Other writing

“Why not read my column to pass the time? The minutes will fly like hours.” - Addison DeWitt, *All About Eve*

Here’s a selection of theatre-related articles I’ve written and commentaries I’ve provided since “leaving” NOW Magazine. (Full story about “leaving” is here.)

Thank you to all the over-worked editors and producers who have assigned me things or accepted my pitches.

Véronique Claveau, pictured here at a Céline Dion concert in 1992, now plays the superstar singer in the musical spoof *Titanique*. *Photo courtesy of Claveau and Mirvish Productions*

She met her hero, Céline Dion, when she was 11 years old. Now Véronique Claveau gets to play her eight times a week in "Titanique," December 2024, The Toronto Star

Review of The Wizard of Oz: The Toto-ly Awesome Family Musical, Canadian Stage, December 2024, The Toronto Star

Review of Craze, Tarragon and Modern Times Stage Co., in association with Theatre ARTaud, November 2024, The Toronto Star

Robert Petkoff shows off the *Moulin Rouge! Photo by Matthew Murphy*

Review of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, tour at Mirvish Productions, November 2024, The Toronto Star

After a decade away, Michael Healey returns to acting on stage in his hit play The Master Plan, November 2024, The Toronto Star

Interview with Denzel Washington and Danielle Deadwyler from the film adaptation of The Piano Lesson, November 2024, The Toronto Star

Interview with Noah Reid and Mazin Elsadig of A Case for the Existence of God, Coal Mine Theatre, November 2024, The Toronto Star

Lucy Peacock and Tom McCamus in a promotional photo for Stratford's 2025 production of *Macbeth*, directed by Robert Lepage. *Photo by Ted Belton*

The photo’s the thing: A look behind the scenes of five promo shots from Stratford’s 2025 season, October 2024, The Toronto Star

Review of Interior Design, Tarragon Theatre, October 2024, The Toronto Star

Maev Beaty delivers a tour-de-force performance in *My Name is Lucy Barton. Photo by Dahlia Katz*

Review of My Name is Lucy Barton, Canadian Stage, October 2024, The Toronto Star

Review of Faust, Canadian Opera Company, October 2024, The Toronto Star

The COC's *Faust*, photographed by Michael Cooper

Profile of Victor Garber, October 2024, The Toronto Star

Review of Wonderful Joe, TO Live at the Jane Mallett Theatre, October 2024, The Toronto Star

Something wicked this way comes in *Goblin:Macbeth* at the Tarragon Theatre. *Photo by Jae Yang*

Review of Goblin:Macbeth, Tarragon Theatre and Spontaneous Theatre, October 2024, The Toronto Star

Interview with Adrienne Warren and Steven Reineke for Simply the Best: A Tina Turner Tribute at the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, September 2024, TSO’s Noteworthy

Jonathon Young and Virgilia Griffith star in *Rosmersholm*. *Photo by Dahlia Katz*

Review of Rosmersholm, Crow’s Theatre, September 2024, The Toronto Star

Review of Qalb — A Journey of the Ego, 1S1 Theatre and Why Not at the Tarragon, September 2024, The Toronto Star

TIFF: Superstar tenor Andrea Bocelli discusses the new doc about him, September 2024, The Toronto Star

*Kim's Convenience* star Jean Yoon returns to the stage for the first time in seven years in Infinite Life. *Photo by Elana Emer*

Jean Yoon and Christine Horne on Annie Baker’s Infinite Life, September 2024, The Toronto Star

Interview with Yann Martel, Lolita Chakrabarti and Max Webster on adapting Martel’s Life of Pi to the stage, August 2024, The Toronto Star

Feature interview with Yvette Nolan and Vern Thiessen on adapting Margaret Laurence’s The Diviners for the stage, August 2024, The Toronto Star

Review of Get That Hope, Stratford Festival, August 2024, The Toronto Star

Ahead of her concert, Idina Menzel talks Adele Dazeem, her upcoming musical *Redwood*, the *Wicked* movie and what she learned from playing weddings and bar mitzvahs. Photo courtesy of Massey Hall

Interview with Idina Menzel for her Take Me or Leave Me Tour, August 2024, The Toronto Star

Review of The Goat or, Who is Sylvia?, Stratford Festival, August 2024, The Toronto Star

Qasim Khan (right), like Hamlet, was left with a lot of questions after the death of his father. Also pictured: Raquel Duffy and Diego Matamoros. *Photographed by Dahlia Katz*

