Toronto Fringe 2017

What's summer without the Toronto Fringe?

Year after year, the Toronto Fringe Festival is the event I look forward to most each summer. With 160 shows to choose from this year, it's set to be an amazing event From July 5-16, 2017.

This marks a new era for the Fringe with a brand new location for the Fringe tent (at Scadding Court at Bathurst & Dundas) and some new venues (including the Theatre Centre). It will be very strange to not be in the alley at Honest Ed's but the new venue is close to home and I'm sure we'll all transition nicely to the new space.

As always, there is some great pre-coverage popping up (including lists from Derrick Chua and Steve Fisher, whose opinions I trust!) and I'm starting to mark up my own program and make a game plan for my Fringe itinerary. I'm not in any shows this year, but I have been helping to do PR and social media for one. As someone who loves theatre and the Fringe, it's been great to be immersed in the press releases and all the buzz surrounding this year's shows.

About a week away, here's what I'm looking forward to:

Katherine Fogler Photography

Pineapple Club (Factory Theatre Mainspace) - In getting ready to write this post, I pulled up my Fringe posts from the last couple of years, and lo and behold Dance Animal was at the very top of my 2016 list (and I loved it!) I started working with the team doing PR and social media a couple of months ago. In this time, I've gotten to see a behind-the-scenes peek into Dance Animal Director / Choreographer Robin Henderson's process as she's worked with Paul Barnes, Jonathan Shaboo and Pascale Yensen to create this brand new show. It's part comedic dance, part sketch comedy and part social commentary -- which is such a great mix. This team is incredibly talented and I can't wait to see this show come into fruition.

Not Enough (Theatre Passe Muraille Mainspace) - Another name that has popped up on my Fringe lists over the years has been Megan Phillips. We connected years ago through a message board, and I'm so glad that she makes the journey to Toronto each year to be a part of the Fringe. I got to see this show last year when she was previewing it here before taking it across Canada, and it's a funny, candid take on change, forgiveness and becoming enough.

Soaring in Liquid Skies (Theatre Pass Muraille Backspace) - I've had the chance to see Franco Nguyen do sketch and standup a few times recently, and he is a fantastic, charismatic performer with a unique point of view of the world.

Maddie's Karaoke Birthday Party (The Monarch Tavern) - Add some of my favourite performers in the city with one of my favourite pastimes and that's a show that's right up my alley.

James & Jamesy in the Dark (Al Green Theatre) - I got to have tea onstage with James & Jamesy a few years ago at Fringe, and nearly peed myself from laughing. I'm pumped to see them back and this new show, set entirely in the dark, sounds like it's going to be something completely unique, hilarious and magical.

Other shows I'm looking forward to: Bendy Sign Tavern - Sex T-Rex is another Fringe favourite of mine and I'm excited to see them jump into a rom-com with puppets in a bar, Weaksauce - Sam Mullins is one of my favourite storytellers and this show was charming when I saw it a few years ago, Contagious - love this premise and another solid creative team, True North Mixtape - I was obsessed with Summerland 2 years ago, so this is absolutely on my list, Jay and Shilo's Sibling Revelry - while it's made for kids, the story sounds adorable and I'm a huge Jeni Walls and Justin Bott fan, and Ten Creative Ways to Dispose of Your Cremains - which I had no idea about until I saw it on every list under the sun and it has caught my attention!

As word of mouth starts to spread my list will be constantly changing and evolving, but I can't wait to dive into 10 days of talent, frolicking from theatre to theatre and seeing all of my theatre friends (and random people I know) in the Fringe tent.

If you'd like to follow along with my adventures, I'll be tweeting away @ashleydtl (I think Fringe is one of the only reasons I keep my Twitter going...) and posting on my Instagram story (also @ashleydtl)

Grab yourself a Fringe program and take the time to see a show (or 4!) from July 5 - 16. All ticket sales go back to the artists involved and be sure to take a moment to tip the Fringe.

What are you looking forward to this Fringe?

Toronto Fringe 2016

I've said it before and I'll say it again: The Toronto Fringe Festival is basically the second coming of Christmas for performers.

