All posts by Wayne Leung

Wayne Leung (1981-2019) Wayne was the Managing Editor of Mooney on Theatre from 2012 - 2019 and will be sorely missed. His death from an apparent heart attack was a loss not just to Mooney on Theatre, but also to the Toronto Theatre Community at large. You can read our publisher Megan Mooney's tribute to him here here. Wayne was a writer, editor and corporate communications professional who was thrilled to be a part of the Mooney on Theatre team. Wayne loved theatre ever since his aunt brought him to a production of Les Misérables at the tender age of ten . . . despite the fact that, at that age, the show’s plot was practically indiscernible and the battle scenes scared the bejeezus out of him. Wayne’s current list of likes ran the gamut from opera, ballet and Shakespeare to Broadway musicals, circus and Fringe theatre. Outside of the theatre Wayne’s interests included travel, technology and food.

Boy Falls From the Sky: Jake Epstein Live at Supermarket (Past Future Productions) 2019 Toronto Fringe Review

photo of Jake Epstein as Spider-Man in Boy Falls From the Sky Photo by Jacob Cohl

Even if Jake Epstein’s name doesn’t immediately ring a bell, you’d recognize him. You’ve seen the Toronto-based actor in something, whether it’s his work on TV in shows like Degrassi and Suits, or, if you’re a musical theatre geek like me, from his leading roles in multiple Broadway musicals. Epstein is now back in Toronto headlining in his own solo cabaret/show-biz confessional, Boy Falls From the Sky: Jake Epstein Live at Supermarket presented by Past Future Productions and now playing as part of the Toronto Fringe Festival.

Continue reading Boy Falls From the Sky: Jake Epstein Live at Supermarket (Past Future Productions) 2019 Toronto Fringe Review

Be Kind, Rewind (Edge of the Sky) 2019 Toronto Fringe Review

Poster of Be Kind, Rewind Graphic Design: Eric Andrews

Be Kind, Rewind is the latest collaboration between perennial Toronto Fringe Festival favourites Edge of the Sky and the musical writing duo Barbara Johnston and Suzy Wilde (Summerland, One Small Step). Their new show is a coming-of-age musical centred on a misfit teen’s attempt to re-invent herself while working at a video rental store/bait shop in a Northern Ontario cottage town in the summer of 1995.

Continue reading Be Kind, Rewind (Edge of the Sky) 2019 Toronto Fringe Review

Review: Obeah Opera (Luminato/Asah Productions)

Nicole Brooks with the company of Obeah Opera. Photo by Jeremy Mimnagh.Luminato brings a new version of the a cappella telling of the Salem Witch trials to Toronto

Obeah Opera tells the story of the Salem witch trials from the perspective of the first woman accused: a Caribbean slave named Tituba. Sung through entirely a cappella, the latest incarnation of this surprisingly vibrant and uplifting show is currently presented in Toronto as part of the Luminato Festival. Continue reading Review: Obeah Opera (Luminato/Asah Productions)

Review: The Full Light of Day (Luminato/Electric Company Theatre/Canadian Stage)

Photo of Gabrielle Rose and Jim Mezon by Don LeeA new show using cinematic techniques in live theatre is now in Toronto as part of Luminato

Vancouver’s Electric Company Theatre has returned to Toronto with their new show, The Full Light of Day, co-presented by Canadian Stage and the Luminato Festival. The company is known for its innovative shows like Tear the Curtain! and Studies in Motion that blend live projections overlaid on top of the action on stage. Their new show continues that tradition but I was curious to see if they would bring anything new to the table this time. Continue reading Review: The Full Light of Day (Luminato/Electric Company Theatre/Canadian Stage)

Review: August: Osage County (Soulpepper)

Photo of the August: Osage County Ensemble by Cylla von TiedemannSoulpepper presents the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Tracy Letts in Toronto

I had invited a friend to join me for the opening night of the new production of August: Osage County by Soulpepper on Friday night but when I mentioned it was a three and a half-hour family drama with two intermissions he decided to pass. His loss; he missed out on an absolutely riveting evening of theatre. Continue reading Review: August: Osage County (Soulpepper)