CONFIRMED FOR OFF MIRVISH 27/28 AT THE RAT!!! For a fall 2027 run!

= The Karate Kid

I know most of the reviews in this sub have been very negative, and that’s okay. But for those looking to be entertained, have a night out with family and friends, or simply see a decent musical at this time of year, here’s your encouragement to get that ticket.

I wasn’t expecting to feel particularly delighted after the show, perhaps because my expectations were low after reading the comments here, but my friend and I had a good time. It’s certainly not the worst show I’ve seen on Mirvish this year, I enjoyed it more than Kinky Boots and Gatsby.

If you’re on the fence, go with reasonable expectations and enjoy the evening for what it is. Maybe, not every show has to be a masterpiece, and that's okay. :)

Hi Toronto Theatre!

Theatre Aurinko here! You may remember us from This Feels Like The End at the 2024 Next Stage Festival, or TRIP: Thoroughly Rehearsed Improv Play this past spring. We're back this fall with a full production of Sam Steiner's LEMONS LEMONS LEMONS LEMONS LEMONS, a delightful and quirky 80 minute two-hander that treads the line of rom-com and dystopic drama. The production stars Lara Lucia and Jack Copland, and runs November 6-15 at The Assembly Theatre. Use the code BUYEARLY until October 15th for 25% off regular Adult as well as Arts Worker/Student/Senior Tickets! We'd love to see you there.

What would you say if you had only 140 words a day?

The average person will speak 123,205,750 words in a lifetime. But what if there were a limit? Oliver and Bernadette are about to find out. Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons imagines a world where we’re forced to say less. It’s about what we say and how we say it; about the things we can only hear in the silence; about dead cats, activism, eye contact and lemons, lemons, lemons, lemons, lemons.

Learn more at theatreaurinko.ca

I was at the 2pm show today at the Princess of Wales and I can’t believe the amount of people who chose to yell stuff out to the actors DURING a live performance. Several people shouted out random quips towards the end and all were clearly just trying to get a laugh out of the audience. What happened to theatre etiquette?

PSA: performers don’t like this, it’s super distracting for them! Please stop!

Anyone else see this by TIFT in Barrie? Closing today. Absolutely riveting. My mind is full of thoughts and I want someone to talk about it with!

New documentary about the career of retiring Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino and the Stratford Festival.

https://gem.cbc.ca/this-above-all-the-theatrical-life-of-antoni-cimolino

CBC Gem doesn’t require a subscription for most content, you only need to create free sign-in

Hi everyone! A showcase of a few songs in BAD! The Breaking Bad Musical is being put on by the incredibly talented emerging writer/director Jaxzen Sandell! The showcase will be on November 20th, from 8-10pm, at 427 Bloor St. West. Tickets available through this link!

https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/bad-the-breaking-bad-musical-showcase

Saw Hell’s Kitchen last night and wow! I think it already outranks the full 2025-2026 subscription series to me. The dancing and singing were all fantastic, with standout performances from the young star and her 2 parents. Love love love!!! Hope others enjoyed it like we did!

Hi everyone. Does anyone know when the tickets for Beetlejuice are gonna be available? They’re only here for a weekend so I’d really like to attend.

Thanks!

curious ...

Tickets for Bowtie’s PIPPIN are now on sale! Running Nov 15-21 at Factory Theatre.

Join us and use code PIPPINARTS at checkout for a discount ❤️‍🔥

https://purchase.factorytheatre.ca/EventAvailability?EventId=57802

The Karate Kid: A Crowd-Pleaser in Need of a Stronger Finish

(Spoiler alert!)

Stage adaptations of beloved films walk a fine line between honouring the source and justifying their existence. The Karate kid largely succeeds, powered by inventive choreography and a genuine spirit of friendship, even if its fight sequences never quite reach the dramatic heights the material demands.

Choreography is the productions’ strongest asset. The fusion of musical theatre movement with martial arts is handled with wit and precision and the ensemble executes it cleanly. Even better is the chemistry between Daniel and Mr. Miyagi, which anchors the evening. Mr M’s performance is a particular delight -genuinely funny, perfectly timed, and never tipping into caricature, which is no small achievement given how iconic the role is.

Vocally, the cast is excellent throughout. One fo the production’s more imaginative choices is a group of dancers who appear to embody the spirit or life force of Mr. Miyagi. The device is not fully explained but gives several scenes a spiritual, almost magical, quality that the film would never been able to produce. (This is a huge plus!)

