Toronto Theater Reviews: Best Shows & Critic Recommendations Page 29

BWW Reviews: ELF, From the North Pole to New York
by Mary Alderson - December 02, 2013

Elf, the Christmas musical now on stage at London's Grand Theatre is an endearing show, thanks to a funny, well-written script, and a six foot four Elf who can deliver the lines. Liam Tobin is perfect as Buddy the Elf: He's taken the best that Will Ferrell had in the movie version of Elf, but his p...

BWW Reviews: ONCE is Intimate and Heartbreaking at The Royal Alex
by Kelly Cameron - December 01, 2013

Once the Musical opened this past Thursday at Toronto's gorgeous Royal Alexandra Theatre, proving to Torontonians that a musical doesn't need to be big, brassy and full of fancy special effects to move an audience and shake their emotional core....

BWW Reviews: Ross Petty's THE LITTLE MERMAID is Perfection
by Alan Henry - November 30, 2013

Ross Petty's latest 'broken' fairytale pantomime is currently shaking the roof off of the Elgin Theatre. Petty and his team have re-imagined the Hans Christian Andersen tale into a two hour spectacle that the entire family can enjoy together....

BWW Review: WHITE CHRISTMAS
by Mary Alderson - November 25, 2013

White Christmas is one of those "feel good" shows. There's a guaranteed happy ending, great songs, fantastic dance, and everyone leaves the theatre humming and smiling. What a great gift at Christmas time, on stage at St. Jacobs Country Playhouse!...

BWW Review: LEGENDS OF HARMONY
by Mary Alderson - November 25, 2013

Drayton Entertainment's Artistic Director Alex Mustakas has continued to his tried and true "Legends" series with Legends of Harmony. This is a concert-style revue, covering all your favourite four-part harmony songs....

BWW Reviews: Broadway Bound ALADDIN Opens in Toronto
by Kelly Cameron - November 22, 2013

It was a true 'Arabian Night' in Toronto where the Broadway bound production of Disney's Aladdin had it's 'world premiere' last night. Promising to be a revamped interpretation of the classic 1992 cartoon film, the show had the unbelievable sights but sadly struggled with the indescribable feelings...

BWW Toronto Review Special: A ROOM OF ONE'S OWN at Campbell House Museum
by Tyler Peterson - November 17, 2013

A few months ago author/professor David Gilmour rattled and shocked the literary world with his bombastic declaration that he refuses to teach books written by women. The only female writer he was willing to bend his misogynistic rule for? Virginia Woolf. In the weeks that have followed these statem...

BWW Reviews: RING OF FIRE - The Music of Johnny Cash
by Mary Alderson - October 21, 2013

Ring of Fire, now on stage at London's Grand Theatre will be a thrill for true Johnny Cash aficionados. Only those who are big Cash fans and true country music enthusiasts will appreciate the lesser known songs in this concert-style show....

BWW Reviews: FLORENCE HENDERSON: ALL THE LIVES OF ME - She is Simply Charming
by Mary Alderson - October 12, 2013

Florence Henderson: All the Lives of Me...A Musical Journey...

BWW Reviews: Ramin Karimloo Led LES MISERABLES a Triumph in Toronto
by Kelly Cameron - October 10, 2013

It feels as though we've all been waiting a long time to say this, but it was finally no longer 'One Day More' as Les Miserables made her grand return to Toronto last night at The Princess of Wales Theatre, and with it, brought Richmond Hill native and West End star Ramin Karimloo home to a Toronto ...

BWW Reviews: Lower Ossington Theater's SHREK Is Hilarious, Witty, and Fun for the Whole Family
by Brittany Goldfield Rodrigues - October 07, 2013

SHREK THE MUSICAL proved a lot of skeptics wrong when it ended up a Broadway Success. While some may have expected 'camp,' the show proved itself Broadway-worthy with it's stellar music, composition, as well as set and costume design. The star studded original cast brought the show to life with the...

BWW Reviews: GODSPELL - St. Matthew's Gospel with Great Energy
by Mary Alderson - October 07, 2013

Energetic cast brings Godspell to life at the St. Jacobs Country Playhouse, Waterloo....

BWW Reviews: VENUS IN FUR a Sexy Slam Dunk
by Kelly Cameron - October 05, 2013

The 2013 Canadian Stage season kicked off with a bang last night as Venus in Fur made her grand debut on stage at The Bluma, the first production of David Ives Tony Award nominated play to be mounted in Canada. Starring Carly Street in the role of Vanda (which earned Nina Arianda a Tony award) Rick ...

