What better time of year than now to huddle cozily together with friends and watch tiny new worlds be created, live, right in front of us? Despite our track record with winter weather in recent years, these frosty months are a great time for theatre in Halifax, and this winter’s offerings don’t disappoint.
Already this January has brought us DMV Theatre’s 10th anniversary production Speaking in Tongues, as well as Daniel McIvor’s In On It from emerging company Matchstick Theatre. Though its run started mid-January, you still have a chance to catch Kim’s Convenience (the inspiration for the sitcom currently running on CBC) at Neptune Theatre which plays until February 5th.
Next up on Neptune’s Scotiabank Studio stage is the acclaimed one-woman show I, Claudia, which runs February 7-19, followed by Songs of the Rat Pack, March 9-12, and Theatre New Brunswick’s production of Alistair MacLeod’s The Boat March 27 – April 9. On the Fountain Hall stage, Karen Myatt’s Songs of the Silver Screen is on from February 9-11, followed by Artistic Fraud of Newfoundland’s The Colony of Unrequited Dreams, playing February 21 – March 12.
There’s a lot going on over on Gottingen Street at the Bus Stop Theatre this winter, too. From February 1-5 you can catch Taylor Olson’s Heavy, a one-man show about overcoming body shaming, eating disorders, and the struggles of parenting as an obese dad. You might remember Heavy from its workshop performance at last year’s Fringe Fest – if you miss those Fringey days, you’re in luck: later in February you’ll be able to catch a bevy of other favourites from 2016 at the Re-Fringed Festival, which runs the 14-18th of February.
On February 13th, you can swing by the Bus Stop for some drinking games and Shakespeare at Drunk Romeo and Juliet: A Drink Along. If you can’t get enough of 80s movies and toe-tapping numbers, Whale Song Theatre is bringing Heathers: The Musical play to the Bus Stop February 21 – 26. Later in March, the StART Festival returns to the Bus Stop with another host of projects by emerging art makers, and Child’s Play Theatre are presenting Rebecca Babcock’s The Storybook March 31 – April 2.
For those hungry for more, Zuppa Theatre Co. is bringing their Plato-inspired dining extravaganza Pop-Up Love Party to Battery Park Beer Bar and Eatery from February 16-19. On February 24th at Studio One in the Dal Arts centre, 2b theatre company is presenting a public reading of The Bridge: a new work in development by Shauntay Grant that explores faith, family, and forgiveness.
In the triforce of community theatres, Dartmouth Players is presenting their winter farce Don’t Tell Mother, running until February 4th, Bedford Players presents The Girl With the Golden Ear by local playwright Ryan Van Horne March 9-26, and Theatre Arts Guild’s production of Pride and Prejudice opens March 16.
There’s much to see in the world of student productions as well. This week, Dal Opera presents Mozart’s The Magic Flute February 2-5 at the Dunn Theatre. The Fountain School of Performing Arts lets their 3rd and 4th year classes shine in Stage Door (February 7-11, Studio One) and Coram Boy (March 28 – April 1, The Dunn Theatre). The Dal Theatre Society is keeping busy with four productions in one month: Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (March 2 – 4), James and the Giants Peach, the Musical (March 9-11), Happy Birthday, Wanda June (March 16 – 18), and a Rock/Pop Musical Adaptation of Lope De Vega’s Fuenteovejuna (March 23 – 25). The gang at the King’s Theatrical Society are no slouches either, with their Infringement Festival running until February 4 and a new winter season to be announced soon – and the St Mary’s University Drama Society are right in the mix as well, presenting The Penelopiad March 13-16.
Tickets for almost all these events are available now – don’t miss out, book yours right away!
