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12/27/11
Parfumerie, written by the almost forgotten but joyously gifted Hungarian-American playwright Miklós László, was a huge hit for Soulpepper in the Distillery District two years ago, even grabbing a Dora for best production. How inspired to bring it back; how perfect is this adaptation by Adam Pettle and Brenda Robins; how sad that it is nearly entirely sold out until its last matinee on Dec. 31.
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12/22/11
Regular readers of my monthly theatre column in Post City Magazines may be aware that the subject of my doctorate in theatre and english back in the late ‘70s was the theatre criticism of Nathan Cohen, who was the finest critic in Canada at that time and for several decades before. In his later years — he died young, in his 40s — Cohen was once stopped on the street by the fan of a certain popular musical at the time.
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12/22/11
Toronto’s water department has found some gravy: it will apparently save around $500,000 next year after a recent review found the department had 41 unneeded vehicles.
[Toronto Star]
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12/21/11
Based on Green Day’s Grammy-winning album of the same name, this straight-from-Broadway musical weaves the story of three friends forced to choose between their dreams and the safety of suburbia (tell me about it). Music featured includes “Wake Me Up When September Ends,” but, sorry, Billie Joe fans: No Green Day members appear in this production.
Toronto Centre for the Arts, 5040 Yonge St., 416-644-3665. Dec. 28 - Jan. 15.
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12/21/11
The “affable” Rob Ford gives a year-end interview to The Globe, wherein he confirms the obvious: he really likes Tim Hortons and McDonald’s.
[Globe and Mail]
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12/20/11
Up at the Toronto Centre for the Arts, a very recent musical is playing. It's also Tony award-winning, but don't let that put you off. Written by the solid librettist Joe DiPietro, along with David Byran, the gifted composer and long-time keyboardist of rock group Bon Jovi, Memphis is a fine show that I wish could have stayed for months in Toronto, but it's running until only Dec. 24.
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12/20/11
Over a century after the first underground pedestrian paths were built in the city, Toronto is debating plans to expand the world’s longest underground shopping complex south, towards the waterfront.
[Globe and Mail]
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12/19/11
Last week at the Phoenix, an audience was brought to complete silence by an a cappella rendition of “Peace In The Valley” from Cold Specks. The Etobicoke-born singer — whose real name is Al Spx — has been turning heads in the United Kingdom recently. On Thursday, she opened for St. Vincent, and though she hadn’t written the opening song, her soulful and modern take on the highly-regarded classic proved to be an apt embodiment of her original music.
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12/19/11
It seems the Price is Right for retired game show host Bob Barker. He has said he will pay out of his own pocket to have three African elephants from the Toronto Zoo moved to a sanctuary in California.
[Toronto Star]
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12/16/11
Toronto's Dave Bidini, freewheeling rocker, author and the only Canadian artist to have been nominated for a Juno, Genie and Gemini, is back on the musical side of the artistic ledger as he puts the final touches on a new Bidiniband album due out Jan. 24. We tracked him down to get the inside scoop on the album, titled In The Rock Hall.
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12/16/11
Cue the climate change deniers: according to a soon-to-be completed study, warmer winters with less snow could become the norm in Toronto.
[Globe and Mail]
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12/15/11
Toronto’s iconic Flatiron building has been sold for $15 million to Clayton Smith’s Commercial Realty Group. Smith’s company owns several other heritage buildings throughout the city.
[Toronto Star]
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12/14/11
Holiday revues are classic staples around this time of year (Bob Hope had one, and even The Muppets did). So what is it about December that makes us want to laugh loudly and spontaneously burst into song for 25 straight days? Could it be the mega-shopping, the reunion of families and the impending heaviness of another year gone by? Pretty much. You might say the holiday revue is the antidote to our surrounding dysfunction.
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12/14/11
Mayor Rob Ford nixed Transit City on his first day of office. Now, the city could end up paying $65-million for the cancellation.
[Globe and Mail]
Plus more Toronto headlines after the jump
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12/13/11
Hippies rejoice! The groovy rock musical (that won the 2009 Tony for Best Musical Revival) comes to Toronto this month. The play about peace, love and understanding will get you singing and dancing in your seat, and maybe even holding hands with your neighbour.
Royal Alexandra Theatre, 260 King Street West, 416-872-1212. Dec. 14-31.
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12/13/11
Forget the mile high club: it seems that one couple is all about the Red Rocket. An apparently intoxicated couple was caught having sex on a moving subway car and then on a platform at Spadina station on Sunday afternoon.
[Toronto Sun]
Plus more Toronto headlines after the jump
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12/12/11
When Flashpoint’s Olunike Adeliyi took to the stage during Toronto’s first monologue slam last Sunday night at Trane Studio, she was covered in fake blood, had a cigarette drooping from her mouth and wore a tight cocoon-fitting dress: she was a hardened working girl.
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12/12/11
The struggle began the moment Adam Granduciel and his psych-rock group The War on Drugs attempted their sound check at the Horseshoe Tavern. With its low ceilings and cramped stage, the band spent what felt like the better part of half an hour just trying to get levels right. The frustration felt on stage was evident as complaints rang microphones. The feeling was mutual as the sold out crowd stood cramped, rubbing elbows with friends and strangers alike.
