Meridian Hall
1 Front St E M5E 1B2 Toronto, ON, Canada

To celebrate #NationalTapDanceDay today, we’re putting a spotlight on the talented Travis Knights from episode 5 of our #LivingRoomsSeries. Travis started his career in 2000, when he was cast as a principal dancer in the motion picture biography of Bill Bojangles Robinson with Gregory Hines and Savion Glover. Since then, Travis has appeared in the video game adaptation of Warner Brother’s Happy Feet, performed in Ayodele Casel’s Diary of a Tap Dancer at the Apollo Theatre,... consulted for Cirque du Soleil, danced in Wonderland: A Tap Tribute to Stevie Wonder, and performed at the Olympic Games in Vancouver amongst many other things. He currently lives in Brampton and hosts Tap Love Tour Podcast weekly featuring interviews of a myriad of inspiring artists. Most recently, he’s been working with our friends at Luminato Festival as part of their cast for Golden Hour, an invitation for creative minds to answer, who are we?

Discover Dance, presented in partnership with Nova Dance is one of TO Live’s most popular free monthly programs! Showcasing many of Toronto’s incredible dance artists, you can discover the diaspora of dance forms woven into our City’s vibrant cultural scene. In the coming months, TO Live and Nova Dance will partner with Baycrest@Home to lead an arts and wellness initiative, bringing Discover Dance to older adults across the Baycrest community. Public live streams of Discover ...Dance are planned for later this year. This June, we’ll be kicking off our season with dancer and choreographer, Ashley Perez. Her talent was awarded the 2018 Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Performance, Ensemble in the Dance Division for Floor’d presented by Holla Jazz in 2018. Ashley continues to teach street dances with her enterprise, Class with Colours and is currently working on her MA in Dance at York University.

STLC NEXT seeks to galvanize the cultural and neighbourhood communities to re-imagine this important publicly-owned civic asset. Find out more and have your say: www.stlcnext.org

#TeamToronto #COVID19 vaccination update for May 22: 1,906,593 vaccine doses have been administered. For info about vaccines in Toronto: https://www.toronto.ca//covid-19-protec/covid-19-vaccines/

A new vision for the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts has the potential to become a galvanizing force for the community. Share your vision for the future here: www.stlcnext.org. Public survey closes on May 28th.

Did you take the first step yet? See what Chicago has to say about The Journey Are you ready to open your mind? The Journey begins at www.tolive.com/thejourney

#InternationalHolocaustRemembranceDay #NeverForget

Pick a number. Draw a picture. Think of a word. Scott Silven uses audience participation to weave a spellbinding story that leaves you wondering how did he do that? All Silven’s extraordinary abilities are on display, but it’s his capacity to draw you into the virtual ‘room’ for an intimate experience that sets this show apart. Interact directly with Silven and help shape the evening’s mesmerizing events, and discover a path that connects you to Silven’s past, your own present, and a collective future. We invite you to take the first step: www.tolive.com/thejourney https://youtu.be/F0-BmKjvu-k

From our friends at Xenia Concerts

Welcome to the weekend! A few words from Susanna Fournier about her piece from the Transformations Project. Please indulge with an open mind. You can view "Just a Trick" here: https://youtu.be/9cMbn4aMU94 #TheTransformationsProject

May the lights of Diwali make you and your loved ones' life brighter and happier Here’s a look at how Diwali is being celebrated around the world during these challenging times. Let us know how you’re celebrating. #HappyDiwali2020 http://ow.ly/bGre50CkDR0

#LivingRooms artist Brandon Bizzy Owusu partners with Air Miles Canada to bring us #FridayFeels to teach us some smooth dance moves to help keep us in shape! Check out his fun and easy dance tutorial here: https://youtu.be/h3aGqUtu-HU To learn more about Bizzy and to watch his Living Rooms episode visit tolive.com/livingrooms-bizzy

It's Friday the 13th but more importantly it's #WorldKindnessDay! Instead of anticipating unlucky moments today, let's focus on being kind to ourselves and to each other. Have a great weekend!

