Okay, it’s full-steam ahead into the first weekend of the 2011 Toronto Fringe Festival!  We have our biggest haul of contest tickets yet! In today’s edition we will be giving away tickets to the Friday July 8 performances of nine shows.

The shows are:

Cancer Can’t Dance Like This – To be entered into the draw for a pair of tickets to the 1:15pm show at The Tarragon Theatre Mainspace (Venue 1) please send an email to contests@mooneyontheatre.com with the subject line  “Cancer Can’t Dance Like This contest” by 7pm on Thursday, July 7, 2011.

Limbo – To be entered into the draw for a pair of tickets to the 6:30pm show at The Solo Room (Venue 5) please send an email to contests@mooneyontheatre.com with the subject line “Limbo contest” by 7pm on Thursday, July 7, 2011.

Mickey & Judy – To be entered into the draw for a pair of tickets to the 5:45pm at the Tarragon Theatre Extra Space (Venue 2) please send an email to contests@mooneyontheatre.com with the subject line “Mickey & Judy contest” by 7pm on Thursday, July 7, 2011.

Mullet’s Make-a-Play– To be entered into the draw for a pair of tickets to the 7:30pm at Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace (Venue 10) please send an email to contests@mooneyontheatre.com with the subject line “Mullet’s Make-a-Play contest” by 7pm on Thursday, July 7, 2011.

Pitch Blond – To be entered into the draw for a pair of tickets to the 7:00pm at the Tarragon Theatre Main Space (Venue 1) please send an email to contests@mooneyontheatre.com with the subject line “Pitch Blond contest” by 7pm on Thursday, July 7, 2011.

Sonnets for an Old Century – To be entered into the draw for a pair of tickets to the 5:15pm at the Annex Theatre (Venue 4) please send an email to contests@mooneyontheatre.com with the subject line “Sonnets for an Old Century contest” by 7pm on Thursday, July 7, 2011.

So I Married a Muslim – To be entered into the draw for a pair of tickets to the 3:00pm at the Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace (Venue 11) please send an email to contests@mooneyontheatre.com with the subject line “So I Married a Muslim contest” by 7pm on Thursday, July 7, 2011.

Total Verrückt! – To be entered into the draw for a pair of tickets to the 8:45pm at the Tarragon Theatre Extra Space (Venue 2) please send an email to contests@mooneyontheatre.com with the subject line “Total Verruckt! contest” by 7pm on Thursday, July 7, 2011.

Virginia Aldridge, BSc – To be entered into the draw for a pair of tickets to the 11:15pm at the Factory Studio Theatre (Venue 13) please send an email to contests@mooneyontheatre.com with the subject line “Virginia Aldridge, BSc contest” by 7pm on Thursday, July 7, 2011.

 

See below for details on each show, how the contest works:

Cancer Can’t Dance Like This

From the press release:  In 2008, Daniel Stolfi was diagnosed with Acute Non-Hodgkin’s T-Lymphoblastic Lymphoma, a form of cancer that would require aggressive chemotherapy over the following two years of his life. Just when his acting career was taking off, he put it all on hold to embark on the most physically, mentally, and emotionally draining journey of his life. Cancer Can’t Dance Like This recalls the pain Dan endured during his treatment while embracing his own saving grace – the fine art of comedy.

Wow, this show has an amazing back-story!  After being diagnosed with cancer Daniel Stolfi was forced to withdraw from the 2008 Toronto Fringe Festival to prepare for the battle with the disease that would ultimately become the inspiration for this new show. After two unsuccessful attempts to get back into the Fringe Festival (shows are chosen by lottery) he’s finally able to come full-circle by bringing Cancer Can’t Dance Like This to the 2011 Fringe Festival! The show also used a pull-quote from our previous rave-review of a benefit performance last summer in the Fringe program book, which is pretty cool!

The piece plays at The Tarragon Theatre Main Space, 30 Bridgman Avenue.  Performances:  July 8th @ 1:15pm, July 9th @ 9:15pm, July 10th @ 6:30pm, July 12th @ 1:15pm, July 13th @ 2:15pm, July 15th @ 3:30pm, July 16th @ 8:00pm

 

Limbo

From the press release:  How do you live on after you were supposed to have died? In Limbo, Andrew Bailey wakes up themorning after an aborted suicide attempt determined that from now on he will experience everymoment to the fullest.

