Visiting Toronto - one of my top 10 theater cities

PRIME – September 2013 By Shera Cohen – In the Spotlight My mission was not an easy task for a white-knuckle flyer. Yet, after my previous journeys to New York City, then London, Toronto was next on my list of top theater cities to visit. There were many weeks of arrangements: booking the cheapest, direct flight on a name-brand airline; travel within Canada that included every mode of transportation except boat; lodgings in Tripadvisor -recommended hotels; and most important, choosing the plays and other cultural destinations. I had always wanted to attend the Stratford Festival, near Toronto. In Goggling the particulars, I discovered the Shaw Festival, also near Toronto took place at the same time of year. With Toronto in the middle, as Stratford and Shaw were each 90 minutes travel on either side, the trip beckoned to me. There were no "falls" to be seen from Niagara-on-the-Lake, home of the Shaw Festival. Who needed a noisy water backdrop when enjoying one of the quaintest towns and best theatre series on the continent? Shaw's two venues, within walking distance of each other, offered plays by George Bernard Shaw as well as other writers whose works were of the same era and/or style. After a full day of traveling, we started with only one play, Shaw's classic "Major Barbara" at the Royal George Theatre – an ornate venue built in 1915. We moved on to "Our Betters" the next day and "Lady Windermere's Fan" that night. After the matinee, it was a thrill to receive a private tour by the theater's publicity director, allowing us to see the inner workings of changing sets. Shaw is a repertory company, meaning that actors perform in at least two plays and sets transform from one to another within hours. This task is so well choreographed that the "dance" does not skip a beat in presenting a perfectly crafted stage. Overnight, "Barbara" turned into "Guys & Dolls." In a rush to catch a train, we thought of skipping "Guys," but that would have been a shame, as this was the best production of the musical that I'd ever seen. Shaw Festival hosts 10 plays and ends Oct. 27. For more information, visit.www.shawfest.com. On to Toronto, primarily to visit some "buildings" – the world-famous Royal Museum of Ontario, the Batak Shoe Museum (not-just-for-shoe-lovers), the Toronto Reference Library (largest in the world), and "the castle around the corner" – Casa Loma. We also tried out those hokey-looking double-decker bus tours, and found the trips fun and funny, depending on the effervescence of the college-age guide. Fitting in at least one play was a must. The Young Arts Center's performance of a shaved-down Broadwayesque version of "The Barber of Seville" was a hoot. We took the train to Stratford Festival for five plays, two of which were by the Bard. Like Shaw, the actors in this company are in repertory, as is the crew. Performing two plays, some on the same day, is a task for only the best stage actors, and Stratford is a standout in this respect. First up at Stratford was "Fiddler on the Roof." As with "Guys & Dolls," I wondered how I could ever appreciate yet another "Fiddler." As with "Guys," this was the best version of "Fiddler" I've ever experienced. Next, we took in the matinee of "The Three Musketeers." Perhaps planned as a play for school children – there were quite a few in the audience – "Musketeers" was every bit as much for adults, myself included, who enjoyed the plot, scenery, humor, and intricately designed sword fights. Shakespeare's works, of course, were a must-see. The afternoon's depiction of the tried-and-true "Romeo and Juliet" was followed by the evening's execution of "Mary Stuart." No lavish staging was necessary for either production and the scenery was minimal, shifting the focus on the performances. Although the two women rivals in "Mary Stuart" lived some 500 years ago, the portrayals of Queen Elizabeth and Mary Queen of Scotts could not have been more real. Stratford presents 12 plays on four stages and closes Oct. 19. For more information about the Festival visit www.stratfordfestival.ca. If this reads like a whirlwind 11 days, it was. I will schedule some down time in the future, not to mention time to eat at a real restaurant. Sydney, Australia, is number four on my list of theatre cities to visit, but that's a flight that I don't think I'm ready for. Maybe I won't travel in chronological order? For more information, reviews of the Shaw and Stratford plays, and one-on-one interview with Shaw's publicity director, see the Toronto article at www.inthespotlighinc.org. Shera Cohen is president of In The Spotlight, a Springfield, Mass., nonprofit website dedicated to promoting the arts in the Pioneer Valley. See reviews and more at www.inthespotlighinc.org.