"Breaking Up is Hard to Do", Stage West, Toronto, ON

Gord and I saw Breaking Up is Hard to Do at Stage West today.

Set at a Catskills resort in 1960, this is the sweetly comic story of Lois and Marge, two friends from Brooklyn in search of good times and romance over one wild Labor Day weekend. The score showcases 18 Neil Sedaka classics including, "Where the Boys Are", "Sweet Sixteen", "Calendar Girl", and, of course, the chart-topping title song.

Definitely not a great play ... very cheesy.

Tony LePage was good as Del Delmonico, the self-obsessed singer at Ester's Resort ... the rest of the cast was so-so.

Gord and I have had a subscription to Stage West for about four years ... five plays a year along with brunch for $200 each is a great deal!

But we found that the calibre the last couple of years of the plays and the brunch has gone downhill so we haven't renewed ... so today's was our last one.

The best play we saw there was Rocky Horror Picture Show in August 2005 ... it was fabulous!

"The Producers", Stage West, Toronto, ON

Gord and I saw The Producers this afternoon at Stage West.

Mel Brooks' classic cult comedy film is turned into a Broadway musical about a down-on-his-luck Broadway producer, Max Bialystock, and his mild mannered accountant, Leo Bloom, who come up with a scheme to produce the most notorious flop in history, thereby bilking their backers (all "little old ladies") out of millions of dollars. Only one thing goes awry: the show is a smash hit! At the core of this insanely funny adventure is an emotional journey of two very different men who become friends.

Gord and I had seen the big splashy Mirvish production a couple years ago and enjoyed it.

The last few plays we've seen at Stage West haven't been that great so I wasn't really expecting much.

But I was pleasantly surprised ... it's good.

My only complaint is that the quality of the food (we do the brunch buffet) has gone downhill.

"Married Alive", Stage West, Toronto, ON

Gord and I saw Married Alive! at Stage West today.

Married Alive! is a new musical revue that celebrates marital bliss and blisters. Focusing on two couples, Erin and Paul, a pair of wide-eyed newlyweds, and Ron and Diane, more experienced “oldyweds”, the show touches affectionately on the adventure from these two vantage points. Married Alive! uses a variety of musical and dramatic styles to spin and have fun with various moments of the two couples we can relate to. From babies to empty nests, from stress to bliss, this musical takes a funny, yet affectionate look at married life, from Niagara to Viagra!

The Toronto Star only gave it one out of four stars so I wasn't expecting much. My friend, Franca saw it, though, and said it was funny.

And it wasn't too bad. There were some so-so moments but also some funny ones.

The two female leads had been in Boeing, Boeing, which we hadn't liked. Sweeney MacArthur was the husband in the older couple and he was funny. Jamie McKnight, the husband in the younger couple, was good too.

As usual, I ate too much.

"Boeing Boeing", Stage West, Toronto, ON

Gord and I saw Boeing Boeing this afternoon at Stage West, starring Peter Scolari (from Honey I Shrunk the Kids and Newhart) .

Bernard, a successful architect living in Paris, thinks he can easily cope with his three airline stewardess fiancées. It’s all a question of timetables and a reliable, long-suffering housekeeper who reluctantly has the role of romantic air-traffic controller. When old school friend Robert arrives, Bernard relishes the chance to show his wide-eyed visitor his first-class operation at work. Unfortunately, schedules change, flights are delayed and a new turbo-charged Boeing aircraft is introduced and chaos ensures in this hysterical whirl wind of mayhem and matchmaking.

I didn't dig it at all. It was silly and boring.

I'd read a review in the Toronto Star last month and they weren't impressed either (giving it a 2/4).

The names of the stewardess in the program were Gloria (American), Gabriella (French) and Grechen (German) ... yet in the play they were Janet, Jacqueline and Judith.

I couldn't understand the French stewardess sometimes ... according to the Toronto Star, she was Italian. I thought she was French since she worked for Air France and sounded French. She seemed to cross back and forth between a French and Italian accent, though. So maybe they started her off as Italian but switched her to be French?!

The German stewardess was very loud and abrasive, not attractive at all which is supposedly why Bernard only dates stewardesses.

So would I recommend it? No way.

"Little Shop of Horrors", Stage West, Toronto, ON

Gord and I saw Little Shop of Horrors at Stage West this afternoon as part of our subscription.