It's an amazing opportunity to see lots of shows, visit with friends, hang out in the Fringe tent, frolic in the sunshine and enjoy the arts and general merriment for 10 days. This year is slightly bittersweet as it's the last year that the Fringe tent will be in the Honest Ed's alley (since Honest Ed's is set to close and be turned into condos...)

I've had many good memories in the Fringe tent over the years! It always takes at least 30 minutes to an hour to leave because anytime you try, you wind up running into 10,000 people you know and it's just a fun place to socialize and chat with people who you don't always get to see. I live nearby, so I end up in the tent many nights after seeing shows just to have that fun social time. Even though I'm not performing in a show this year, it's still such a blast and something I really look forward to every summer.

The Fringe officially starts today and I've already got a handful of shows picked out to get this ball rolling! With 160 shows, it can be tough to start making choices about which to prioritize. Since shows can also sell out quickly, it's also great if you can set your schedule, and pick up advance tickets for anything that you're desperate to see.

There's lots of great lists floating around (including ones from Derrick Chua and Steve Fisher at Post City whose opinions I value) But here are some things I'm getting started with this weekend / grabbing my advance tickets for!

Dance Animal - Knowing a friend in the cast and watching Dance Raccoon do a monologue at a recent event has me completely sold. Comedy + dance + animals = absurd hilarity.

#MannequinGirl: the musical - I really enjoyed writer Elize Blue Musselwhite's fringe musical last year and the premise of becoming an internet sensation after being hit with a mannequin in the street speaks to the social media lover in me. Alyssa Minchillo is a heck of a talent and I think it should be really cute!

SexT - The conservative parents of Ontario have been livid over the province's new sex ed curriculum and from my perspective it's all been pretty ridiculous to watch unfold. This show has been developed with a bunch of teens and I love that they're bringing sex, consent, sexting and relationships, front and centre from their perspective.

The Pirate Queen of the Stars - I met Megan (who is in the show as well as producing it) years and years ago on an internet message board (true story) and we finally met last year in Toronto during Fringe. It's been amazing to watch her grow over the years as a human and as an artist, so I'm ultra excited for this show! I've been hearing bits and pieces of some of the songs over the last few weeks which has piqued my interest and I'm really looking forward to seeing it all come together. They've assembled an incredible cast of hilarious powerhouse performers and it's billed a sci-fi musical comedy - COME ON.

Other shows I'm looking forward to: Life After (I was part of a reading of this a few years ago and can't wait to see how far it's come. Britta Johnson is such a talent), Bright Lights (top notch cast + Kat Sandler = Fringe magic), Romeo and Juliet Chainsaw Massacre (so much happening and lots of great folks involved), The Fence (Johnson, Johnston and Wilde are incredible and I adored Summerland last year), Wasteland (Sex T-Rex is always awesome), Blind to Happiness (coming highly recommended!) and Echoes (again another great team with a new musical)

I'm sure there will be other shows that come and go onto my list as word of mouth starts to spread - which is half the fun. I can't wait!

If you'd like to follow along with my adventures, I'll be tweeting up a storm (@ashleydtl) and probably adding some snaps to my story (ashleydtl) likely with shenanigans from the tent!

If you're in Toronto over the next 10 days, I highly suggest you grab a program or download the app and support some amazing theatre! All ticket sales go back to the artists involved and be sure to take a moment to tip the Fringe.

What are you looking forward to this Fringe?

Fringe 2015

I have to say that Fringe is always one of my favourite times of year - it's kind of like Christmas for actors. You stay out late, see old friends and rush from venue to venue taking in as many shows as your schedule will allow - I love it! With nearly 150 shows happening right now, there truly is something for everyone and a week into the Fringe I am feeling oh-so-inspired.

I started off by seeing People Suck for its opening night last Wednesday which was a great way to kick off the festival! The premise is simple - sometimes people suck - and the cast delivered that message through some very funny songs and physical humour. There was a Gilbert & Sullivan-esque number about grammar that I found especially enjoyable and revelled in all the different ways that people can be terrible. My friend Megan (who I connected with YEARS ago through a message board back in the day) co-wrote and starred in the show and it made me so proud to see her shine! They've been getting great reviews and have had a few sold out shows, which is all kinds of awesome!!

