Volume 24 Issue 6 - March 2019

social climate. As artists,
I feel it is our responsibility
to share powerful
and moving stories that
both examine and reflect
the darkest corners of
humanity.”
Talking about the
prolific movements
of hatred and racism
currently being spread not
only south of the border,
but also here and around
the world, Wilson passionately
believes that shows
such as Parade “serve as
cautionary tales, inviting
those both brave and
conscious enough to challenge
systemic intolerance,
and to promote both
discourse and change.”
As well, he says, “the
poignancy of presenting
this disturbingly topical
musical at the Miles Nadal
JCC further punctuates the
Leo Frank, the subject of Parade
importance of the work.”
As Wilson said to me about Parade, it is important to keep works
like this alive in the repertoire to “continue to promote discourse and
awareness of difficult and important issues.” Toronto’s Musical Stage
Company is a great champion of works of this type, with last season’s
Toronto premiere of Fun Home based on Alison Bechdel’s autobiographical
graphic novel dealing with issues of gender identity and
family dysfunction; and coming up in April, Brian Yorkey and Tom
Kitt’s Next to Normal, which explores issues of mental health and the
impact of a bipolar parent on her family.
The Lightning Thief
Even on the lighter side of music theatre these days, serious
issues of identity and social belonging find their place. In
Soulpepper’s world premiere in February of Sarah Wilson and
Mike Ross’ new musical Rose (based on Gertrude Stein’s children’s
book The World Is Round), a brightly coloured symbolic and lighthearted
world is anchored on a nine-year-old girl’s desperate need
to understand “who, what, where and why” she is; and the power
of those questions makes her journey a profound one for the audience.
In the upcoming visit to the Ed Mirvish Theatre (March 19
to 24) of the Off Broadway musical The Lightning Thief: The Percy
Jackson Musical based on Rick Riordan’s hugely successful series
of books for the 10- to 12-year-old set, our hero, Percy, suffers from
ADHD (as Riordan’s son did) and an awful home situation at the
beginning of the story, but then discovers his true heritage as a son
of the Greek god Poseidon (and his own innate strength of character)
through his escape to Camp Half-Blood and the meeting of
other sons and daughters of the gods as he helps to retrieve Zeus’
lightning bolt.
Even Alice in Wonderland, the National Ballet of Canada’s returning
hit ballet (March 7 to 17), based on Lewis Carroll’s classic story,
can be looked at through a serious lens, though this production is
famed more for its wonderfully colourful set, costume and projection
designs, and the exuberant physical choreography by Christopher
Wheeldon, all of which have been acclaimed both here and abroad as
creating an “exhilarating spectacle.”
In short, there is no shortage of rich music theatre this season,
whether your taste leans more to the socially serious or fantastically
escapist, or to all of the combinations in between.
Toronto Dance Theatre's Persefony Songs
MUSIC THEATRE QUICK PICKS
!!
MAR 3, 3PM: Perchance to Dream. Toronto Operetta Theatre. TOT’s first production
of a musical by famous English composer Ivor Novello (Keep the Home Fires
Burning). and one of his greatest hits. The original ran in London from 1945 to 1948.
!!
MAR 5 TO 9: Persefony Songs. Toronto Dance Theatre. Fleck Dance Theatre at
Harbourfront Centre. Christopher House’s reimagining of his early piece based on
The Odyssey.
!!
MAR 6 TO 10: Kiss of the Spider Woman. Toronto’s (former) Don Jail. Eclipse
Theatre’s debut site-responsive production starring Tracey Michailidis and Kawa Ada.
!!
MAR 17, 3PM: Bijan and Manijeh: A Love Story. Aga Khan Museum. Experience the
art of Naqqali (ancient Persian dramatic storytelling involving music, dance, painted
scrolls, role playing, gesture, verse, prose and improvisation).
!!
MAR 20 TO 25: If/Then. George Ignatieff Theatre. Trinity College Dramatic Society
production of this moving story (by the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning
creators Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt of Next to Normal) explores what might have been
as the story follows one woman, but two possible paths which her life might have
taken. Brian Yorkey is also co-writer of the book of Sting’s The Last Ship.
!!
MAR 23, 7:30PM: The Erik Bruhn Prize Competition. Four Seasons Centre.
Balletomanes’ chance to spot future stars of the ballet stage as they perform pieces
of both classical and new choreography. Hosted by principal dancer Harrison
James with National Ballet of Canada Corps de ballet members Jeannine Haller and
Siphesihle November representing the company. Dancers from American Ballet
Theatre, The Hamburg Ballet and The Royal Danish Ballet will also compete.
Jennifer Parr is a Toronto-based director, dramaturge, fight
director, and acting coach, brought up from a young age on a
rich mix of musicals, Shakespeare, and new Canadian plays.
2018-2019: The Colours
of Early Music
NIGHT GAMES
MAY 3 & 4 at 8pm | MAY 5 at 3:30pm
Tickets on sale now at TorontoConsort.org
30 | March 2019 thewholenote.com