Duotang Chesterfield's Mystery Theatre

Growing up, one of the things I looked forward to each week was the Sunday night airing of Theatre of the Mind. For those of you not familiar with it, it was a radio program that aired the best of the radio plays from the 1930s and 40s. Full of drama, suspense and sound effects, the radio plays were a great way to pass the time, especially on long car rides.

Yesterday at the Fringe Festival, I discovered Duotang Chesterfield's Mystery Theatre. A group based out of Toronto, they are keeping the tradition of radio plays alive, presenting stories from "the case files of fictional detectives across the 20th century". You can follow the exploits of C.H. Arles, The Oregon Twins, Jim Buckles, or my current favourite, Myrna Sinclair. The podcasts, released on the 11th and 25th of the month, lovingly re-create the experience of listening to those vintage shows, but they're modern and funny too.

In addition to the podcasts, the group also presents live shows, re-creating the vintage radio studio atmosphere on stage. Don't worry, it's much more than watching people read lines. With their adopted personas, you feel transported back to this golden age and it's always fun to watch the foley artists in action. Currently, you can catch the gang at the Toronto Fringe Festival. 

Duotang Chesterfield's Mystery Theatre Live! is playing at the Randolph Theatre on Bathurst. Tickets are only $10, $12 if you buy in advance. Two twenty minute episodes are presented at each performance, and there are four different programs in total.  

Wednesday July 8 at 8:45 pm

Thursday July 9 at 1:45 pm

Friday July 10 at 7:30 pm

Sunday July 12 at noon

If you don't catch them at Fringe, download their podcasts - they're free - and follow them on Twitter and Facebook to find out when their next live performance will take place.

Pictures courtesy of Duotang Chesterfield's Mystery Theatre.

Theatre on a Budget

The theatre scene in Toronto is incredibly robust. I spoke to a woman in the lobby before a show recently and she admitted that she and her husband were well on their way to seeing 300 unique shows in 2014. I have no doubt that they made it. I love live theatre but my budget and schedule work together to restrict my consumption. When I have the time, I often feel I have to conserve my resources. Over the years however I've come up with some ways to stretch my theatre budget and here I'll share them with you.

Volunteer
If you have more time than cash, the very best way to see more theatre is to volunteer. Theatre festivals such as Summerworks, Fringe, and NextStage (which is on now!) all rely heavily on volunteers. Usually they work on a shift to show basis - work a shift, earn a stamp which gets you in to another show in the festival - but often the perks go beyond that. Depending on the shift you're working, you might get to sit in on a show, and sometimes companies, recognizing the importance of volunteers, host volunteer appreciation shows where volunteers get to go for free, without using a stamp. Unsure of your skills? Don't worry about it - training is provided and everyone from volunteer coordinators to front of house staff to fellow volunteers are generally extremely supportive. If you're still uncertain, my advice is to start with Fringe - their training is superb. Just be prepared to wear a bright yellow shirt. Volunteer shirts are always bright yellow.

Many theatre companies also rely on volunteers as ushers, especially the smaller companies and venues. Check out their websites or give them a call to see if they're accepting new volunteers. Find out what sort of commitment they expect, and what perks they offer. While my experience here is limited to Canadian Stage, they are excellent. Volunteers are only used at the Berkeley Street Theatre but working 25 hours (a shift is clocked at a minimum of three hours) earns you two vouchers for shows at the Bluma. They also host a volunteer appreciation dinner and theatre performance every year and put on special enrichment nights specifically for volunteers. January is when they typically bring on new volunteers, so if this sounds good, contact them!

Sign up for newsletters & follow social media
Most theatre companies provide special discounts to followers through social media. Twitter seems better for great limited-time special deals but newsletters are great for general information like which performances are PWYC, and for receiving special offers on shows, especially the bigger ones. Signing up for the Mirvish newsletter for example will get you promo codes for significant savings to most shows, and while you might not get discounts for shows with incredible buzz, you'll likely get an opportunity to buy tickets before the general public. Sometimes you have to pay full price if you're determined to see the show. I can't miss seeing Angela Lansbury in Blithe Spirit for example so I know I'm going to have to pay for it. The other plus to receiving newsletters is that you always know what's playing.

Buy at the box office
Service charges and order fees can really add up when you're buying online or over the phone. Earlier in 2014 I went online to order 2 tickets for a show. The tickets were $19 each and the total fees on the order were $18.50. I cancelled the transaction and walked to the box office instead. I got the 2 tickets and paid no service charge. If you receive promo codes which specify "web promo code" don't be turned off going to the box office unless it's really inconvenient for you to get there. I've never been told I couldn't use a promo code because it was only good for online orders. But who knows, maybe I've just been lucky.

