Crow’s Theatre Artistic Director Chris Abraham and Executive Director Sherrie Johnson revealed a 2022-2023 season that is at once ambitious and full of surprises. It incorporates classical music, contemporary dance, new and older works, musical theatre, and adaptations of CanLit content.
The 12-show season includes an eclectic array of presentations, many together with other performances companies.
Some of the highlights:
- With Soundstreams: Electric Messiah from Dec. 22 – 24, 2022 at the Guloein Theatre;
- With Côté Danse: X (Dix); Choreography by Guillaume Côté from Jun. 14 – Jun. 18, 2023 at the Guloien Theatre;
- The Canadian premiere of Lolita Chakrabarti’s Red Velvet tells the story of the first Black man to play Othello in London’s West End in 1833, directed by Crow’s Theatre RBC Rising Star Emerging Director Prize–winner Cherissa Richards from Nov. 22 – Dec. 18, 2022; Guloien Theatre;
- The Toronto premiere of the Pulitzer Prize–shortlisted Bengal Tiger at the Bagdad Zoo by Rajiv Joseph; directed by Rouvan Silogix from Oct 11 – Nov 6, 2022 at the Guloein Theatre;
- A co-production of Perceptual Archaeology with Fire and Rescue Team, a new Blind-led company with Alex Bulmer and Leah Cherniak, who write & direct respectively, from Jun. 1 – 25, 2023.
“We want to give Torontonians a great reason to make theatre-going a habit again and enjoy a night out,” comments Executive Director Sherrie Johnson in a media release. “With 12 shows in our two venues, with our fabulous restaurant Gare de l’Est offering the best pre-show prix fixe menu in town, and with our Lobby Bar (open pre- and post-show) featuring music, comedy, and cabaret, the theatre will be full of delights next season.”
“We have something for everyone, with a season for theatre lovers and the theatre curious,” says Artistic Director Chris Abraham. “The lineup includes new perspectives on classic works from Homer, Chekov, Shakespeare, Ovid, and Handel. Prolific, international dramatists Lolita Chakrabarti, Rajiv Joseph, and Lloyd Suh will have Toronto premieres side by side with world premieres by Canadian playwrights Alex Bulmer and Paolo Santalucia. The works of CanLit heroes Al Purdy and André Alexis are transformed into unmissable theatrical experiences for fans of their work, and those about to discover them. We are thrilled to be presenting our first dance show, and three signature musical experiences are peppered throughout the year, with music also taking centre stage in our lobby post-show.”
The season
The rest of the season includes a wide variety of works and approaches.
- Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov, directed by Chris Abraham from Sept. 6 – Oct. 2, 2022 at the Guloein Theatre; cast: Ali Kazmi, Eric Peterson, Shannon Taylor, Bahia Watson, and Tom Rooney as Vanya,
- With the Festival Players: THE SHAPE OF HOME, Songs in Search of Al Purdy, Crow’s Theatre presents Festival Players; written and performed by fixtures of Toronto’s musical theatre scene, including Frank Cox–O’Connell, Beau Dixon, Hailey Gillis, Marni Jackson, Raha Javanfar, Andrew Penner; directed by Frank Cox–O’Connell from Sept. 11 – 25, 2022 at the Guloein Theatre
- Fifteen Dogs; based on the novel Fifteen Dogs by André Alexis; directed by Marie Farsi from Jan. 10 – Feb. 5, 2023 at the Guloein Theatre; about dogs gifted/cursed with human consciousness.
- With The Howland Company: Progidal, written & directed by Paolo Santalucia from Feb. 21 – Mar. 12, 2023 at the Guloein Theatre; examining themes of queerness, marginalization, and forgiveness
- With Theatre Smith–Gilmour: Metamorphoses 2023 by Michele Smith and Dean Gilmour with the company; directed by Michele Smith from Mar. 21 – Apr. 9, 2023; a contemporary adaptation of Ovid’s epic poem
- With YES Theatre: Merrily We Roll Along; Music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim; book by George Furth, based on the original play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart; directed by Mitchell Cushman from Apr. 19 – May 7, 2023 at the Guloien Theatre; a reinterpretation of Stephen Sondheim’s misunderstood masterpiece
- With Studio 180 Theatre and fu–GEN Asian Canadian Theatre Company: The Chinese Lady by Lloyd Suh; directed by Marjorie Chan from May 2 – May 21, 2023 at the Studio Theatre in a Canadian premiere
The company will be touring Zorana Sadiq’s MIXTAPE and Cliff Cardinal’s retelling of As You Like It, including stops at the Great Canadian Theatre Company in Ottawa in January 2023, and a special return engagement in Toronto in March 2023.
“Audiences will be treated to a theatre space that is constantly transforming — something we take pride in at Crow’s Theatre,” says Abraham. “With each production you will be immersed in a new world: a country estate in Ukraine at the end of 1890s, the dreamily surreal streets of Iraq after the fall of Baghdad, backstage on opening night at Drury Lane in London in 1833, and the contemporary streets of Toronto from a dog’s-eye view, to name a few. This is the season to rediscover the collective experience of theatre and to take a journey with us.”
Tickets are on sale now here.
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