Aubrey Dan announces final curtain call

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12:14 pm

Aubrey Dan’s production company, Dancap Productions, Inc., has announced that it will not offer a 2013 subscription season in Toronto. Known for bringing hits like the musical Jersey Boys to theatres, Dancap often leased space at the Toronto Centre for the Arts (TCA) for 15- to 20-week intervals, where its shows were a major draw.

Dan, who is not currently conducting interviews on the matter, wrote in a mid-May statement that he plans on re-evaluating Dancap’s involvement in the theatre business because he doesn’t foresee that there will be enough high-quality shows to bring to the stage in the near future.

Now, with Dancap’s last show slated for July 29 of this year, the TCA, one of three theatres operated by the City of Toronto, will have to come up with new sources of income to help keep the curtain from falling on its operations.

Coun. Gary Crawford, who serves as chair of Toronto’s Mayor’s Task Force on the Arts and Theatres, says the city had been looking for new companies for months prior to Dancap’s announcement.

“We’re trying to keep as many doors open as possible,” he said. “The goal, of course, is to ensure that these three theatres remain strong, viable performing arts centres in the city.”

How can Black make a comeback?

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11:57 am

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Conrad Black has returned to his Bridle Path estate and second only to his freedom is his claim of innocence. With the former media-mogul now back in the spotlight, we spoke to PR expert, a lawyer, a journalist and an author to ask: How can Black repair his reputation?

Playing the blame game

Peter C. Newman Author of The Establishment Man (the first biography of Conrad Black)

“Chances are that Conrad Black will never stop fulminating against the perfidies of the American justice system, trumpeting his blamelessness, blaming his troubles on the jury of Windy City primates unaware of his noble entitlement, who vetoed his right not only to claim innocence but absolution. As he left Canada to take up his British title, Black dismissed the country of his birth and his source of his original fortunes as ‘uncompetitive, slothful, self-righteous, spiteful — an envious nanny-state hovering on the verge of dissolution and bankruptcy.’ That will be his epitaph, not ours.”

Stay strong, carry on

Allan Bonner Allan Bonner Communications Management Inc., adviser to Mel Lastman during his tenure as mayor

“Many corporations with dark pasts, including convictions for criminal conspiracy and fraud, are on the lists of most admired now. Conrad Black is a long way away from these problems, having been mostly exonerated. He has a deserved reputation as a highly intelligent and tough business person. His tough statements on the process he went through in the U.S. are consistent with this reputation. He has continued to write, receive praise for his work and maintain a public presence and decorum. Given recent events in the financial sector, Lord Black’s challenges pale. He needs little advice, but I’m sure has noted Churchill’s dictum: ‘Box on!’ ”

A model prisoner with questionable convictions

Steven Skurka Criminal defence lawyer and author of Tilted: The Trial of Conrad Black

“Conrad Black has already made significant strides in repairing his reputation. He conducted himself as a model prisoner during three years of confinement. Black pursued every avenue of appeal and largely extinguished the largely hollow criminal prosecution that engulfed his life. A case that began with a bold pronouncement of a corporate kleptocracy evolved into charges of fraud totalling $60 million. By the end, Conrad Black’s charges were whittled down by the Court of Appeals to two questionable convictions including a fraud representing one per cent of the initial allegation.”

Avoid the court of public opinion

Scott Reid Co-host of CTV’s National Affairs and principal at Feschuk.Reid

“Conrad Black needs a reputation enhancement program about as badly as Batman needs a white belt and matching shoes. Lord Black is — and will always be — a polarizing figure. That is an immutable fact. Any expenditure of finance or public relations dedicated to pretending otherwise would be a waste. Even if attracting broad public affection was an attainable goal, it would necessarily require some expression of contrition. After serving two stints in prison to demonstrate his resolve, Lord Black shows no such inclination. Among a wide swath of opinion leaders and elites Lord Black has won new admiration for his perserverance. He should fortify that effort and keep his appeal for citizenship as removed as possible from the court of public opinion.”