BWW Reviews: LEND ME A TENOR is a Door-Slamming Good Farce
by Mary Alderson - October 02, 2013

Lend Me a Tenor offers many cases of mistaken identity, lots of physical comedy and plenty of door-slamming fun as the crazy situations unfold....

BWW Reviews: Louise Pitre's ON THE ROCKS Is A Must-See for Theatre Lovers
by Kelly Cameron - September 26, 2013

Louise Pitre's solo show ON THE ROCKS opened last night at Theatre Passe Muraille, kicking off their 2013-2014 season. An original piece that she wrote herself and produced with a dynamic all-female team, the show explores her life, love, loss and so much more. It's heartbreaking, honest and poign...

BWW Reviews: LEGALLY BLONDE - Grand's High School Project Goes Blonde
by Mary Alderson - September 24, 2013

Legally Blonde, on stage at London's Grand Theatre, marks the 15th anniversary of their High School Project. Each year for the past 15, the Grand has mounted a full-scale musical with high school students as the cast and crew. The students get all the advantages of working in a professional theatr...

BWW Reviews: KAT'S CABARET is Rockin' and Eclectic and Fun...and I want more!
by Lauren Gienow - September 13, 2013

In a Canadian town like Stratford, Ontario that is known for formally presenting incredible live talent on a daily basis, it's always fun when some of those talented people involved (as well as their talented friends) come together for a less-formal celebration of all kinds of music (and even some d...

BWW Reviews: Hollywood Sings at the Victoria Playhouse
by Mary Alderson - September 10, 2013

Hollywood Sings is a musical revue style production currently on stage at the Victoria People's Playhouse in Petrolia. Presented by David Rogers and David Hogan and starring an impressive roster of Canadian talent (including Les Miserables alumnus Susan Gilmour) the show makes for a great night out...

BWW Review: Lower Ossington Theatre's NEXT TO NORMAL Is Emotional, Stripped Down, and Intimate
by Brittany Goldfield Rodrigues - September 10, 2013

Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey's NEXT TO NORMAL is a Pulitzer prize winning and Tony award winning musical that continues to touch the hearts of many. The show about bipolar Diana Goodman and how her illness effects her and her whole family continues to touch peoples hearts. It takes a certain amount of ...

BWW Reviews: THE MERCHANT OF VENICE at Stratford Festival Should Not be Missed!
by Lauren Gienow - September 09, 2013

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE-arguably William Shakespeare's most controversial play, is being tackled this season at the Stratford Festival for the first time since 2007. Under the direction of (Artistic Director) ANTONI CIMOLINO, this production does not shy away from the controversial nature of many cha...

BWW Reviews: Soulpepper's ANGELS IN AMERICA an Ambitious Triumph
by Kelly Cameron - August 31, 2013

Soulpepper's production of Angels in America is a massive undertaking, their biggest show to date and incredibly ambitious. That said, it is a risk that appears to be paying off for the Toronto based company. The show is triumphant - a heartfelt examination of humanity, sickness, politics, AIDS and...

BWW Reviews: OTHELLO at the Stratford Festival is Tragic Yet Triumphant
by Lauren Gienow - August 27, 2013

Director Chris Abraham's production of OTHELLO opened to thunderous applause at Stratford Festival's Avon Theatre. The audience appeared so enthralled by this production that its devastatingly tragic nature seemed to cling to patrons as they exited the theatre. Simultaneously; however, there was a p...

BWW Reviews: A Trippy Trip Down Memory Lane with THE RASCALS - ONCE UPON A DREAM
by Kelly Cameron - August 22, 2013

The Rascals are back together for the first time in forty years, and they're rocking Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre for the rest of the weekend with their unique blend of rock n roll, soul and cover classics. Produced by Steven Van Zandt and co-directed by Van Zandt and Marc Brickman, the show f...

BWW Reviews: Stratford Festival's World Premiere of Judith Thompson's THE THRILL
by Lauren Gienow - August 22, 2013

When one thinks of Stratford Festival, they might think of the classic productions that are often staged to great acclaim; but it is important that audiences are also aware of the bold new productions that are premiering at the festival. THE THRILL by Judith Thompson is one of these plays and it cer...

BWW Reviews: No Strings Theatre's ANNE OF GREEN GABLES: THE MUSICAL
by Frances Fong-Lee - August 09, 2013

No Strings Theatre's production of "Anne of Green Gables: The Musical" is an enjoyable night out at the theatre for families....