All the World’s a Stage: Theatre Roundup

Yaga

BY KAT SANDLER

She’s more than just a wicked old witch. Baba Yaga is a legend, usually known as that elderly woman who lives alone in the woods and grinds the bones of the wicked. But what if she was actually a sexy, smart, modern woman operating off of morally ambiguous motives? 

2 Pianos 4 Hands

BY TED DYKSTRA & RICHARD GREENBLATT

“TWO PIANOS, FOUR HANDS, AND ONE ABSOLUTE TOUR DE FORCE” – ALAN RICKMAN

Amidst pushy parents, eccentric teachers, hours of repetitive practice, stage fright, the agony of competitions and exams, and the dream of greatness, Ted and Richard grow up as “piano nerds.” As they mature, they become more aware of the gap between the merely very good and the great, and come to the humbling realization that concert stardom may be out of reach, but they just might be two of the best piano players in the neighbourhood, and that in itself is worth celebrating.

Iphigenia and the Furies (On Taurian Land) & Antigone: 方

BY HO KA KEI (JEFF HO)

From the author of trace comes two adaptations that transport mythological stories from Ancient Greece to modern-day civilizations. Led by people of colour, these darkly comedic plays depict recognizable plights for justice.

Too Good to be True

BY CLIFF CARDINAL

Fado

BY ELAINE ÁVILA

Acclaimed Portuguese Canadian playwright Elaine Ávila’s new play, Fado: The Saddest Music in the World, is a tale of love and ghosts set in the back alleys and brothels of old Lisbon. Part concert, part theatre, the story of a young woman confronting her country’s fascist past and her own identity is interwoven with the heartbreaking national music of Portugal known as fado, which means “fate. ”

How to Fail as a Popstar

BY VIVEK SHRAYA

The first play by multi-media artist Vivek Shraya, about fame and personal transformation.How to Fail as a Popstar is Vivek’s debut theatrical work, a one-person show that chronicles her journey from singing in shopping malls to “not quite” pop music superstardom with beguiling humor and insight. 

a million billion pieces

This teen romance space opera explores our willingness to live, what it means to belong, and the necessity of emotional and physical relationships.

Every Day She Rose

BY ANDREA SCOTT & NICK GREEN

After the Black Lives Matter protest at the 2016 Toronto Pride Parade, two friends find their racial and queer politics aren’t as aligned as they thought, and the playwrights behind them must figure out how to write about the fallout.

Rukmini’s Gold

BY RADHA S. MENON

Every second counts in this powerful play about connections and moments of departure. Rukmini’s Gold features ten stand-alone yet interconnected scenes set in geographically unique train stations around the world.

Hunger

BY MEGHAN GREELEYA play about currency during wartime, survival, and the power dynamic between protectors and the protected.