For the 2024.25 season, Crow’s Theatre continues the tradition of lighting up Toronto’s east end with entertainment for all tastes, with CROW’S CABARET in the Studio Theatre.

The series kicks-off with beloved actor and musician Noah Reid returning to Crow’s for two nights with The Country Sessions and his signature soulful approach to a curated list of classic country covers in this sophisticated reimagining of the genre’s most iconic works.

Next up, Broadway star Sara Farb and acclaimed composer-lyricist Britta Johnson take the stage in Very Serious Women. Playfully defying its title, this concert celebrates the rich, female-centric canon of musical theatre, blending timeless classics with fresh, contemporary pieces performed by two of Canada’s leading musical talents.

Later in the season, New York City-based actor, writer, and comedian Stephen Brower brings his 2023 Edinburgh Fringe Festival hit Palatable Gay Robot to Crow’s.  This stand-up/theatre meta-mix introduces audiences to robot producer HumaVibe’s latest device, Billie Bowtie. Programmed to be the perfect performer, Billie glitches through standup comedy, character, song, dance, and storytelling to land in a place of true humanity.

Wrapping up the fall Cabaret line-up, international drag icon Tynomi Banks hits the east end for an unforgettable evening of performance. An international drag icon, Banks has appeared on the premiere season of Canada’s Drag Race and season two of Canada’s Drag Race: Canada vs. the World. Tynomi is currently collaborating and touring with Nelly Furtado, and recently released her debut single Die For Love.

CROW’S CABARET

The Country Sessions
Noah Reid
September 20th and 21st

An intimate and soulful concert from acclaimed actor and musician Noah Reid, who curated Crow’s recent sold-out Cover to Cover music series. Best known for his CSA winning turn as Patrick in the Emmy award winning Schitt’s Creek, Reid most recently starred in Amazon/Plan B’s Outer Range and on Broadway in Tracy Letts’ The Minutes. As a musician, Reid has released three full length albums of original songs, Adjustments, Gemini and Songs From A Broken Chair, and has most recently completed his Everything’s Fine world tour, with sold out shows across Canada, the US, the UK, Europe and Australia.

Very Serious Women: An Evening of Classic and Original Musical Theatre 
Featuring Sara Farb and Britta Johnson
September 25th – 28th

Friends and collaborators, Broadway star Sara Farb (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) and acclaimed composer-lyricist Britta Johnson (Life, After) come together for ‘Very Serious Women.’ A celebration of the rich, female-centric canon of musical theatre, blending timeless classics with fresh, contemporary pieces, this evening of musical performance offers a sophisticated exploration of the voices shaping musical theatre today.

Palatable Gay Robot
Starring Stephen Brower 
October 2nd to October 5th

Meet HumaVibe’s latest device, Billie Bowtie. Programmed to be the perfect performer, Billie must ride the line between palatable and personal – gay, but not too gay! As he navigates his sentience amidst growing pressure from the Moderator– performed in Toronto by comic icons Naomi Snieckus (Oct. 2), Aurora Brown (Oct. 3), Linda Kash (Oct. 4), and Sherry Miller (Oct. 5) –Palatable Gay Robot is a bold and irreverent theatrical piece that explores identity, technology, and the absurd complexities of modern relationships.

SNAPSHOT REVIEW

Stephen Brower gives a stunning one-robot performance, juggling the struggles of being everyone’s favourite gay companion while navigating the complexities of life. Upon entering the venue, the space is set up much like a cabaret with tables and chairs at the front, and theatre-style seating along the sides and back, offering great sightlines from anywhere within. As Billie Bowtie enters, it immediately becomes apparent that this is going to be a show of one-liners and NSFW skits, and it doesn’t fail to deliver on both.

Part multi-media and part sketch comedy, the intertwining between the two is of utmost importance to the topic at hand – have humans and technology become one, and is it too late to save humanity? HumaVibe is a company promoting the world’s first gay robot, who can be as flexible in meeting your needs as possible, as long as he can keep his potty mouth in check. There is a human narrator side-stage who is in charge of corralling Billie in when he wanders astray, and will hit a buzzer whenever Billie gets out of hand or off-track into tangents of non-PC rhetoric.

Overall, Billie’s mandate is to offer a clean show suitable for all audiences, but when his hard drive or software mechanisms fail, there’s no stopping the gay innuendos. The ending is totally unexpected, but it also shows that as much as technology is taking over our daily lives, we still need to take time to stop and be human.

Despite a couple of technical difficulties with the stage mic, which Brower handled with great professionalism, the show went on and wowed the full-capacity crowd. Grab your tickets now and catch this unique production before it leaves the city.

Solid Gold
An Evening with Tynomi Banks
October 10th – October 12th

Canada’s legendary queen welcomes you inside the life and career of a superstar drag performer with Solid Gold: An Evening with Tynomi Banks, live on stage! Performing iconic numbers of celebrated Black divas and brand new material mixed with funny stories, Tynomi dishes on celebrity run-ins, her experience on Canada’s Drag Race, lessons from her mom, and more.

Crow’s Theatre – 345 Carlaw Ave, Toronto. All Cabaret performances begin at 8:00pm and bar service will be available throughout the shows. Tickets for CROW’S CABARET are $35 plus service fee and HST, and are available here.

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats.