Prologue's FREE family show at Young People's Theatre on May 27, 2014 at 7 p.m.

As the author of Toronto Fun Places (always interested in anything related to activities for children), I've been involved with Prologue to the Performing Arts for the last 9 years. 

That's why I strongly recommend you see their FREE showcase on Tuesday May 27 at 7 p.m. at Young People's Theatre. 

I'll be offering a FREE copy of my guide on family outings Toronto Fun Places, 5th ed. (sold $25 at Indigo) to everyone attending the event (limit of one guide per family).

Click here to confirm your presence to ensure your family gets FREE seats for Prologue showcase at Young People's Theatre on May 28 at 7 p.m. 

This showcase will feature: Stand Up Dance (Dance), Boris Sichon, CréaSon and Sheesham & Lotus (Music), Rag & Bone Puppet Theatre (Puppetry), Red Sky Performance (Theatre). 

While you're there!
I've scouted the surroundings of Young People's Theatre for you. Read this post for a few tips to make the most of your visit in the area before the evening show.

About Prologue to the Performing Arts
Prologue is a fantastic not-for-profit organization facilitating the presentation of over 2,200 children shows every year in schools and public venues throughout the province of Ontario.

Once a year they organize a showcase at the Young People's Theatre (YPT) to promote the amazing roster of artists and company they represents. First, Prologue invites teachers with their kids, then they open the showcase to the general public to fill the rest of the seats. The dynamic evening allows us to sample six different artists/companies. Nobody gets bored at a Prologue showcase!

More about Prologue's other FREE showcase 

on May 13 at Meadowvale Theatre in Mississauga.

How to get the most out of Shrek the Musical in Victoria Hall, Cobourg

Starting April 24th, a new production of Shrek the Musical will be presented in the Concert Hall in Victoria Hall in Cobourg. Read a few tips in our latest post on torontofunplace.com on how to get the most out of the surroundings, as well as a comment from lead actor Steve Russell, playing the role of Shrek.

Nuit Blanche 2013 didn't sock at all!

What a great Toronto night!
I did not attend Nuit Blanche with kids but with two girlfriends. We went from 10 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. and had a ball. The weather was amazing. 

We loved the Clothesline Canopy strung with 5,000 pairs of socks! 





What I learned about the Après Nuit:
The 5,000 pairs of gorgeous socks we saw today will be donated to shelters! It's so cool!

I also learned that six projects will remain after Nuit Blanche.
The big Project #1 with 3,100 bikes by Ai Weiwei (a special exhibition of this artist's work is still at the AGO until October 27) will remain in Nathan Phillips Square until October 27.

Five more projects will be there until October 14: the neon writing of Project #3 also in Nathan Phillips Square; the wonderful Project # 37 made of a mountain of chairs in front of Metropolitan Church; Project #50, The Tanks in David Pecaut Square (which I really wanted to see but didn't have the chance); Project #7, Plastic Bags in Bell Trinity Square and Project #26 on Adelaide outside of Scotia Plaza (a video installation featuring singer John Kelly singing a mesmerizing Baroque song). 

Nuit Blanche 2013, Project #37

Cathedral made out of garbage bins

Dancer making gold confetti

Bike wheels turned into clocks

CNE Tips for moms with artsy kids

Muskoka chairs throughout the CNE, done by young artists in Toronto schools

Visiting the CNE with an artsy kid?

You will want to see:

• Celebrity Sand Sculpture in the Better Living Centre.
• International Sand Sculpting Competition in the Direct Energy Centre. It involves six international competitors. See them in action until August 21. Admire their artwork until September 2.
• Butter Sculpting in Better Living Centre (where OCAD students sculpt pounds of butter).
• Mixed media craft activities at the Arts, Crafts & Hobbies Centre (to create small cards, theatre mask and origami). Don't miss the Toronto in origami, a display by Yuri and Katrin Shumakov. 

• Fibre arts craft on Kids Street near Kids World Park.

