The Toronto Fringe Festival has already begun. But it is never too late to add a few more suggestions to the already existing lists of must-see shows at the Fringe this year.
With over 150 shows, narrowing it down to 10 shows is no easy feat. Nonetheless, I have chosen some shows based on description; others based on type/genre; and still others based on themes. In alphabetical order, I give my 10 picks.
A Quest Of Character (Family/Kid-Friendly) When Princess Celeste and Sir Liam break the songalongamatron, Luminaria sends them on a quest. With the help of a couple of intrepid frogs and other colourful characters, these two will learn how to be better people and better friends.
Cirqular A new puppetry piece inspired by the tension between biological impulses and the rigidity of the clock. Set in a world where mechanical time appears to govern every breath, the characters struggle between keeping their dreams alive and the inevitability of death.
Classical Guitar Concert UK Classical Guitarist Jonathan Prag’s first time in Toronto; from sell-out concerts at Adelaide Fringe, playing Nikita Koshkin, Bach, Barrios; O’Carolan, Fauré, Cuban rhythms and more ‘…
Memento Mori What if you gave yourself A Year To Live? This is Tracey’s last night…and she’s rented a tango band. It’s a death ritual. It’s a mixer. It’s best last night of anyone’s life ever!
Image: soulo.ca
Only Human Highbräu presents a comedic exploration of the depths, heights, and square footage of humanity. Life, love, success, death, and omelets all feature in an hour of sketch comedy reserved for the most discerning and attractive of audiences.
Pardon Me Cow Growing up on a farm is never easy… especially when you’re gay. Luckily, writer/comedian D. Taylor Scott had one true friend – a cow! In this hilarious fast-paced one-man show, Taylor Scott reflects back on his crazy relatives and disdain for farm living while recognizing it (and the cow) shaped how he now interacts with people, technology and the world. Potosí A young emissary from a Canadian mining corporation is sent to a remote country to investigate reports of sexual violence at the mine. As civil war rages, she is taken hostage at gunpoint by a former miner. A psychological game of cat-and-mouse ensues in this darkly funny parable on colonialism, gender, and greed.
Unique love story, raunchy-yet-heartwarming comedy about improving relationships with your partner as well as yourself. Epstein and Hassan developed their brand of comedy by realizing that even when they were failing financially; dealing with racism, aging, their relationship was still a triumphant success
Celebrating 50 years on Mother Earth, these are the melodies and lyrics that tell the story of life, love and loss for award-winning singer/songwriter Kevin Nelson.
This short yet carefully curated list should give you a good place to start… or continue, if you are ‘fringing‘ already. Click on each show’s title, for full description, times, and venue location.
Something to note: This year, 100% of tickets are available in advance. However, for those who love taking risks and like to hear what the buzz shows are – tickets will still be sold at theatre venues, if available.
Ticket prices are $12 (advance), or $10 (at the door, if available). You can purchase tickets online or at a show’s venue starting one hour prior to show time, cash sales only, limit of 4/person.
For full festival listings, venue listings, and other relevant information, visit fringetoronto.com.
There is a gentle thought that often springs to life in me, because it speaks of you. Its reasoning about love’s so sweet and true, the heart is conquered, and accepts these things. ‘Who is this’ the mind enquires of the heart, ‘who comes here to seduce our intellect? Is his power so great we must reject every other intellectual art? The heart replies ‘O, meditative mind this is love’s messenger and newly sent to bring me all Love’s words and desires. His life, and all the strength that he can find, from her sweet eyes are mercifully lent, who feels compassion for our inner fires.’
Durante degli Alighieri, simply called Dante (c. 1265–1321), was a major Italian poet of the Middle Ages. His brilliant and poignant poem The Divine Comedy is widely considered the greatest literary work composed in the Italian language and a masterpiece of world literature. It has inspired generations of writers and other artists with its beautiful language and moving love story.
From his writings, Dante also provided a fascinating insight into the beliefs of people during the times of medieval Europe. He died around the age of 56, September 14, 1321.