Profile of Qasim Khan – who’s playing Hamlet in High Park – on his banner theatre year, July 2024, The Toronto Star

Interview with Harrison Roth, the 22-year-old, Toronto-born music director of the Shrek – The Musical tour, July 2024, The Toronto Star

Toronto Fringe 2024 reviews of Aala Tamasha Aala, The Kid Was a Spy, Saskatchewan – An Aspirational Polyamorous Adventure and Stiff & Sons, July 2024, Parton & Pearl

Anesti Danelis’s *Artificially Intelligent* was one of the big hits of the Toronto Fringe. *Photo by Dahlia Katz*

Toronto Fringe 2024 capsule reviews hub (with Joshua Chong and Karen Fricker), July 2024, The Toronto Star

Dora Awards wrap-up: Crow’s, Soulpepper and Canadian Opera Company win big at Toronto theatre awards, June 2024, The Toronto Star

Zurin Villanueva (centre) channels Tina Turner. *Evan Zimmerman and Matthew Murphy for MurphyMade/Mirvish*

Review of Tina: The Tina Turner Musical (national tour), Mirvish Productions, June 2024, The Toronto Star

Review of A Streetcar Named Desire, Soulpepper, June 2024, The Toronto Star

Juno-winning comic Kyle Brownrigg on navigating the BS of Canadian stand-up, June 2024, The Toronto Star

*The Last Timbit* ensemble, photographed by Dahlia Katz

The Last Timbit is about “real, honest people” not doughnuts, June 2024, The Toronto Star

For 45 minutes I held hands with seven strangers. I was touched — in more ways than one, June 2024, The Toronto Star

Haley McGee, photographed by Thea Courtney.

Review of Age is a Feeling, Soulpepper, Soho Theatre, Haley McGee Productions, in association with the Luminato Festival, June 2024, The Toronto Star

Predictions of this year’s Dora Award nominations (with Joshua Chong), May 2024, The Toronto Star

Jasmine Case (left) and Déjah Dixon-Green play young Black women confronting issues from their past in *Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner. Photo by Dahlia Katz*

Review of Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner, Obsidian Theatre in association with Crow’s, May 2024, The Toronto Star

After a challenging year, the Shaw Festival is betting on My Fair Lady to turn around its fortunes, May 2024, The Toronto Star

Diana Bentley stars in *Hedda Gabler* at Coal Mine Theatre. Photo by Elana Emer

Review of Hedda Gabler, Coal Mine Theatre, May 2024, The Toronto Star

Review of Medea, Canadian Opera Company, May 2024, The Toronto Star

Sondra Radvanovsky in *Medea*, courtesy Metropolitan Opera 2022. *Photo by Marty Sohl*

Tim Rice talks Jesus Christ Superstar at 50, collaborating with Elton John and Freddie Mercury and his rock star dreams, May 2024, The Toronto Star

Jordi Mand on her play In Seven Days, which deals with medical assistance in dying (MAID), April 2024, The Toronto Star

Review of Tyson’s Song, Pleiades Theatre, April 2024, The Toronto Star

Megan Follows and Sergio Di Zio in *Four Minutes Twelve Seconds. Photo by Dahlia Katz*

Interview with Megan Follows on her return to the stage after a decade in Four Minutes Twelve Seconds, April 2024, The Toronto Star

Review of Mad Madge, Nightwood Theatre in association with VideoCabaret, April 2024, The Toronto Star

Actor Sabryn Rock is building an impressive director’s resume, April 2024, The Toronto Star

Louise Pitre, with the late Michael Burgess, starred in the original Toronto production of *Les Misérables*. Photo courtesy of Pitre.

Canadian actors share their Les Misérables stories from nearly four decades (with Joshua Chong), March 2024, The Toronto Star

How Canada’s pioneering queer theatre artists are passing the torch to new generations, March 2024, The Toronto Star

Review of Three Sisters, Soulpepper/Obsidian Theatre Co., March 2024, The Toronto Star

Mike Nadajewski has a leg up on his fans in *La Bête*. *Photo by Dahlia Katz*

Review of La Bête, Talk is Free Theatre, March 2024, The Toronto Star

From Merry and Pippin to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, March 2024, The Toronto Star

Toronto Theatre Guide, a tour of five iconic theatres and their neighbourhoods, February 2024, for ON Culture Days

