My Little Tomato

 

Presently on at the Cultch is a smart little rom-com that takes on grief and loneliness with a twist of drag thrown in. We meet Keaton Chu, played by Nelson Wong (you'll recognize him from local commercials and bus stop ads, as well as countless Hallmark movies to name a few of his credentials), who is grieving the loss of his parents and having to deal with taking over their produce farm. 

Enter one Joe McKinlay, played by Taylor Kare, who shakes up Keaton's world in more ways than one. Throw in a dancing tomato and your evening is made. Written by Rick Tae, My Little Tomato is a fun foray into the world of two men trying to find themselves and wind up finding each other. Directed by Cameron Mackenzie, of Zee Zee Theatre, the energy in the show is palpable. This is also a partnership with the Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre as well as Rice & Beans Theatre, making it a true community affair! 

This is a fun, smart, and hilarious night out at the theatre! Don't miss it! 

My Little Tomato is on now at The Cultch until March 19.  

Oz

Visit the land of Oz this Spring Break, if you're looking for a family friendly show to take the kids to! 

L. Frank Baum is in trouble—forty-four years old and on the eve of his greatest creative work—he is a “jack of all trades” but success eludes him. It is 1899 in Chicago and Baum is putting the finishing touches on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, but putting dreams on paper is elusive business and Baum is struggling with some definite plot problems, no title and no ending! Like the cyclone in his story, Baum’s housekeeper, Bridgey, and a little girl named Dot get swept up in the mad vortex of his tale, as Baum enlists them to help him improvise the story. Suddenly, an overstuffed Victorian study becomes a magical land, a black, horsehair footstool becomes Toto; a ceiling fan with scarves becomes the cyclone; stuffing from the sofa, a potbelly stove and a bearskin rug become the Scarecrow, the Tinman and the Cowardly Lion. Somewhere, in the heart of this frenzy is the whole creative process, and in the end we realize that Baum is the real wizard of Oz, but he needs an assistant … our imaginations.

Carousel Theatre presents OZ, on now until March 26. Tickets available here! 

Broadway Across Canada: Anastasia

 Last night I went to see Anastasia, the Musical. My friend and I bought our tickets for this show three years ago. We were to see it in March of 2020, but well, you know what happened. It got postponed, and then postponed again. Finally, the day had come for us to finally see this show! 

And wow, I regret not taking the refund that was being offered to me and instead sticking with the tickets. This show was terrible. There was zero chemistry between the actors. The songs were boring. The script was dull. The acting was not great. 

My friend and I, after waiting three long years to see this, ended up walking out at Intermission. And we were not the only ones. Other people exiting with us commiserated about how terrible the show was. "Like, that was BAD," said the stranger outside to us. 

I'll be at another Broadway Across Canada production later this month - Pretty Woman - and I'm hoping it will be a lot better than this. Or will it just be a big mistake? Huge? 

Anastasia is on now at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre until March 12. 

Starwalker

 Whenever I see that I'm attending a homegrown musical and that it's a world premiere, I admit that I am prejudiced into thinking that it's not going to be good. But upon arriving at The York theatre on opening night of Starwalker, I was immersed into the positive energy that was vibing throughout the building. There were dignitaries in one corner, drag queens in another, Indigenous dancers in yet another, and smiles all around. Everyone was eager to see the show that we were all about to witness. 

From the opening number, we were presented with a brand new musical of such calibre that it should go directly to Broadway next. No joke. The songs were great, the singing was fantastic, the dancing was entertaining, and the storyline was engaging. Add in the Indigenous culture element, and this is something you've not seen before. 

The story revolves around Star, a lost soul who finds themself embraced into the fold of the House of Borealis, a group of drag performers who have become chosen family to one another. Through their support, Star becomes the person they've always meant to be, while also navigating a love interest, a maternal figure, and a secret past. The House of Borealis itself also has its underlying tension going on.

This show has humour and it has heart. Writer Corey Payette's achievement is astounding, and if he won the Tony award one day, I would not at all be surprised. The imagery in the show is memorable and the messages it brings forward are important and heard, but without hammering the audience over the head with it. A balance of entertainment and education. 

Go see Starwalker now at The York Theatre, on until March 5. 

O'DD

 I only went to one show this year at the PuSh Festival. I often forget about the PuSh Festival, but it's a good winter activity for those of you into theatre and the arts. It features numerous productions from all around the world. 

My friend took me to see O'DD last night, which is from the Race Horse Company in Finland. It featured a naked man on stage with saran wrap, medicine balls, and a trampoline. Oh and don't forget about the spinning disc which was dizzying to witness. It was a beautiful amazing show, while also terrifying and breath taking. 

If you're going to only one show this year at PuSh, then go see O'DD. It is on today at 2pm. 

Tickets here. Do not miss out!! 

Fado - The Saddest Music in the World

 

Escape to Portugal by heading down to the Firehall Arts Centre to catch the spellbinding tale of Fado - The Saddest Music in the World. 

We follow a young woman and her mother as they travel across the waters back to their homeland in Lisbon, Portugal, to learn about the wonders of Fado music, grieve the singer Amalia Rodrigues, and come face to face with ghosts of their pasts and present. 

I was lucky enough to attend the show on a night when the Consultate General of Portugal was in the audience, and he generously invited everyone upstairs for an after-party complete with port and Portuguese tarts for everyone! 

 Fado - The Saddest Music in the World is on for one more week until Feb 5 at the Firehall ! 

Little Willy

 

Ronnie Burkett returns to the Cultch in his first post-pandemic performance, and boy was the crowd ready for it.  Little Willy is the latest incarnation of the infamous Daisy Theatre troupe's repertoire. This time around, they tackle William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, but also not quite. 

They do make it through the general storyline of the love story tragedy, but with the backstage bickering and musical interludes, this is most definitely a Daisy Theatre production and not a marionette version of Bard on the Beach. Rather, this one is pure joy and hilarity! 

Throw in some audience participation, including as Burkett described it, "two shirtless guys and four dancing dicks," and you know this is not a puppet show for the kids. It's raunchy and it's funny and it's also touching, in that sentimental way of how things used to be, before 2020 turned the world upside down. 

The audience, Ronnie Burkett, and the puppets, were all thrilled to be in the room sharing this one of a kind unique experience. You could attend each night of the run and get a different show, so do it already! 

Little Willy is on now at The Cultch until January 29.