The Parachute Club‘s single, Rise Up has been selected as the theme for World Pride Toronto by popular acclaim. In celebration, The Parachute Club is releasing a new EDM/pop-retro dance version of their Canadian anthem.
Rise Up Remix comes to us via multi-platinum award-winning producer Rob Wells. The Parachute Club will be performing their hits live on the Pride stage on June 27th.
“Thirty-one years ago we performed Rise Up for the first time at Toronto Pride to 1000 people in 1983,” says Parachute Club lead singer Lorraine Segato. “We are delighted that this song has resonated so powerfully in many communities, but especially in the LGBT community who danced to this song before it was even released to radio.”
Rob Wells describes his dance mix as “epic and timeless. I’ve been a fan of The Parachute Club, Lorraine Segato and Rise Up since I first heard it, and it’s such an honour for me to be a part of this remix and to be a part of World Pride in my own small way.”
Segato recalls playing Toronto Pride in 1983: “We had a 6’ x8’ stage set up the center of Kings College Circle near Convocation Hall. Just as the band began the opening riff of Rise Up, 1000 returning Pride marchers came running towards us. It was an amazing moment because it was dangerous to march in Pride at that time.
“The courage of those 1000 people helped to bring about the incredible human rights changes that are now embraced by the estimated two million World Pride 2014 supporters flooding into our city.”
The band is releasing this remix in collaboration with Sony ATV, and to honour the courage and activism it took to get from police raids to the largest celebration of LGBT rights in the world. The hope is that Rise Up – the music and the theme – will inspire people around the world who continue to risk so much to fight for their right to love.
NXNE Comedy officially started two years ago; however, NXNE has been showcasing comedic talents for longer than that. This year, the festival has teamed up with the likes of Empire Comedy Live, the Canadian Comedy Awards Alumni Show, Comedy Records, Rapp Battlez, Fan Fiction The Show (for a performance of Sailor Moon,) The Epic Nerd Show, Raw & Hard, The Sketchersons’ Sunday Night Live, Vapor Central, and Strip Comedy. With this fun-filled lineup, what’s not to like?
As a fan of stand-up comedy, I find myself drawn to comics whose sense of humour matches my own. This is the case with DeAnne Smith. DeAnne is a three-time Canadian Comedy Award nominee (2011, 2012, 2013) who has performed all over the world, including the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, the Iceland Comedy Festival, and Just for Laughs Montreal and Chicago. She’s also been on TV in four countries, including Last Comic Standing on NBC.
If you’ve been following Canadian comedic talent, you probably know her and her work. For those of you who are not familiar with DeAnne, here is a short interview about her work, and where we can see her post NXNE.
Photo Courtesy of DeAnne Smith
HM: Having performed locally and internationally, what is the response to your material from these audiences? Anything that is seen as more risqué in some places versus others?
DS: I’ve never focused too much on local material, so pretty much everything I do translates easily. I will say that crowds in Edinburgh can be pretty rowdy, especially 2 a.m. crowds that have been drinking for hours. I’m afraid to discover what type of material might too risqué for them.
HM: What has been like to be part of Last Comic Standing?
DS: It’s been great! I’ve always loved Roseanne’s comedy, so you can imagine it’s quite a trip to perform in front of her and have her give me feedback on my stuff. She did say “I love you.” Not that I’m holding onto it or anything, but I’m pretty sure we’re gonna get married.
HM: How do you decide which questions to tackle for each podcast?
DS: I often let the guest propose a question that’s been on their mind, or one that they’re uniquely poised to answer. I think it’s more interesting that way, and I want the conversation to be lively. My guests also come up with stuff that I never would, like “What’s better, penis or vagina?”
HM: NXNE is here. After this festival, what’s next for you?
DS: I have a busy summer ahead! I’ll be in Just for Laughs, and also hosting my show that mixes stand up with burlesque, Stand Up / Strip Down, in OFF-JFL. I’m really excited about it. I have a killer roster of Montreal’s best burlesque dancers– Miss Sugarpuss, Elle Diabloe, and Ruby Rhapsody— and some of the world’s best stand ups. Last year, Jimmy Carr, Kyle Kinane and Andy Kindler were a part of things. One of the shows is on my birthday, so it’s the perfect way to celebrate.
