Next Stage Theatre Festival

Q&A: Agamemnon

Lauren Gillett — Tue, 05 Jan 2016 02:00:43 +0000

Subtitle:

Sarah Kitz on directing Nicolas Billon's modern Greek tragedy at the Next Stage Theatre Festival

Headline:

Interview

Credits:

Presented by Theatreworks Productions and The Agamemnon Collective
Written by Nicolas Billon (after the play by Aeschylus)
Directed by Sarah Kitz

It's properly cold outside, just in time for 12 days of hot indie theatre at the 2016 Next Stage Theatre Festival. January is the new July!

Exclusive:

Not Exclusive

Show Dates:

Wed, 2016-01-06 - Sun, 2016-01-17

Theatre:

Factory Theatre

Piece By Piece

Annie Hodgins — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 04:20:54 +0000

Subtitle:

Alison Lawrence weaves together tales of grief in this moving Next Stage play

Headline:

Next Stage Theatre Festival

Credits:

Presented by the mcguffin company
Written by Alison Lawrence
Directed by David Ferry

Alison Lawrence’s Piece By Piece explores the rough terrain of grief through the experiences of six very different characters whose lives converge by chance in the ICU of a Toronto hospital. The play is narrated by 16-year-old Steffie (Virgilia Griffith), who spends her days in the chaos of the hospital to distract herself from the recent loss of her beloved mother.

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Stars:

Show Dates:

Wed, 2015-01-07 - Sun, 2015-01-18

Theatre:

Factory Theatre

Myth of the Ostrich

Lauren Gillett — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 05:00:00 +0000

Subtitle:

Birds of a different feather play together in Matt Murray's comedy at Next Stage Theatre Festival

Headline:

Next Stage Theatre Festival

Credits:

Presented by Offside Productions
Written by Matt Murray
Directed by Steven Gallagher

Matt Murray's 2014 Fringe comedy Myth of the Ostrich returns to the stage this month as part of the Next Stage Theatre Festival. In the play, a straight-laced mother, Pam (Alanis Peart), finds an inappropriate letter from her teenage son to his mystery girlfriend. When she arrives unannounced at the home of the girlfriend's bohemian mother, Holly (Astrid Van Wiernan), to discuss their children's relationship, things take an unexpected turn.

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Stars:

Show Dates:

Wed, 2015-01-07 - Sun, 2015-01-18

Theatre:

Factory Theatre

The Templeton Philharmonic: Unbridled & Unstable

Lauren Gillett — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 05:00:00 +0000

Subtitle:

Sketch duo bring horsey humour to the Next Stage Theatre Festival

Headline:

Next Stage Theatre Festival

Credits:

Presented by The Templeton Philharmonic
Written & Co-Created by Gwynne Phillips & Briana Templeton

Canadian Comedy Award-nominated sketch duo The Templeton Philharmonic (Gwynne Phillips and Briana Templeton) display their unique brand of eccentric and surreal wit at the Next Stage Theatre Festival this month in Unbridled & Unstable, a new show packed with social commentary, hilarious interpretive dancing and tongue-in-cheek equine spirit.

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Not Exclusive

Stars:

Show Dates:

Wed, 2015-01-07 - Sun, 2015-01-18

Theatre:

Factory Theatre

Killer Business

Annie Hodgins — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 20:41:53 +0000

Subtitle:

Torrent productions knocks 'em dead with this muderous musical comedy at Next Stage Theatre Festival

Headline:

Next Stage Theatre Festival

Credits:

Presented by Torrent Productions Inc.
Book Ken MacDougall, Saul Segal and Rob Torr
Lyrics Rob Torr, Saul Segal and Ken MacDougall
Director Geoffrey Whynot
Choreographer Stephanie Graham
Musical Director Robert Graham

Killer Business is a fun romp through the behind-the-scenes drama of a Broadway production that’s over budget and behind schedule. Part 50s-style musical, part hardboiled detective story, from its hilariously caricatured cast to its deliberately clumsy musical numbers, Killer Business is parody all the way.

