Here is what’s going on in Toronto theatre this week. There are several great shows to catch for the week of November 5th, 2012: ** Shows marked with the double asterisks and in red are the ones that make Wayne, our Managing Editor, wish he could exist in multiple parallel universes so he could check them all out.

Already Covered by MoT

Endgame by Samuel Beckett (Soulpepper). A blind man who is unable to stand gives orders to his servant, who is unable to sit, in this absurdist tragicomedy. Previews Oct 26-30. Opens Oct 31 and runs to Nov 17. $51-$68, stu $32, rush $5-$22.Young Centre for the Performing Arts, 50 Tank House Lane. 416-866-8666, soulpepper.ca.

La Cage Aux Folles by Jerry Herman and Harvey Fierstein (Mirvish). A gay man and his drag queen partner prepare to meet the conservative parents of their son’s fiancée. Previews Oct 10-11. Opens Oct 12 and runs to Nov 18. $35-$130. Royal Alexandra Theatre, 260 King W. 416-872-1212, mirvish.com.

Les Fourberies De Scapin (Scapin’s Deceits) by Molière (Théâtre français de Toronto). Two young men seek a sly valet’s help for their romantic predicaments in this comedy performed in French (some surtitled shows). Previews Oct 24-25. Opens Oct 26 and runs to Nov 10. $33-$57, under 30/srs $28-$57, rush $20. Berkeley Street Theatre, 26 Berkeley. 416-534-6604, theatrefrancais.com.

**Miss Caledonia by Melody A Johnson (Lunkamud/Tarragon Theatre). A 1950s farm girl dreams of being an actress in the big city in this musical solo show. Previews Oct 13-23. Opens Oct 24 and runs to Nov 22. $48-$53, srs $38-$43, stu $27, previews $21-$24, rush $13. Tarragon Theatre, Extra Space, 30 Bridgman. 416-531-1827, tarragontheatre.com.

Speaking In Tongues by Andrew Bovell (The Company Theatre/Canadian Stage Company). Four marriages are plunged into a morass of sex, lies and neglect after a woman goes missing. Previews Oct 29-31. Opens Nov 1 and runs to Nov 24. $22-$49. Berkeley Street Theatre, 26 Berkeley. 416-368-3110, canadianstage.com.

**The Normal Heart by Larry Kramer (Studio 180 Theatre). A group of friends refuse to let doctors, politicians and the press bury the truth about the AIDS epidemic in early 80s NYC. Previews Oct 19-20. Opens Oct 23 and runs to Nov 18. $30-$49, stu $25, limited Sun pwyc. Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander. 416-872-1212, studio180theatre.com. 

War Horse based on a novel by Michael Morpurgo, adapted by Nick Stafford (National Theatre of Great Britain/Mirvish). An English boy sets out to find his horse after it’s sold to the cavalry and shipped off to France during WWI. Previews Feb 10-27. Opens Feb 28 and runs to Jan 6. $35-$130, rush $29. Princess of Wales Theatre, 300 King W. 416-872-1212, mirvish.com.

And the Rest…

Alligator Pie (Soulpepper). Adapted from the children’s poems of Dennis Lee, this family-friendly production celebrates imagination and invention. Previews Oct 26-Nov 5. Opens Nov 6 and runs to Nov 25. $23. Young Centre for the Performing Arts, 50 Tank House Lane. 416-866-8666, soulpepper.ca.

Concord Floral by Jordan Tannahill and the company (Suburban Beast/Bring the Buzz). This workshop production fuses Boccacio’s The Decameron and garage band DIY to create a multimedia fantasy on coming of age in the suburbs. Previews Oct 31 (open dress rehearsal). Opens Nov 1 and runs to Nov 10. $20, stu/srs $15, preview/teens $10. Theatre Passe Muraille, 16 Ryerson. 416-504-7529, passemuraille.on.ca.

Dracula, A Love Story by Sharyl Hudson and Bill Sewers (Brant Theatre Workshop). Follow actors through the castle’s historic halls in this adaptation of Bram Stoker’s novel. Opens Sep 27 and runs to Nov 9. $39. Casa Loma, 1 Austin Terrace. 647-725-1826, casaloma.org.

Eigengrau by Penelope Skinner (Red One Theatre Collective). Two pairs of roommates deal with love, feminism and trying to connect in this dark comedy. Opens Nov 8 and runs to Nov 24. $20. Lower Ossington Theatre, 100A Ossington. redonetheatre.com.

FOOL – Festival Of Oral Literatures (The Tellery). Celebration of spoken word and storytelling with Morgan Jones Phillips, Susan Coyne, Ron Evans, Jan Blake and others. Opens Oct 18 and runs to Nov 11. Free-$20. AGO, Rustic Owl Cafe and Artscape Wychwood Barns, see website for details. foolfestival.com.

Hatched by Claire Burns (Triangle Co-Op). A teen’s identity crisis deepens when he learns he was conceived from a donor egg. Previews Nov 1. Opens Nov 2 and runs to Nov 17. $25, stu $18 (totix.ca). Toronto Free Gallery, 1277 Bloor W. hatchedtheplay.wordpress.com.

My Boy Jack by David Haig (East Side Players). Driven by patriotism, writer Rudyard Kipling presses his son into military service in WW1. Opens Oct 25 and runs to Nov 10. $22, stu $15. Papermill Theatre, 67 Pottery. 416-425-0917, eastsideplayers.ca.