Grand Electric opens its patio; getting into Grand Electric becomes moderately feasible

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11:52 am

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We’ve been eagerly awaiting the opening of Grand Electric’s patio for weeks now, and Corey Mintz reports that it finally happened over the past weekend. The restaurant’s 40-seat capacity — combined with sweet tacos — meant that wait times to get into the place often exceeded two hours. With the new patio, the capacity hits 100, and wait times are apparently down to 45 minutes or less.

Plans are also underway for a barbecue to grill corn, but in the meantime, we expect outdoor bourbon and tacos will suffice just fine.

Grand Electric, 1330 Queen St. W., 416-627-3459

[Toronto.com]

Backyard Issue: How to have the best summer ever — without leaving your own backyard

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11:35 am

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It’s getting hot out there. But you don’t have to flee to cottage country to enjoy the heat. In fact, you don’t even have to leave your own backyard (or, you know, balcony, if you live downtown). We’ve rounded up BBQ experts, beer masters and party people to show you how to have the best summer ever, right at home.

Easy apps and deck-worthy desserts

Some of the city’s top foodies give us their takes on hassle-free nibbles for eating al fresco

Mark McEwan: Miami-style Short Ribs

Mark McEwan (of North 44 & Fabbrica fame) recommends a three-step appetizer recipe — simple, but sure to wow even the most discerning backyard dwellers. It means you’ll spend less time cooking and more time relaxing outdoors. (Recipe)

Claudio Aprile: Cob Queso Fresco

For outdoor entertaining made simple, Richmond Hiller and Origin chef Claudio Aprile recommends a five-step recipe for the most delicious grilled corn. (Recipe)

Dufflet Rosenberg: Ginger Lemon Ice Cream Sandwiches

The GTA’s queen of cake, Dufflet Rosenberg, shares her foolproof no-bake recipe for extraordinary ice cream sandwiches. (Recipe)

Touch test

Use this old chef’s secret and you’ll never overcook your steak again. Simply compare the firmness of the fleshy part of your hand to the meat — and voila! Dinner is served.

RAW Open the palm of your hand and hold it in a relaxed position. Use the index finger of your other hand to push down on the area below the thumb and gauge the firmness. A raw steak
will feel the same.

RARE Make a circle with your index finger and thumb. The fleshy area below the thumb should feel slightly more firm. This is what a rare steak feels like.

MEDIUM RARE Press together the tips of your thumb and middle finger and now feel the area beneath the thumb. This is how firm a medium-rare steak should feel.

MEDIUM A steak cooked to medium will have the same density of the fleshy part of your hand when pressing together your thumb and ring finger.

WELL DONE The flesh below the thumb should feel quite firm when touching your thumb and pinky together. Well-done meat will have the same density.

Beer sommelier

With so many great Toronto-made beers to choose from these days, you can find a craft brew to match pretty much anything you throw on the barbie. A certified cicerone, local resident Mirella Amato tells us what pairs best with our favourite backyard bites.

Cheeseburger For a classic burger with all the fixings, Amato suggests a pale ale with hops, like Black Oak Pale Ale, to cut through the richness of the meat and cheese.

Pork Ribs Since pork ribs tend to be sweet, they need to be matched by a sweet beer. Amato suggests an amber ale, such as Amsterdam Nut Brown, which has a crisp finish.

Hot Dog Because hot dogs don’t tend to have a ton of flavour, a pilsner, like Steam Whistle, which won’t overpower it, is a good match, says Amato.

Grilled Shrimp Amato recommends a wheat beer, such as Duggan’s Sorachi, with shrimp, as its citrus notes complement the light flavour of the shellfish.

Southern comfort

Create your own Southern (Ontario) BBQ with slow-cooking and seasoning tips from Boneyard Grill’s Ephraim Dloomy: “The secret to great ribs is slow cooking — for at least two to three hours — in a great sauce. Ours includes over 30 ingredients, but key ones are soy sauce, ginger, garlic, ketchup and BBQ spice. Cook over charcoal or hickory-flavoured woods.”