Yesterday, Mayor John Tory announced that October 31st would be John Candy Day, where Toronto’s beloved Mr. Candy would have been 70 years old. A native of Toronto, a lot of you may remember him from the popular 1980s TV show Second City Television (SCTV) among others. Mr. Candy also co-hosted the 1981 JUNO Awards ceremony at the O’Keefe Centre with Andrea Martin. If anyone has memories of this spectacular night, please send us your stories at [email protected]. Until then..., we ask that you be safe today with all the treats and no tricks! #60YearsOfPerformance #MeridianHall60th #JohnCandyDay #Halloween2020

Calling all new immigrant and refugee artists! Cahoots Theatre is offering Crossing Gibraltar, a transformative theatre outreach program from April - August 2021. Led by Yolanda Bonnell and Shaista Latif, Cahoots Theatre will be paying all participants $900 for their involvement. The program will culminate in a performance at the SummerWorks Festival in August 2021 Applications are due December 6th. Learn more and apply here: https://forms.gle/3vik68UQWgGw9n9r6

Put yourself in the shoes of our heroes with this five-part series from TVO! This project will bring a fuller awareness of the horrors of the war, and provide a better understanding of the reasons and outcomes. Watch here: https://www.tvo.org/programs/apocalypse-world-war-i #TorontoRemembers #LestWeForget

Did you catch Rufus Wainwright’s last #RufusRetroWainwrightSpective show on Friday? If not, it’s not too late! Poses Side 1 and all prior shows are available for re-watching up to a full month after initial show dates for ticket holders. The next show is TODAY! Poses Side 2: From Grey Gardens to In A Graveyard, with special in-person guest audience Joel McHale and Lisa Margulis. Head to http://rufuswainwright.veeps.com to get your tickets for the past and upcoming shows!

TO Live is delighted to share that our friends from Batsheva Dance Company - is premiering dance pioneer Ohad Naharin’s YAG this Saturday, November 21! This will be a one-time only screening followed by a live talk with Ohad on Sunday, November 22. Over the last 4 years, you may have attended one of the many captivating performances from Batsheva at Meridan Hall and we can’t wait to bring them back to our stage! Use CODE: 10137 for 20% off your ticket to Satu...rday night’s premiere. Enjoy their trailer and anticipate the magic! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJYb2-gDWbE Do you have favourite performance from Batsheva at Meridian Hall? Tell us your stories by emailing us at [email protected].

TO Live remembers the bravery of our Veterans and the many sacrifices that they have made to ensure the safety of our country. We thank you, and we will always remember. #TorontoRemembers #LestWeForget

Ghost story #2 has been released! Stay tuned for part 3. Have a bootiful afternoon #SpookyElginandWinterGardenTheatre

Trade in your snow boots for stilettos and your toques for wigs, because it’s time for a holiday show like no other! TO Live is partnering with Buddies In Bad Times Theatre to bring you Taylor Mac’s Holiday SaucePandemic! The Los Angeles Times praises this show for its freewheeling love and generosity, and called it a present from the island of misfit toys. Conceived as a virtual vaudeville, this glitter extravaganza blends music, film, burlesque, and random acts of fabu...lousness! Join us for the glitz, glamour AND the afterparty! We’ll be honouring well-known Queen, leZlie lee kam who has given her heart and soul to Toronto’s queer community, and the afterparty will be hosted by theatre and cabaret artist, Ryan G Hinds! Holiday SaucePandemic! will be streamed live on December 12 at 7pm for a minimum $10 pay-what-you-can fee. Get saucy, find out more here: https://www.tolive.com/holidaysauce #HolidaySauce #TaylorMac #TaylorMacHolidaySauce #HonorYourElder #PomegrananteArts #FavoriteFruit #MotherFlawlessSabrina #urthebossapplesauce #TOLive

Our friends at the Elgin and Winter Garden Theatre Centre have some spooky stories to share! Check out their first story here.

Starting this Saturday! #FFDN2020

Celebrating Remembrance Day tomorrow will be different from what we know, but it's a special one as it marks 100 years of Remembrance in Toronto. This year, because of the restrictions on public gatherings, the City has compiled a list of activities that you can do with your social bubbles to honour our veterans and those who continue to serve our country. http://ow.ly/HuId50Ch5Wi #TorontoRemembers

This Friday, join Rufus Wainwright for Want Two: Side 1, the latest show of his #RufusRetroWainwrightSpective virtual concert series! Rufus will be performing the first half of his album Want Two live from his living room with special guest Darren Criss. Get your tickets now at http://rufuswainwright.veeps.com

Today is Orange Shirt Day! Every September 30th, the colour Orange is used to raise awareness and build understanding about the experiences that Indigenous children, families and communities had in residential schools. Orange Shirt Day is inspired by the true story of Phyllis Webstad, where she excitedly went to her first day of School, only to end up feeling unheard, unloved and ignored. We encourage you to wear something orange today to show your support for the thoughts and feelings of our children. Let them be heard. #EveryChildMatters #OrangeShirtDay2020

Today is another special Sunday as it’s International Artist Day. This day celebrates the incredible world of art and all the amazing creative work that artists around the world carry out. You can help TO Live support Toronto’s artists by donating to our foundation. With your gift, you are ensuring that Torontonians and Canadians of all backgrounds have access to local, national, and world-renowned talent in all areas of the performing arts. Please visit tolive.com/support for more information on the many ways you can give your support.

