1. Chilina Kennedy in UnCovered
The Stratford vet is heading to Broadway soon to star in the Carole King musical Beautiful. So don’t miss her in the star-studded Acting Up Stage Company cabaret devoted to the works of Elton John and Billy Joel, with creative arrangements by Reza Jacobs. November 12 and 13 at Koerner Hall. 416-408-0208.
2. Suba Sankaran in Global Cabaret Festival
Sankaran, a Juno Award-nominated musician and singer, is one of the most infectiously energetic artists in the city. Count on her soulful voice and electric presence to add lots of layers to The Lost Songs Of Toronto, poet Dennis Lee’s collection of songs from Hogtown itself. October 25 and 26 at the Young Centre. 416-866-8666.
3. Bruce Dow in Intimate Experiences
Two-time Dora Award winner Dow is as good a singer as he is an actor, and he gets to prove that in a series of cabarets he’s hosting with Jeff Madden, performed with recent theatre school grads. The nights each have a different theme – composers, the holidays – but expect a helluva time. September 21, November 2, 30 and December 15 at Buddies in Bad Times. 416-975-8555.
4. Margaret Atwood in The Poem/The Song
Atwood’s new collection of stories is currently on bookshelves, but you can see her read from her poems and those of writers like Leonard Cohen and T.S. Eliot in Art of Time Ensemble’s mashup of a program that includes singer Thom Allison, music by Franz Liszt and Andrew Lloyd Webber and more. November 7 and 8 at the Harbourfront Centre Theatre. 416-973-4000.
5. David Miller in the Bonspiel! Cabaret
Yes, that David Miller. He’s one of the guests – along with rapper Abdominal and the Obliques – of the monthly night of interviews and improv with some of the best comics in the city (Jan Caruana, Alastair Forbes, Rob Baker and others). Could provide a fresh (not to mention funny) take on the municipal election. September 28 at No One Writes to the Colonel. bonspieltheatre.com.
Photo by David Hawe