Exclusive:

Not Exclusive

Stars:

3.5

Show Dates:

Wed, 2014-01-08 - Sun, 2014-01-19

Theatre:

Factory Theatre

Release The Stars: The Ballad of Randy and Evi Quaid

Lauren Gillett — Fri, 17 Jan 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Subtitle:

A touching look at the bizarre world of Hollywood outcasts Randy and Evi Quaid

Headline:

Next Stage Theatre Festival

Credits:

Presented by God is in the Dairy
Written by Amanda Barker and Daniel Krolik
Directed by Jack Grinhaus

After a hit run at the 2012 Toronto Fringe Festival, co-writers and performers Amanda Barker and Daniel Krolik are back on stage as notorious Hollywood "crazies" Randy and Evi Quaid in a remount of Release The Stars: The Ballad of Randy and Evi Quaid now playing at the 2014 Next Stage Theatre Festival.

Exclusive:

Not Exclusive

Stars:

3.5

Show Dates:

Wed, 2014-01-08 - Sun, 2014-01-19

Theatre:

Factory Theatre

A Misfortune

Lauren Gillett — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 23:37:28 +0000

Subtitle:

Common Descent brings Chekhov’s temperamental love story to life in this charming new musical

Headline:

Next Stage Theatre Festival

Credits:

Presented by Common Descent
Music by Scott Christian
Lyrics by Wade Bogert-O’Brien
Book and Lyrics by Kevin Michael Shea
Director by Evan Tsitsias
Musical Director by Chris Tsujiuchi

From the creators of the 2011 SummerWorks hit Hero & Leander comes A Misfortune, a new musical adapted from a story by Anton Chekhov with music by Scott Christian, lyrics by Wade Bogert-O'Brien, and book and lyrics by Kevin Michael Shea, now playing as part of the 2014 Next Stage Theatre Festival.

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Stars:

Show Dates:

Wed, 2014-01-08 - Sun, 2014-01-19

Theatre:

Factory Theatre

Rifles

Lauren Gillett — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 12:44:55 +0000

Subtitle:

Nicolas Billon's bold Brechtian adaptation sounds off at Next Stage Theatre Festival

Headline:

Next Stage Theatre Festival

Credits:

Presented by Praxis Theatre
Written by Nicolas Billon
Directed by Michael Wheeler
Original composition and live foley by Beau Andrew Dixon

Adapted from Brecht's Senora Carrar's Rifles (1937), Nicolas Billon's interpretation is a chilling reminder of the choices people face in times of war. Set during the Spanish Civil War, the play tells the story of Senora Carrar (Kate Hennig), a steadfast widow determined to keep her two sons, Jose (Araya Mengesha) and Juan (Wade Bogert-O'Brien), alive as Franco's army marches toward their village.

Exclusive:

Not Exclusive

Stars:

4.5

Show Dates:

Wed, 2014-01-08 - Sun, 2014-01-19

Theatre:

Factory Theatre

On The Other Side Of The World

Lauren Gillett — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 00:29:13 +0000

Subtitle:

East meets west in Brenley Charkow's extraordinary tale of wartime struggle

Headline:

Next Stage Theatre Festival

Credits:

Presented by Harley Dog Productions
Written & directed by Brenley Charkow

There are many stories from WWII, but Brenley Charkow's On The Other Side of the World sheds light on a lesser-known piece of Jewish history—the story of a community that sought protection from Hitler in Shanghai, China (the only port open to them at that time).

Exclusive:

Not Exclusive

Stars:

3.5

Show Dates:

Wed, 2014-01-08 - Sun, 2014-01-19

Theatre:

Factory Theatre

Scheherazade

Lauren Gillett — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Subtitle:

Playwright Johnnie Walker puts a darkly comic spin on traditional narrative structure in Nobody's Business Theatre's new show at Next Stage Theatre Festival

Headline:

Next Stage Theatre Festival

Credits:

Presented by Nobody's Business Theatre
Written by Johnnie Walker
Directed by Morgan Norwich

Arabian Nights meets Boogie Nights in Johnnie Walker's Scheherazade, a modern, highly sexualized reimagining of the epic fable directed by Morgan Norwich at the 2014 Next Stage Theatre Festival.

