What are the holidays if not for the traditions that go along with them? Not least among these: the National Ballet of Canada’s annual production of The Nutcracker—which has its own traditions as well, including rollerskating bears, dancing horses, and celebrity cameos in the roles of the two Cannon Dolls, appearing for about two and [...]

“My father used to tell me that art depends on two things, luck and talent,” announces Gideon Arthurs to an eager audience at Theatre Passe Muraille last night. “But for the Fringe only the former applies.” People laugh, but the statement is true. While it’s indisputable that many, many, of the artists involved in the [...]

The Atomic Weight of Happiness Theatre Direct (601 Christie Street) Saturday November 26, 8 p.m. Sunday November 27, 2:30 p.m. $10—$15 In trying to describe Meagan O’Shea’s solo show The Atomic Weight of Happiness, it’s best to start with how to describe O’Shea herself as an artist—which is no easy task. “I’m an interdisciplinary contemporary [...]

Love Lies Bleeding The Sony Centre (1 Front Street East) Nov. 8 to 12, Tuesday to Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Saturday matinee at 3 p.m. $48.10–$156.60 When one chooses to see a ballet based on the music of Elton John and Bernie Taupin, one cannot be surprised to see [...]

Babes in Space the Sequel: The Wrath of Thong The Revival (783 College St.) August 28 and September 1 There are a few things you might learn at the Revival’s Star Wars vs. Star Trek burlesque show, Babes in Space the Sequel: The Wrath of Thong, that you didn’t even know you wanted to know: [...]

It's been about a week since the skies opened up and summer arrived on the streets of Toronto. And by that, of course, we mean the SummerWorks Theatre Festival. Starting last Thursday and continuing until this Sunday, 42 plays and more than a dozen music acts are taking over West Queen West in celebration of new, bold, and unconventional artistic projects in theatre, dance, and music. Even with a tiny hiccup concerning federal government funding a few months ago, artistic producer Michael Rubenfeld and the rest of the play-going community are not letting the festival—which gets larger and larger every year in attendance and scope—lose its momentum.

Every Saturday, Historicist looks back at the events, places, and characters—good and bad—that have shaped Toronto into the city we know today. He awoke on June 30, 1974, still feeling the effects of a vodka-fuelled celebration the night before, at an isolated Caledon Hills farmhouse owned by someone he hadn’t met until yesterday. By now [...]

Kabir Bedi and Lisa Ray. TAJ Fleck Dance Theatre (207 Queens Quay West) June 10, 11, 8 p.m., June 11, 12, 2 p.m., $51.50–$71.50 Millions of people visit the Taj Mahal every year, not only to see the internationally renowned structure of white marble, but also to hear the tragic love story behind it: an [...]

This Alice gets a particularly elaborate unbirthday. Jillian Vanstone as Alice, Robert Stephen as the Mad Hatter, and Jonathan Renna as the March Hare. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Four Seasons Centre (145 Queen St. West) June 4–12 and June 23–25 The Luminato festival is a lot of things: international, diverse, grand, bold, large in scale, [...]

In today’s Urban Planner: find out what happens when a former Leafs legend gets a book deal; see how they dance in the city of lights; feel your chest fill up with true patriot love as you watch some of our best musicians perform in our scenic National Parks, as documented by some of our best filmmakers; then find out what ironic phrase is printed on Judah Friedlander’s hat.

In today’s Urban Planner: Celebrate the opening day of the largest documentary film festival in North America, learn about the history of Toronto’s railways, befriend some budding artists, live vicariously through an artist's travels, immerse yourself in the sounds of Brazil, and check out a dynamic dance duo.