Shawn Wright News

The Shaw Festival today announced principal casting and creative team details for its 54th season.

It was an incredible night for Toronto theatre when our community joined together to celebrate another year of performing arts in Toronto on the evening of June 23rd at the WestJet Stage at the Harbourfront Centre for the 35th Annual Dora Awards! For the 2013-2014 season, 143 producing companies (up 41 from last season's 102) registered eligible productions. A total of 48 Dora Awards, plus the Silver Ticket Award and the Audience Choice Award, were given out in a glittering ceremony hosted by Matt Baram and Naomi Snieckus, founding Co-Artistic Directors of the three-time Canadian Comedy Award-winning The National Theatre of the World.

The theme this season at the Stratford Festival is Madness: Minds Pushed to the Edge and when it comes to choosing a musical to fit this theme, there is quite possibly no better choice than MAN OF LA MANCHA.

If you like musicals with amazing dancing, powerful singing and farcical comedy - and who doesn't? - get your tickets now for Crazy for You, on Stratford's Festival stage, as this show will sell out this summer. Crazy for You is an interesting invention. George and Ira Gershwin's old songs from the 1930s were gathered together, and while people love the tunes and lyrics, the stories that go with them are dated. So in 1992, playwright Ken Ludwig wrote a script incorporating the Gershwin favourites.

Fresh from her triumph with last season's hit musical, Fiddler on the Roof, acclaimed director and choreographer Donna Feore returns for her 20th Festival season with an exciting new production of Crazy for You specially conceived for the Festival Theatre's thrust stage. The new Gershwin musical begins previews tonight, April 21, marking the first performance of the 2014 season.

Fresh from her triumph with last season's hit musical, Fiddler on the Roof, acclaimed director and choreographer Donna Feore returns for her 20th Festival season with an exciting new production of Crazy for You specially conceived for the Festival Theatre's thrust stage. The new Gershwin musical begins previews on Monday, April 21, marking the first performance of the 2014 season.

Canadian Stage brings England's London Road to Toronto with North American premiere of 5-star musical documentary Written by Alecky Blythe and Tony Award-winning composer Adam Cork; directed by Jackie Maxwell at the Bluma Appel Theatre January 19 to February 9, 2014 Toronto, ON - Canadian Stage presents the North American premiere of London Road, the captivating 5-star hit from the UK created by playwright Alecky Blythe and set to music Tony Award-winning composer Adam Cork. Part musical, part documentary, the new Canadian production is directed by the Shaw Festival's artistic director Jackie Maxwell with music direction by Reza Jacobs. Featuring a stellar ensemble cast (Sean Arbuckle, Damien Atkins, Ben Carlson, Michelle Fisk, Deborah Hay, George Masswohl, Julain Molnar, Glynis Ranney, Fiona Reid, Steve Ross and Shawn Wright) London Road transforms the stage at the Bluma Appel Theatre (27 Front St. E) from January 19 to February 9, 2014.

This upcoming Monday get ready to break out your dancing shoes, as cast members from the Original Toronto Production of MAMMA MIA! reunite for a one-night only benefit in support of FIFE HOUSE. They are a not for profit organization that seeks to provide secure and affordable supportive housing and support services for persons living with HIV/AIDS.

This upcoming Monday get ready to break out your dancing shoes, as cast members from the Original Toronto Production of MAMMA MIA! reunite for a one-night only benefit in support of FIFE HOUSE. They are a not for profit organization that seeks to provide secure and affordable supportive housing and support services for persons living with HIV/AIDS. The event will feature none other than Louise Pitre in the lead role of 'Donna', one in which she originated here in Toronto and then later took to the Great White Way. She will be joined by a group of her fellow cast mates to celebrate the music of ABBA and the success of MAMMA MIA, as well as to raise a toast to the great work that FIFE HOUSE does in our community. Joining her will be Adam Brazier (Sky), Gabrielle Jones (Rosie), David Keeley (Sam), Julie Martell (Sophie), Tamara Bernier (Tanya) and Shawn Wright (Bill). BWW is thrilled to be chatting with the cast to provide a unique retrospective on their time with MAMMA MIA!, including favourite memories and ABBA songs. Today we're focusing on the returning men including David Keeley , Shawn Wright and Adam Brazier.