Next page: Summer soundtracks, balcony gardening 101, yard games & more…

North York resident accused in $60 million Holocaust fraud

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9:19 am

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A North York woman has been accused by the United States Attorney’s Office in connection with a fraud scheme that diverted $57.3 million US away from Holocaust survivors.

Luba Kramrish is one of more than 30 conspirators linked by the FBI to a scheme that took funds from the Conference of Jewish Material Claims Against Germany — a German non-profit organization that aids victims of Nazi persecution — by submitting fraudulent claims.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office alleges that Kramrish, a resident of a small Russian Jewish community located just south of Steeles Avenue, filed false claims to the organization on behalf of her mother and up to 25 others who did not meet criteria for the program (criteria include financial hardship common to the elderly). With the help of a corrupt caseworker at the organization’s Manhattan office, the claimants’ dates and histories were systematically doctored to qualify for compensation through its Hardship Fund and Article 2 Fund.

Many of the recipients involved in the decade-long conspiracy were born after the Second World War, and at least one person was not even Jewish, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The two accused then allegedly collected cuts on the resulting payouts, ranging from around $400 to $3,500 US apiece.

According to witness testimonies obtained by the FBI, Kramrish would allegedly prey on applicants, such as elderly Russians, sometimes even charging them for her “services.” When charges were first laid in the case, Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara condemned the actions of those connected to the case in a 2010 statement:

“If ever there was a cause that you would hope and expect would be immune from base greed and criminal fraud, it would be the Claims Conference, which every day assists thousands of poor and elderly victims of Nazi persecution,” he said. “Sadly, those victim funds were themselves victimized.”

Kramrish’s criminal defence lawyer, David Rose, said that, given his client’s recent U.S. indictment, she would not be making a statement at this time.

Markham residents alarmed over proposed Sabiston landfill project

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9:13 am

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A project being considered by the Town of Markham on the former Sabiston landfill site has local residents concerned for the future of the adjacent German Mills Settlers Park.

At a recent public meeting, Markham began considering installing an aerobic system from the SPL Beatty Company to reduce methane emissions from the site. The system would pump water and air into the waste, speeding its decomposition to decrease the total methane it will produce over time.

The $500,000 system is proposed for a plot in the furthest southeast corner of the site, which would fence off about a sixth of the land. Local residents worry the system may result in the loss of enjoyment of the area that is informally considered by some to be part of the park.

Bernard Sze regularly enjoys walks through the land, which has become a verdant green space since Sabiston was closed in 1975. He is worried that increased heat from decomposition, leaching of waste materials and odour associated with the system may become possible health and safety risks.

Ward 2 councillor Howard Shore says he recognizes residents’ concerns but wants to make it clear Markham’s residents shouldn’t be making a decision on speculation before both sides can sit down and have an informed discussion.

“We shouldn’t be afraid of science,” he said. “We should have as much information as possible.”

The town and its partners in the proposed pilot project were scheduled to host a meeting to discuss the proposal on May 30 at the Thornhill Community Centre’s North Hall.

Thornhill gymnasts land Olympic spot

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9:11 am

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A team of young athletes hailing from the Thornhill area are officially Olympics bound to represent Canada in rhythmic gymnastics.

The gymnasts from Kalev Estienne Rhythmic Gymnastics Centre, aged 17 to 21, were invited to the London 2012 Summer Olympics after their rhythmic gymnastics senior group took the top pan-American spot at last year’s World Championships. They received one of three “wild cards” given to ensure every continent is represented at the Games.

Evelyn Koop, president and program director at Kalev, said she is especially proud of the girls for overcoming a lack of proper facilities to train in, which forced them to travel locally and abroad just to practise.

Twenty-year-old gymnast Rosie Cossar remembers hearing the news.

“It was the best feeling in the world. I can’t remember ever feeling better than that,” she said. “Four years ago we started training together, and at that point, it was slim chances we’d actually make it. As the years went on, it became more realistic — and we made it.”

