Entertainment

The Neighbourhood Unitarian Universalist Congregation presents a Country & Western Rockin’ FUNdraiser, Nov. 10, from 7 p.m. onwards, at the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 1/42, at 243 Coxwell Ave., just south of lower Gerrard Street East. The evening will feature the music of rockabilly king, Alistair Christl, as well as the Neighbourhood Spirit Choir.
There will also be a silent auction with more than 160 items up for bidding, including gift certificates, cottage vacations, restaurant coupons, jewelry, spa and wellness services, and sporting event tickets. All monies raised are in support of greening the neighbourhood, children and youth projects.
Tickets for this evening are $25, and are available by calling 416-686-6809, or email Allison at uuwarrior@live.ca.
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Kingston Road United Church presents the second in its three-concert stories: Trumpet Mastery, Nov. 11 at 1:30 p.m., at the church at 975 Kingston Rd. Trumpet soloist James Gardiner from the Toronto Symphony Orchestra will be accompanied by KRUC organist Eric MacKeracher in a program with a Remembrance Day theme.
Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for children, with children under 12 free. Monies raised will go towards repairing the church’s outdoor access ramp. For more information call Kingston Road U.C. At 416-699-6091, or visit kruc.ca.
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Martin Gladstone (guitar) and Frank Caruso (piano) will be performing Nov. 11, from 4 p.m., at the Naval Club, 1910 Gerrard St. E., just west of Woodbine. Their program will feature songs “from Berlin to the Beatles” including some tunes from the Second World War such as The White Cliffs of Dover. This is part of the Remembrance Day ceremony held at the Naval Club beginning at 2:30 p.m. For more information call the Naval Club at 416-924-2811, or visit navalcluboftoronto.com.
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Acoustic Harvest presents master flutist Ron Korb, Nov. 17 at 8 p.m. Korb has a reputation as one of the finest flutists in the world, covering different styles – from Celtic, to Japanese, to Latin to jazz and rock. His 12 CDs showcase his playing, and his unique ability to blend Eastern and Western music.
Korb will take his audience on a trip few can imagine. He combines his performances with engaging descriptions of the music and the culture from which it comes. For more information, or to hear clips of Ron’s music, visit ronkorb.com.
Tickets to Ron Korb are $22 for adults, and $20 for seniors and students. They are available at the door (St. Nicholas Church, 1512 Kingston Rd.) or by calling 416-264-2235. For more information visit acousticharvest.ca.
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Beach actor James R. Woods is starring in Oleanna, a play by David Mamet, Nov. 15-18, and 22-24, at the Red Sandcastle Theatre, 922 Queen St. E. at Logan.
Mamet’s Oleanna is a hard-hitting drama about two people: a student who accuses her university professor of sexual exploitation, and bargaining grades for sex, and the professor, for whom these seemingly false accusations are going to ruin his life and career. In this no-holds-barred drama the two set about trying to destroy the other. Oleanna debuted at Mamet’s Back Bay Theatre in Massachusetts in 1992, and starred William H. Macy and Rebecca Pidgeon.
Woods has appeared in Angelina Ballerina: the Musical, Beauty and the Beast, The Cherry Orchard (with the Guild Theatre), and Amadeus. Oleanna is produced by Jaybird Productions, and also stars Jacqui Skeete as Carol. It is directed by Jacqui Burke.
Oleanna runs each evening beginning at 8 p.m., with a 2 p.m. Matinee on Nov. 18. Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for students and seniors, and can be reserved by calling the box office at 416-845-9411, or through the website at jaybirdproductions.ca.
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Cantemus Singers presents Make We Merry, Nov. 18 at 3 p.m., at St. Aidan’s Anglican Church, 70 Silver Birch at Queen. Make We Merry is “a mix of madrigals for winter, carols, and motets for Advent…guaranteed to warm your souls and get you thinking about the coming holiday season.”
The program includes Buxtehude’s Das neugeborne Kindlein (The New-born Babe), and Charpentier’s In Nativitatem Domini (A Song for the Birth of Our Lord), along with works by Praetorius, Byrd, Palestrina and others.
“The choir normally sings completely a capella,” said director Michael Erdman. “But at Christmas, adding instruments makes the experience for the audience even more wonderful.” Joining Cantemus Singers will be the Community Baroque Orchestra of Toronto. Cantemus Singers was established in 2008 by Erdman to help expand Toronto’s exposure to – and appreciation of – Renaissance and early Baroque music beyond the usual four-part works.
Tickets to Make We Merry are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and students, and $10 for children 12 and under. They are available by calling 416-578-6602. For more information visit cantemus.ca.
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Chris McKhool & Friends is presenting a special free public event to celebrate the holidays and raise money for two worthy charities. Celebrate! Holidays of the Global Village will take place Nov. 24, at 1 p.m., at St. George the Martyr, 197 John St. North, in Grange Park.
Celebrate! Holidays of the Global Village is an interactive and playful musical journey into the myriad of holidays, customs and festivities enjoyed in the North American fall and winter seasons. Children will learn traditional and original songs, and learn to share our diverse neighbourhood with friends and neighbours. McKhool has travelled around the world exploring and collecting  music and songs from many cultures. He has been awarded a Parents Choice Award three times, a Canadian Folk Music Award, and has been a Juno nominee several times. He has been performing concerts for children and families across Canada for the past 10 years. Joining Chris will be Suba Sankaran, Aviva Chernick, Shannon Thunderbird, Mayem Hassan Tollar, Ernie Tollar, Jordan Klapman and others.
Celebrate! Holidays of the Global Village is free to the public, but monetary donations and non-perishable donations of food items are greatly accepted. All donations will go towards the Daily Bread Foodbank, and ArtsCan Circle, a volunteer organization that sends musicians, artists and musical to children in the north (artscancircle.ca).
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Several Beach entertainers are lending their talents to a fundraiser for Covenant House called Scars That You Can’t See, Nov. 15 at the Balmy Beach Club, foot of Beech Ave. November is Bullying Prevention Month, and organizers Don Graham and Zita Da Silva have written the event’s theme song, Scars That You Can’t See, and have invited other performers to contribute to this worthy evening. Performers include Graham and Da Silva, Frankie Hart, Bob Cohen, Michael Boland, Lisa Hartt, the Bold Step Dancers and others. The evening will be hosted by Michael Williams. There will also be a silent auction.
For more info call 416-686-9231, or email scarsthatyoucantsee@gmail.com

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