One of the longest running off-broadway shows of all time, Little Shop of Horrors is about a down and out floral assistant who becomes an overnight sensation when he discovers an exotic plant with a mysterious craving for fresh blood. Soon "Audrey II" grows into an ill-tempered, foul-mouthed, R&B singing carnivore who offers him fame and fortune in exchange for feeding it's growing appetite. This affectionate spoof of 1950s sci-fi movies has become a household name thanks to the highly successful film version.

It was okay ... for some reason I wasn't really getting into it, though. I remember renting the movie and not watching the whole thing because I wasn't digging it. I guess I was getting the same vibes today.

The actors did a fine job, though I found Audrey a bit annoying.

"Beauty and the Beast", Stage West, Toronto, ON

At Stage West, Mississauga ~ Disney's musical extravaganza is filled with technical wizardry, special effects and illusions, as well as dazzling production numbers and memorable songs by Tim Rice. Bring the entire family to experience the enchantment of an unforgettable performance of Broadway's classic musical. Based on the Academy Award-Winning animated feature film!

Gord and I saw Beauty and the Beast this afternoon. I'd seen it twice before years ago as a major production so was curious to see how Stage West would do it on a smaller scale.

They did a good job with it. Eric Craig and Steven Gallagher were funny as Lumiere and Cogsworth.

"Mid-Life!", Stage West, Toronto, ON

Gord and I saw Mid-Life: The Crisis Musical at Stage West this afternoon.

Three men and three women make up the cast of this wacky musical that takes a comic look at the “age old” conditions and situations faced in MID-LIFE! From reading glasses and mammograms to weekend warriors and proctology exams - all are lampooned with a Saturday Night Live non-sensibility. Everyone will relate to this hilarious and, at times, touching musical about the curiosities and inevitabilities of middle-age. If you bought some Gingko-Biloba but can’t remember where you put it - then you’re ready for MID-LIFE!

I enjoyed it, though Gord didn't. It's a musical made up of a bunch of skits (he prefers "stories").

There were lot more older people in the audience because of some bus tours and the buffet lines were slower (no offense to older people!).

"Nunsense", Stage West, Toronto, ON

A Musical Comedy by Dan Goggin. The Little Sisters of Hoboken operate Mount Saint Helen’s School in Hoboken, New Jersey. They went unnoticed until one day their cook, Sister Julia-Child of God, unwittingly served some tainted vichyssoise soup and 52 sisters died of botulism. Fortunately, a few of the sisters were off playing bingo and so were spared. Upon discovering the disaster, Mother Superior had a vision in which she was told to start a greeting card company to raise funds for the burials. The cards were an enormous success they even bought a VCR. Of course, they ran short and only had enough funds to bury 48 nuns. They decided to stage a talent show to raise the money to bury the last four sisters who were put in the convent deep freeze. The talent show is like no other you have ever seen … tales of life as a nun, a puppet show, tap dancing, a solo about being a star and more.

Gord and I saw this today. Though it was lively and lots of people found it funny, neither of us really enjoyed it.

We went to the brunch and I did pretty well in sticking to points and the detox. I had some lovely roasted potatoes (allowed). The chicken was deep fried small pieces coated with honey garlic sauce ... not so good. So I had some roast beef instead. Beef isn't allowed on the detox but I figured it was better than the chicken.

For dessert, I had a bite (honestly!) of pecan pie, brownie and apple strudel. My plate was filled with watermelon, melon, grapes, pineapple and strawberries. Much better!

"Full Monty", Stage West, Toronto, ON

Seeing how much their wives enjoy watching male strippers during their “girls night out”, unemployed steelworkers in Hamilton come up with a bold way to make some quick cash. In the process they find renewed self-esteem, good friends and great fun. There is great heart in The Full Monty – the lessons about overcoming adversity, taking charge and striving to reach dreams resonate with every audience.

Gord and I saw "The Full Monty" today at Stage West (we have a subscription).

I had seen the play more than ten years ago and love the movie so was looking forward to it.

They did an excellent job with it ... and didn't tone it down.

"Guys and Dolls", Stage West, Toronto, ON

Set in New York City, this romantic comedy, considered by many to be the perfect musical comedy, soars with the spirit of Broadway as it introduces us to a cast of vivid characters who have become legendary: Sasha Brown, Sky Masterson, Adelaide and Nathan Detroit. The show is sensational thanks to a hilarious, fast-paced plot and a bright, brassy, immortal musical score.

This afternoon we saw Guys and Dolls at Stage West.