Fall for Dance North starts this week! Check out their Signature Program starting this Saturday!

Today is #EventOrganizerDay, and over the years TO Live has been honoured to work with many amazing Event Planners from different industries! On June 29, TO Live launched a podcast series called ‘Special Event Studio: COVID Conversations’ where our private event sales team gathered insight from events professionals as they adapted their workload to an ever-changing industry amid the global pandemic. Click here to check out all the episodes on Spotify >> http://ow.ly/notr50BXWsY

Spend an extra week with the Fall for Dance North Festival on The Flip Side! The best memories of a good party are often made while it stretches into the night. We have heard from many of you that it is too soon to say goodbye. We agree! We are happy to announce that FFDN 2020 is being extended, with many of our programs remaining available On Demand until Oct. 25. Visit https://www.ffdnorth.com/ for more!

The lights at Meridian Hall are red in support of #LightUpLive. We are drawing attention to the struggles faced by the live entertainment industry as we continue to face the COVID-19 pandemic. Live Event Community #TOLive #WeMissYouAll #LightingUpTheNight #YourSeatAwaits #TorontoArts #DowntownToronto

Are you eager to return to live events? We are too! So we hope you’ll be as excited as we are to hear that Snow Patrol’s 2021 North American Acoustic Tour is coming to Meridian Hall! Get your tickets today! http://ow.ly/Cm6Y50By9gQ

Everyday from Oct 5 until Oct 7, you’ll be able to witness new choreography take shape right before your eyes from the windows of Meridian Hall’s West lounge (the windows at Front & Yonge)! Curated with Toronto-based artistic advisors Vivine Scarlett and Laura Nanni, this glass box studio reveals a spectrum of exciting Toronto artists and their latest explorations! Visit tolive.com/ffdn for more info

This and next week Rufus Wainwright continues his #RufusRetroWainwrightSpective virtual tour with live performances of his 2001 sophomore album Poses! Join him and special guests Joel McHale and Lisa Margulis for Poses Side 1: From Cigarettes & Chocolate Milk to The Tower of Learning tomorrow! Get your tickets here >> http://ow.ly/hxmA50BYcIy

TO Live is excited to participate in Light Up Live tomorrow (Sept 22). Our venues will be lit up in red to remind us all of the struggles that the live entertainment sector continues to face in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are dark today, but tomorrow we will light up the night! #LightUpLive #TOLive lightuplive.ca

Arts & Culture consultant, Karen Carter urges us to take our time and to do the proper research. TO Live had the pleasure of working with Karen through the Mandela Exhibitionher dedication and leadership made it a huge success! https://www.thestar.com//so-you-want-to-be-an-ally-against

Just For Laughs Comedy Night in Canada comes to Toronto for two shows this Saturday, October 24th at the CityView Drive-In. Get out of your house, and into your car, for a night of laughs! Tickets here >> http://ow.ly/foo050BXYV0

HEY everyone, show us your "Favourite Toronto Theatre Moment" by recording a 7 second video with the hashtag #iMissLiveTheatreTO! Your 7 seconds of fame could be one of your favourite productions, a specific moment in a production, a backstage experience, or a specific tradition surrounding going to the theatre, for e.g. lights down. Take a look at our 19/20 Season Reel to remember the many events that you went to at either of our venues! We miss you https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ2uidkLfKY

#ShanahTovah to all celebrating #RoshHashanah this time of year! While you reflect and welcome this new chapter in your lives, you can enjoy the work of Jewish playwright, Michael Ross Albert from Episode 38 of TO Live's Living Room Series, as well as popular Jewish actor, Jake Epstein in Episode 22. tolive.com/livingrooms

Starting today and running through to the Spring of 2021, some of Canada’s most innovative performing artist will be tackling issues of social justice, societal betterment and visions of a better future. The project is Transformations, and TO Live is proud to be a part of it. Click for more >> 'https://nac-cna.ca/en/video/series/transformations'

Just in case you missed Metamorphosis: A Viral Trilogy, the latest work from Canadian literary giant André Alexis, ALL three episodes are now available on all major podcast platforms! The audio diary trilogy, all set in Toronto at different stages of a fictitious global pandemic, stars acclaimed actors Bahia Watson, Becky Johnson and Diana Leblanc. The series is a funny, intimate, and often fantastical new podcast experience. Click for Spotify here: https://spoti.fi/2ZEGT42

Today is #InternationalGinAndTonicDay and we wouldn't dare leave you unprepared! Now tell us, what's the best Gin to use and why?

