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Muggles, Hogwarts and Quidditch -The Potted Potter Toronto Experience!

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By N. Balani

The Potted Potter experience began way back in 2005 in England when Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner were asked to do a 5-minute street show style presentation on the first 5 Harry Potter books for fans waiting for the release of the sixth book at midnight.

They never imagined that more than a decade later they would still be performing an extended version of that magical show all over the world! This outstanding show has toured from England to Australia to Hong Kong to Dubai and now is in its fourth tour of Toronto and will go on to other cities in the USA.

This two-man parody on the world of Harry Potter will keep you rolling in laughter whether you are 6 or 66 or even the age of Lord Voldermort! The show involves a Harry Potter expert (James Percy) and a person who is definitely not a Potter expert (Brendan Murphy) trying to present a 70 minute summary of the entire 7 tomes of the Potter saga. To enjoy the slap-stick humour of this show you do not even have to know the difference between a HufflePuff and a horcrux or the names of all the creatures from the Book of Magical Creatures. The plot is simple and so is the stage set (low key wigs and hats), but the comedy is rich and a rare chance to see improvisation theatre at its very best. Continue reading “Muggles, Hogwarts and Quidditch -The Potted Potter Toronto Experience!”

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CARABRAM 2018: Cultures, costumes, cuisines!

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Carabram, Brampton’s Multicultural Festival has expanded. This year they included a central site at South Fletcher’s Sportsplex, to showcase additional cultures, music and food as well as an International Bazaar. In addition, The World of Food Pavilion was part of the central site as well an International Market Bazaar with artisans and commercial vendors from Arabia, Latin America, Pakistan, Hawaii, Ukraine and Nepal.

A small stage was set up to present music, dance and songs, as well as demonstrations including Ted Talk style presentation. The Main stage, beside World of Food, continued to showcase top entertainment from around the world.

Carabram, Canada’s oldest cultural festival was on July 13, 14, and 15 at eight venues across the city. In addition to the new South Fletcher’s site, there were pavilions located throughout the city. Canada returned to the UNIFOR Local 1285 Hall,

Caribbean and China were at Chris Gibson Recreation Centre. The rhythm of the islands, the pulsating beats of the drums and the steel band made the audiences sway to the reggae music and whine to the calypso singers. At the China Pavilion, entertainment   included Lion Dance , Kung Fu (Wushu), Qipao fashion show, GuZheng (Chinese Zither), Tai Chi and Taekwondo. Continue reading “CARABRAM 2018: Cultures, costumes, cuisines!”

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#BollywoodMonster Mashup ready for monstrous audience in Mississauga

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Bollywood fans get hyped! The season of #BollywoodMonster Mashup, presented by TD Bank Group is well underway after the the festival’s successful kickoff event, the #BollywoodMonster Teaser Party on Friday, July 6 at the FLY Nightclub.

The celebrations are set to continue with the #BollywoodMonster Family Day and Finale on July 21, #BollywoodMonster Concert on July 20 and #BollywoodMonster VIP & Media Cocktail Reception on July 19, which are all part of the largest South Asian festival in Canada’s eighth year.

Aaman Trikha, brought to you by TELUS, headlines the #BollywoodMonster Finale, which kicks off at 6 PM on Saturday, July 21 at Mississauga Celebration Square. Trikha is known as the voice of Akshay Kumar in Hookah Bar (Khiladi 786) and Salman Khan in Prem Leela (Prem Ratan Dhan Payo) with a number of other Bollywood hits under his belt. The #BollywoodMonster Orchestra will also return to the festival, blowing people’s minds by featuring top 40 hits from George Michael, Black Eyed Peas, and Gloria Estefan, mashed up with Bollywood hits from films such as Ram Balram, Don and Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna. Singer, songwriter and composer Himmy and the Bollywood Rock Band, dance duo Giggle Queens, and dance group Shiamak Showkids will also take the stage throughout the evening.

Families with kids of all ages can enjoy the #BollywoodMonster Family Day festivities, starting at 2 PM on July 21. Continue reading “#BollywoodMonster Mashup ready for monstrous audience in Mississauga”

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ROM to Host Exclusive Exhibition of Photographs by Raghubir Singh

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The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) will be the final North American and exclusive Canadian venue for Modernism on the Ganges: Raghubir Singh Photographs. Organized by the Metropolitan Museum of Art with the cooperation of Succession Raghubir Singh in Paris, this retrospective presents the visionary works of late photographer Raghubir Singh (1942-1999), who pioneered the use of colour film to document the rapidly changing social, political, and cultural scenes of India from the late 1960s to the 1990s. The exhibition will be on display at the ROM from July 21 to October 21, 2018, following its run at The Met Breuer in New York City and the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.

