How Handel’s Messiah became a ‘Canadian’ Messiah: by inviting Indigenous and BIPOC soloists to make it their own by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

Against the Grain Theatre joined with Reneltta Arluk to bring some change to the opera world. ‘There are going to be more Indigenous and BIPOC people watching this version of Handel’s Me…

When you watch Ross Petty’s annual family musical at home, make sure you get up and dance by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

The pandemic forced Petty’s holiday pantomime to go virtual this year, but he hopes its signature audience interaction remains: ‘This is not a Zoom call. We’re making sure they underst…

Princess of Wales Theatre is set to re-open with a detailed pandemic plan and a pertinent play about an outbreak by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

“The key to it all is for people to be safe,” says David Mirvish of staging the North American premiere of British sound-installation ‘Blindness’ at the theatre

Going to a live indoor Second City show felt strange and unnerving — for both the audience and the performers by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

The entire cast seemed nervous, writes theatre critic Carly Maga, but the atmosphere of these five people making their way through something that used to feel normal, now rendered foreign, p…

Toronto’s Ed Mirvish Theatre celebrates a century of showtime! by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

From showgirls and vaudeville to scandals and corporate rescues, the former Pantages Theatre, renamed for beloved Toronto impresario and businessman Ed Mirvish, turns 100 with a more muted C…

If you’ve been missing theatre in Toronto, here are two plays you can see — outdoors — before August ends by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

Guild Festival Theatre is staging its ‘Alice in Wonderland, ‘Salt-Water Moon,’ puppets, music and dance hybrid in the east end; Theaturtle and Shakespeare in Action present the Wajdi M…

As one of the few Black theatre leaders in Toronto, for Weyni Mengesha systemic racism is nothing new by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

‘You feel completely hopeless and then completely hopeful in the next second,’ says the artistic director of Soulpepper Theatre.

They’re the early experts in virtual performance: for disabled theatre artists, it’s ‘been there, done that’ as COVID-19 forces work online by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

Artists with disabilities have long used livestreaming, Zoom play readings and digital broadcasts that have taken centre stage in most workplaces

Stratford Festival suspends 2020 season indefinitely due to COVID-19 by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

‘It’s heartbreaking on many levels,’ says artistic director Antoni Cimolino.

Virtual studio lets artists isolate and collaborate by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

Debuting digital venue Cdnstudio.ca is intended to let creators unite in a safe space online

The good news of another Stratford Festival surplus is tempered by layoffs and postponement by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

The theatre festival’s executives hope to have an update in mid-April on when the 2020 season can get underway. Performances have been postponed at least until the end of May due to the CO…

Can’t get out to the theatre? Order up a play on your phone by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

Outside the March Theatre presents ‘The Ministry for Mundane Mysteries’ series. Convergence Theatre has ‘The Corona Variations’ and DopoLavoro Teatrale offers ‘Decameron Today.’ …

What to do when your plays get cancelled amid the COVID-19 outbreak? Nick Green created the Social Distancing Festival by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

The festival officially kicks off March 21, with works posted from artists all over the world. ‘This is the most connected I’ve felt to the arts community maybe in my entire career,’ G…

From theatre monologues to concerts in empty venues: where to stream peformances during the COVID-19 outbreak by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

‘Summer: The Donna Summer Musical’ is not-so-hot stuff by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

Treading lightly is a bad choice in this musical venerating dance music, writes Carly Maga.

Canadian stars of ‘Harry Potter’ on Broadway come home for Toronto production by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

Fiona Reid and Sara Farb will star in ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ at the Ed Mirvish Theatre along with Canadian theatre stalwarts like Trevor White, Gregory Prest, Sarah Afful an…

Sketch-comedy performers in Dead Parents Society are linked by loss but mine it for mirth and more by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

Good grief? It’s good for a laugh, anyhow, at ‘Dead Parents Society,’ doing three nights this week at the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival.

Gord Rand’s co-star in ‘The Runner’ keeps him on his toes: it’s a treadmill by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

The actor is constantly in motion in the solo show about a member of Israel’s ZAKA disaster volunteer group, now onstage at Tarragon Theatre.

Two wrenching acts of mass violence inspired plays now onstage in Toronto by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

‘Us/Them’ portrays the aftermath of the 2004 Beslan school siege from the viewpoint of two children. ‘The Events’ looks at how the 2011 mass shooting in Norway affected a community.

Brian Francis was 21, gay and looking for love in 1992. His hit play about the experience is back in Toronto by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

In ‘Box 4901,’ Francis at 49 replies to the 13 men whose letters he never answered in ‘a hilarious, strange, sweet and awkward look back at how gay men used to find one another.’

Children recount the Beslan school siege in the play ‘Us/Them.’ They’re charming, but it doesn’t hit home by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

Whether it’s the lack of context for the Beslan siege in Toronto or the random through-line of the narrative, having children narrate the tragedy feels a bit deflated, writes Carly Maga.

That ‘Oklahoma!’ revival that divided New York City? We’ll see it in Toronto courtesy of Mirvish by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

New Mirvish season also includes ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ revival and Phantom followup ‘Love Never Dies’; pop musical ‘& Juliet’; World War II play ‘Pressure’ and Agatha …

More than a year after he cut ties with Buddies in Bad Times, Sky Gilbert addresses the conflict in ‘A Nice Day in the Park’ by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

Gilbert’s new play portrays an older gay man and a younger transgender man ‘in a bit of a battle with each other,’ he tells Carly Maga.

‘Jagged Little Pill’ the musical offers a whole new generation permission to be angry by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

For Carly Maga, both the 1995 Alanis Morissette album and the Broadway musical it spawned are personal — but she’s happy to share them with women too young to remember the original songs.

God, alienation and serial killers: Playwright behind ‘Jesus Hopped the “A” Train’ shares his thoughts by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

Stephen Adly Guirgis, bard of the fringe dwellers, says when it comes to writing others’ stories, he’s learned ‘you better really dig deep.’

‘Hamilton’ in Toronto is still a non-stop jam by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

They didn’t throw away their shot at Canada — though the context has changed, and one might wish the female characters had more to do, the version that’s here has a capable cast, amazi…

A Canadian theatre legend is getting cosy with audiences at Toronto’s Coal Mine Theatre by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

After six decades, Martha Henry is one of Canada’s top theatre talents. Was it tough to get her to take on the lead role in ‘Marjorie Prime’? No, the director ‘just asked,’ Henry t…

‘Hamilton’ is now the hottest ticket in Toronto. Here’s why the musical is a theatrical phenomenon by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

The pursuit of tickets has threatened to overshadow the show itself; seeing it has becomes a status symbol. But here are the reasons for its surge from experimental concept to musical theatr…

‘This Was the World’ has a message but its characters are too thin to carry it by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

Lack of depth for most of the roles turns this play into just what its writer probably didn’t want: another story about an old white guy, writes Carly Maga.

Jully Black makes a rapturous musical theatre debut in ‘Caroline, or Change’ by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

The Musical Stage Company and Obsidian Theatre production of the Tony Kushner-Jeanine Tesori musical seems deeper, more mysterious and yet viscerally real, writes Carly Maga.

‘The Second City Totally Likes You’ may not be true love, but it makes a fun date by Carly Maga - Theatre Critic

The latest sketch revue by the Second City Touring Company that tackles the comedic ground of romantic relationships and runs until April 5.