SUBURBAN ARTS JAN. 19 to 25.
LunarFest at Harbourfront Centre celebrates the dawn of the Year of the Dragon.
Image/COURTESY
Don't let the cool temperatures keep you from enjoying Robbie Burns celebrations, Lunar New Year or taking in a community theatre show or musical performance.
THURSDAY, JAN. 19
The Play's the Thing
Stage Centre Productions present The Play's the Thing until Jan. 21, a comedy by Ferenc Molnar.
Playwright Turai and his collaborator bring a young composer, Albert Adam, on a surprise visit to a castle on the Italian Rivera with their prima donna, Ilona, Albert's fiancee. When Albert overhears his beloved being wooed in her boudoir, Turai tells him it is all a silly mistake, explaining to the besotted young man that the passionate scene was merely a rehearsal for a new play. To support his fabrication, Turai stays up all night to write a play, which includes the overheard love talk. The next day, during a public rehearsal, the suggestive dialogue is reborn as an innocent, harmless bit of dialogue from a play, but actually a barbed satire showing just how ridiculous a writer can make an actor appear, especially when the actor is in no position to protest. Performances: Jan. 19 to 21 at 8 p.m.; Matinee Jan. 21 at 2 p.m. Tickets $27.50 (seniors 60+ years and students $22). Fairview Library Theatre, 35 Fairview Mall Dr. Box office: 416-299-5557.
FRIDAY, JAN. 20
Handel Hercules
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir presents Handel Hercules, directed by Jeanne Lamon Jan. 20 and 21 at 8 p.m. and Jan. 22 at 3:30 p.m. Tickets $45 to $99; $35 to $89 for 65+; $25 to $89 for those aged 30&under. Koerner Hall, The Royal Conservatory of Music Telus Centre, 273 Bloor St. W. For tickets call 416-408-0208 or visit www.tafelmusik.org
SATURDAY, JAN. 21
Music On The Donway
Music On The Donway presents 'Robbie Burns Celebration', featuring tenor Eric Shaw and pianist Daniel Rubinoff and the Royal Scottish Dance Society, who will give dance demonstrations and coaching to willing participants, on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 each (children 12 years and under $12), available through the church office at 416-444-8444 or at the door the night of the concert. Donway Covenant United Church, 230 The Donway W. Visit www.donwaycovenant.com
SUNDAY, JAN. 22
Robbie Burns' Day
Mackenzie House presents Robbie Burns Day Jan. 22 from noon to 4:30 p.m. Celebrate the birthday of the famous Scottish Poet with toe-tapping live music, shortbread and haggis. Cost: $1 to $9. Mackenzie House, 82 Bond St. Call: 416-392-6915 or visit www.toronto.ca/culture/museums/mackenzie.htm
The Affections of May
Scarborough Theatre Guild presents The Affections of May runs until January 28 at the Scarborough Village Theatre, 3600 Kingston Rd. General admission tickets are $18. For tickets and times, please call 416-267-9292 or visit www.theatrescarborough.com
Mozart Requiem
Toronto Symphony Orchestra presents Mozart Requiem Jan. 22 at 3 p.m. The Requiem is Mozart's final and unfinished composition. In it he portrayed with immense skill and understanding both the nerve-wracking terror of the last judgment, and the heavenly grace of the afterlife. Teenage piano sensation Jan Lisiecki, acclaimed on CBC as "one of the most sensational young artists to emerge in Canada in the past decade", makes his TSO debut with the brooding intensity of Mozart's Concerto No. 20. Tickets: $43 to $98. Toronto Centre for the Arts, George Weston Recital Hall, 5040 Yonge St.
TUESDAY, JAN. 24
It's the final day to experience LunarFest at Harbourfront Centre. This year's festival, celebrating the dawn of the Year of the Dragon, will be centred on the theme of Treasures of the Sea. The festival's centrepiece will be a giant Lantern Aquarium. This family-friendly experience offers special Lunar New Year arts and crafts workshops. Also, all the way from Taiwan for this special Lunar New Year, Taiyuan Puppet Theatre Company performs The Boy, the Shark and the Sea. Event times vary depending on the event. This event is free. Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay W. For complete event listings, call 416-973-4000 visit harbourfrontcentre.com
CONTINUING
A Tiny Piece of Land
Teatron Theatre presents A Tiny Piece of Land now playing until Jan. 19. After the death of his wife, American dentist Barry impulsively makes his first trip to Israel to visit his long-estranged younger brother Yosi, who had made his home there for years. Happiness at the reunion is immediately challenged by clashes in politics. Yosi's daughter, Rachel, joins the fray, and terrorist attacks add to the emotional drama of this play. Tickets: $24.75. Toronto Centre for the Arts, Studio Theatre, 5040 Yonge St. Visit http://www.teatrontheatre.com/season.htm
Moment
In this exhibition, curators Maria Iovino and Astrid Bastin pair the work of Colombian artist Beatriz Olano and Venezuelan artist Magdalena Fernandez. Olano's work broadens notions of structure, extending the confines of spaces where she situates her projects with minimum, precise traces. Fernandez recognizes the universal connection between geometry and nature, a trajectory she shares with Piet Mondrian and Helio Oiticica, among others. Moment articulates the ideas of Olano and Fernandez in a site-specific project at the Doris McCarthy Gallery. The exhibition continues to Jan. 28. Gallery hours: Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Wednesday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday noon to 5 p.m. Doris McCarthy Gallery, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail. Call 416-287-7007.
How to Build an Igloo
Using the NFB's film of the same name as inspiration, How to Build an Igloo, which opens today and runs until Jan. 31, will allow you to create a snug, life-sized shelter just like the Inuit in Canada's North...only with animation instead of snow. Hours: Tuesday to Sunday starting at noon. Cost: Free. NFB Mediatheque, 150 John St. Visit www.nfb.ca/mediatheque
SUBMISSIONS
Scarborough Arts new project is Big Art Book and it's designed to bring together creative individuals of all ages. It features free workshops, cash awards and the launch of a digital publication collecting artwork, poetry and short stories. As part of the Big Art Book project, artists, writers and poets of all ages will be presented with awards at the official launch, which will be in early March, at the Doris McCarthy Gallery at the University of Toronto Scarborough. All artists will have work uploaded to bigartbook.wordpress.com and there is no cost to submit work. The deadline for submission is Jan. 20. For information on how to submit and participate in the free workshops, contact programs@scarborougharts.com or 416-698-7322 or visit www.scarborougharts.com
VOLUNTEERS
The North York Concert Orchestra is looking for volunteers. Helpers are needed for front of house duties, set up and overseeing of refreshments for concerts taking place Jan. 29, March 31 and June 2. All concerts will be held at the Centre for the Arts at St. Michael's College School, 1515 Bathurst St., north of St. Clair Avenue. Along with concert help, the orchestra needs volunteers to become involved with board activities and assisting with other projects on behalf of the orchestra. For information, email volunteers@nyco.on.ca or call 416-628-9195.