DeAnne’s shows at Just For Laughs in Montreal also sound quite fun. This week, however, you can catch DeAnne’s show presented by Empire Comedy at NXNE Comedy this Thursday, June 19th. Shows at 8:00 and 10:00pm. Wristband holders get in for free; single tickets are $20 and can be purchased online here. For the full lineup at NXNE Comedy visit nxne.com/comedy.
Back by popular demand, again hosted by Jason Collett, the Basement Revue unfolds nightly at Luminato Festival, with each evening’s program remaining a mystery right up until show time. Impromptu appearances and unscripted performances are all part of the fun. And since The Revue serves as the official, nightly after-party for all festival artists, there’s no telling who you’ll be rubbing elbows with at the bar or who’ll decide to leap onstage.
This year Jason is joined by poet and editor Damian Rogers as co-host and co-curator at The Revue. With years in the scene, she has edited books by musicians such as John Fahey and Bill Callahan and contributed lyrics to recordings by Jason Collett and Blue Rodeo. Her poems have appeared in Brick Magazine, The Walrus, Lemon Hound, and on the odd bathroom wall.
Photo by Freddie Mojallal
Given this dynamic duo, I thought it would be great to hear more from Jason and Damian. This way, we can learn more about them, and their work together at Luminato this year. Here is our great interview.
Jason: After several successful years, how do you keep the Basement Revue at Luminato fresh each and every year?
Jason: We draw from a wealth of talented artists that live amongst us, and often they come to showcase talents they’re not necessarily known for – Rich Terfry telling weird stories, John K. Samson reciting poetry, The Sadies backing up Margaret Atwood…
Damian: In your own words, how does your writing compliment Jason’s vision for each night’s programme at The Revue?
Damian: As the resident poet and the series literary curator, I’m able to suggest writers who might not be well known outside publishing circles. Jason and I share some aesthetic leanings, for sure, and I think each year my instincts sharpen for what will work on this stage. It’s a balance between presenting challenging, interesting artists and making sure that the audience doesn’t end up alienated. Personally, I greatly prefer reading poems in front of music fans to reading in more traditional poetry venues. The crowd at the Revue never fails to impress me with their openness and ability to listen deeply.
Jason and Damian: As curators of The Revue this year, does each night’s programme have a previously decided theme in terms of music and literature? Or is it something that happens more organically, so to speak? Damian:We generally don’t follow a specific theme for each night, but we definitely consider the potential chemistry among the musicians and writers when scheduling people. And then sometimes surprises happen — like last night, when George Elliott Clarke got to talking with Ryan Myshrall from Oldies 990 before the show and suddenly Ryan was backing George’s reading on bass. You can’t always plan for things like that, we just try to keep things open enough that connections can be made naturally.
Jason and Damian: You’ve collaborated in the past. Could we look forward to another collaboration in the near future? What is in store for each of you next? Damian:My second book, Dear Leader, is scheduled to come out next spring with Coach House Books. In the meantime, I’m heading to Boulder, Colorado, at the end of this month to study collaborative performance at the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics. The future is unwritten, but I’d love to collaborate with Jason again.
Jason: I’m just writing (time permitting) for the next while. Thanks for asking about collaboration though, it allows me to remind Damian to send me some orphaned bits of writing to see if they might find a home in song.
Sounds like we may be privy to some future project not too far ahead. I know, I’ll be looking forward to it.
I attended The Revue earlier this week. I saw singer Bebel Gilberto there, heard the country music sounds of Little Orton Hogget, and also danced with indie rock musician Rich Aucoin under a large parachute. How often does one get to end a weeknight on such a hight note? With both Jason and Damian curating The Revue, I can assure you it is absolutely a lot of fun!
You can join in the fun for another three nights at the Edward Day Gallery, at the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art. The party begins at 11pm each night. General Admision, cover $20. This is a 19+ Licenced Event.