Production of MAMMA MIA reunite for a one-night only benefit in support of FIFE HOUSE. They are a not for profit organization that seeks to provide secure and affordable supportive housing and support services for persons living with HIV/AIDS. The event will feature none other than Louise Pitre in the lead role of 'Donna', one in which she originated here in Toronto and then later took to the Great White Way. BWW sat down to talk to Louise about her favourite Mamma Mia memories, walking the boards on Broadway, meeting Meryl Streep and more.

Casting has been announced for the Harold Green Jewish Theatre's production of Funny Girl, being presented in concert as a fundraiser in the George Weston Recital Hall at the Toronto Centre for the Arts on September 30th at 7:30 PM.

GUYS AND DOLLS, the mainstage musical at the Shaw Festival this summer offers an enjoyable, tightly paced staging that gives audiences a chance to revisit one of Frank Loesser's most sparking scores. Of the four leading players, two give well-developed performances but are unbalanced by the other coupel who lack the necessary 'chemistry.' * * * 1/2 (OUT OF 5)

Already shaping up to be one of the season's hottest tickets, Guys and Dolls will continue to captivate audiences for 15 extra performances at The Shaw's Festival Theatre.

A new production of the Tony Award-winning musical Guys and Dolls begins previews April 12 at the Shaw's Festival Theatre. Like its musical predecessors My Fair Lady and Ragtime, the Shaw's production of Guys and Dolls celebrates glorious storytelling, unforgettable characters and memorable music. Directed by Tadeusz Bradecki and brought to life by The Shaw's renowned acting Ensemble, the 'greatest of all American musicals' pulsates with the neon-lit rhythm, energy and grittiness of New York City nightlife

Canadian Stage today announced additional details about the 2013.2014 theatre season, including casting for London Road, the musical documentary directed by Jackie Maxwell with musical direction by Reza Jacobs, on stage at the Bluma Appel Theatre from January 19 to February 9, 2014. The 5-star hit from London, England will have its Canadian premiere with an all-star cast of some of the country's most talented performers: Sean Arbuckle, Damien Atkins, Ben Carlson, Michelle Fisk, Deborah Hay, George Masswohl, Julain Molnar, Glynnis Ranney, Fiona Reid and Shawn Wright.

An exceptional collection of talent has been assembled to bring the Shaw Festival's 52nd season to life - a unique and entertaining playbill rich with new and provocative conversations, culture clashes, magical transformations and dazzling ideas. The Salvation Army marches in this season with freshly re-envisioned productions of Guys and Dolls, one of musical theatres most celebrated pieces, and Shaw's Major Barbara - an ever relevant and potent play.

Canadian Stage will present an original production of The Arsonists, a dark comedy by Swiss playwright Max Frisch that explores our all-too-human ability to ignore acts of evil. Translated by Alistair Beaton, the Canadian premiere of this famous political farce is brought to life by director Morris Panych and set designer Ken MacDonald, the creative duo and real-life partners behind Canadian Stage's 2009 runaway hit, Art.

Next to Normal had its Canadian premiere last summer when the 1st National Tour came through Toronto with Tony Award Winner Alice Ripley reprising the role of Diana. Now, the show is getting its own all Canadian production in Winnipeg as the Manitoba Theatre Centre takes on the story. BWW is thrilled to be able to bring its readers this first look at the Canadian cast.

A Tony, Olivier, Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel and Obie award-winning musical, Caroline, or Change mixes fact and fantasy, symbolism and reality, plus a wide variety of musical styles to tell the story of an African-American maid in a South Jewish household during the Civil Rights Movement.

A Tony, Olivier, Drama Desk, Lucille Lortel and Obie award-winning musical, Caroline, or Change mixes fact and fantasy, symbolism and reality, plus a wide variety of musical styles to tell the story of an African-American maid in a South Jewish household during the Civil Rights Movement.