Most of the big performing arts companies launch their new season in September, but there’s no lack of shows to see before then. Dancap brings the Lincoln Center Theater production of South Pacific to the Four Seasons on August 12, and the 45-show SummerWorks Festival kicks off August 5. Here are a few other things to mark on your calendar.
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We haven’t seen enough of the current Soulpepper Academy doing their own thing, so we’re eagerly anticipating Window On Toronto, a blend of improv and documentary theatre. Looking at T.O. from the viewpoint of a street hot-dog vendor, the company – Ins Choi, Tatjana Cornij, Raquel Duffy, Ken MacKenzie, Gregory Prest, Karen Rae, Jason Patrick Rothery and Brendan Wall, along with guest artist Ryan Field – plays more than 100 characters under Laszlo Marton’s direction. August 20 to 28 at the Young Centre (55 Mill). 416-866-8666, soulpepper.ca.
Dance-related events slow to a crawl in early summer, but things begin moving again come August. Commune with nature at Dusk Dances, which travels to Withrow Park (August 3 to 8), Chalkfarm Park (August 12 to 15) and Earlscourt Park (August 19 to 22). And if you’re in the downtown core, you can check out everything from ballet and modern/contemporary to Butoh, flamenco, Middle Eastern and hip-hop at the inaugural Dance 2 Danse Festival. Under the artistic directorship of Sion Irwin-Childs, the fest features 11 shows, 48 choreographers and over 100 performers at the Winchester Street Theatre (80 Winchester) and the Rivoli (332 Queen West). August 18 to 22. d2dfestival.ca.
Don’t look for static, stand-and-sing performances from Underground Opera, which has been shaking up the genre with its blend of fine singing and striking projections. The company moves even further outside the box with Orlando/Lunaire, a video cabaret performance that mashes George Frideric Handel’s formal 18th-century Orlando with Arnold Schoenberg’s dissonant 20th-century Pierrot Lunaire. And no fancy opera seats for the audience the production’s in a west-end warehouse. August 22 to 28 at 128 Sterling. 1-800-838-3006, opera-erratica.org.
