Combat the post-holiday blues with Fly Me to The Moon, a comedy about two friends who try the beat the system, with hilarious results, on the Grand Theatre’s Mainstage January 12 to 30. It’s a new comedy from Marie Jones, writer of the internationally acclaimed play Stones in His Pockets. Celebrate Black History Month in February with the Grand’s production of Katori Hall’s Mountaintop, which chronicles Martin Luther King Jr.’s last night on earth.
The Grand’s Theatre for Young Audiences presents Spelling 5-5-5, a play that promotes a greater understanding of children diagnosed with autism and the issues they face at home and school, February 18–20, in the McManus Studio Theatre.
Also on the McManus Studio Theatre stage is Musical Theatre Productions’ She Loves Me, a charming musical comedy that inspired the Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan movie You’ve Got Mail, just in time for Valentine’s Day, February 6–14. www.grandtheatre.com
In Old East Village, the Palace Theatre is presenting a couple of Mainstage and Procunier Hall productions. First up is Jeffrey Hatcher’s Three Viewings, three comic/dramatic monologues set in a funeral parlour, that portray the deceased and the bereaved and the lengths to which survivors go to hold on to memories, money, life and love. (Procunier Hall, January 7–16.) On the Mainstage, London Community Players present Alison Lawrence’s 2006 Fringe hit, The Catering Queen, February 4–14. www.palacetheatre.ca
Three local productions appear on The ARTS Project stage in January and February: DudeBro Comedy improv and stand-up from local funny-men Doug Koning and Tyler Shazma on Saturday January 23, Tinkerspace Theatre’s Swallow by Erin J. Walker, February 3 –13, and To Ashes by Jason Rip from February 18 to 27. www.artsproject.ca
Over in St. Thomas on the Princess Theatre stage, the Elgin Theatre Guild presents Neil Simon’s Jake’s Women, February 11–21, the perfect antidote to the mid-winter February blues. www.elgintheatreguild.ca
The Ingersoll Theatre of Performing Arts (ITOPA) presents The Performer by Larry Shue, February 19—28 at the Park Place Theatre. It’s a heart-warming comedy that will melt your heart. www.itopa.ca/our-shows
Theatre Woodstock presents Mom’s The Word, February 12–20, at the Market Centre Theatre. www.theatrewoodstock.com
John Cariani’s Almost Maine is on the boards at Theatre Tillsonburg, February 11–21. www.theatretillsonburg.com
Southwestern Ontario’s summer theatre companies have announced their playbills and tickets are now available for most of them. Drayton Entertainment returns with a very impressive playbill which includes Mamma Mia!, Anything Goes, and Aladdin: The Panto. www.draytonentertainment.com
The Blyth Festival Theatre continues with its tradition of presenting world premieres of original Canadian theatre with four new productions for the 2016 Season, including Our Beautiful Sons: Remembering Matthew Dinning by Christopher Morris and The Last Donnelly Standing, conceived and created by Gil Garratt and Paul Thompson. www.blythfestival.com
Over at Petrolia’s Victoria Playhouse, audiences will be able to see a variety of comedies and musicals, including Driving Miss Daisy starring The Waltons’ Michael Learned, July 5–24. www.thevpp.ca
The Port Stanley Festival Theatre cannot wait to welcome patrons to its new expanded auditorium for the 2016 Season, which includes two world premieres, Birds of a Feather by Simon Joynes and Denise Mader’s This One. www.portstanleytheatre.ca
And, of course, the Stratford Festival offers its usual full slate of classic and contemporary theatre beginning with previews in April, 2016. www.stratfordfestival.ca
Remember, if your theatre company has a production planned for future months, let us know about it so we can let eatdrink magazine readers know about it.
Hold the aisle seat for me!
NOTE: Kathy Navackas and the folks over at the London Fringe Festival have a new initiative in the works for the month of February. For now, let’s just say it involves an all-female group of selected artists performing in a variety of venues around town. Details on performers, venues and dates for this and other London Fringe activities will soon be available online. www.londonfringe.ca