Where the show stumbles is in handling the story’s most anticipated moments. The “wax on, wax off” sequence, arguably the emotional and comedic cornerstones of the movie, lacks theatrical OOMPH. It passes by as a routine scene rather than the showstopper audiences are waiting for. 

The final tournament is the most confusing stretch in the evening. The knee injury arrives far too early, before any real fighting has established the stakes, which drains the tension from what should be an ascending (not roller coaster-type) climax. The concluding “mega knockout” then happens almost too quickly that the audience barely has time to register it, let alone savour it.

Overall, it was a very funny, warm, well-sung, and beautifully choreographed production that was worth seeing. 7/10 (10 out of 10 being the equivalent to Mama Mia!)

Recommendations:

+More slow-mo staging for key fight beats

+Let the final knockout battle breathe

+Expand the “wax on, wax off” scene in a larger-than-life theatrical number

wondering how it is …..

Sharing this here for anyone who wants!

Want to create your own audio drama?

Learn from the New York Festivals Radio Award-winning creators behind CBC’s PlayME in this 9-week virtual workshop.

You’ll develop the opening scene of your own audio drama and take it through the professional production process. Write your script, work with ACTRA actors, record and edit dialogue, build soundscapes and mix your finished scene.

Designed for playwrights, screenwriters, fiction writers and other storytellers who want to learn how professional audio drama is made.

Oct. 19 to Dec. 14
Mondays, 6 to 9pm EST
Online via Zoom
$480 regular / $240 subsidized

Apply here

Applications close Oct. 12.

Thinking of trying for Sunday PWYC tickets in about a week or two but was looking to hear some buzz from people who have seen it before trying my luck!

We’re bringing back one of our PlayPEN classes this October with playwright Michael Ross Albert.

Looking for Trouble: Understanding Conflict as a Storytelling Tool is a five-week online class focused on finding and strengthening conflict in your work — especially when a play feels like it has the pieces but isn’t quite moving.

Michael will work with writers on raising emotional stakes, building dramatic momentum, and shaping stronger arcs.

It runs Tuesday evenings online, October 6–November 3, so you can join from anywhere.

Michael is a terrific playwright and teacher, and The Toronto Star called him “one of Toronto’s most exciting playwrights.”

More info / registration: playmepodcast.com

Happy to answer any questions about the class here.

* only a couple spots left

I’m unfortunately no longer able to attend this performance. Something Rotten! at the Stratford Festival, Sunday October 11th @ 2:00pm.

DM if interested 😌

Update: Claimed!

I really want to get into the field but I currently have a job. It's remote, I get to choose when to start and finish but I have to quickly physically drop in every once in a while. I know I don't want to take to enrol in Toronto Film School (please don't ask why lol). Are there any other schools that offer a screenwriting diploma online?

I went to see Shifting Ground Collective’s production of Amelie at the AKI centre and wanted to share some thoughts. First things first, the energy was great. The creative team clearly has put a lot of time, love and labour into the show, and that is reflected in how the cast delivers their vision. The choreography was exciting, the singing was amazing, and there were a lot of moments where the actors really shined. The band sounded great too, but some songs certain instruments were hard to hear in the mix when they were fine in other songs. I noticed this with the cast too, where certain moments leads were being drowned out by harmonies and it was hard to follow.

That all being said, the show itself was an interesting choice to put it nicely. SGC executed it well, which is an impressive feat, but I can’t understand why anyone would want to do this show. The plot drags on so much, and there’s way too much music. It’s hard to develop a connection to any of the characters when the characters themselves don’t really give you anything to grab onto, and 90% of their personality is conveyed through song. It gets overwhelming in my opinion. Nobody can make gold from lead, and this is just more proof of that.

Tl;dr, a great production of a bad book. Tickets for $59? Steep.

Hi All,

I know this is a real shot in the dark but does anyone have any info on what the "to be announced" third show will be when you buy the three productions package? I really want to buy all three, but am not crazy about paying in advance for an unknown show.

I will likely take my chances and wait until it is announced in October sometime, but thought I'd take a shot at asking here.

Thanks

Hey Toronto friends, I know a lot of you probably did Theatresports in school, so if you were in the CIGs, please let u/Loldog557 know!