• Circus workshops in Kids World Park (seven daily sessions).
• Tic Toc at the Ricoh Coliseum, a Cirque du Soleil-like show (daily at 2 and 5 p.m.). 
• Recycled Orchestra from Paraguay on the International Stage closer to Princes' Gate. They use instruments made out of stuff fund at the landfill! (August 16-20 & 22-25, check the schedule upon arrival).

Click here for CNE's official website.

Other posts on CNE:
CNE on torontofunplaces.com
CNE Tips for moms with animal lovers
CNE Tips for moms with big kids
CNE Tips for moms with girlie girls
CNE Tips for moms: About admission
CNE Tips for moms: About rides
CNE Tips for mom: About food

What is it I'm seeing on the totem at McMichael?

Look closer!
Read about the outdoor Sculpture Garden walk I took a couple of weeks ago at McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg. Even if you don't plan to visit the exhibitions, you can have access to this garden and have a look at the totem in the lobby of the main building. 

If you want to visit the collections with your kids, check this page about their Family Sundays (offered on select Sundays). The next one is on September 8th.

A good tip when visiting a museum or an art gallery with kids is to turn it unto a treasure hunt, asking them to find animals, or kids in the artwork. 

Chances are, if they're under 8, their favourite part will be the ramps between the floors and the Discovery room.

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Perfect timing for Franklin Children's Garden

Another gem on Toronto Islands

The young kids I've visited Toronto Islands with were always so content with Centreville Amusement Park that I never could drag them beyond. A few weeks ago, I finally had the chance to visit Franklin Children's Garden and I loved it!

As it turns out, Friday and Saturday August 16 & 17, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., will be a very good time to visit the place thanks to the first Teddy Bear Picnic to be held at Centreville Amusement Park. Following free activities at the amusement park (you still need to pay if you want to do the rides), Franklin and Beasley Bear will lead a parade over to the Children's Garden for storytelling and giveaways.

To Franklin Children's Garden
To get to the Garden, you have to walk past Centreville Amusement Park (near Centre Island ferry) and cross the bridge to go towards the fountains. To your right, you will eventually notice the cute splash pad (beyond the reflecting pool with fountains). 

I suggest you walk by it and reach the lovely entrance to the Children's Garden further west (promising the kids you'll return to enjoy the water fun once you've explored the Garden).

The site is peppered with bronze statues of characters from Franklin the Turtle (Kids Can Press beloved books for 6 to 7-year-old readers). They're part of the decor, enjoying the place as we do. Expect Franklin, Bear, Rabbit, a goose, a snail and a beaver.

 

 

I was impressed by the attention to landscaping and detail. The microcosm of Franklin Children's Garden encompasses a pine grove, a storytelling stage, a wetland with turtles, frogs and birds, a treehouse, a vine tunnel, the elevated Unilever Snail Trail and a cute hands-on gardening section (offering craft activities and watering opportunities daily from 1 to 5 p.m.). 

Kids 8 years and under were having a ball when I visited. The treehouse was very popular, and so was the elevated trail, from which we can see the beach. 

Water fun
Centre Beach, the beach just south of the Garden, is protected from the waves by a wall and perfect for young kids. Gibraltar Beach, less than 5 minutes west, on the right, is more secluded and, on a windy day, offers fun waves bigger kids will appreciate.

The pretty splash pad is located right by the playground structure just east of the Garden.

Facing Centre Beach

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What a treat! FREE admission to DuffleBag Theatre family shows!

The Three Musketeers in Mississauga

The Living Arts Centre in Mississauga has created a FREE drop-in program called "Summer Art Attack" offered in different public locations until the end of the summer. 

The "Summer Art Attack" one-day events cater to kids 5-12 years old accompanied by one adult. The activities go on from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and include a Living Rhythm segment (11:15 a.m. to 12 noon); "I rock with THE ONE", an interactive Hip-Hop performance (12:15 p.m. to 1 p.m.) and The Three Musketeers, the funny interactive storytelling theatre by very popular DuffleBag Theatre.