Review of Merrily We Roll Along, Shifting Ground Collective at the Annex Theatre, February 2024, The Toronto Star

Diane Flacks searches for answers in Guilt (A Love Story). Photo by Cylla von Tiedemann

Review of Guilt (A Love Story), Tarragon Theatre, February 2024, The Toronto Star

Interview with EGOT-winning composer Alan Menken for Aladdin’s return to Toronto, February 2024, The Toronto Star

Review of De Profundis: Oscar Wilde in Jail, Soulpepper, February 2024, The Globe and Mail

Inside the world of theatre super fans, February 2024, The Toronto Star

Meet the brilliant theatre star proving that Black stories belong onstage any time of the year, February 2024, The Toronto Star

Cast members of *Uncle Vanya* in the PlayME recording studio. *Photo courtesy of Expect Theatre*

Theatre podcast captures buzzy performances to give plays a second life, January 2024, The Toronto Star

Sexy, anarchic, raw: a director reimagines Shakespeare and brings you The Tempest as you’ve never seen before, January 2024, The Toronto Star

Director Allyson McMackon, photographed by Tanja-Tiziana.

Andrea Scott was a successful – but broke – Toronto playwright. So she moved to L.A. to write for TV, January 2024, The Toronto Star

The 14 theatre shows we can’t wait to see this year (with Karen Fricker and Aisling Murphy), January 2024, The Toronto Star

Andrew Barr photographed by R.J. Johnston for the *Toronto Star*

Comedian Andrew Barr: A sobering look at fighting addiction, January 2024, The Toronto Star

The breakthrough artists of Toronto’s theatre scene in 2023, December 2023, The Toronto Star

Divine Brown and Evan Buliung soar in *Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812*. *Photo by Dahlia Katz*

Review of Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Crow’s Theatre and Musical Stage Company, December 2023, The Toronto Star

The Top 10 Canadian comedy albums of 2023, December 2023, The Toronto Star

*Pride and Prejudice* (sort of)*, photographed by Mihaela Bodlovic.

Review of Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of), Mirvish Productions, December 2023, The Globe and Mail

Review of 42nd Street, UK tour by Mirvish Productions, December 2023, The Toronto Star

UK theatre legend Ruthie Henshall on 42nd Street and the state of musical theatre, December 2023, The Toronto Star

*Prodigal*, featuring Veronica Hortiguela (left) and Meghan Swaby, was one of the top shows of 2023. *Photo by Dahlia Katz*

The 10 best theatre productions of 2023 (with J. Kelly Nestruck), December 2023, The Globe and Mail

Standup Steph Tolev's triumphant homecoming, December 2023, The Toronto Star

Bad Hats Theatre's Matt Pilipiak (left), Fiona Sauder and Victor Pokinko remount their Alice in Wonderland at Soulpepper's Young Centre. *Photo by Aleksandar Antonijevic*

Alice in Wonderland gets a family-friendly revamp via Bad Hats Theatre, December 2023, The Toronto Star

15 (funny, heartwarming, lavish, musical) reasons to go to the theatre this holiday season, December 2023, The Toronto Star

Richard Thomas on why he had to star in Aaron Sorkin’s To Kill a Mockingbird, November 2023, The Toronto Star

Theatre artist turned novelist Catherine Hernandez, photographed by Noor Khan.

Why playwrights can make good novelists: They’ve got the dialogue part figured out, November 2023, The Toronto Star

The Lion King set to return next year in a new homegrown sit-down staging, November 2023, The Toronto Star

Ron Pederson, photographed by Giovanni Capriotti

Funnyman Ron Pederson returns to Second City, and the improv is chaos!, November 2023, The Toronto Star

Three Canadian theatre MVPs talk getting older, on and offstage, November 2023, The Toronto Star

Audra McDonald and the TSO, photographed by Jag Gundu

Review of Audra McDonald with the TSO at Roy Thomson Hall, November 2023, The Toronto Star

Comedy Bar turns 15, November 2023, The Toronto Star

Lucy Eveleigh moves to Luminato after leaving the Toronto Fringe, November 2023, The Globe and Mail

Sandra Caldwell (centre), with Tiffany Deriveau (left) and Miss Niki Nikita star in *The Guide to Being Fabulous*. *Photo by Dahlia Katz*

Review of The Guide to Being Fabulous, Soulpepper/Her Words Festival, October 2023, The Globe and Mail

Review of Jagged Little Pill, Mirvish Productions, National tour, October 2023, The Globe and Mail

Eldritch Theatre’s Eric Woolfe, photographed at the Red Sandcastle Theatre by Richard Lautens.