“As home to one of the world’s largest collections of South Asian art and culture, we are pleased to host this retrospective on the pioneering work of photographer Raghubir Singh,“ says Josh Basseches, ROM Director & CEO.“Singh’s illuminating portraits of India, taken from within the culture, have had a major influence on shaping our understanding of the richness and complexity of South Asian society and its unique place in the modern world.”

Modernism on the Ganges: Raghubir Singh Photographs traces the full trajectory of Singh’s career from his early work as a photojournalist in the late 1960s through to his last unpublished projects of the late 1990s. The exhibition features more than 80 photographs and other objects on loan from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Succession Raghubir Singh. Continue reading “ROM to Host Exclusive Exhibition of Photographs by Raghubir Singh”

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Bollywood stars to mingle in Mississauga at the #BollywoodMonster VIP reception

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Cocktail reception for the largest South Asian festival in Canada has limited tickets available for the public

Mississauga, ON: #BollywoodMonster Mashup, presented by TD, is gearing up to kick off its eighth season of the largest South Asian festival in Canada with the #BollywoodMonster VIP & Media Cocktail Reception. With limited tickets available to the public, the July 19 reception will be held at C Banquets inside the Mississauga Civic Centre, starting at 8 PM.

In addition to the whirlwind of fun Bollywood fans can expect on July 20 and 21 at Mississauga Celebration Square, the reception presents an annual behind-the-scenes party with #BollywoodMonster Mashup’s biggest celebrities, artists and media all gracing the guest list. Fans will be able to meet this year’s Bollywood stars: Aaman Trikha, brought to you by TELUS (voice of Salman Khan in Prem Leela) and Khushboo Grewal, (voice of Sunny Leone in Pink Lips and actor from Carry on Jatta) at the reception, as well as other performers from this year’s festival.  Attendees will also enjoy hors d’oeuvres, drinks and the opportunity to rub elbows with Bollywood celebrities, performers, and business and community leaders. The #BollywoodMonster VIP & Media Cocktail Reception has a limited number of tickets on sale, so make sure to grab your ticket before they sell out at: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/bollywoodmonster-vip-and-media-cocktail-reception-tickets-47087613319?ref=estw

Continue reading “Bollywood stars to mingle in Mississauga at the #BollywoodMonster VIP reception”

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Canada India Foundation’s Higher Education Forum

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Canada India Foundation (CIF) will be organizing a Higher Education Forum on July 5 and 6 at the Pearson Convention Centre, Brampton ON

Announcing this at a media conference held in Toronto Wednesday June 27, Mr. Ajit Someshwar, Chair, CIF, said, “The CIF is organizing a forum on Higher Education because the education sector has emerged as priority sector for both Canada and India.”

Mr. Someshwar said the sector is worth $20 billion annually in Canada. Pertinently, in 2018, more than 120,000 international students from India will choose Canada for their higher education needs, making Canada the fourth most popular destination for Indian students seeking higher education.

Delineating the objectives of the Forum, Mr. Someshwar observed that the Forum’s vision is to reshape higher education with emphasis on innovation and to create opportunities for development and growth between Canada and India.

Mr. Anil Shah, National Convener, CIF, informed media representatives about the CIF’s upcoming Annual Global Indian Award Gala that is also being held on July 6 evening at the Pearson Convention Centre.

He said, annually, the CIF recognises and honours a prominent achiever who has championed the transformation of developing economies, Continue reading “Canada India Foundation’s Higher Education Forum”

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#BollywoodMonster Mashup brings plenty of activities on Family Day

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The largest South Asian festival in Canada, #BollywoodMonster Mashup presented by TD, brings even more fun and free activities to festival-goers this time around at Mississauga Celebration Square. On July 21, as part of the #BollywoodMonster Family Day starting at 2pm, there will be a flurry of action to choose from including the KidZone with various games and activities, shopping, finger-licking food, free dance workshops and more.

“The KidZone is an integral part of the #BollywoodMonster Family Day experience, and we look to continue to grow it at this year’s festival. On behalf of the MonstrARTity team, we’d like to thank Toronto Area Ford Dealers for bringing the free mini car rides to the KidZone for #BollywoodMonster Family Day”, says Executive Director of MonstrARTity, Vikas Kohli. “It’s just as exciting that we will have some very skillful chefs who will be providing free cooking demos at the ever-expanding ChefZone. We have free parking for everyone so don’t miss out on the eighth season of this great festival that starts at 2 PM!