SummerWorks Performance Festival returns for its 24th year August 7 -17th. This year’s bring some exciting changes, a crop of new works, and much more waiting to be discovered.
SummerWorks is excited to announce its new Hub at The Theatre Centre, where they will host Live Art programming throughout the festival. The Hub replaces last year’s Performance Bar. SummerWorks will also return to venues such as Theatre Passe Muraille, the Lower Ossington Theatre, and the Scotiabank Studio Theatre.
This year’s festival will feature a smaller group of works in the Mainstage Series to ensure increased support for artists. In total, the 2014 festival includes 33 works in the Mainstage Series, 6 in the Music Series, 11 in the Live Art Series, 4 in the National Series, 3 new Musical Works in Concert and 3 works that are In Production. Certainly many artists and performances to take in over this 11-day festival!
To entice you and get you to start planning your SummerWorks experience, I give you some highlights of this year’s festival programming.
NATIONAL SERIES
Against Gravity
Created by: Mind of a Snail
Mind of a Snail’s Against Gravity is a mindbending shadow puppetry journey through a world full of surprises; interactive & visually delicious, like a lucid dream. Expect live music, an overhead projector and several near death experiences.
Écoute Pour Voir
Production company: Danse Carpe Diem/Emmanuel Jouthe
Écoute Pour Voir consists of a variety of solos, scattered throughout the space and performed
simultaneously. Equipped with headphones attached to an iPod, dancers and viewers share
choreography face-to-face over the course of the music.
MAINSTAGE SERIES
Bitter Medicine
Created by: Clem and Olivier Martini & The Theatre Lab
Based on the award-winning graphic memoir of the same name, Bitter Medicine explores living with schizophrenia.
El Jinete (The Rider) – A Mariachi Opera
Created by: Mercedes Bátiz-Benét
El Jinete (the Rider) is the world’s first fully-staged Mariachi opera, featuring Mariachi Los Dorados. It’s a tale of love, vengeance, and the supernatural.
El Jinete (The Rider)
Kafka’s Ape
Created by: Franz Kafka & Guy Sprung
Captured on the Gold Coast and imprisoned in a cage, Redpeter’s only escape route is to become a walking, talking, spitting, hard-drinking member of the Peace Industry. Based on Kafka’s short story “A Report to an Academy.”
Maracatu You!
Created by: Suzanne Roberts Smith with Aline Morales and her Afro Brazilian Percussion ensemble of Maracatu Baque de Bamba
From the streets to the stage and back again.
Paradise Red
Created by: Bruce Gibbons Fell
The 1973 Chilean coup d’état has brought melodramatic conflicts upon the members of General
Riofrío’s family, including his death and other secrets. Presented as a telenovela.
Unintentionally Depressing Children’s Tales
Created by: Erin Fleck
If you’re looking for a fairy-tale, fable, or thinly-veiled metaphor to make you feel better about how life works sometimes… this isn’t it. The audience will be immersed into a world of whimsical tragedy and foreboding comedy, for a theatrical bedtime story like no other.
Unintentionally Depressing Children’s Tales
MUSICAL WORKS IN CONCERT
Animal Pharmacy: A Medicine Show
Created by: Greg Janssen
Animal Pharmacy: A Medicine Show is a musical comedy satire of the pharmaceutical industry in the style of an old-time medicine show.
LIVE ART SERIES
I Will Tell You Exactly What I Think of You
Created by: Zeesy Powers
I Will Tell You Exactly What I Think of You is an emotional endurance test. The opinions expressed are entirely those of the artist, and have no reflection on who you are as a person. For entertainment purposes only.
To Live in the Age of Melting the Idea of the North 2.0
Created by: Evalyn Parry, Elysha Poirier, Laakkaluk Bathory Williams
What does “North” mean to you, Toronto? And what does Iqaluit have to say about “South?”
