This Week in Theatre: The Agony And Ecstasy Of Steve Jobs, How to Disappear Completely, High, West Side Story, Festival of Ideas & Creation
This week in theatre rounds up the most noteworthy live theatre playing right now in Toronto. It includes just-opened shows as well as productions that are about to close.
The Agony And Ecstasy Of Steve Jobs / Secret Location / 8:00pm/2:00pm / $20-$25
Well this is an interesting one. In 2010, Mike Daisey penned a play about Apple's controversial manufacturing industry in Asia. After it was uncovered that not all of the facts were true, the play's live run in Chicago was cancelled and the playwright was publicly shamed. In its Toronto incantation, David Ferry and Mitchell Cushman are delving head on into both the content of the play and the controversy surrounding the vilification of the playwright. The layered piece about art and journalism takes place on a walking tour of Toronto.
How to Disappear Completely / Factory Theatre / 8:00pm/2:00pm / $30
After his mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2000, renowned lighting designer Itai Erdal returned to Israel to care for her through her sickness. During her final months, Erdal documented her struggle with the disease on film and in photographs. How to Disappear Completely is a personal exploration of the bond between a mother and son and at its heart, a portrait of a vibrant life. Erdal performs the piece each evening alongside the footage he captured.
High / Royal Alex / 7:00pm/8:00pm / $55-$100+
Kathleen Turner makes a triumphant return to Toronto in Matthew Lombardo's High, about a nun who signs up to sponsor a 19-year-old drug user in an effort to help him kick his habit. Turner was last seen on Toronto's stages a decade ago in The Graduate opposite Jason Biggs and Alicia Silverstone. She's received strong reviews for her portrayal as Sister Jamie opposite Evan Jonigkeit.
West Side Story / Toronto Centre for the Performing Arts / 7:30pm/2:00pm / $62-$100+
The Broadway production of West Side Story arrives at the Toronto Centre for the Performing Arts for an engagement until June 3. It's now over 50 years old, but the story of Tony and Maria, star-crossed lovers from two different and warring factions, still resonates today. This production features both English and Spanish dialogue and lyrics, but the finger-snapping sounds of the Jets and Sharks overcome any language barrier.
Festival of Ideas & Creation / Berkeley Street Theatre / Various Times / Free
The annual Festival of Ideas & Creation returns at Canadian Stage with a collection of interesting projects. The best news? All events are free. This year's theme explores music in performance, showcasing the innovative ways contemporary theatre companies are experimenting with genres of music. Highlights include The Loyalists by Single Thread Theatre, Noor Over Afghan by Anusree Roy and Christiaan Venter, Life, Death and the Blues by Raoul Bhaneja, and Dive by the Mermaid Collective.
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