PLAYBOT: Once upon a romance
He’s a street musician who’s starting to have doubts about his chosen career path. She’s a beautiful young passer-by who becomes his muse.
What could possibly go wrong? Why, nothing, of course – aside from life and, possibly, love.
In this multiple-Tony winning musical at the Citadel Theatre Sept. 22-Oct. 14, Julien Arnold and Ruth Alexander star in a story of a most unlikely couple. Based on the 2007 movie of the same name, Once is a play about going for your dreams, about living without fear, and about the power of music to connect us all. Do we need to bring Kleenex? Bring Kleenex.
The Book of Mormon
Deja vu – is it time to taunt the Mormons a second time? Nay, we come not to mock, but simply to ask questions about these dedicated missionaries who devote their lives to proselytizing to poor people in third-world countries.
Does it do any good? That’s just one question posed by the famed satirical musical by South Park’s mock-meisters – but this piece is not what it seems. Returning to the Jubilee Auditorium Sept. 18-23 in a Broadway Across Canada production – its third run in Edmonton – The Book of Mormon actually treats its subjects with respect, puts human faces on the two hapless young elders who run into trouble in Uganda, and is surprisingly heartfelt despite all the off-colour jokes.
Cue the jaunty song and dance numbers like All American Prophet, and a musical response from the troubled Ugandans called Hasa Diga Eebowai! – which translates roughly (or so we are told) to “F— you, God!”
You can see they have their work cut out for them.
READ: Ask a Mormon about the Book of Mormon
Brian Webb Prairie Dance Circuit
Has it been 40 years? Good Lord, it has – and the legendary Brian Webb Dance Company is opening its 40th season with a new dance by Gerry Morita, called Second Hand Dances for the Crude, Crude City, based on the music of SNFU. You read that right: It’s punk rock modern dance!
Brian says himself in a press release, ‘I guarantee this work will be a huge adventure. Do you dare to take it? It’s going to be raw and vital, celebratory and downright destructive!”
Chi Pig might approve. Also featuring a politically-charged performance by Calgary’s Melanie Kloetzel, the show plays Sept. 21-22 at the Timm Centre for the Arts.
Two Good Knights: The Music of Sir Tom Jones & Sir Elton John
It’s probable that Tom Jones and Elton John have at least met one another – but while history does not record what transpired, leave it to fiction to bring these two be-Knighted stars together for the duet they never sang, in yet another lavish jukebox musical at the Mayfield Dinner Theatre. Kieran Martin Murphy (as Tom) and Keith Retson-Spalding (Elton) each do a splendid job in their roles, with Chris Bullough as the host and myriad of supporting characters. Plus, as is expected in this building, there’s a great live band to back them up. Playing until Oct. 28, this show may feel a little thrown-together, but it is easily one of the Mayfield’s most entertaining musical revues. With classics aplenty to fill a pop canon and then some, it’s hard to go wrong.