I knew that I would spend most of Saturday engaging in Fringe activities, but I didn't anticipate pushing through 11 hours of musical adventures! I spent the early part of my day in the Annex Theatre, being inspired once again by mega talented friends in Adventures of a Redheaded Coffeeshop Girl with Rebecca Perry and Starry Notions with Ryan G. Hinds. Rebecca has been all over the Fringe circuit over the last couple of years and is about to embark on an incredible adventure to Edinburgh for their Fringe. She is so talented and works like crazy - it's just so great to see. Before Fringe I had seen glimpses of performances by Ryan G. Hinds, but never a full show -- gah, I was missing out! He is so charismatic, hilarious and rocks glitter lips like it's nobody's business. His show gave me feelings in my eyes and I was captivated by his performance (and especially loved his homage to Disney villain, Ursula)

I spent my afternoon enjoying time with friends, having snacks and got to see Rounding the Bend and I'm Right Here before the day was done. I loved hearing wonderful female harmonies performed by a very talented cast in Rounding the Bend and was reminded of the impact that social media has on our lives in I'm Right Here. Four shows felt like a pretty solid day and I had the chance to see lots of lovely friends in the Fringe tent that evening. 

On Sunday I saw Summerland and I loved every second. 

With a cast of 100 students, this show reminded me of why I decided to go to musical theatre college. I had tears in my eyes for most of the 90 minutes and probably could have easily watched 90 minutes more. So much raw talent. Awesome musical arrangements. Beautiful dancing. A magical story. So special. I was a bit of a wreck at the end of the show and have sung its praises to anyone who will listen since Sunday afternoon. Part of what I love about the Fringe is that for $10 you can be treated to an epic piece of theatre and entertainment that transports you to another world for a moment in your life. I would go see it again in a heartbeat just to feel all the feelings again. Sum-mer-land. 

I also had the pleasure of seeing Sword Play: A Play of Swords on Sunday night. It was the perfect way to end the weekend with a lot of laughing and memories of my very first Nintendo back in the 80's. 

My Fringe adventures will continue this week! Now that word of mouth is spreading and many reviews have come out, I've narrowed down my picks and booked advance tickets to a few shows. I can't wait to see Morro and Jasp Do Puberty (they're always fab), The Orchid and the Crow (Daniel Tobias is an outstanding performer and it will be great to see him in a very different kind of show) and The Dinner Table which is a site-specific show with only 12 audience members and some of the city's best storytellers + dinner. 

There is still time to get out and see some incredible theatre and party it up in the Fringe tent! Follow along with the #FringeTO hashtag and enjoy some of the amazing talent that is gracing stages all over Toronto this week!! 

Love List - July

Hello sunshine!! I am loving the summer weather and adventures that naturally follow. Here's what's making me extra happy this month.

Toronto Fringe
Over the last week my world has been flipped over by Fringe and I feel like it's actor Christmas once again. While I'm not in a show this year, it's been a ton of fun to see all sorts of shows, run into everyone I know and hang out at the Fringe tent. So far I've seen 7 shows with my favorites being Toronto I Love You (hilarious improv all about Toronto and such a stellar line up from Bad Dog Theatre. We saw it on opening and our show focused on Wychwood Barns, Sushi on Roncy and the Downsview airport hangar / concert venue), Punch Up (brilliant comedy from Writer, Director and Fringe regular, Kat Sandler with a stellar cast), Potosi (winner of the new play contest with a fantastic script & cast), Confessions of a Redheaded Coffeeshop Girl (by my ridiculously talented friend Rebecca Perry) and Roller Derby Saved my Soul (which kinda made me want to pick up roller derby...) The Fringe runs until Sunday night and I plan to see even more shows and spend way too much time socializing in the Fringe tent. Like I said, it's basically Christmas. Check out this great list from Torontoist with even more recommendations. 

