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Urban Planner: January 4, 2011
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].
Sarah Thorpe and friends showcase the best of Kurt Weill tonight at Bread and Circus. Photo by Scarlet O’Neill.
Today in Toronto: A cabaret showcase of Kurt Weill and his peers, popular film and television gets the comedic treatment, an open mic poetry evening, and the Drake’s comedy revue.
THEATRE: Each year the Kurt Weill Foundation holds the Lotte Lenya Competition, which invites young singer/actors to perform the works of Weill and his contemporaries. This year Sarah Thorpe—local producer/performer and Artistic Director of Soup Can Theatre—will be competing for the prize, and tonight will be test driving her repertoire at Seeking Youkali: A Cabaret! Accompanied by Terence Vince and joined by Christian Jeffries and Stefne Mercedes, the cabaret promises an evening of musical theatre at a great price. Bread and Circus (299 Augusta Avenue), doors at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m., $5.
COMEDY: Comedy Bar continues its Festival of New Formats tonight, presenting experimental new content from the comedy community, all for free. Beginning tonight’s docket is Dramatic Reading of… at 8 p.m., wherein performers workshop a script to create a supportive environment for writers to receive feedback on their work. Tonight’s reading will be of the pilot episode of Gossip Girl. The writers’ attendance is not yet confirmed. The show will be followed by Sneak Preview at 9 p.m., which has improvisers selecting random trailers for upcoming films and then improvising the movies they’re for, in an earnest effort to save you the $12 of admission. Comedy Bar (945 Bloor Street West), 8 p.m. onward, FREE.
WORDS: Has the dawn on a new decade got you feeling a bit introspective, possibly leaning towards iambic pentameter? The Art Bar Poetry Series—a.k.a. Canada’s longest running poetry event—is inviting new poets to start off 2011 by reading their work in front of an audience for the first time at the year’s opening show. In addition to an open mic for newcomers, the first Tuesday of the year is also when the Art Bar team present their own works. There are ten slots for interested contributors with works under ten minutes in length, so head on down to snag your moment in the spotlight. Clinton’s Tavern (693 Bloor Street West), 8 p.m., FREE.
COMEDY: The Drake‘s new weekly comedy event The Tuesday Night Special continues tonight, with Ryan Horwood taking up the mantle as M.C. this evening. The lineup features the master of comedic endurance himself, Pat Thornton, as well as Video On Trial regular Debra DiGiovanni. Musical entertainment for the evening will be provided by Chris Caddell and the Tuesday Night Specials. Think they named the event after the band? Drake Hotel (1150 Queen Street West), 8:30 p.m., $10.