Cossar hopes the team will place in the top eight or at least rank over Germany’s talented team. Other locals en route to the Olympics include trampolinist Karen Cockburn.

Morning Throwback: Toronto men should never be allowed to get bored — ever

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8:02 am

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Apparently dudes back in the ’50s made bare-backed pyramids with other dudes and then got hefty, fancy-looking fellows to stand behind them cheering, like they just won the Kentucky Derby or something. Hey, sometimes the spirit (most likely bourbon) moves you, but we’re thinking these guys had just polished off a case of Masculinity Lite.

Theatre Review: Home

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2:02 pm

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Home, the latest production from the superlative Soulpepper theatre, is a 1970 British comedy (actually, make that tragicomedy). It is a short one-act play of less than 80 minutes that has a secret at its core; well, a sort-of secret anyway — most will figure it out early in the performance.

The play is by the superb novelist and playwright David Storey, whose earlier work, This Sporting Life, has been made into a wonderful film. There is a great beauty in his writing, even though it did not grab and twist my heart as much as I had expected it to (I’ll take Samuel Beckett any day of the week over almost any other playwright of the 20th century, and I am counting the days until Soulpepper presents his devastating Endgame later this year).

But don’t let me put you off from seeing Home, which is nearly sold out for most of its run in the Distillery District. Typically of Soulpepper, the acting is sheer perfection, and we experience the magnificent Oliver Dennis as Jack, a touching and vague Michael Hanrahan as Harry, a dirty-talking Brenda Robins as Kathleen and a bitter Maria Vacratsis as Marjorie.

On a nearly bare set, empty except for a few metal lawn chairs and a table, with a projection of slowly moving clouds behind them, we hear some very sharp dialogue. One character considered the priesthood, but says he couldn’t make up his mind between Catholicism and Anglicanism. Among the other witticisms that fly are: “Have you noticed that musicians all have curly hair?” and “My husband cleans up muck. Why can’t he get a clean job?” And, most thoughtfully, “Life is such a mystery!” Indeed it is.

Home leaves itself open to endless speculation about its meaning, and at times it seems classically absurdist — a now rarely-performed style of theatre. However, one thing is certain: Albert Schultz’s direction is masterful and, as in the best of theatre, when you aren’t laughing, you may well find yourself crying.

Young Centre for the Performing Arts, 50 Tank House Lane, 416-866-8666. To June 20.

Allan Gould is Post City Magazines’ theatre critic. He has a Ph.D. in english and theatre from York University and has written over 40 books. His writing has appeared in Toronto Life, Chatelaine, en Route, Canadian Business, Good Times and Financial Post. He is married with two children. Aside from his family, his major passions are theatre and film, because they enrich life with pleasure and meaning.

Morning Throwback: even in the ‘20s, three was a crowd

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8:00 am

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Remember the '80s hit Three Men and a Baby? Well, here’s Three Men and a Ghost. That’s right, in 1928, after a night of heavy partying, these three bachelors were left in charge of a wayward spirit who mysteriously arrived on their doorstep the next day. She’s pictured in the foreground. Trust us, she’s there.

Meet a Comedy Troupe: The Imponderables

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4:43 pm

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Canadian Comedy Award-winning sketch troupe The Imponderables are at the Rivoli later this month promoting their web sitcom Bill & Sons Towing. We caught up with troupe member Tony Lombardo to ponder some deep questions, like “how funny is a piece of toast?”

I hear your name comes from the Jack Kerouac novel On the Road. Are you guys big readers? What's the last book you read?
The last “book” I read was an extremely thorough email from my friend Brad about how to properly grill striploin. It was intense — not only is the guy from Calgary, he also wins barbecue competitions.

What’s the most memorable road trip you’ve taken as a troupe?
On our trip home from Chicago Sketchfest (mid-January, minus 35 degrees) someone smashed our van window and stole our GPS. So we drove home without a passenger-side window for 13 hours in arguably the coldest winter in the last 10 years.

