WHAT’S GOING ON: Weird Al is Coming to Edmonton!
“Weird Al” Yankovic is returning to Edmonton on America’s birthday – and he’s bringing his accordion. Of course he is.
He plays the Winspear Centre on July 4 as part of “The Unfortunate Return of the Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour.”
Tickets start at $60 – and the event is expected to sell out. Emo Philips opens.
Weird Al’s cult hero status has never been so powerful. He doesn’t appear to have any new material, but does he need it? The legacy of the Prince of Pop Parody spans almost 40 years, teeing off on any everyone from Michael Jackson to Nirvana. Al recently scored a wicked burn on Kid Rock’s new song Don’t Tell Me How To Live – which is so batshit hard right it makes Toby Keith look like Woody Guthrie. It would shock Ted Nugent. Weird Al tweeted, “To everybody that’s congratulating me right now on my new Kid Rock parody video, let me clarify – that’s not me. That’s actually Kid Rock.”
John Cleese is back, too, at the Winspear May 9 – with tickets starting at $70.
Cleese is of course a legend of comedy, member of the famed Monty Python’s Flying Circus troupe. Last time he came through (or was it the time before), the tour was called “Last Chance to See Me Before I Die.” Looks like he’s found his second (or third or fourth) wind!
Iron Maiden singer Bruce Dickinson is a legend of heavy metal – and aviation! As fans know, the singer is also licensed to fly a jumbo jet – and has with his own band, around the world, several times. Lots of stories here, and that’s why Bruce has mounted his spoken word tour, coming to the Winspear Centre stage on March 18. Now a question: Iron Maiden’s audience seems to be about 95% male. Other, similar bands (Sabbath, Priest, etc.) are generally much more gender-mixed, maybe 60-40 men to women. What’s going on here?!
Finally, you wanted a big Broadway-style summer musical blockbuster? You’re getting big Broadway-style summer musical blockbuster! Tickets for Hamilton – yes, the same – June 20-July 10 at the Jubilee Auditorium will go on sale Dec. 15.
Turning to the local scene, wads of new shows have been announced in various places, most with much more reasonable ticket prices.
Highlights of the Arden Theatre’s new season include Brent Butt on Jan. 21, Ben Sures on Jan. 22, Celeigh Cardinal (above) on Jan. 29, and Mary Walsh on Feb. 17. See here for complete list and links to tickets.
The New Moon Folk Club, meanwhile, which runs all its shows at the St. Basil’s Cultural Centre, is resuming after a 22 month pandemic hiatus – with The Paperboys (Jan. 28), Braden Gates, Linda McRae and Doug Cox (Feb. 11), Dionne Taylor and the Backsliderz (Feb. 25), The Slocan Ramblers (March 11), Jon Brooks (March 25) and Leela Gilday (April 1). It’s $140 for all seven shows, or $24 advance tickets – $28 at the door if any remain. Expect these to sell out, too.
Xmas Theatre!
Nothing says Xmas like a Brad Fraser’s 2011 play 5@50 – a “raw and darkly comedic portrayal of turning fifty in contemporary society, and of the friendships we can’t live without,” says the blurb for the Walterdale Theatre’s show playing until Dec. 18. Fun fact: Brad Fraser, once called the “Bad Boy of Edmonton Theatre” before he got the hell out of Dodge and made a name for himself in Toronto, has just published his new memoir, All the Rage – available now at finer bookstores everywhere.
Shumka’s Nutcracker is exactly what it says – the venerable Christmas fantasy about dancing candy and royal rodents rendered in lively Ukrainian dance (above). It plays Dec. 17-18 at the Jube. Tickets from $25.
Based on the 2003 movie that has become a Christmas staple, Elf: The Musical plays at Festival Place Dec. 11-23, featuring a cast of 30 and a 15-piece chamber orchestra.
The Citadel Theatre has launched its holiday tradition, A Christmas Carol, this year starring Ted Dykstra as Scrooge. It plays until Dec. 23. You will be visited by three – no, four ghosts, including Marley.
Maybe they can turn Jason Kenney’s Hot Boy Summer into a wacky Christmas musical. Maybe they’ll do a nod as this smash hit extends its run at the Grindstone Theatre and elsewhere until Dec. 16 and BEYOND.
One of the seminal figures of rock ‘n’ roll is celebrated at the Mayfield Dinner Theatre with Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story until January 2022.