Atomic Vaudeville (Ride the Cyclone, Legoland) are known for their ability to present slightly dark subject matter in quirky, irreverent ways.  Their take on a dark comedy solo show should be interesting. Yes, we are aware that the subject line of the contest entry e-mail reads “Limbo contest”.

The piece plays at The Solo Room (at the Randolph Academy), 736 Bathurst St., 2nd Floor.  Performances:  Fri, July 8 6:30 PM; Sat, July 9 3:15 PM; Sun, July 10 6:15 PM; Mon, July 11 4:00 PM ; Wed, July 13 10:00 PM; Fri, July 15 7:00 PM; Sat, July 16 6:15 PM; Sun, July 17 12:30 PM

 

Mickey & Judy

From the press release:  Mickey & Judy, is a hilarious, pseudo-memoir, chronicling Hughes’ childhood obsession with musicals and his journey from psychiatric ward to Off-Broadway. Chock-full of comical anecdotes about his childhood spent cross-dressing and channeling Judy Garland, dramatic readings from his actual doctor’s charts, and a musical score that borrows from Broadway classics and the Judy Garland songbook. Mickey & Judy is about falling in love and following your dreams.

Mickey & Judy definitely piqued my interest as a Fringe show to see and not just because it features the silky-voiced Michael Hughes singing show tunes.  As a kid, Michael was very interested in cross-dressing, an interest which worried his parents enough to send him to a psychiatrist. Twenty years later, the psychiatrist wanted to talk to him again. Michael agreed on the condition that the psychiatrist would relinquish photocopies of all the charts from his childhood analyses to him. Those hilarious charts are incorporated into this “pseudo-memoir”.

The piece plays at Tarragon Theatre Extraspace, 30 Bridgman Ave.  Performances:  Friday July 8, 5:45pm; Saturday July 9, 7:00pm; Sunday July 10, 10:30pm; Tuesday July 12, 10:30pm; Wednesday July 13, 4:00pm; Thursday July 14, 1:45pm; Sunday July 17, 3:30pm

 

Mullet’s Make-a-Play

From the press release: Jean-Paul Mullét was born in 1726, died in 1747, and washed up onshore 100 years later. Now he performs live and on TV, is the star of his own weekly webcomic, and one of the more sought after and respected clowns working in Toronto today. His performances, which seam lessly mix scripted material with improv and audience participation, meld comedy, horror, and pathos.

There are many shows in the Toronto Fringe Festival but this is the only one written and performed by a zombie clown! While it isn’t a variety show, every performance features a different lineup of guest performers!

The piece plays at Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace, 16 Ryerson Ave., Toronto.  Performances:

Friday, July 8 – 7:30pm; Saturday, July 9 – 12:30pm; Sunday, July 10 – 11:00pm; Wednesday, July 13 – 6:00pm; Thursday, July 14 – 8:45pm;  Friday, July 15 – 4:30pm;  Saturday, July 16 – 3:30pm

 

Pitch Blond

From the press release:  Laura Harris, wrote and stares as the magnetic comedic actress Judy Holliday, who had a genius-level I.Q but was notorious for playing comedic dumb blond characters. During the McCarthy era, Holliday was suspected of having Communist ties. In order to protect her friend and family, she testified before the Senate Internal Security Subcommittee playing her dumb blond persona.

Laura Harris has been performing her play on the theatre festival circuit and it’s already received a lot of critical acclaim. Now it’s Toronto’s turn to see her intriguing Judy Holliday bio-play.

The piece plays at The Tarragon Theatre Main Space, 30 Bridgman Avenue.  Performances: July 8th 7pm, July 9th 11pm, July 11th 2:45pm, July 12th 5:15pm, July 14th 9:45pm, July 16th 9:45pm, July 17th 3:30pm

 

Sonnets for an Old Century

From the press release:  In a waiting room for the afterlife, a crowd of ordinary souls are en route to their final resting place and are given one last chance to share with the universe their parting thoughts. SONNETS FOR AN OLD CENTURY is a dreamscape filled with poignant, funny, lyrical and haunting monologues from recently deceased individuals.

Clownfire and Column 13 present the Canadian premiere of the play by Obie-winning, Academy Award nominated playwright José Rivera.