Eldritch Theatre has provided old-timey, low-fi thrills and chills for almost 25 years, October 2023, The Toronto Star

Reviews of Next Stage Festival shows (with Joshua Chong and Karen Fricker), October 2023, The Toronto Star

Review of stand-up Hannah Einbinder, Comedy Bar Danforth, October 2023, The Toronto Star

Review of The Wild Rovers, October 2023, The Globe and Mail

Need a laugh? Put these 4 comedy albums from 5 Toronto artists on your must-listen list, October 2023, The Toronto Star

David Rokeby, director of the BMO Lab for Creative Research in the Arts, Performance, Emerging Technologies and AI at the University of Toronto. *Photo by Kate Dockeray*.

The Theatre of Tomorrow, October 2023, University of Toronto Magazine

Review of Wildwoman, Soulpepper/Her Words Festival, October 2023, The Toronto Star

How Donald Trump’s win in 2016 pushed Will Arbery to get Heroes of the Fourth Turning on stage, October 2023, The Globe and Mail

Mac Fyfe (left), Cameron Laurie and Hallie Seline look for meaning in life in *Heroes of the Fourth Turning*. *Photo by Dahlia Katz*

Review of Heroes of the Fourth Turning, The Howland Company and Crow's Theatre, October 2023, The Toronto Star

Going to the theatre alone, October 2023, The Toronto Star

Amy Lee (left), Raquel Duffy, Andy Trithhardt and Gray Powell star in *Appropriate*. *Photo by Dahlia Katz*

Review of Appropriate, Coal Mine Theatre, October 2023, The Globe and Mail

Review of The Last Epistle of Tightrope Time, Tarragon Theatre, September 2023, The Toronto Star

Review of Six The Musical, Mirvish Productions, September 2023, The Globe and Mail

Theatre photographer (and director) Dahlia Katz, in a self-portrait taken at London’s Grand Theatre.

Canada’s best-known theatre photographer shares the secrets to her (behind-the-scenes) success, September 2023, The Toronto Star

Interview with In Dreams creators David West Read and Luke Sheppard, September 2023, The Toronto Star

A guide to navigating this year’s Just for Laughs Toronto Festival, September 2023, The Toronto Star

Review of Love’s Labour’s Lost at the Stratford Festival, September 2023, The Globe and Mail

Script Tease: 2 Second City alums, 8 Canadian playwrights, and 2 pages of cold-read script make for inspired improv, September 2023, The Toronto Star

*In Dreams*, featuring Roy Orbison songs, hits Toronto’s CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre this fall.

Fall Theatre Guide: Exciting world premieres and intriguing twists await this season, September 2023, The Globe and Mail

Fall Stage Preview (with Karen Fricker and Joshua Chong), September 2023, The Toronto Star

Review of Les Belles-Soeurs at the Stratford Festival, August 2023, The Globe and Mail

Sarah Garton Stanley “stoked” to dig into Calgary in new role at Arts Commons, August 2023, The Globe and Mail

Shifting Ground Collective's *Ordinary Days*, photographed by Taylor Long

Review of Ordinary Days from Shifting Ground Collective, August 2023, The Toronto Star

Review of The Shadow of a Doubt at the Shaw Festival, August 2023, The Toronto Star

Random acts of theatre: What happens when actors don’t know their roles until seconds before the show?, August 2023, The Toronto Star

DION: A Rock Opera to get world premiere as part of Coal Mine Theatre’s four-show 2023/24 season, July 2023, The Globe and Mail

*The Effect* at Coal Mine Theatre. *Photo by Dahlia Katz*

Review of The Effect at Coal Mine Theatre, July 2023, The Globe and Mail

Review of Wedding Band at the Stratford Festival, July 2023, The Toronto Star

12 days. 100 shows. 280 volunteers. Here’s what it takes to put on the Toronto Fringe Festival, July 2023, The Toronto Star

Shanice Stanislaus’s *Mail Ordered* is a Toronto Fringe highlight.