In collaboration with Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives (PAMA), and Heritage Mississauga, the #BollywoodMonster KidZone presents an exciting array of free arts and crafts such as creating pinwheels, bowl painting and flyable kites. Free games will also be provided courtesy of #MonsterArts for Youth and The Vaarso Foundation, who will be bringing a giant snakes and ladders board game, Continue reading “#BollywoodMonster Mashup brings plenty of activities on Family Day”

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Cirque de Solieil’s ‘Corteo’ Brings a New Kind of Circus to Town!

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–By Nita Balani

Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Corteo’ opened at The Tribute Communities Centre in Oshawa for a limited engagement of six shows until Sunday June 24 and will be doing the Canadian tour with stops in Toronto (December), Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City and Vancouver, amongst other cities.

Thought to be inspired by the work ‘The Portrait of an Artist as a Clown (National Gallery of Canada)’, the production has enthralled 8 million people worldwide since its debut in 2005 and is now seen in a more contemporary version. It brings the circus world of tumblers, acrobats, jugglers, celestial creatures, and many more wondrous acts to life. Corteo, which means a joyous procession, is a festive parade by a clown, Mauro, who has passed on and is a celebration of his life and the people he left behind. The sets are simple yet spectacular to portray the celestial world and the one we live in as Mauro pictures his life and funeral taking place through various enthralling acts. The show depicts quiet, graceful angels taking care of Mauro and is juxtaposed with the humorous buffoonery of his friends and circus colleagues.

The spectacle is divided into several acts each of which display a different type of art or circus skill. It opens with the mastery of the acrobats on swinging chandeliers which is breathtakingly beautiful and unique. Continue reading “Cirque de Solieil’s ‘Corteo’ Brings a New Kind of Circus to Town!”

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ART OF BANKSY HITS TORONTO OFF THE WALLS!

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— by Nita Balani

Toronto’s art scene reached a height with The Art of Banksy hitting the circuit with its North American premiere right here in The 6ix. It is especially promising for Toronto’s art circle to have Banksy’s prized exhibits on display here in our city as it further cements our place on the art map. There are over 80 pieces on display all installed with perfect lighting and is the largest blockbuster Banksy exhibit ever.

Banksy of the U.K. needs no introduction to most art lovers and graffiti artists. He rose to popularity from his illegal street art on the walls and buildings all over London and the United Kingdom because his satirical commentary on the political and social environment hit home with the general public. He grew rapidly from graffiti artist to an internationally acclaimed personality because he spoke a universal truth that resonated across all borders and cultures. And yet nobody knows who he is. His real identity has never been revealed!

The Art of Banksy’s curator (and former manager/friend) Steven Lazarides and his dream Team – co-curator Chris Ford, Live Nation and Starvox Exhibits, have done an exceptional  job of presenting Banksy’s chefs d’oeuvre with a unique flair.

None of the art pieces on display have been pulled off the walls or streets. Continue reading “ART OF BANKSY HITS TORONTO OFF THE WALLS!”

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YYZ Live music series returning to Toronto Pearson International Airport

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Building upon the positive response from audiences and artists alike, YYZ Live, a musical celebration featuring live performances by local musicians, has taken to the stage again in Toronto Pearson International Airport’s Terminals 1 and 3. The encore music series starts this week and will run until the end of the year.

“We are pleased that this successful partnership will continue and generate more paid performance opportunities for Toronto musicians,” said Mayor John Tory. “YYZ Live is a program that helps reinforce Toronto as a music city to visitors and residents alike.”

Produced by the City in partnership with Toronto Pearson International Airport, YYZ Live will present up to six free, live music performances a week for the enjoyment of passengers. Shows are scheduled for 6 to 6:40 p.m. and again from 7 to 7:40 p.m. on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday nights at the YYZ Live stages in the Terminal 3 Departure Gate Area (past security) and the Terminal 1 International Arrivals meet and greet area (pre-security). The program was initially launched last summer and featured 150 performances in honour of Canada’s 150th birthday.

YYZ Live 2018 kicked off yesterday with a performance by alternative singer-songwriter Jong Lu in Terminal 3. The YYZ Live performance schedule is available at http://www.torontopearson.com/yyzlive and social media users can follow #yyzlive for schedule updates. Continue reading “YYZ Live music series returning to Toronto Pearson International Airport”