by Sarah B. Hood

Returning favourites
and welcome visitors

The 2003-2004 season promises lots of good music theatre, mostly remounts of local hits or shows that have already proved themselves elsewhere. With a few exceptions, if there are new works in production, they haven't been announced yet.

Mirvish Productions is certainly the big story for September, and their slogan could well be "back to thrill you again". Having previously announced that The Lion King would close on September 28, they have now extended the run through November 2. On September 30 the ABBA hit Mamma Mia! comes back from summer holidays until at least December 21.

From September 23 to October 19 Mirvish gives us a little bit more of "the old razzle dazzle" with a touring production of Chicago at the Canon Theatre. It's essentially the same production that played here in 1998 and 1999, with choreography by Bob Fosse collaborator Ann Reinking in his style. It stars Bianca Marroquin and Brenda Braxton as Roxie and Velma, with Gregory Harrison as lawyer Billy Flynn.

Yet another September opening for the Mirvishes is the welcome return of Ted Dykstra and Richard Greenblatt's homegrown 2 Pianos, 4 Hands, coming to the Elgin Theatre from September 21 to October 5. It's a remarkable phenomenon that started as a 20-minute "bit" at the Tarragon Spring Arts Fair; by now it's played Washington's Kennedy Centre, the London West End, the Birmingham Repertory Theatre and in theatres as far away as Australia.

This version unites Dykstra and Greenblatt for the first time in about four years. "My life has certainly changed, but my feelings about what the piece means haven't changed, because the metaphor is playing classical piano, and I still find that hard to do," says Dykstra.

Success has certainly not gone to this performer's head. Dykstra's an electrifying performer whose musical talents have shone in productions like Fire (as rocker Jerry Lee Lewis), Tommy (as the twisty Cousin Kevin) and Hedwig and the Angry Inch (in the title role). Nonetheless, he says, he doesn't think of himself as a music theatre performer.

"I think there is such a thing as a musical theatre performer, who can dance, and who has a legitimate tenor voice. I don't have any of those things," he modestly asserts. "I'm an actor first, who can sing, and who can't dance to save his life."

Those who've seen Dykstra in action may disagree.

Later on in the season, mid-November sees an amazing set of openings. First up is a remount of one of Toronto's most enduring original shows for kids, Jacob Two-Two Meets the Hooded Fang, running November 8 to January 4 at Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People. Next is the CanStage production of Cookin' at the Cookery - The Music and Times of Alberta Hunter by Marion J. Caffey, running from November 10 to December 6. It's about blues singer Alberta Hunter, billed in her day as the "Sweetheart of Dreamland". She was a colleague of the likes of Paul Robeson, King Creole, Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong, and among her distinctions is that she was the first African-American singer to be backed up by a white band.

Tarragon Theatre steps up to bat from November 11 to December 14 with Hello. Hello, the Karen ("Pochsy") Hines show that was nominated in the Independent Theatre division of the Dora Awards for Outstanding New Play or Musical last June. Subtitled "A Romantic Satire", it has a musical score by Greg Morrison.

From November 13 to December 15 Ted Dykstra takes the director's chair for one of this season's few premieres, the Mexican-tinged Tequila Vampire Matinee, produced by Rat-A-Tat-Tat in association with Theatre Passe Muraille. Loosely based on Pagliacci, it features the music of Kevin Quain of the group Mad Bastards. Then there's the show we've all been waiting for, the Toronto opening of the Broadway hit The Producers, coming to the Canon Theatre for what will likely be a good long run beginning on November 18.

Moving right along,  in December, Damien Atkins reprises his Real Live Girl from December 9 to 21 at Buddies in Bad Times, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this season. Ross Petty's annual panto production returns from December 2 to 31 with Cinderella, one of the more enjoyable takes on the time-honoured tradition (last time around, Petty had real live ponies to draw the magic coach!)

In the new year, CanStage offers another exciting new local premiere, Pelagie, An Acadian Odyssey, from April 5 to May 1, with book and lyrics by Vincent de Tourdonnet (Snappy Tales) and music by Allen Cole (Hush, The Crimson Veil, The Juniper Tree and others). CanStage's next show in the season, The Last Five Years, is also a musical. This bittersweet love tale runs from April 19 to May 29.

Rounding out the season Guy Mignault of the Theatre français de Toronto promises another of his fine musical pastiche shows, this one titled Autour du Kurt Weill, from April 28 to May 15. Mirvish Productions brings us New York's multiple Tony-winning Hairspray, opening May 1, and Buddies in Bad Times gives us a further installment in the career of the world's spunkiest secretary with Susie Goo For Prime Minister, running from June 1 to 13.

Sarah B. Hood's new book Toronto: The Unknown City, is now available. Sarah and her co-author Howard Akler will be signing copies at the Arsenal Pulp Press booth at Word On the Street on Sunday, September 28.