You once shot a sketch pilot with MTV. What happened to that?
We spent a year developing the show and then went down to L.A. to shoot this great pilot, but the exec who ordered it left the company and the show died. It's a great piece, but the vision of where it would sit on the MTV schedule completely went out the window when he left. We remained proud of it and before we could really start pitching it seriously to other networks, this Bill & Sons Towing web series project came up and, truthfully, we’re way happier doing this.

What’s the most outrageous sketch you’ve ever performed?
Most would say it’s the Dreams sketch, where Jon comes out completely naked. But for me it’s the Toaster sketch: the lights come up and the audience watches a piece of toast pop. And the lights go down. I love that everyone is watching it and there are no cast members on stage, yet it gets huge laughs every time. I think that’s what robots are for.

Who would you most like to perform with?
Well we’ve already performed with members of The Kids in the Hall and Mr. Show with Bob and David. I guess that leaves John Cleese.

You’re making a name for yourselves in the U.S. Is the goal to make it big in Hollywood?
I wouldn’t say it’s a goal at present. It definitely was a few years ago (to the point where we won Q107’s Funniest Home Video contest; then immediately sold all the prizes on Craigslist to buy plane tickets to L.A.), but after having done it and seen it, we now just want to create great stories. And if that takes us to Hollywood, Istanbul or Hamilton, we're happy.

Biggest achievement so far?
We are incredibly proud of our new web series Bill & Sons Towing. It’s a real departure for us from the sketch world, being a fully fledged sitcom (co-starring such legends like Nicholas Campbell, Sonja Smits and Jayne Eastwood), and we had such an amazing time.

What’s next on the horizon?
Bill & Sons Towing is in full swing. We are on episode five. New content goes up every Monday and Thursday. It's really great and funny, and hopefully it will parlay itself into a television property when it hits Just for Laughs and the Banff World Media Festival this summer. Check it out — but make sure your boss or kids aren’t in the room.

The details

Year established: 2000
Cast members: Dave Brennan, Eric Toth, Jon Smith and Tony Lombardo
Influences: Kids in the Hall, SCTV, Mr. Show with Bob and David, SNL, Monty Python and The Far Side Next show.

The Imponderables, The Rivoli, 334 Queen St. W., 416-596-1908. To June 19.

Chef Tom Brodi parts ways with TOCA

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12:57 pm

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Last February, TOCA opened its doors at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, riding on a tidal wave of high expectations. At its helm was acclaimed chef Tom Brodi, whose 10 years at Canoe, the big daddy of Toronto fine dining, had left foodies salivating with anticipation over his newest venture.

The Ritz-Carlton, too, seemed more than prepared to vouch for the success of the pairing. As the full name of the restaurant — TOCA by Tom Brodi — would indicate, everyone expected the marriage between chef and venue to be a long and fruitful one.

And yet, just over a year later, Brodi and Toca have parted ways. On Twitter last Friday, Brodi announced his resignation:

The rumors are true. I resigned 3 weeks ago from TOCA by tom brodi and my last day is May 26th. Thank you to everyone for your support.

While Brodi’s departure certainly comes as a surprise, some warning signs have been in place for a while. Despite early buzz, reviews of TOCA were lukewarm. As Joanne Kates wrote in her April 2011 Globe and Mail review, TOCA suffered from “a consistency issue,” adding, “If the Ritz is gonna put on the ritz, they had better mind the details. Pronto.”

When asked to comment on his resignation, Brodi told us that “the vision of the hotel — what the hotel wanted — was different than what we started out with.”

The future of both TOCA and Brodi remain uncertain. Ritz-Carlton PR representative Melanie Greco tells us that they have not yet found a replacement chef, while Brodi himself says that, apart from a few little things, he has no major plans on the table.

For now, we can only hope that both TOCA and Brodi are able to rebound from this untimely separation, and that each will go on to find more compatible bedfellows.