My Name Is Asher Lev by Aaron Posner (TEATRON Theatre). A young painter is torn between his Hassidic upbringing and his need to fulfill his artistic dreams. Opens Nov 7 and runs to Nov 18. Previews Nov 7 at 1 pm. $31-$48, stu/srs $26-$30.Toronto Centre for the Arts, Studio Theatre, 5040 Yonge. 416-733-0545, teatrontheatre.com.

My Name is Not Carmen! (Show One Productions and Toronto International Flamenco Festival) present a fusion of flamenco, poetry and music as Yana Maizel tells the story of her journey from Russia to Toronto and finally Spain. Nov 8-9 at 8 pm. $35-$65. Jane Mallett Theatre, 27 Front E. 416-366-7723, showoneproductions.ca.

Nonna’s Party by Ashley Burton (Gladstone Hotel). Burton brings stories of her feisty Sicilian family to life in this solo comedy. Opens Nov 7 and runs to Dec 19. $35-$55 (ticketweb.ca). 1214 Queen W. 416-531-4635, gladstonehotel.com.

On Stage Theatre Arts Series: The Normal Heart (Toronto Public Library). Studio 180 Theatre’s Joel Greenberg talks about Larry Kramer’s play. Nov 5 at 7 pm. Free. Reference Library, 789 Yonge. 416-393-7157. torontopubliclibrary.ca

Rare Mix Toronto (Dance Theatre and Harbourfront NextSteps) present masterworks from TDT’s repertoire, featuring choreographies by Christopher House, Patricia Beatty and Jean-Sébastien Lourdais. Opens Nov 6 and runs to Nov 10. $19-$40. Fleck Dance Theatre, 207 Queens Quay W. 416-973-4000, harbourfrontcentre.com.

Reveal Me (Red Herring Burlesque). Virgin vixens and professional peelers put on a show. Jul 4 at 8 pm. Aug 1 at 8 pm. Sep 5 at 8 pm. Oct 3 at 8 pm. Nov 7 at 8 pm. $10. Rivoli, 332 Queen W. aprofessionaldistraction.com.

Romeo And Juliet by William Shakespeare (Hart House Theatre). The classic tragedy about lovers from conflicting families is retold. Opens Nov 7 and runs to Nov 24. $25, stu/srs $10-$15. 7 Hart House Circle. 416-978-8849, harthousetheatre.ca.

The Anger In Ernest And Ernestine by Robert Morgan, Martha Ross and Leah Cherniak (Barzotti Woodworking/Pivotal(arts)). Repressed anger rears its head as a couple strive to maintain the veneer of a perfectly ordered world. Previews Nov 6-7. Opens Nov 8 and runs to Nov 24. $20-$25, preview $10. Unit 102 Theatre, 376 Dufferin. theanger25.eventbrite.com.

**The Arsonists by Max Frisch (Canadian Stage). A man lets two strangers into his home and turns a blind eye to the obvious in this dark comedy about the human ability to ignore acts of evil. Previews Nov 11-14. Opens Nov 15 and runs to Dec 9. $24-$99.Bluma Appel Theatre, 27 Front E. 416-368-3110, canadianstage.com.

The Fine Art Of Murder (Mysteriously Yours… Dinner Theatre). This dinner-theatre whodunit features a Sherlock Holmes mystery. Opens Sep 21 and runs to Dec 29. $66-$71. 2026 Yonge. 416-486-7469, mysteriouslyyours.com.

The Investigation by Peter Weiss (Medina Theatre Ensemble). Weiss’s documentary play about the Frankfurt Auschwitz trials gets a staged reading. Nov 5 at 7:30 pm. Free. Temple Sinai Congregation, 210 Wilson. 416-638-2716. medinatheatre.blogspot.ca

The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later Moises Kaufman and Tectonic Theater Project (Brave New Productions). This epilogue to the original piece looks at the long-term effect of the murder of Matthew Shepard on the community. Nov 9-11. $20, stu/srs $15. Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander. 416-975-8555, bravenewproductions.com.

The Lesson by Eugene Ionesco (Modern Times Stage Company). Language drives the action and becomes an instrument of tyranny in this absurdist one-act play. Previews Nov 10-13. Opens Nov 14 and runs to Dec 1. $25-$35, Sun pwyc-$25. Lower Ossington Theatre, 100A Ossington. 416-915-6747, moderntimesstage.com.

The Little Years by John Mighton (Tarragon Theatre). Growing up in the 50s, a young woman’s interest in science is dismissed by her family. Previews Nov 7-13. Opens Nov 14 and runs to Dec 16. $48-$53, srs $38-$43, stu $27, previews $21-$24, rush $13. 30 Bridgman. 416-531-1827, tarragontheatre.com.

The Plum Tree by Mitch Miyagawa (fu-GEN Asian Canadian Theatre Company). Reading of Miyagawa’s play led by artistic director David Yee. Nov 5 at 7 pm. Free. fu-GEN Workshop Space, 157 Carlton. fu-gen.org.

The Threepenny Opera by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht (Essential Opera). This adaptation features a combination of English dialogue, German lyrics and steamy cabaret elements. Nov 7 at 7:30 pm. $18-$20. Heliconian Hall, 35 Hazelton. essentialopera.com.

Twelve Angry Jurors by Sherman Segal (Stage Centre Productions). Jurors clash over facts and their prejudices in this adaptation of the teleplay by Reginald Rose. Opens Nov 8 and runs to Nov 17. $27.50, stu/srs $22. York Woods Library Theatre, 1785 Finch W. 416-299-5557, stagecentreproductions.com.