The multi-talented d'bi.young anitafrika from Episode 15 of our #LivingRoomsSeries will perform 'Uhuru!' at this year's Toronto International Festival of Authors. This piece was specially curated by d'bi.young for TIFA and brings together four amazing artists including d'bi.young herself! Don't miss the live performance on Nov 1 at 8:30PM >> click here for more info https://festivalofauthors.ca/book-aut/dbi-young-anitafrika/

Mark your calendars! Witness new works develop by diverse Toronto dance artists in front of your eyes through the glass walls of Meridian Hall's West Lounge, presented in partnership with TO Live (runs Oct. 5-7). For more information, visit tolive.com/ffdn

Happy Sunday Everyone! Today is a special Sunday because it marks 100 Days since we revealed the 100th episode in the #LivingRoomsSeries! And it also happens to be #ChocolateCupcakeDay! TO Live would like to graciously thank Meridian Credit Union for its continued support of the Arts and ALL 100 artists for sharing their stories with us and showing us pieces of their hearts and homes during this unusual time a time where we need to support each other more than ever. Have a chocolate cupcake today and revisit your favourite Living Rooms episode! Click the link for the entire playlist and don’t forget to follow your favourite artist to know what they’re up to! https://www.youtube.com/playlist

Happy Saturday! Hope that you all have fun weekend plans. We wanted to remind you of our event information page that can be found here: http://ow.ly/YGWa50Bovca This page is regularly updated and will have current information about upcoming events at TO Live venues that you may have tickets to.

TO Live is very excited to once again partner with friends from Fall for Dance North Festival to bring you its 6th edition: The Flip Side! This year the festival will feature a mix of FREE live and digital experiences on their brand new website 'ffdnorth.com. Meridian Hall will feature dancers rehearsing behind its glass windows of the West Lounge during a free event called 'Open Studio'. Visit tolive.com/ffdn to find out more about the festival!

After FIVE MONTHS of doggedly solving the world's most mundane mysteries, the Inspectors of The Ministry of Mundane Mysteries are going on sabbatical! Here's wh...at they've been up to, by the numbers: 20 weeks of mysteries 783 cases solved (that's 4500+ individual daily performances!) 6 continents 18 countries 200+ cities 23 Inspectors 30+ additional team members and partners The entire process has given us a real-time glimpse at the anxieties, fears, joys, hopes and curiosities of people from ages 4-99 (literally) from all over the world during an extraordinary time. A particularly big thank you to Theatre Direct and TO LIVE, our recent partners on Mundane Mysteries: PLAYDATE. Playdate was pretty specialwe got to perform for hundreds of giggling and gob-smacked kids using intricately-crafted enrichment materials created with the Theatre Direct team. Another thank you to SummerWorks for infusing so much enthusiasm and care into the Summer Passport series in June. And a gigantic congratulations to the Ministry's Inspectors, Commissioners and Concierges. They've spent the past 20 weeks putting colossal amounts of energy into Every. Single. Call. These actors and administrators cannot receive a standing ovationnot because they don't deserve it, but because we're living in a damn pandemic. So to our team members: our fedoras are off to you. But have no fear, this isn't retirement, just a hiatus! We'll be back in various forms before you know it. There's no dearth of mysteriesor mundanityin the world today. #theaTO #cdncult #immersiveunite Meridian Hall Ministry Map by the inimitable Nick Blais.

Happy Hump Day! We know that you're longing for live art again, but we wanted to remind you about 'www.artsathome.ca' - a vibrant hub designed to strengthen personal and societal resilience through the arts! Please do enjoy.

Our friends from Small World Music are having their 19th Annual Small World Music Festival next week! Click for more details.

We get it, you miss live performing arts and we miss having you at our venue. Want to see what Toronto artists have been up to at their homes? Check out TO Live's Living Rooms Series, a 100 stories to keep you hopeful. Happy Labour Day! www.tolive.com/livingrooms

TO Live wishes to express heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of Christine Karcza, who was a true champion for making the Arts more accessible and inclusive. Christine has worked with our team over the past several years and we won’t forget how strong her passion and commitment were.

Tune in to the panel discussion now!