I was told you can drop-in for one or the other (or all) of these activities. You can also expect some crafts.

Belly laughs guaranteed!
As the author of Toronto Fun Places, I'm part of the board of Prologue to the Performing Art, the organization facilitating the performance of over 2,200 shows from 40 artists and companies in the schools across Ontario. 

DuffleBag Theatre is one of them and Prologue's best seller! Their genuine love for kids is palpable and kids really dig their wacky and contagious sense of humour. Over the years, I've witnessed DuffleBag's knack for interacting with a young audience. (Adults will have fun too!) 

On their website's home page, you can read: 
- Knock. Knock. 
- Who's there? 
- Boo. 
- Boo hoo? Aww, don't cry. DuffleBag's school season may be over, but there are summer shows to catch!

The Three Musketeers is just one of many fairytales they've revisited.

Schedule of DuffleBag Theatre's free summer shows 
presented by the Living Arts Centre:

July 18 & 19         Cooksville United Church
(2500 Mimosa Row, Mississauga, 905-277-2338, near Hurontario Street/QueensWay east)

July 22 & 23         Royal Canadian Legion Branch 139
(101 Church Street, Mississauga, 905-826-8672, in Streetsville)

July 24 & 25         Churchill Meadows Library
(3801 Thomas Street, Mississauga, 905-615-4750, near Brittania Rd West and Winston Churchill Blvd)

July 30 & 31         Camille's Place
(4983 Rathkeale, Mississauga, 905-819-8880, near Eglinton Ave West and Mavis Road)

August 7 & 8        Port Credit Memorial Arena
(40 Stavebank Road, Mississauga, 905-615-4830, near Lakeshore Rd East and Hurontatio Street)

August 12 & 13    Park Royal Bible Church
(2400 Trustcott Drive, Mississauga, 905-822-3691, near QEW and Southdown Road)

August 14 & 15    Malton Community Centre
(3540 Morning Star Drive, Mississauga, 905-615-4640, near Hwy 427 and Hwy 407)

August 20 & 21    Britannia Glen Co-op
(5995 Glen Erin Drive, Mississauga, 905-567-5525, near Erin Mills Parkway)

What's in it for families at the Fringe Festival?

In the back alley south of Bloor near Brunswick.

Lots of Fringe benefits 
(Updated July 6, 2014)

The Toronto Fringe Festival 2014 seems to be spread all over the map with 150 performances in oer 25 venues (in 2013, it was 148 shows in 35 venues), which can be confusing for families who are new to this theatre festival. 

Don't worry! All the kids shows (presented in the fringekids! section on their website) are performed in one place: the Palmerston Library located at 560 Palmerston, two blocks west of Bathurst, just north of Bloor West. (PARKING: Municipal parking lot right across from the library.)

Inside Honest Ed's

In 2014, from July 3 to July 13, eight different family shows are offered almost daily, starting at different times between 11 a.m. and 7:45 p.m. In their listing, the Fringe specifies the age recommendation, the length, and the genre. (ADMISSION: $5/kids, $10/adults) Buy online at fringetoronto.com to save time and ensure you have seats! (Find the listing under Palmerston, select, and scroll down again to click on the specific show you want.)

While you're there
New in 2014, is the FringeKids! Club with a line-up of free outdoor activities and $15 per kid workshops. Note that the Club, located at Huron Street Public School (541 Huron Street) is a 20-minute walk from Palmerston Library.

You might want to check my free excerpt with map from Toronto Urban Strolls 2 (BLOOR WEST Cool Stroll) which covers Bloor West around Palmerston Library, which is located between #15 and #16 on my map, in the middle of Koreatown.

At Hodo Kwaja (656 Bloor W.)