RUSH, PWYC & more
Get to know the different pricing options available at your favourite theatres. Many offer discounted pricing for preview performances, discounts for groups and cut-rate last minute tickets. There is often special pricing for different groups such as youth, students, seniors and arts workers so it pays to find out if you're qualified. Another reason to volunteer at a theatre is that it often qualifies you to receive arts worker discounts at other theatres. At the bottom of this post is a list of some special pricing available at the time of posting.

Buy a subscription
If you're not afraid of commitment and can afford to pay for your tickets in advance, consider buying a subscription or a multi-seat pass. You usually save at least 20% on ticket prices and there are usually other perks as well. For example, some theatre companies offer Member Discount Cards which grant you discounts at local merchants, handy for pre-show dining. The biggest perk for me though is that I usually end up seeing something I wouldn't otherwise have seen.

Be adventurous
Don't be afraid to try out smaller theatres and theatre companies and make it a point to take full advantage of Toronto's various theatre festivals. Tickets tend to be very affordable for these performances and the pool of talent in Toronto is incredibly deep so your risk of seeing something sub-par is pretty limited.

House Seats
I've written a whole post on this subscription service which offers subscribers free last minute tickets to all manner of events from theatre to music to comedy to sports. The only catch is you actually have to show up. Subscriptions are very affordable and can be bought for a two month trial period or for a whole year.


Buddies in Bad Times
Regular tickets: prices vary
Previews: generally $20 - $25
PWYC: A limited number of seats available for Sunday afternoon shows. Tickets available in person starting at noon, maximum 4 per person.
RUSH: Available from noon the day of the show. Tuesday - Thursday performances only. Limit 2 per person.
Discounts available for Under 30 and arts workers.
Group discounts for groups 10+
They also offer an earn and save program.

Canadian Stage
Regular tickets: $29 - $89 for Bluma, $29 - $49 for Berkeley
PWYC Tuesday. $20 recommended. Tickets available in person at the box office the day of the performance.
RUSH: 50% of the top ticket price. Available 1 hour prior to show time.
Under 30 tickets: $15 when you join C-Stage.
Arts worker tickets: $22

Factory Theatre
Regular tickets: $35 - $45
Preview tickets: $23
PWYC Sunday 2 pm matinees. $15 recommended. Tickets available in person at the box office from noon the day of the performance. Cash only.
RUSH: $15. 1 per person, cash only. Available 10 minutes prior to show time, line opens at 7 pm.
Student, senior & arts worker discounts available.
Group discounts for 10+

Soulpepper
Regular tickets: $58 - $89
PWYC Tuesday. $20 recommended. Tickets available in person at the box office the day of the performance.
RUSH: $24 ($5 for 21 and under). Available 30 minutes prior to show time, line opens 1 hour prior. Cash only. 2 ticket limit.
30 & under: special pricing available upon sign-up
Student: $38
Arts worker tickets: special pricing available. In person at box office, except Mondays can be booked in advance online.
Group discount: 10% off for groups of 12 or more

Tarragon Theatre
Regular tickets: $50 - $60
Preview tickets: $23 - $29
RUSH: $15. Available 2 hours prior to show time, in person at box office.
Under 35: sampler passes available
Arts worker tickets: $27 - $31
Seniors: $42 - $49
Students: $27 - $31

Theatre Passe Muraille
Regular tickets: $38 Mainspace, $33 Backspace
Preview tickets: $22.50
PWYC Saturday and Sunday matinees. $15 recommended. Tickets available in person at the box office 2 hours prior to show time.
Under 30 tickets: $17
Arts worker tickets: $33 Mainspace, $28 Backspace
Seniors: $33 Mainspace, $28 Backspace

TD Gallery

The Toronto Reference Library, centrally located just north of Bloor and Yonge, is much more than a place to research your latest passion. It’s also a community hub offering talks, classes, lectures and exhibits. While display cases filled with fascinating treasures can be found throughout the library, the main exhibition space is on the main floor, just to the right of the entrance. The TD Gallery is a wonderful space which is used to highlight rare and interesting items from the library’s varied collection.

 

The TD Gallery is free to visit and hosts roughly four exhibits per year. The current exhibit is entitled The Gilded Age of Fashion: 1890-1914 and it uses text and original and reproduced illustrations and ephemera to explore this exciting time in fashion. It also looks at how the theatre has interpreted this period in fashion through wardrobe sketches and actual theatrical costumes on loan from the Shaw Festival. If you can’t get out to the show, or just want to get a sense of what you’ll see when you do visit, the library has prepared a virtual exhibit that you can enjoy from home.