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12/12/11
The Toronto Zoo is getting flack for its stalling tactics in sending three elephants to a sanctuary in California. Some city councillors say that the elephants should be moved as soon as possible, but keepers have expressed concern over moving the elephants at all in light of their age.
[Toronto Star]
Plus more Toronto headlines after the jump
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12/09/11
Skip The Sheepdogs’ appearance at Lee’s Palace tonight and head down Queen Street East to check out New York City-based outfit Clap Your Hands Say Yeah at The Opera House. This band was the hottest thing in the blogosphere a few short years ago when their 2005 debut album drew comparisons to the Talking Heads.
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12/09/11
Bringing the charm and tradition of Europe to downtown Toronto, the Distillery District’s Toronto Christmas Market is back for a second year. Wooden stalls hawking both food and gifty items are dotted throughout the cobblestoned lanes, with a gigantic 45-foot Christmas tree — decorated with 18,000 dazzling lights — taking centre stage.
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12/09/11
Shortly after claiming that Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment was no longer for sale, the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan has announced that it plans to sell its 79.53 per cent stake after all. The buyers? Two of the country’s telecommunications giants: Rogers and Bell Canada Enterprises.
[Toronto Star]
Plus more Toronto headlines after the jump
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12/08/11
Thanks to a tweet from Sebastien Grainger of Death From Above 1979, I spent a lot of time yesterday listening to the Art Ensemble of Chicago — a major American avant-garde improvisational jazz band. And, after listening to Bon Iver in concert at Massey Hall last night, I think frontman Justin Vernon should check them out, if he hasn't already.
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12/08/11
Fixing St. James Park won’t cost the city $60,000 after all. The former site of the Occupy Toronto protests is getting a free makeover from landscaping firms and dozens of volunteers.
[Globe and Mail]
Plus more Toronto headlines after the jump
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12/07/11
At Queen East's WAYLA Bar on Monday, five gals from Centennial College group emPoweR made sure ugly sweaters got their due. During a fundraiser that sent proceeds to Dress For Success Toronto (a charity to help women looking for work), tacky decorations, ill-fitting sleeves and itchy sweaters were buzzing about the bar.
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12/07/11
Robford.ca has been taken over by pranksters. The website was created in November by a rogue registrant after Rob Ford let the address lapse earlier this summer. Viewers of the website have been treated to a Rob Ford beauty contest or redirected to a Wikipedia page, among other things.
[Toronto Star]
Plus more Toronto headlines after the jump
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12/06/11
Soulpepper remounts its 2009 smash hit about two clerks in a Budapest perfume shop who argue by day and unknowingly exchange anonymous love letters by night. If the plot sounds familiar, it’s because we’ve seen it remade as the James Stewart classic flick, The Shop Around the Corner, which, in turn, inspired the Meg Ryan-Tom Hanks pairing in You’ve Got Mail. (But don’t judge it based on that AOL-era clunker!)
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12/06/11
Count on the Pan Am Games to slow down your commute. Sources tell The Star that organizers are looking to dedicate one lane in each direction on the QEW, DVP, 401, 427 and Gardiner for athlete and official use only during the games.
[Toronto Star]
Plus more Toronto headlines after the jump
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12/05/11
Ross Petty is Toronto’s undisputed overlord of offbeat family entertainment. And once again, Petty lets his true, twisted colours show in his latest winter pantomime: The Wizard of Oz.
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12/05/11
Councillor Doug Ford has suggested that schools explore a community service program backed by Ultimate Fighting Championship.
[Toronto Star]
Plus more Toronto headlines after the jump
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12/02/11
Children of the ‘80s: do you remember your school’s old computer lab? It was chock-full of good ol’ Commodore 64s, with maybe one or two old Apple IIIs thrown in for good measure. Turns out that some of us never let that old school technology go.
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12/02/11
Long-time Toronto band Skydiggers have re-released their tune “November in Ontario” as a free download as they get ready for their annual hometown Christmas shows at the Horseshoe Tavern on Dec. 16 and 17. The song originally appeared on the band’s 1997 album Desmond’s Hip City and is characteristic of the Skydiggers’ roots-rock sound.
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12/02/11
The price tag to restore grass to St. James Park could hit $60,000. Mayor Rob Ford called for donations to help repair the park on Twitter yesterday.
[Toronto Sun]
Plus more Toronto headlines after the jump
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12/01/11
On the first Thursday of each month, Astronomy and Astrophysics graduate students at the University of Toronto give you a free opportunity to expand your horizons and realize how just how small we really are. Tonight, it’s PhD candidate Nick Tacik’s turn. He’ll be talking about the extreme parts of the universe, none of which are in our solar system, by the way.
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12/01/11
Toronto’s own Leslie Feist takes to the stage at the venerable Massey Hall tonight in support of her new album, Metals. Bry Webb will be providing support services as the opening act. Although born in Nova Scotia and raised in Regina and Calgary, Feist’s career blossomed upon her arrival in Toronto. Herewith, a numerical look at Feist’s brilliant career.
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