Roadtrip Adventures
Corbin and I took a trip to Niagara-on-the-Lake over the long weekend to visit the Shaw Festival to see Cabaret. Not only did we get to see Cabaret, but we got to see my dear friend Tara CONDUCT Cabaret. She is the Musical Directing intern at Shaw this year and I was so proud to see her in the pit conducting the orchestra and cast! The show was great. I loved the set (which included a giant, rotating staircase in the centre of the stage), the costumes and the performances from the cast were mesmerizing. Corbin and I really enjoyed our day in the city including a lovely little picnic and some gelato following the show. The drive was gorgeous and it was a really incredible day all around. Bravo, Tara!

Feeling Inspired
I had a moment during the opening of Cabaret (Willkommen, bienvenue...) where I got really teary as I thought to myself "Yes, THAT is what I want to be doing". To make matters worse, Corbin leaned over and said "You need to be up on that stage" (cue even more tears).

This year has been quite the ride, but there have been a few moments where I've doubted myself and wondered if I was on the right path. Performing is all that I've wanted to do for my entire life and for a long time I made it a side project and not the thing I gave all of my attention to. Those days are over, and I'm working to do everything in my power to make my dream a reality and seeing Cabaret at Shaw really solidified that for me. Seeing some great Fringe and networking has reinforced that as well. I've got a couple neat projects coming up this summer including The Confidential Musical Theatre Project and shooting a very fun pilot for a sitcom called Mythfits. There's some other stuff in the works, but I just need to keep this feeling of inspiration going. I'm excited.

What's making you happy this month? What's on your Fringe must-see list?!

My favourite July Accessory

My Tip the Fringe button!!

I've been having a lot of fun over the last week seeing shows and visiting with friends at the Fringe Club. I'm looking forward to seeing a bunch more shows this weekend (I think 7??) and seeing some of the more popular shows at Best of Fringe over the next couple weeks. 

It's supposed to be a beautiful weekend, so head out to the Annex and see some shows! The complete listing is available on the Fringe site and there are lots of reviews and opinions floating around the internet. So far I've loved Bremen Rock City and Honest Aesop's Fables and I'm really looking forward to The Musical of Musicals (The Musical), Polly Polly, You Won't Be Here (Tomorrow) and 2 for Tea. Lots of shows have sold out of advance tickets, so be sure to arrive early to avoid disappointment! (Tickets go on sale at the venue an hour before the show).

Have you been Fringe-ing? What have you loved?

Nine reasons to see RARE at Toronto Fringe

Nicholas
Suzanne
Krystal
Sarah
Nada
James
Dylan
Andreas
and
Michael

These nine artists comprise the ensemble of RARE and along with Director Judith Thompson, have put together a beautiful show about their life experiences, loves, frustrations, thoughts, feelings, hopes and dreams. The ensemble glows with glorious honesty and conviction as they give the audience a chance to see life from their perspective. Ms. Thompson has incorporated text from Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson and William Blake among their monologues and scenes and Victoria Carr provides sweet music to accompany the actors as they move through the piece. 

And yes, all nine actors happen to have Down Syndrome.

Nada speaks four languages. Suzanne loves to dance. Dylan wants to go to theatre school. Each of the nine actors are charming, genuine and compelling onstage and come together to support one another as a cohesive ensemble. Many of their stories ring familiar for the audience - dealing with roommates, looking for love, losing a parent, family dysfunction, working multiple jobs - and they do a wonderful job of keeping the audience right there with them. Krystal's plea to expectant mothers who find out that they are carrying a baby with Down Syndrome will definitely stay with me for a long time. (There are 500 babies born in Canada with Down Syndrome each year, but the abortion rates for babies identified with DS in prenatal testing are said to be at least 90%)

I'm so thankful that I got to see this show and have been raving about it to anyone who will listen. The sold out crowds at Fringe definitely seem to agree that it's a show worth seeing. It will move you from start to finish, thanks to nine compelling artists who are truly rare.

Remaining shows - Tarragon Mainspace

Tuesday July 10, 2012 @ 8:45pm
Friday July 13, 2012 @ 7:00pm
Saturday July 14, 2012 @ 2:15pm

Minty Chocolately Goodness for the Long Weekend

An art store on Yonge is clearly down with the Summer of Popsicles

Love it! This week we had mint chocolate... 