 

The library has also planned some special events in relation to this exhibit so you may want to time your visit to take advantage:

Designing for the Shaw  November 26, 2:00 p.m.
Cameron Porteous, former Head of Design at the Shaw Festival Theatre, will provide a behind-the-scenes look at designing costumes for the Canadian stage. The presentation will be followed by a curated tour of the gallery.

Vintage Fashion: Reliving the Gilded Age  November 27 , 7:00 p.m.
Live models will wear period costumes, including summer party dresses from the Downton Abbey era.

 

General Gallery Details:

Location: Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge Street - Main Level
Hours: Monday to Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Exhibit closes January 5, 2014.

Summerworks 2012

Your chance to see new and cutting-edge Canadian plays at a great price is here once again. The Summerworks Performance Festival is on now and will run until August 19. This year, there are over 40 theatre productions to choose from, all pre-selected by jury to ensure you're going to see something great. You can buy advance tickets online through Ticketwise and guarantee yourself a seat for just an extra dollar plus tax. Otherwise, tickets can be bought starting 1 hour before the show for only $15 (half the house is always reserved for at-the-door sales).The best deal is to buy a multi-play pass, although there are some limitations. A 3 show pass is $40, 7 show is $85 and a 10 show pass is $120, a savings of $30 over single ticket prices. Passes can only be used for at-the-door tickets, 1 per show and are non-transferable, so you can't share a pass with a friend or use it for multiple tickets per show.

There's a lot more to Summerworks than theatre however, and this is reflected in their new name: Summerworks Performance Festival. There are live art installations, a music series and the Performance Bar, which I'm really looking forward to checking out. The Performance Bar hosts 16 eclectic acts over 6 nights, featuring music, comedy, live art and more. Each night is hosted by Captain Ron's Ship of Friendship, which was created by Atomic Vaudeville and stars Ron Pederson. All nights are pay-what-you-can and take place at the Lower Ossington Theatre's Cabaret Space. Should be a blast!

If you've got some time, check out the schedule and try something new. Just be aware of a few basics: the box offices accept cash only, and there are absolutely no latecomers. When you do see something, leave a comment below and tell us what you thought!

Toronto Fringe Festival

It's that time of year again! Time to take risks with your entertainment and hopefully come up lucky. Yes, it's the Toronto Fringe Festival.

The Fringe is Toronto's largest theatre festival. Always in early July, this year it runs from July 6 to 17 and features over 140 different productions. At $10 a ticket, it's a cheap way to entertain yourself, and you can feel good that your money is supporting the artists - 100% of box office ticket sales goes to the performers. But it still costs money to put on a Festival as large as the Fringe, so be warned - before each and every performance, the stage manager or some other Fringe staffer will waive a watering can or some other pail-like object at you and implore you to donate whatever change is rattling around in your pockets. Should you wish to support the Festival, consider donating a minimum of $5 - that will get you a lovely blue Fringe button that you can then wear proudly all over town. It's also recognized by pail-wielders who will, upon seeing it, move quickly on to the person behind you. If you donate $10 or more, they will provide you with a form to fill out which will result in a tax receipt.

As for the performances, the thing to know about the Fringe is that it's all about creativity. As their website says, this is the festival for anyone with a story to tell. It doesn't have to be a straight up play, and it seems like few this year are. There are musicals, one-person shows, dance pieces, stand-up and fully  improvised performances. To ensure equal opportunity, plays for the Fringe are selected by lottery so sometimes you see things which should have been left in the oven a little longer. But there are also lots of gems, and when pieces go on to be picked up by the bigger theatre companies, it's fun to remember that you saw it at the Fringe.

If you're not convinced that the Fringe is for you, I say try it. Most productions are shorter than standard theatre offerings, with most having a running time of less than an hour, so even if your pick doesn't agree with you, you're not trapped for long. Plus, audiences are generally very supportive, which can sometimes be enough to salvage a performance. And finally, your Fringe ticket will get you special discounts at select merchants.

And the best deal of all this year is the Fringe Club, hosted around Honest Ed's at Bloor and Bathurst. It's the heart of the Fringe and features live music, art installations, talks and late night cabaret - and everything's free. What more could you want?

A few final notes:

• passes (for 5, 9 or 12 at-the-door tickets) are available at discounted rates
• while advance tickets are available (you pay an extra $1), they always reserve 50% of tickets for at-the-door sales
• at-the-door tickets go on sale at the show venue 1 hour prior to show time, cash sales only