IN DEVELOPMENT
romanceship
Created by: Cliff Cardinal
When Dave, the drug and sex addicted fraudster & Madly, the bulimic and klepto chef break up (and get back together) Madly dubiously announces she’s pregnant. Dave careens into Rochelle, the transgender crack addict, and the two begin the most enveloping love affair since cocaine met baking soda. This will be the first reading of this new work-in-progress by Cliff Cardinal.
d’bi young – romanceship
The Music Series lineup to be announced at a later date; this is a series certainly worth checking out.
This short list gives you a glimpse at the diverse lineup at SummerWorks this year. With so much to choose from, there isn’t a day you cannot find something to partake in.
I invite you to come back to this site as I’ll have more SummerWorks Top Picks, and Spotlights closer to the festival. In the meantime, for full festival lineup, ticketing info and venue info, visit summerworks.ca.
Hold fast to dreams For if dreams die Life is a broken-winged bird That cannot fly. Hold fast to dreams For when dreams go Life is a barren field Frozen with snow.
Source: biography.com
James Mercer Langston Hughes (February 1, 1902 – May 22, 1967) was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist. He was one of the earliest innovators of the then-new literary art form called jazz poetry.
His life and work were enormously important in shaping the artistic contributions of the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s. Hughes wanted to tell the stories of his people in ways that reflected their actual culture, including both their suffering and their love of music, laughter, and language itself.
Mateca Arts Festival is a festival of World Music and Multi-Disciplinary Art with a strong Latin American identity. The festival invites everyone to learn, participate and support World Music and Multi-Disciplinary Art. This grassroots event integrates advocacy, arts and music into a two-day educational festival that is the first of its kind in the area.
The festival shows the importance of educating others on different cultures while connecting the arts and environment into one. It includes eclectic musicians, dancers and visual artists, with both local and international presentations. Mateca Arts Festival will take place Saturday and Sunday, June 7-8, at University of Toronto, Victoria College, Burwash Quad.
Over the course of two days, audiences can partake in outdoor Yoga classes, artists’ talks and guided tours, as well as, dance workshops and live music. In attendance will be Mapuche artist, Beatriz Pichi Malen from Argentina. Together with two musicians, Lucho Cruz and Chacho Ruiz Guiñaz (percussion & wind instruments), Malen combines sacred Mapuche instruments to create a new musical dimension of the ancestral songs, originally performed a Capella. Malen and accompanying musicians will perform at the festival’s Official Launch.
Also in attendance is Dr. Ricardo Dal Farra, who has been conducting activities in the merging fields of arts, sciences and new technologies as a composer and multimedia artist, researcher, educator, performer and curator focusing mainly on electroacoustic music and new media arts for more than 25 years. Farra will be part of a Conference talk on Art, Science & Technology.
Toronto-based artists will also particpate in this two-day festival. The likes of Quique Escamilla, Laura Fernández, Payadora Tango Ensemble, Luanda Jones, and many others will be on-hand to get you dancing.
Mateca Arts Festival promises to be family-friendly, educational, and exciting. The combination of eclectic musicians, dancers and visual artists, with both local and international presentations will certainly introduce us to some new talent, and cultures. For further information on the festival line up and ticketing, please visit mateca.com.
One of the sure signs of summer in Toronto is the arrival of Luminato Festival. For ten full days, Toronto will be the hub of some major arts and cultural events both on the local and international level.
As in previous years, I have taken a peek at the festival programming and have chosen a few events that sound fun and interesting. This list includes both free and ticketed events. It also includes somewhat a variety in types of events, as Luminato offers a wide range of options for all tastes.
Hosted by Jason Collett, Basement Revue unfolds nightly at the festival, with each evening’s program remaining a mystery right up until show time. Impromptu appearances and unscripted performances are all part of the fun. The Revue also serves as the official, nightly after-party for all festival artists, so there’s no telling who you’ll be seeing at the bar or who’ll decide to leap onstage.
The Revue is curated by Collett and poet Damian Rogers. There you may encounter the likes of Metric’s James Shaw performing a version of Pink Floyd’s “Nobody’s Home” on the piano, or Margaret Atwood stepping up to the mic in front of one of Toronto’s most celebrated bands and saying, with her characteristic deadpan wit, “Hit it, Sadies.”