I ran out of agave so I couldn't make the chocolately drizzle and instead I melted chocolate chips and added a chocolate coating. Not the most attractive picture of life, but it tasted delicious. My roommate and I even had one without chocolate, and they were just refereshing and minty with a wicked texture. So far I've been delighted with the results and my roommates' enthusiasm for my project. Next week: something fruity and awesome with a new recipe in the works. Stay tuned. 

Stoked for lots of fun in the city this week! Happy Pride! Happy birthday Canada! And Fringe starts on Wednesday (What are you seeing? I'm excited to blog about some great shows!!). And it's a long weekend... though given my schedule of late it just feels like some more great summer days ahead. 

Summer is oh so sweet... 

Remember that time I was in the Fringe?

I can't believe Fringe ended over a week ago. Between seeing 13 shows, performing in 7 of my own and spending a whole lot of time frolicking in the sunshine and mingling in the beer tent, I was one busy gal. While I may not have been posting on my blog, I was popping up in various places on the internet, including a piece on Fringe on Photojunkie's blog

and my beautiful & creative friend Stefne’s tumblr

(unrelated -- I've been reading lots of fashionista blogs lately and I want to add a weekly outfit post to my blog. Stay tuned!)

I feel so lucky to have seen some pretty fantastic shows and performances. Standouts included Kim's Convenience, Tiki Bikini Beach Paradise Party-a-go-go, 5th Element, Mickey & Judy, Ellamentary, Infinitum and Hypnogogic Logic. I saw 3 shows on both Fridays and managed to squeeze the others in amid the craziness. Between 2 performer passes, some advance purchases and some comps, I was a very happy theatre-goer. It was really amazing to see so much talent and ended up feeling very inspired by the fantastic work around me. If you missed Fringe or didn’t get to see all the shows you wanted, The Best of Fringe Uptown is happening until August 5th.

Cellar Hotel went well. We had a sold out show on the first Saturday and a nearly sold out house for closing. I received some sweet compliments on my performance and it was an honour to be onstage with such a talented group of people.

But to be honest, I was really thankful when it was over.

Working 2 jobs and doing 2 shows was really taking a toll on me. I developed a cold just before opening and I just found myself exhausted. As per usual when I'm doing a show, I didn't have much time for myself or groceries or sleep or working out. It was really nice to get back to all of those things once the show had its final curtain call.

I'm now only working 2 jobs and rehearsing for ONE show.

From August 18-21 I'll be playing Rapunzel in Into the Woods. I would love for you to come out and see this show, it is absolutely one of my favourites. And playing Rapunzel means I basically stand in a tower and scream as a blonde for much of the show. Why would you want to miss that!? You can get tickets here.

Summer seems to be about seeing shows, which is totally fine by me. I was lucky enough to see Next to Normal last week as it opened at the Four Seasons. What an incredible show with some ridiculously talented performers. I knew a few tunes from the show and the basic plotline before going in, but had no idea how close to home it was really going to be. I did a lot of crying and was lucky enough to be sitting between two of my best friends. It runs until Saturday and I would highly recommend nabbing tickets if you can. I was also really thrilled to see Ashley in A Chorus Line out in Brampton, have been trying to map out some plans to catch some Summerworks shows and need to get to Stratford ASAP.

That should tide me over till I'm seeing Bernadette Peters onstage on August 25?

Oh yes, I'm back in New York City in less than a month. The squeals have already begun...

Coming up on the bloggy -- my final NYC post and some fun summertime frolicking! Also really excited to have a new digital camera (mine died in NYC), which means there will be some foodie goodness pictures coming up.

How is your summer? Did you Fringe? Have you seen any good shows of late?

Fringe 2011 - Join me at Cellar Hotel

Oh Toronto Fringe, I love you Last year was my first time doing Fringe and I had so much fun with my cast performing our show, promoting, mingling and networking in the beer tent and seeing lots of other great shows (11 in total!) This year I'm performing in Cellar Hotel with 20 other incredibly talented performers. Last night we had our final dress rehearsal and everyone was on their game, the energy was high and all that was missing was an audienceWe open on Thursday and have shows on the following dates at the Bathurst Street Theatre (736 Bathurst)

Thursday July 7, 8:45pm
Saturday July 9, 5:15pm
Monday July 11, 12:45pm
Tuesday July 12, 6:45pm
Wednesday July 13, 3:30pm
Thursday July 14, 5:15pm
Saturday July 16, 11:00pm

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased in advance on the Fringe site or by coming to the box office one hour before each showtime.

