by Megan Mooney
Five for Twenty (Or Less)
The theme for this weeks listing of affordable plays is ‘one night only’.
The shows listed below all only run for one night. Miss them at your peril…
CrossCurrents is a new play development festival. Audiences get the chance to see works-in-progress, readings of raw works from Canadian theatre creators and playwrights. In addition to readings, there are symposiums and other public events. Although the festival spans a few weeks, this is in the the one-night-only category because each piece only has one reading. Admission is by donation, the suggested amount is $10 – that’s cheaper than going to a movie!
Info: CrossCurrents The play development series features staged readings of works by Nina Lee Aquino, Byron Abalos, Daniel MacIvor and others, plus artist talks and more.
Producer: Performance Spring Festival
Admission: Pwyc ($10 sugg)
Where: Factory Theatre, room: Studio, 125 Bathurst, Toronto, M5V 2R2, 416-504-9971, factorytheatre.ca
When: Opens Apr 4 and runs to Apr 25, see website for schedule
2) gleeks
Thursday night is your only chance to check out this improvised musical inspired by the television show Glee. $15 will give you the chance to see these folks strut their stuff. Personally, I can’t imagine much harder in this world than improv done to music. But don’t worry, I won’t be on stage…
Info: gleeks An improvised homage to television shows like Glee – aptly named Gleeks – is due to sing and dance its way into your heart this Saturday, April 24th at 10PM as part of Comedy Bar’s April line up.
Starring;
Amanda Barker, Ashley Botting, Ashley Comeau, Natasha Boomer, Marco
Timpano, Trevor Martin, Matt Folliot, Alex Tindal, Scott Montgomery, Jen
Goodhue and Rob Norman
Created by Darryl Pring and Amanda Barker
Music by Peter Cavell
Directed by: Darryl Pring
Tickets $15
Tickets can be purchased in advance. Go to comedybar.ca and click on ticketweb.
Hey, you know what qualifies as less than $20? FREE! Free qualifies just nicely thank you very much. On Friday night check out this reading at the Palmerston Library, for, you guessed it, free…
Info: Friday Nights With Diaspora Dialogues (Diaspora Dialogues). The series presents an excerpted play reading of Spin Alley by Donna-Michelle St Bernard, plus spoken word, music and more. Apr 23 at 7 pm. Free. Palmerston Library, 560 Palmerston. diasporadialogues.com.
This one doesn’t start until late, but hey, it’s a Friday night, so late is good, right? For $8 you can party at this amateur drag contest. There’s little in this world that is less theatrical than drag shows.
Info: Gowntown This drag ball contest features the B-Girlz, Boylesque TO and others.
Producer: Glam-Glam Productions
Admission: $8
Where: Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander, Toronto, M4Y 1B4, 416-975-8555, gowntown@glam-glam.com, artsexy.ca
When: Apr 23, doors 10:30 pm
5) The Dark Side of Underground Comedy
If you like your performance gritty, and either enjoy being offended, or really don’t offend easily, and don’t mind the smell of pot smoke then check this one out.
Info: The Dark Side of Underground Comedy
"A happy life cannot be without a measure of darkness." CARL JUNG
The Dark Side of Underground Comedy is a one-night-only show at Underground Comedy Club in Toronto’s east end.
The show is this Saturday, April 24th at 9pm and will feature a whack of brilliant comics who are guaranteed to make you laugh at all the things you shouldn’t and have a great time doing it.
Performers include: Adam Mcfawn, Aaron Berg, Bobby Mair, Candice Gregoris, Keelan Miller, Hunter Collins, Adrian Sawyer, Rose & Crotch, Dave Kemp, Magdalena, Underground Comedy Royalty, Boyd Banks, Rob Mailloux & Hosted by Blair Streeter
$10 at the door. Reservations are recommended. Call 416-732-7761 for venue information. (If we gave you the address it wouldn’t be very underground would it?)
Patrons with medical cards can freely smoke marijuana at this venue.