There’s one main incentive to see Full House The Musical and that’s Perez Hilton. After talking to him in June, I was excited to see him on stage at the Randolph Theatre.
“I wear high-waisted jeans and I want you to meet my unconventional family,” Perez sings, as Danny Tanner, introducing the show. The cast activates the hug zone in the opening number when they joyously approach audience members in the first few rows. If you fall in love with the characters, then it’s not as weird as it sounds.
After catching up on G-rated entertainment on Netflix by watching old episodes of Full House, it’s exciting to announce that celebrity blogger Perez Hilton will star in Full House The Musical!
The show will debut in Toronto at the Randolph Theatre in August. Perez loves spending time in Toronto and he especially admires how we celebrate theatre as a city. In a phone interview, Perez noted that Toronto’s passion for theatre makes our culture distinctly different from Los Angeles, where people see more movies than stage shows.
Considering how much time he spends online, it’s unsurprising that Perez landed this opportunity through social media. When he saw a friend in the entertainment industry post about the show, he immediately commented that he wanted to get involved. “I even joked that I would be Mary-Kate and Ashley,” he recalled. “Then Tobly, one of the creators, saw my comment and asked my friend if I was serious and I said, ‘Yes, I’m very serious,’ so then we set up a meeting.” Perez sent the creators footage of him singing to convince them that the Tisch School of the Arts graduate was talented enough to play Danny Tanner.
American Idiot tells the story of three miserable, rebellious young men seeking freedom from suburban life. The angsty plot, powered by poppy versions of Green Day hits, covers romance, friendship and politics.
In the opening scene, I was intrigued by the Nam June Paik-esque backdrop of TV screens and newscasts. The pop culture references were an effective way to establish the setting and create a youthful vibe.
If you want to dress like an American Idiot character, here’s a short shopping guide:
Start your shopping spree at American Apparel for logo-free basics, then visit Bluenotes to keep your youthful look intact, followed by a stop at Urban Outfitters for overpriced hipster necessities. For footwear, I recommend picking up a pair of Converse, Vans, Keds or Dr. Martens. When you’re browsing the stores, look for clothing made of leather, denim, or flannel. If there’s a bearded salesperson wearing a plaid button-down shirt and multiple piercings, he can probably steer you in the right direction. Studded blazers can make your grunge look more professional (which is key if you’re going straight from work to see the show). A toque can protect your hair from the cold weather, while adding just the right amount of flare. If your attire strikes a balance between goth, punk and pastels, then get ready to pose for a Broadway-obsessed street style photographer.
Theatre performers tend to be more down to earth than Hollywood stars and the American Idiot cast confirmed this when I met them at the stage door…
I left the Royal Alexandra Theatre with a sudden urge to see Green Day live, which I’d never felt before. The next day, I set up a Ticketmaster notification for the band and downloaded The Original Broadway Cast Recording on iTunes. Now that I spend my commute listening to Green Day hits, the TTC truly sounds like the better way.
Second City’s new show, The Meme-ing of Life, which examines technology’s impact on modern relationships, induces nostalgic feelings for a time when people spent more time talking than texting. From sifting through online dating profiles on Lavalife’s website to coping with YouTube addictions, The Meme-ing of Life essentially covers everything in today’s zeitgeist.
One wonderful sketch features a driver (Jan Caruana) intensely frustrated with a border crossing guard (Nigel Downer). The majority of Torontonians seem to have a funny story about discretely indulging in shopping sprees abroad or hiding beer in the trunk, so this is remarkably relatable material. Next time you and your partner drive to the United States and they ask if you have anything to declare, perhaps you should test out the following line as your response: “Yes, officer, our love.”
While it’s easy to bond over stories about crossing the border, few local experiences compare to encounters with sketchy people on the TTC. Another sketch effectively pokes fun at how single people can potentially find love amidst all the smelly commuters. Through interactions that gradually become flirtatious, a man’s efforts to sit in the seat a woman reserves for her purse eventually lead to a make-out session on public transit. Local newspapers are filled with stories of missed connections, so theirs is perfectly suitable for a dating story about Generation Y’s hook-up culture.
Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre and theatre seem inseparable because TheatreKids was my first foray into arts camps, where I played one of ‘The Women in Blue’, among other roles. I loved doing activities on the waterfront and I daydreamed about larger events happening on their multiple outdoor stages.
Today marks the first day of the ninth biennial Ashkenaz Festival celebrating local talent while engaging Toronto’s Jewish community. The event ultimately caters to anyone open to learning about multiculturalism, especially artsy premiere-hungry folk anxiously counting down to TIFF.
If you’re heading out-of-town for Labour Day weekend, then stop by Indigo Manulife on Bloor to hear and see the North American premiere of OPA! on Thursday. Any event at Indigo is a fabulous way to spend your lunch break, especially one filled with lively music!
I suspect a major Festival highlight will be Sharon and Bram performing such hits as ‘Skinnamarink’. You can catch them at Harbourfront’s Redpath Stage on September 2 in front of a huge nostalgic crowd. And people wonder why I still love elephants…
Also, if hype surrounding snacks at The Ex is making you hungry, you may want to hear about food from award-winning author Michael Wex on September 3. The talk is free, so you can save your cash for a treat at Aroma afterwards.
Check out the Ashkenaz Festival’s full schedule to decide where and when you’ll be playing Jewish geography this weekend.