iSPY: Workin' the corner

AND NO ONE TALKS

TO THE BOY IN THE BOX

WHEN THE WOLF CRIED FOX

TO THE BOY IN THE BOX

Yes Corey Hart, that boy in the box is Healy, looking all dapper and dreamy on every corner of this city. So dreamy, I bet some T.O. twink has pinned this full-page spread to their vision board - YYZBuddies salutes you and your vision board!


For the paperless peeps, check out the full Xtra article and photos by David Hawe here.


And just for fun... here is vintage Corey Hart

BUZZ: Breakfast... yes please!

The reviews are starting to pour in for Breakfast and YYZBuddies is ecstatic about the response.

Christopher Hoile, Eye Magazine, wrote:

“With Breakfast, Independent Aunties have reached a new level of sophistication that only enhances their characteristically absurdist, satirical humour, not to mention a further exploration of what theatre can do. I can’t wait to see what they do next.”

Read the full Eye Review here.

Fingers crossed for Thursday when, all the rest should come out.

SEE THIS SHOW! 

BUZZ: Yes it is confirmed.

Found Image

At the Real Live Girl fundraiser, Healy gave the audience members a sneak peek of the 2010-11 season. Healy announced Buddies' first national tour of Agokwe and the Canadian English premiere of Sarah Kane's controversial play Blasted.

Today in The Star, Richard Ouzounian picked up on this announcement:

"Originally produced in 1995 in London, the script caused tremendous outrage for its scenes of anal rape and cannibalism, with one critic denouncing it as "this disgusting feast of filth." Nice to know that Healy isn't planning to offer us a kinder, gentler Buddies. Let one theatre in this city be unafraid to stretch the boundaries and tear the envelope."

Woot! We cannot wait to announce the 2010-11 season. Next season is truly inspiring and will reflect a renewed engagement with Buddies' social and political roots. The season will assert Buddies as the queer centre for controversial and dangerous work, work that pushes theatre and society forward.

STAY TUNED!!

PHEW: Rhubarb Now Out Of Season

To say that the theatre is quiet, would be a huge understatement. Rhubarb is over for another year and the staff here is on recovery mode. Thank you to all the artists, patrons, and technicians who made this festival super sucessful. 

Ashley Botting at Panic Manual equated the festival to a tapas of presentations:

"I thought I’d only see gay people talking about the experience of being gay, but I saw much more at The Rhubarb Festival. The great thing about it is that the shows are short enough to leave you wanting more, or make you glad to leave. Either way, it’s a unique theatrical experience, and worth, in the very least, a little taste."

Nestruck gave us a good o' tweet after Neil Medlyn's Performance:

Leanne Milech from Mooney On Theatre said:


"The last time I saw art this edgy was in L.A., and I have been a lonely, wandering, wistful little Toronto girl in search of inspiring, truly original theatre ever since my time in Cali.  Well, I’ve found it at Rhubarb, where nothing seems too offbeat to be seen in public.  As my date for the evening said, “This is way better than T.V.” And that is something to cheer for."

Till next year!

BRAIN FOOD: What We're Listening To

One of the office's favorite podcasts is This American Life. On this week's episode there was a repeat of a 2002 episode. 81 Words examines the story of how the American Psychiatric Association decided in 1973 that homosexuality was no longer a mental illness. It's  touching and informative: just how we like it. Stream online or download the weekly podcast off of iTunes for free. Seriously. Listen to 81 Words here.

iSpy: Pony Da Look

YZZ Photographer Kai Yapp snapped these pix of Pony Da Look who performed at the Week 3 Rhubarb bash.

TESTIFY: Damien Atkins, our buddy.

Damien Atkins remounts his Dora Award winning musical Real Live Girl, for one night only, in support of Buddies.

Damien speaks to the influence and importance of Buddies.

"When Brendan [Brendan Healy Buddies AD] asked me if I would be interested in reviving Real Live Girl for one night only, as a benefit for Buddies, I jumped at the chance. When I first moved to Toronto, I felt pretty lost. Buddies represented a safe place for me as both a young artist and a young gay man. Buddies was one of the first theatres to take me seriously, to be interested in the stories I wanted to tell. I feel so unbelievably fortunate to live in a city that is home to North America's largest queer theatre. And doing Real Live Girl is a great way to celebrate it. It's a theatre that gives young people a place to feel safe and special, that gives us all a place to hear our own stories. Please come and support Buddies - we're going to make it a great night!"

Also, check out Xtra's coverage of RLG here.

And, TorontoStage's video interview with Atkins here.

Real Live Girl, March 5 2010. $100 ($80 charitable tax receipts available upon request). Tickets available now through Buddies' Box Office 416.975.855. More info here.