Toronto Fringe reviews of Mail Ordered, Family Road Trip, Ms. Titaverse, Do You Think You’re Better Than Me? and All of Our Parents Are Asian, July 2023, Parton & Pearl

Judy Garland, having a strong mother and finding her voice: Kiki Moritsugu on her Fringe show A Woman Is..., July 2023, The Toronto Star

Curtis Campbell (left), Daniel Krolik and Jonathan Wilson premiere *Blake & Clay's Gay Agenda* at the Toronto Fringe. *Photo by R.J. Johnston/Toronto Star*

They had a hit Fringe play about coaching straight actors to play gay. They’re back to send up the queer community, July 2023, The Toronto Star

10 Fringe shows for every type of theatregoer, July 2023, TorontoVerse

Stephanie Malek (left), Alia Ceniza Rasul and Pepper the dog unleash improvised laughs at Bad Dog Theatre Company. *Photo by R.J. Johnston/Toronto Star*

What a laugh! Improv institutions Theatresports and Bad Dog Theatre Company celebrate big anniversaries, July 2023, The Toronto Star

Ultimate guide to the Toronto Fringe Festival: 15 must-see shows (with Karen Fricker and Joshua Chong), June 2023, The Toronto Star

Why did the magical *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child* not run forever? It's complicated. *Photo by Matthew Murphy courtesy of Mirvish Productions*

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child wraps up its run in Toronto, June 2023, CBC’s Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud

Review of Richard II at the Stratford Festival, June 2023, The Globe and Mail

Hamilton musical star Donald Webber Jr., reflects on his newest role: father to Donald III, June 2023, The Toronto Star

Sébastien Heins in *No Save Points*. *Photo by Dahlia Katz*

Review of No Save Points from Outside the March, June 2023, The Globe and Mail

Review of Loss at the Luminato Festival, June 2023, The Toronto Star

Neema Bickersteth in *Scott Joplin's Treemonisha*. *Photo by Dahlia Katz*

Review of Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha at the Luminato Festival, June 2023, Intermission

Exiting stage left: Why up-and-coming theatre artists are leaving the industry, June 2023, The Toronto Star

Review of Armadillos at Factory Theatre, June 2023, The Toronto Star

The company of *Spamalot* at Stratford. *Photo by David Hou*

Review of Monty Python’s Spamalot at the Stratford Festival, June 2023, The Toronto Star

Review of Kelly v. Kelly from Canadian Stage and Musical Stage Co., June 2023, The Globe and Mail

Theatre peeves and cues: 9 things that make this critic cringe, June 2023, The Toronto Star

Gavin Crawford and his mother Donna in Lake Mead. *Photo courtesy of Crawford*

Gavin Crawford weaves humour and heartbreak of Alzheimer’s in Let’s Not Be Kidding podcast, May 2023, The Globe and Mail

Yes, Fatuma Adar is Having a Black Out night at She’s Not Special – But She Wants Everyone to Have Fun At Her Show, May 2023, The Toronto Star

Five Dramatic Ways the Toronto Theatre Scene Has Changed, May/June 2023, The Grind

Five Bars and Cafés in Toronto Theatres Worth a Visit on Their Own, May 2023, TorontoVerse

The renovated bar/café at the Theatre Centre is stunning. It's part of my article Five Bars and Cafés in Toronto Theatres Worth a Visit on Their Own. *Photo by Glenn Sumi*

Theatre Etiquette: Do You Sing-Along at Musicals?, April 2023, The Toronto Star

Phantom of the Opera Nears the Point of No Return on Broadway, April 2023, CBC’s Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud

Reimagining Stratford: The Theatre Festival City is Ready to Put on a Show, April 2023, The Toronto Star

*Room*, featuring Alexis Gordon (left), was a few weeks away from opening on Broadway. But it didn't make it. *Photo from Toronto production in 2022, by Dahlia Katz*

Why Wasn’t There Any Room for Room on Broadway?, March 2023, CBC’s Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud

Review of Fairview from Canadian Stage and Obsidian Theatre Co., March 2023, The Globe and Mail

*The Darkest Dark* shines light on astronaut Chris Hadfield's childhood fears. *Photo by Dahlia Katz*

Review of The Darkest Dark at Young People's Theatre, February 2023, The Globe and Mail

My First Month as an Independent Theatre Blogger, January 2023, Generator

Review of Fall on Your Knees from Canadian Stage and others, January 2023, Variety

*Fifteen Dogs*, featuring Peter Fernandes, was doggone good. *Photo by Dahlia Katz*

Review of Fifteen Dogs at Crow’s Theatre, January 2023, The Globe and Mail