Exclusive:

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Stars:

Show Dates:

Wed, 2014-01-08 - Sun, 2014-01-19

Theatre:

Factory Theatre

Jack Your Body

Lauren Gillett — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Subtitle:

Members of Mix Mix Dance Collective strike a pose in this electrifying urban dance-off

Headline:

Next Stage Theatre Festival

Credits:

Presented by Mix Mix Dance Collective
Choreographed and directed by Emily Law and Ashley Perez

The energy is contagious in Mix Mix Dance Collective's Jack Your Body, a turbo-charged throwback to American street dance culture now playing at the 2014 Next Stage Theatre Festival.

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Stars:

Show Dates:

Wed, 2014-01-08 - Sun, 2014-01-19

Theatre:

Factory Theatre

Fatherly

Lauren Gillett — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Subtitle:

Sam Mullins' charming story about his dad needs time to grow up

Headline:

Next Stage Theatre Festival

Credits:

Written and performed by Sam Mullins

Bill Mullins, the wise and caring father of Fringe favourite Sam Mullins, sounds like a wonderful guy. His future "funeral story," as told by the younger Mullins in Fatherly, a new one-man show at the 2014 Next Stage Theatre Festival, however, is still a work in progress. Mounted in the Factory Theatre Antechamber, the 30 minute peformance comes across more like a live reading of an unfinished script than a stage-ready production.

Exclusive:

Not Exclusive

Stars:

2.5

Show Dates:

Wed, 2014-01-08 - Sun, 2014-01-19

Theatre:

Factory Theatre

Stencilboy And Other Portraits

Annie Hodgins — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Subtitle:

Art and love mix in Susanna Fournier's layered dystopian play at Next Stage Theatre Festival

Headline:

Next Stage Theatre Festival

Credits:

Presented by Paradigm Productions
Written by Susanna Fournier
Directed by Jonathan Seinen

Susanna Fournier’s Stencilboy and Other Portraits takes place in an unnamed city that sounds suspiciously like Toronto. Although named after the play’s endearing narrator, the play primarily follows small-town girl Lily (Sochi Fried) as she flees her banal existence for the seemingly brighter lights of the big city.

Exclusive:

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Stars:

Show Dates:

Wed, 2014-01-08 - Sun, 2014-01-19

Theatre:

Factory Theatre

Polar Opposites

Annie Hodgins — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Subtitle:

Arctic bear clowns weather existential crisis in Nicole Ratjen's nippy comedy

Headline:

Next Stage Theatre Festival

Credits:

Written by Nicole Ratjen
Directed by Rachel Blair and Nicole Ratjen
Musical Director Bryan Osuszek

Nicole Ratjen’s Polar Opposites is an absurdist comedy with a decidedly chilly undercurrent. This surrealist 30-minute play transports audience members to an alternate world in which they are privy to the thoughts of polar bears. Unfortunately the bears in question happen to be trapped on a melting iceberg, facing their impending death.

Exclusive:

Not Exclusive

Stars:

Show Dates:

Wed, 2014-01-08 - Sun, 2014-01-19

Theatre:

Factory Theatre

Next Stage Theatre Festival Preview

Lauren Gillett — Thu, 02 Jan 2014 05:00:00 +0000

Subtitle:

Toronto Fringe's Kelly Straughan on hosting 12 days of the best indie theatre in Canada at Factory Theatre

Headline:

Preview

Now in its seventh year, the Next Stage Theatre Festival (NSTF) is a beloved winter tradition for arts lovers in Toronto. Running January 8 to 19 at Factory Theatre, the Toronto Fringe produced NSTF is a platform for Fringe artists to showcase their work to a wider audience, including decision makers who could be interested in programming their shows on main stages across the country.

Exclusive:

Not Exclusive

Show Dates:

Tue, 2013-01-08 - Thu, 2013-12-19

Theatre:

Factory Theatre