The piece plays at The Annex Theatre (At the Randolph Centre for the Arts), 736 Bathurst Street.  Performances: Fri, July 8 5:15 PM; Sun, July 10 1:15 PM; Mon, July 11 8:30 PM; Wed, July 13 3:30 PM; Thu, July 14 11:00 PM; Fri, July 15 4:00 PM; Sat, July 16 5:45 PM

 

So I Married a Muslim

From the press release:  Ask an Italian, Roman‐Catholic, Australian woman about her ideal mate and she probably won’t say a South Asian, Muslim, Canadian guy. Well, she might, but what will the families think? So I Married a Muslim is a story that balances the struggles of tradition, religion, and love.

Old-world values meet new world realities? Tradition, religion and love collide? Sounds like everyday life in Toronto! How topical.

The piece plays at Theatre Passe Muraille Backspace 16 Ryerson Ave.  Performances: Wednesday, July 6, 2011 – 8:15pm; Friday, July 8, 2011 – 3:00pm; Saturday, July 9, 2011 – 8:30pm; Monday, July 11, 2011 – 4:00pm; Tuesday, July 12, 2011 – 5:00pm; Thursday, July 14, 2011 – 2:45pm; Saturday, July 16, 2011 – 6:15pm; Sunday, July 17, 2011 – 5:45pm

 

Total Verrückt!

From the press release:  Taking its name from the 1944 production performed by inmates from Westerbork transit camp, Total Verrückt! translates as “completely crazy”. In this ghostly cabaret, watch this imprisoned actress sing and dance to prove that she exists. Total Verrückt! weaves together Jewish myth and memory, asking questions about the necessity of art as a means of survival and an act of resistance.

Hmm, the description conjures “Cabaret” meets “Life is Beautiful” doesn’t it? It sounds interesting.

The piece plays at The Annex Theatre (At the Randolph Centre for the Arts), 736 Bathurst Street..  Performances: Fri., July 8 – 8:45pm; Wed., July 13, 2011 – 1:45pm; Sat., July 9 – 3:30pm; Thurs., July 14, 2011 – 7:30pm ; Sun., July 10 – 10:30pm; Sat., July 16, 2011 – 9:45pm, Tues., July 12 – 3:00pm – 4:00pm

 

Virginia Aldridge, BSc

From the press release:  Janelle Hanna stars as Virginia, a self-proclaimed biologist/adventurer who drops everything and flies to Cameroon, determined to follow in the footsteps of her childhood hero, the Victorian explorer Mary Kingsley. But will Virginia ever find the courage to leave her hotel room?

This comedic tale is for anyone who has ever found themselves far from home.

The piece plays at Factory Studio Studio Theatre 125 Bathurst (at Adelaide).  Performances: Friday, July 8 @ 11:15pm; Saturday, July 9 @ 7:45pm; Monday, July 11 @ 11:00pm; Wednesday, July 13 @ 12:30pm; Thursday, July 14 @ 9:30pm; Friday, July 15 @ 2:00pm; Sunday, July 17 @ 2:45pm

 

Contest Rules:
(these will remain the same for each Fringe contest, so take the time to read the list once and you’ll be set)

• The only acceptable form of entry for the contest is by email, sent to contests@mooneyontheatre.com (Mooney on Theatre will never use your email address for anything other than to reply to the specific contest you entered, and we certainly would never sell it or anything like that)
• Each show counts as its own contest, and each entry must be in a separate email. So, if 5 shows are giving tickets away on a given day, and you want to try for each of them, then you need to send 5 emails.
• Entrants must be available on the day and time listed in the contest. The tickets are available for that showing only, and cannot be transferred to another date.
• The winning entrants will be chosen by a random drawing.
• Winners will be notified by email by 9pm on the day of contest closing and need to confirm their attendance 10am AT THE LATEST the following morning so that their names can be given to the theatre company for tickets to be set aside.
• Photo I.D. may be required to claim the winning tickets.
• Tickets must be picked up 60 to 30 minutes before show time at the venue box office. The box office reserves the right to release any tickets not picked up 15 minutes before show time.
• We ask that all winners provide us with a quick blurb on what they thought of the show, either in the comments section of the press release on Mooney on Theatre, or if it has already been reviewed by Mooney on Theatre in the comments section of that.