Toronto Festival - Icefest

My daughter and I wandered over to the eighth annual Bloor-Yorkville ice carving competition, which offered delicious hot snacks and drinks from exotic outdoor vendors (not your typical hot dog carts here), to consume while wandering along Cumberland street perusing the ice sculptures. I was surprised to see such Iincredible activity with crowds of people taking their pictures with the sculptures. A very nice way to spend an hour or two in a lovely area of town....

Lower Ossington Theatre - Marvellous Wonderettes

If you're a fan of Glee, you may want to check out this show. With a similiar format, set in a high school with a singing club, the selection of songs mirrors the girls' current romantic circumstances.

The first act is set in 1958, at the Prom Queen competition, and the second act takes place 10 years later. This musical comedy features songs consistent with each time period and is a lot of fun. The four singers have lovely, strong voices and harmonized together very well.

Add to that the cabaret style room, where you can enjoy wine and drinks with the show, and it makes for a very enjoyable evening. I noticed quite a few couples enjoying a romantic evening, hands intertwined throughout the show ...

I was surprised at the low turn-out. Could Lower Ossington Theater be an undiscovered gem or did the title of the show throw some people off. I admit I thought it might be an all ages show - I brought my pre-teen daughter with me and, while she really enjoyed the show, there is some adult content ......

TSO POPS - Love Will Keep Us Together

There is nothing more enjoyable then chilling with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Special guests tonight, to sing the love songs, were Betsy Wolfe and Mike Eldred, each with an impressive Broadway pedigree. Their voices were as sweet and strong as the TSO and blended together beautifully.

We were treated to a number of favourites, from Cole Porter "I've Got You Under My skin" to Dirty Dancing to Dolly Parton And "Moon River".

The Pops series never disappoints. There's only two shows left in the series, so book now !

Soulpepper - Guildenstern and Rosencratz are Dead

With outstanding performances from Ted Dykstra (Rosencratz) and Jordan Pettle (Guildenstern), we were thoroughly entertained and not a little bit bamboozled. Devout fans of Tom Stoppard, we were not disappointed by this play. The dialogue was fast paced and witty and the actors carried it genuinely.

Not always clear, the multiple plot lines, some interwoven and some running concurrently, are sometimes hard to keep up with, but most definitely thought provoking. There is much philosophizing on the meaning of life. Guildenstern and Rosencratz are trapped and manipulated by the other characters, as they struggle to unfold the mysteries surrounding them and to gain enough knowledge to know what to do next.

We loved the play and definitely recommend you put in on your list of things to do.

Art Show - 4Artists

We dropped in on an art show on Saturday, held in a private residence, featuring four artists with very complementary work. The gorgeous, earthy and superbly crafted pottery from Leta & Don Cormier was so seductive to hold and look at that we couldn't help but pick up a few pieces. Betty White uses a wide variety of colour and texture in her work, which you can contemplate for hours - we purchased a fabulous drawing from her skeletal series that we just couldn't keep our eyes off of. Keiko Shintani makes the most luxurious and beautiful textiles, to hang on the wall and as clothing accessories, that we just couldn't resist bringing a few pieces home as well. If you are in the market for pottery, paintings/sketches or textiles I strongly recommend you google these artists and watch out for their next show.

Lower Ossington Theatre - [Title of Show]

The theme of this show was an odd concept that interestingly grew on you as it progressed. It seemed to start off with little focus, but as the tale of the creation of the show began to pick up speed, so did our interest. With campy moments and almost slapstick comedy, it definitely captivated the audience.

An interesting assortment of characters balanced each other very well - one male with extremely expressive eyes. one female with a very elastic face and fluid moves and very strong voices from the other male and female. If you're looking for some good, not so clean, fun - definitely check this out.

Off-Mirvish - Clybourne Park

An emotional and impactful exploration of the impact of racism as seen through the lens of a small enclave. This show depicts the impact community can have in isolating those who are different, sometimes elevating their despair, and the struggle of the majority to demonstrate tolerance. There are no clear good guys and bad guys here.

The actors were great and the plot twists and surprises effectively caught you off guard. Balanced with ascerbic dialogue and witty interjections, this show was thought provoking and fun.

Another success for Off-Mirvish's inaugural season !