My stroll includes plenty of cool murals, Honest Ed's wacky store (two blocks east of Palmerston), walnut-shaped cakes (at Hodo Kwaja, two blocks west of Palmerston), great coffee... (cause moms are people too).

One block west of Hodo Kwaja, the tinest coffee shop in Toronto, Sam James Coffee bar  (688A Bloor W.)

What to do with your family around the Younf People's Theatre

Tips for a great family cultural outing!

Here are a few tips to make the most of your outing before or after a show at Young People's Theatre.

Best parking option

The YPT is located at 165 Front Street East, west of Sherbourne. Most parking lots around the theatre offer a $5 flat rate from 6 p.m. and on the weekends.  

The indoor Frederick Street Garage, just north of the Starbucks facing the theatre (in the same building as the café) offers a $5 flat rate after 4 p.m. 

Want them to burn off some energy?

You know your kids. If you feel they'd better enjoy the show after a stretch in the park, take them to David Crombie Park (a 5-minute walk). It is a long and narrow park including an inviting large climbing structure, a great mural, a fountain and plenty of space to run (see more photos at the end of the blog). 

To get there from Frederick Street Garage, walk east on Front Street, along the theatre, then turn south on Sherbourne and left on The Esplanade. At the corner of Lower Sherbourne and The Esplanade, you'll find a line-up of places where you could grab some food to eat in the park: Coffee Times, Pizza Novo, a sushi place and a convenience store.

Want to take them to an exotic place?

Or, you could take your family to a truly whimsical mexican-food restaurant called Pacific Junction Hotel (no, it's not a hotel). Simply walk north from Frederick Street Garage and turn right on King Street. The restaurant is at 236 King East, just east of Sherbourne.  

That's where you might have a chance to sit in a half-bath tub, play pool or ping-pong and try alligator meat tacos (tastes like chicken) or more traditional tacos and nachos. I've shared a large bowl of Mojito with my girlfriends there once, but that's another kind of outing isn't it?

The game room at Pacific Junction Hotel

Facing David Crombie Park

Western part of David Crombie Park

Middle of David Crombie Park (note that there's a different mural now!)

Eastern part of David Crombie Park

Last minute Christmas activity suggestion!

If you want a local Leslieville experience, reserve your ticket now for the pantomine presented at the Red Sandcastle Theatre: A deal at $50 for a family of 4!

I saw their pantomime last year and it was totally wacky, colourful and fun. A friend saw it this year and said it's equally fun with lots of dance, mime, and interaction with the crowd. Probably better for kids 8 years and older and fun for adults as well.

The cool theatre is very tiny (which adds to the funky experience). It faces Mercury (a great coffee shop) and is next to Ed's Real Scoop (best gelato & ice cream, and hot chocolates). You can bring your drinks inside the theatre. 

More posts on Christmas fun.

A new mural in Leslieville!

Last October, a gorgeous mural "appeared" on a large wall along Dundas Street East (just east of Logan) in Leslieville. I live on Booth, just around the corner, and it feels like a lovely gift to us. Even more so now that I know what's behind that public artwork.

I'm now a Facebook friend of The Giant Storybook Project, the page of a German artist duo called Herakut on which I learned that these two artists started last September to paint the story of two giant characters on murals all over the world. (You can see all the photos on their page.) Toronto's mural is their fifth.

(Update as of June 2, 2013)

As a bonus, there used to be Red Rocket Coffee, a cool café which opened in summer 2012 at the corner of Dundas East and Logan. It made it a fun mural/coffee combo stop before heading to enjoy all the shops along Queen East. 

It unfortunately closed a few months ago. I'm leaving the photos I uploaded in my initial post to inspire potential café owners!

Back to the Storybook Project:

Their first mural was done in New York.
Second mural in Lexington, Kentucky.
Third in Eresing, Germany.
Forth in Montreal.
Since, they've done one in Rochester (state of New York),  in San Francisco (California) and Miami (Florida).  

They'll move on to other countries to continue their project through 2013.

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