news
Urban Planner: January 11, 2010
Urban Planner is Torontoist’s guide to what’s on in Toronto, published every weekday morning, and in a weekend edition Friday afternoons. If you have an event you’d like considered, email all of its details—as well as images, if you’ve got any—to [email protected].
Still from The Wire, by Paul Schiraldi/HBO.
LECTURE: The Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre has been hosting a lecture series, The Art of Television, since last October that aims to explore some of the greatest works on television in the last few years. Some of the previous lectures included “The HBO Revolution,” “All Things Buffy: How One Vampire Slayer Remade Primetime,” and “Deadwood and Beyond: The World of David Milch.” Tonight, “media connoisseur” Mark Clamen hosts a lecture called “The Wire: Tales from the Broken City.” Parts of the HBO show The Wire will be shown, followed by a discussion of “the best show ever.” Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre (750 Spadina Avenue), 7:30–9:30 p.m. $12.
TELEVISION: Canadian comedy legends The Kids in the Hall are back with a CBC mystery/comedy series, Death Comes to Town, and they’d love for you to watch it. So much so that they’re giving those so inclined the chance to see a free sneak peek before it premieres tomorrow. The show is set in the fictional town Shuckton, Ontario, where a (perhaps misguided) bid for the 2023 Olympics is stalled when the murder of a prominent citizen throws suspicion on almost everyone in town. Today at noon, host Jian Ghomeshi and The Kids in the Hall themselves will present a bit of the show at the CBC Building downtown. If you can’t make it, you’ll have plenty of chances to hear from the Kids right here on Torontoist in the weeks to come, starting later today. Canadian Broadcasting Centre (250 Front Street West), 12–1 p.m., FREE.
CHARITY: It’s been a cold winter so far, but this Monday you can warm yourself up with some hot chocolate while supporting a worthy cause. University of Toronto students will be selling hot chocolate at the corner of Bloor and St. George streets in support of the Canadian Hero Fund, which is a registered charity that assists military families. The Canadian Hero Fund was founded in 2009 by current University of Toronto students and recent graduates in an effort to recognize the sacrifice many Canadians make for this country. The proceeds from “Hot Chocolate for Heroes” will go towards a scholarship fund established by the charity for the children and spouses of fallen soldiers. Corner of St. George and Bloor Streets, 11 a.m.–3 p.m., pay-what-you-can.
THEATRE: Pandemonium Machine is a recurring showcase of performers whose work pushes the boundaries of the clown in theatre. For its premiere performance tonight, Scandinavian a capella group K-AMP will perform between sets by Christel Bartelse, Melissa D’Agostino, Helen Donnelly, Zirco Fish, Rick Kunst, Shantelle Simone Landry, Kathleen LeRoux, Dave McKay, Viv Moore, and Claire Nes. The night is curated by Diana Kolpak, who runs her own Dora-nominated theatre company, Whetstone. During the performances tonight, you’ll see work inspired by Shakespeare, stand-up, opera, and original music, but they warn that none of the performances are suitable for kids. Theatre Passe Muraille, Mainspace (16 Ryerson Avenue), Laboratory/Bar opens at 7:15 (curtain at 7:45), $15.