It was good ... lively and funny. And, at 2.5 hours long, is a good value for your money (brunch comes with it).

"Last Resort" - Stage West, Toronto, ON

This musical/murder-mystery comedy spoof is about a New York restaurateur on the run from the mob. He finds himself at a run-down hotel in Saskatchewan, where everyone he sees could be the hit man who’s out to get him!

It was time to head to Stage West (we have a subscription) and today's play was The Last Resort. It was okay, not great, with some surprises at the end. Gord gave it 5/10 and I gave it 6/10.

The buffet brunch was good and, as usual, I ate too much.

"The Buddy Holly Story", Stage West, Toronto, ON

Buddy, The Buddy Holly Story is the musical sensation about the life and times of Buddy Holly. This musical takes us from Lubbock, Texas in 1951 up to 1959, Buddy's final performance at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa. We follow the story of the late, great Buddy Holly through his music, featuring such hits as "Peggy Sue", "Everyday" and "That'll Be the Day" and hits from other legendary stars such as Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper.

I've never been a big Buddy Holly fan but I enjoyed this play. We all know that the story has a sad ending but the musical finale was uplifting and rockin'!

"Cabaret", Stage West, Toronto, ON

Step inside the legendary Kit Kat Klub. In here, life is beautiful and all the danger and decadence of your wildest dreams to come true every night.

They did a good job with this play. The guy playing the emcee is was one of the Forever Plaids ~ quite the extreme in characters ~ and I thought he was the best of all.

And because it was Mother's Day, they had a draw for an Armani gift basket ... alas, I didn't win, though they gave the women a sample of their new cologne. Plus they gave all the women a gift of bubble bath shaped like roses.

"Forever Plaid", Stage West, Toronto, ON

One of the most popular and successful musicals in recent memory, this deliciously goofy revue centre on four young singers killed in a car crash in the 1950s on the way to their first concert, and now miraculously revived for the posthumous chance to fulfill their dreams and perform the show that never was. Singing in the closest of harmony, squabbling boyishly and executing their outlandish choreography with overzealous precision, the "Plaids" are a guaranteed smash. With a program of beloved songs and patter that keeps audiences rolling in the aisles when they're not humming along with great nostalgic pop hits of the 50s.

This is the third time I've seen this over the years and I enjoyed this version. The voices harmonized really well and I like the old tunes.

"Grease", Stage West, Toronto, ON

From Stage West ~ Grease is the word at Stage West! The wild and wacky 50's are back with the return of this sensational musical! Set in 1959, Grease is a 50s rock n' roll musical about young summer love and the students of Rydel High. Grab your favourite Pink Lady and travel back to when beehives were in and coils were cool.

I've never seen the movie (though I knew the basic plot) so it was good to finally see it in some format. Stage West has put together a good production and it was enjoyable. As usual, I ate way too much!!

"Shear Madness", Stage West, Toronto, ON

From Stage West ~ Back by popular demand, Shear Madness is truly a "whodunit" mystery, especially since "who dun it" can change every performance! It's the hilarious whodunit where the audience the helps solve the crime. The play is named in the Guinness Book of Records as the longest-running non-musical play in American theatre history! It ran in Boston over 17 years and in Chicago over 15 years.

Gord and I saw it this afternoon at Stage West and it was really good. It's funny and quick. And it's interactive so the audience solves the mystery. What was especially funny with this performance is that the actors kept losing it and couldn't stop laughing at times, which the audience appreciated.

"Rocky Horror Picture Show", Stage West, Toronto, ON

It's the story of an ordinary couple and one unforgettable night at the castle of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a mad-scientist from the planet Transexual. Brad and Janet have arrived on their special night, the night of Dr. Furter's "beautiful creature", Rocky, the adonis humanoid created for the release of Frank's "tension", was to be born.

This show was fabulous! I love the movie and was looking forward to seeing the play. Since it is at Stage West, I was concerned that it would be a very toned down version of the movie. We go to Stage West for the Sunday brunch show and there's mostly an older crowd.

This show is very sexual and raunchy. I was amazed that the older folks weren't running for the doors during the intermission. At one point in the show, Dr. Frankenfurter goes into the audience, sits on an old dude's lap and gives him a couple big kisses on the forehead. Rather than wipe the lipstick off, the old dude wore it proudly and that's how he left the theatre! There were a couple people participating (doing the talkbacks, dancing the Time Warp, etc.) .

I'd definitely recommend this play!