As is tradition for the Basement Revue, each night’s performers remain a surprise to the audience until they step on stage. Even the performers themselves are kept in the dark, adding an extra element of mystery to the evening.
Friday, June 6th 10:00 pm – Festival Hub at David Pecaut Square Jesse Cook With special guest Amanda Martinez Free Admission Paris-born guitarist and composer, Jesse Cook, has earned legendary status as the foremost, and most gifted, proponent of the nouveau flamenco movement, blending flamenco with rumba and jazz to achieve a singularly dazzling sound. For his Luminato debut, Cook will be joined on two songs by Toronto-based singer-songwriter Amanda Martinez, whose own flamenco fieriness draws on Mexican and South African influences.
Saturday, June 7th 12:00 pm – Festival Hub at David Pecaut Square Taste of the Beach – Food at The Hub Mary Luz Mejia, chef curator and event host Free Admission
This year, ten local chefs will be paired with ten Festival artists to create a unique and delectable summertime dish that explores the flavours of eating at the beach – all hot off the barbecue! Cocktails, DJs Sound Culture (Chicago) and Richard Blair of Sidestepper (Bogotá) will add to the pulsating heat at the Festival Hub, creating a true culinary exhibition. Sounds deliciously tempting to me!
Saturday, June 7th 9:00 pm – Festival Hub at David Pecaut Square The Roots Admission: $35 The Roots are ranked among the 10 greatest rap groups of all time by Rolling Stone. The Grammy Award-winning band was formed in Philadelphia more than 25 years ago by Tariq “Black Thought” Trotter and Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson. They have been the house band for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon since the show’s inception in 2009 and recently migrated with Fallon to The Tonight Show in New York City.
If you’re a fan of The Roots, this is one concert I highly recommend you check out at Luminato this year.
Sunday, June 8th 2:00 pm – MaRS Discovery District TimesTalks Luminato – Daniel Lanois and Select Guests Moderated by New York Times Managing Editor of Video, Bruce Headlam Admission: $25 This conversation will focus on Lanois’ tremendous impact on contemporary music both within Canada and internationally, including his work with U2, Neil Young and Bob Dylan, the power and poetry of his compositions and the evolving role of the producer within the rapidly changing music industry.
Host for the event, Bruce Headlam, is the managing editor of video for The New York Times since 2013. Under Mr. Headlam, the New York Times Monday Business section won the 2008 Newhouse School Award for Overall Excellence and his writers have won various awards under his editorial leadership.
Monday, June 9th 9:00 pm – Festival Hub at David Pecaut Square Bebel Gilberto Brazilian Samba Soul with Aline Morales Free Admission Among Brazilian jazz artists, Bebel Gilberto is true royalty. She is the daughter of legendary guitarist and vocalist João Gilberto and esteemed singer Miúcha. But Bebel, who has been performing since childhood, is a full-fledged star in her own right, putting her uniquely vibrant spin on bossa nova traditions.
Warming things up on-stage for Bebel will be Toronto-based Aline Morales. For her Luminato debut, Morales and her quintet will play an all-original, all-Brazilian set that goes beyond Brazil by flavouring traditional samba and bossa beats with African and European sounds.
Tuesday, June 10th 9:30 pm – Festival Hub at David Pecaut Square Tanya Tagaq presents Nanook of the North Northern Lights & Music double bill with Buffy Sainte-Marie Free Admission In 1922, filmmaker Robert J. Flaherty paved the way for the modern documentary with his contentious but momentous chronicle of a year in the life of Inuit Nanook and his family near the Arctic Circle, Nanook of the North. Now innovative throat singer Tanya Tagaq, known for her work with Björk and the Kronos Quintet, draws upon her family’s history in far northern Quebec and her own Nunavut childhood to reclaim Flaherty’s masterpiece. With music composed by Derek Charke, Tagaq unites with two equally celebrated musicians— violinist Jesse Zubot and percussionist Jean Martin—to reactualize the film’s silent images with emotive soundscapes.