I'm being optimistic and aiming to beat last year's record by seeing 15 shows - yikes! Wanna see some shows (other than mine) but don't know where to start?

• Pick up a Fringe program or check out the website and read the descriptions for the shows. With 145 shows in the Fringe, there's bound to be something to interest everyone


• Check out Derrick Chua's list of recommendations. Derrick is a superstar at seeing pretty much every show in the Fringe and is a huge supporter of the Toronto theatre community


• Check out Now Magazine, BlogTO, Torontoist, Mooney on Theatre or some of the other local newspapers/websites for their picks and reviews


• Follow the #FringeTO hashtag on Twitter. It's been really awesome to see how much more engaged the theatre community has been this year and I'm sure it will just continue as more people see shows and check in along the way


• Take a risk and just see something! Fringe is meant to be an exciting, fun avenue for people to perform their work. Don't be like this grumpy-pants and start judging shows before you get there. You never know what you might miss if you take on that kind of bad attitude.

I'm going to try and blog about the shows that I see throughout the week and hopefully that will be of some assistance as well! And if you're hanging around the Fringe tent or catching a show, chances are I'll be somewhere in the vicinity so send me a message on Twitter (@ashleydtl) and let's hang out!

The Day The Universe Wanted Me To Slow Down

Last week the universe sent me signs that I needed to slow down and I was happy to take them!

While absolutely amazing, Fringe was incredibly busy and hectic. I spent a lot of time seeing other shows (11 in fact!) and spent a lot of time with old (and new) friends at the beer tent. In the midst of all this I was still going to work and school and trying to eat, sleep and breathe!

On Wednesday I headed up to school to start my new class, Sports & Fitness nutrition. I had just finished an assignment for our previous class and was looking forward to starting something fresh for the summer. I arrived in class right at 10 and there was no teacher in sight. 5 minutes went by and still nothing. 10:10, 10:15 passed and we all started to get a little anxious. Someone finally went to speak with our administrator and a phone call to our teacher revealed he had gotten the dates for our class wrong! There were a lot of groans in the class, but I was happy to take advantage of the beautiful, sunny, day!!

So I did. With a picnic in the park with the lovely Ashley. Super fresh salad with spinach, romaine, avocado, green beans, cucumber, red pepper, sunflower seeds and marinated tofu cubes (tamari & apple cider vinegar) topped with flax oil and balsamic. We followed the salad with some amazing watermelon, raspberries, strawberries & blueberries.

It was a gorgeous day and Ashley and I had a lot of fun laughing and eating and taking advantage of the sunshine!

Later in the day I was supposed to work, but that ended up getting cancelled too. Once again, I was angry or upset, just happy to enjoy the day! I checked out the Farmer’s Market at Queen’s Quay and picked up some amazing rainbow chard and summer squashes which I turned into a stir fry  Simple sautéed summer squash and rainbow chard with millet and tempeh. Once fuelled I headed back to Fringe madness where I spent time with some amazing people including another lovely Ashley. Now some people would have been frustrated that everything had been cancelled in their day – not me!! I took the hint from the universe and I loved having the opportunity to see some beautiful friends, eat delightful food and take advantage of a free day!

Have you had any free time to frolick in the sunshine? Have you found anything delightful at a farmer’s market this season?

Oh How I Love The Fringe

Fringe has been dominating my life and I kinda love it. Breadwinner opened on Thursday and fittingly my Yogi tea reminded me of what I needed to do: We had a great opening and have been having a lot of fun doing the show since then. It’s been interesting to read people’s opinions of the show, but the general consensus has been that people dig it – which is amazing!!

