensational performance by Jackie Richardson. But fear not, you'll get another chance to experience our national treasure when she performs with some of our most accomplished musical theatre talents this Monday, Dec. 1st.

Following a triumphant, New York City debut earlier this month, the popular trio - comprised of three of Canada's best singer / musicians - returns to Toronto's Jazz Bistro for a special, three-night run.

Listening to Rita Carrey's debut CD Around Each Christmas Tree, it's obvious baby brother Jim, one of filmdom's greatest and most successful comic-actors, didn't get all the talent in the family. This is a wonderful, fun-filled celebration of seasonal classics with performances so infectious you are tempted to toss away your holiday stress and just sing along. The star capping this Christmas pine of musical pleasure is Rita's own, original song that gives the CD its title ... Around Each Christmas Tree. It's the rum in your egg nog with a catchy, pop-rock, maybe even country, melody and lovely lyrics celebrating the true meaning of our Yuletide season.

It's unlikely anyone leaving a performance of 'The Motherf**ker With the Hat' (MOFO) will be indifferent. That makes actor Juan Chioran happy. 'To be indifferent is the biggest crime in theatre,' he says on a day off from the popular show now playing at the new Coal Mine Theatre on the Danforth. He demands to be engaged, he adds, every time he attends a production.

Simply put, Juan Chioran, with his at times hilarious, at times heartbreaking, performance as Cousin Julio, is the reason to see the Toronto premiere of Stephen Adly Guirgis' 'The Mother f**ker with the Hat.' (MOFO).

Shove over, Jim Carrey. You better watch out, you better not cry. You better not pout I'm telling you why. Your vivacious big sister Rita Carrey is coming to town. She's arriving to claim her share of the spotlight and spread joy to the world with her Toronto singing debut 'Carry On' on Saturday, Nov. 15th at Cabbagetown's Flying Beaver Pubaret.

At the Shaw Festival in its record-breaking 2013 season, all performances of Tom Stoppard's 'Arcadia' sold-out before it opened. With its current revival engagement at Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre (with the original Niagara-on-the-Lake cast), many disappointed theatergoers will finally get their chance to enjoy this exceptional production of what is generally regarded as the playwright's most brilliant work... and his most moving.