Tanya Tagaq in concert with Nanook of the North was commissioned by TIFF Bell Lightbox as part of its film retrospective First Peoples Cinema: 1500 Nations, One Tradition.
Wednesday, June 11th 9:00 pm – Festival Hub at David Pecaut Square Keys on the Street – A recital of Urban Dance and Piano Angela Hewitt; with choreography by Tré Armstrong Free Admission For some, it may be difficult to imagine the union between classical music and urban dance, but two outstanding Canadian artists—pianist Angela Hewitt and choreographer Tré Armstrong— hope to prove they can make this union work. Armstrong, most recognizable as So You Can Dance Canada judge, leads a troupe of the finest urban dancers to physically respond to Hewitt’s piano playing. Hewitt is best known for her cycle of Bach recordings, crafted between 1995 and 2004. An Officer of the Order of the British Empire, she is also founder and Artistic Director of the Trasimeno Music Festival in Umbria, Italy.
Part of this program will include music from J.S. Bach, Debussy, and others.
Thursday, June 12th 8:00 pm – The Theatre Centre Copycat Talks – Kendell Geers: Following the Blind Man (Marcel Duchamp and the Voodoun Connection) Admission: $15
“In the spring of 1912, Marcel Duchamp left Paris for Munich on a 3 month sojourn that would ultimately change the course of twentieth century art.” This is how the lecture begins, and after it ends you will never think about Duchamp or art in the 20th century the same way.
Kendell Geers is a conceptual and installation artist who was born in May, 1968 in Johannesburg, South Africa – he changed his name and birthdate officially as a political act of self-creation. In the late 1980s, he went into exile and only returned to South Africa after the release of Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners.
Friday, June 13th 8:00 pm – Festival Hub at David Pecaut Square Saidah Baba Talibah
Her mother is Canada’s “First Lady of the Blues,” Salome Bey. Toronto’s Saidah Baba Talibah isn’t one to rest on family laurels. Her singular sound, a scorching blend of rock, blues and raunchy soul, has taken her from Singapore to Brooklyn’s Afro Punk and shaped the killer album (S)cream, which bested more than 300 competitors to win the inaugural Soundclash Music Award. Saidah is one of my favourite Toronto artists.
Saturday, June 14th 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm Berkeley Street Theatre, Upstairs Bullet Catch Admission: $45 Performer, director, playwright and magician Rob Drummond becomes William Wonder to tell the incredible story of William Henderson, who died on stage while attempting to catch a bullet, a stunt so dangerous even Houdini refused to attempt it. A feast of theatrical magic, Bullet Catch combines storytelling, mindreading, levitation, games of chance and, for those brave enough to stay, the most notorious finale in show business.
Sunday, June 15th 12:00 pm – Trinity Bellwoods Park A Literary Picnic Free Admission A Literary Picnic is the heart and soul of Luminato’s Day of Literary Activity. Forty-five of the city’s finest writers will be gathered in Trinity Bellwoods Park, where they will present their thoughts and views and read from their own and other authors’ work during the festival’s daylong celebration of Toronto, the Unseen.
Austin Clarke, winner of the Scotiabank Giller Prize and the unparalleled chronicler of Caribbean immigrants to Toronto; Barry Callaghan, denizen of the city’s bygone speakeasies and jazz clubs and connoisseur of its shoe-beaten sidewalks; Ins Choi, the sensational playwright of “Kim’s Convenience” and “Subway Stations of the Cross”; Don Gillmor, witness to the aspirations and foibles of the city’s moneyed classes; Andrew Pyper, masterful thriller writer, and Zoe Whitall, her young and queer adults making their way in the dyspeptic city are but a few of the extraordinary writers who will help to paint an unforgettable portrait of Unseen Toronto. Ben McNally Books and the Toronto Public Library Bookmobile will also be present.
These are some of the many events Luminato will offer starting this Friday, June 6th until Sunday, June 15th throughout various venues in the city. For full festival event listings, box office, and venue information visit luminatofestival.com. Now, grab your calendars and start planning!