Between hanging out with the cast Riding my bike to and from the Annex And eating yummy food to keep me fuelled and cooled off from this incredible heat!I’ve been catching some great shows (like Fairy Tale Ending, Step, and The Whores) with some of my favourite people This week has also made me realize how much I need a break. I’ve been a little on edge and I’ve just come to terms with the fact that I’ve been going non-stop for, oh, the last 6 months? Once Fringe is over I’ll have some more time on my hands and in August I’ll even have the month off from school and I’m really looking forward to some ME time! I want to read books, journal, drink iced tea, go to the gym, swim and spend time with friends. I can’t wait!

Until then, I’ll probably either be on stage, in an audience or having a lot of fun with friends in the beer tent! Oh how I love the Fringe!

Have you been Fringing? Any shows to recommend? Still on my list: The Killing Game, Bosco & Jones, Joe White & The Seven Divorcees and Die Roten Punkte.

10 Reasons You Should Come See Breadwinner At the Toronto Fringe

Happy Canada Day!! I hope my Canadian readers and members are having a lovely day off! Not only is today a holiday, but it’s opening night for my new show!! I’ve been hard at work over the last month working on a new musical called Breadwinner by Megan Benjafield as a part of the Toronto Fringe Festival and the time has finally come for us to have an audience. I’m so excited!!

Our amazing director Megan (who also wrote the show) put together a top 10 list of reasons to see it and I loved it so much that I’m posting it here!

[Photo Credit: Eric Shepherd]

Top 10 Reasons to Come See Breadwinner at the Toronto Fringe

10. You've read one of the dozens of articles in the current media about "The End of Men", or "The Alpha Woman" and want to know what all the fuss is about.
9. You are the female breadwinner in your relationship, and you want to see yourself reflected on stage.
8. You miss your girlfriends and don't want to wait for your next annual girls' weekend to feel that bond!
7. Your wife makes more than you do and you don't understand her.
6. You know someone in the cast, band or crew! (You know you owe it to them to see their work, they've come and seen yours!)
5. You try to catch all of the Fringe Musicals every year.
4. You want to hear some funky music, some contemporary ballads, a comedic group song and a character song, from some killer singers.
3. You want to see lively discussions from dishes to boners.
2. You want to be one of the first people talking about it at the Fringe tent.
1. There will definitely be things to talk about after you leave the theatre!

Show Times:
Thursday, July 1, 10:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 3, 1:45 p.m.
Sunday, July 4, 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, July 6, 4:45 p.m.
Thursday, July 8, 5:45 p.m.
Friday, July 9, 2:15 p.m.
Saturday, July 10. 9:45 p.m.

At The Annex Theatre, 1 block south of Bloor, on Bathurst.
Tickets are $10 at the door, or available through The Toronto Fringe Festival through various methods.

Have an amazing day off and I hope to see you at the theatre!! I’ve also got some exciting posts up my sleeve for July now that I’m going to have some time to sit down and write so stay tuned!

Fringing For The Very First Time

So excited to be a part of my very first show in the Toronto Fringe Festival! For the last few years I’ve attended at least one show as a part of the Fringe, but have never had the chance to be in one of the 150 shows as a performer, until now! Between July 1 and 10, I will be performing in a new musical called “Breadwinner” at the Annex Theatre in Toronto. The show is about 4 friends who are the primary money makers in their families who come together every May to commiserate about their lives and shared experiences.

The show was written by the lovely Megan Benjafield and features Amanda Dwyer-Scarlett as Harold, Christine Aziz as Andy, Mallary Davenport as Pat and myself as Chris. My character is the sweet as pie (sort of sheltered and naive) friend who lives in Fergus, Ontario and runs her own fitness centre. It has been such a treat to be working so closely with these incredibly talented ladies and I can’t wait to see our hard work pay off in less than two weeks!

Show Times:
Thursday, July 1, 10:30 p.m.
Saturday, July 3, 1:45 p.m.
Sunday, July 4, 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, July 6, 4:45 p.m.
Thursday, July 8, 5:45 p.m.
Friday, July 9, 2:15 p.m.
Saturday, July 10. 9:45 p.m.

Tickets are already available on the Toronto Fringe site and are a total bargain at just $10!

I picked up my Fringe program today and I look forward to seeing as many shows as possible this year.