Entertainment Beat

Beach actress Michelle Monteith is appearing in the Tarragon Theatre’s production of The Little One, by Hannah Moscovitch, Feb. 14 through March 17, at Tarragon’s Extra Space, 30 Bridgman Ave.

The Globe and Mail called The Little One “splendidly creepy…a psycho-thriller… but witty.” It is the story of adopted siblings, for whom loving each other and hurting each other are the same thing; who take the saying ‘you only hurt the ones you love’ to new heights. Monteith stars with Joe Cobden as one of the siblings in this “stylish lullaby-nightmare thriller.” Monteith is reprising the role which won her rave reviews when The Little One  premiered at SummerWorks 2011.
Tarragon Theatre is holding a mini-festival of plays by Canadian playwright Hanna Moscovitch which includes The Little One, Other People’s Children and In This World.  Moscovitch has won several Dora Mavor Moore Awards, and has been hailed as one of Canada’s most produced young playwrights.
Monteith has appeared in numerous plays, including The Little Years and Generous at the Tarragon;  Ceasar and Cleopatra, Romeo and Juliet, and Love’s Labour’s’ Lost at Stratford; The Odd Couple and Waiting for the Parade with Soulpepper; Blasted at Buddies in Bad Times; and many others. Her television work includes roles in Death and the Maiden, Murdoch Mysteries, Haven and Passionate Eye.
Tickets to The Little One range from $27 to $53, with group rates available, and a pay-what-you-can matinee March 16. They can be reserved by calling the box office at 416-531-1827, or by visiting tarragontheatre.com.
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Carleigh Beverly is one of the leads in an upcoming Sterling Studio Theatre Collective production of Rebecca Gilman’s The Glory of Living, at the Sterling Studio Theatre, 163 Sterling Rd., Unit 5, Feb. 20 through March 2.
The Glory of Living tells the story of the young Lisa (played by Beverly), who runs away with an older man, Clint (played by Adam Lolacher), hoping to escape a troubled life with her prostitute mother in the rural southern United States. Her dreams of the white picket fence are very quickly – and horribly – dashed when it becomes obvious that she is there to lure and procure other young runaways for her disturbed boy friend. The story is told in flashback in conversation with Lisa and her lawyer.
Beverly has lived in the Beach her whole life and was featured in the Entertainment column in November for her performance in Echoes, also at the Sterling Theatre. She has received a Gemini nomination, and does both television and theatre work.
Tickets for The Glory of Living vary in price depending on the date. For more information visit sterlingstudiotheatre.com/tickets.
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Music for the Soul: Beach Jazz and Reflection continues March 2 with the Wes Allen Trio, 4:30 to 5:15 p.m., at St. Aidan’s Church, Queen and Silver Birch. Allen is a much-in-demand bassist who has performed with many jazz, folk and R&B artists, including Molly Johnson, Kevin Turcotte and Kevin Fox. He got his start at 18 years of age performing on a cruise ship. He is currently studying and recording at Humber College.
Joining Allen are Anthony Brancati on keyboards and Matthew Burnett on drums. Brancati, at the young age of 20, has already established himself as a multi-instrumentalist in the city. He has performed with Hilario Duran, Mark Kelso, Brian Dickinson and Ted Quinlan among others. He is also performing regularly with his sister, vocalist Paula Brancati. Burnett, 21, is not only an excellent drummer, but also a producer. He co-produced Eminem’s Not Afraid, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Chart, and earned Barnett a Grammy nomination.
Admission to Music for the Soul and the Wes Allen Trio is free, with a goodwill offering suggested. This series of concerts on the first Saturday of every month present an excellent opportunity to take a break from shopping and catch some excellent music. The concerts are sponsored by Beach United Church, and while the church is undergoing reconstruction, are being held at St. Aidan’s. You can find out more about the series at beachunitedchurch.com.
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Cantemus Singers, under the direction of Michael Erdman (featured in Beach Metro News – Everyone Has a Story To Tell, Dec. 4, 2012) present The Virgin Queen: madrigals and motets from the Elizabethan Court, March 3, 3 p.m., at St. Aidan’s Anglican Church, Queen and Silver Birch.
The fact that Queen Elizabeth I never married spawned many rumours at the time, including that she had several lovers, had secret children by them, or even that she was really a man! Cantemus Singers wade into the controversy by presenting a series of madrigals and motets that Elizabeth I may have listened to, by composers she may have ‘enjoyed’. There will be works by Taverner, Tallis, Blitheman, Byrd, Mundy, Wilbye and others. The Triumphs of Oriana was a collection of madrigals composed by several musicians to honour the queen’s long reign. Cantemus will perform two works from this collection.
Tickets to The Virgin Queen are $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and students, and $10 for children under 12. They can be purchased at the door, or by calling 416-578-6602. For more information visit cantemus.ca.
Actor/singer Joey Purpura brings his popular Diamond in the Rough: a Neil Diamond Tribute Show to The Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 11, 9 Dawes Rd., 2 p.m., on March 3. Purpura’s stunning vocal reproductions of Neil Diamond’s songs – Cracklin’ Rosie, Sweet Caroline, I’m a Believer – are so realistic that audiences have often accused him of lip-synching. Add to his singing background stories about the songs and how they came to be written, and you have an afternoon of excellent entertainment you’ll be sure to sing along with. Purpura credits karaoke for this new musical career of his.
“I was introduced to karaoke about eight years ago by a friend,” he says. “I took to it immediately, especially since I could now work on vocal impersonations.” To find out more about Joey and his Neil visit solitaryman.ca.
Tickets to Diamond in the Rough are $20 in advance (Legion Club Room or 416-699-1353) or $25 at the door.
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Relish Bar & Grill presents a great musical line-up at this popular spot at 2152 Danforth Ave., just east of Woodbine at the corner of Cedarvale Avenue. Tonight (Feb. 19) sees The Jazz Collective take the stage from 7 to 10 p.m. Monday evenings feature Bentroots from 8 to 11 p.m. Wednesday is Jazz Night with The BTBs from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Every Friday David Macmichael from The Danger Bees presents Power Pop from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday is New Music Night from 9:30 to 11:30 p.m., featuring new singer-songwriters such as Melanie Brulee (March 16), and The Trollblazers (March 23). The Jazz Collective performs again for the Sunday Brunch on March 5, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday evening is open mic night. It’s your chance to take the stage, from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m.

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