Uh, yeah, so…there’s a LOT.   Bear with me here, and shout out (nicely..!) if I miss anything.  Here we go…

Starting off, there’s the last few days of Brian Friel’s TRANSLATIONS at the Ottawa Little Theatre, playing until the 3rd.  There follows a break, and then on the 20th SELF HELP starts up, carrying on into April.

At the Gladstone Theatre, Bremner Duthie’s ’33 – A KABARETT continues until the 10th.  Semi-officially part of Black Sheep Theatre’s BLACK BOX SERIES, which also includes these three gems: THE LAST GODDAMNED PERFORMANCE PIECE, running in March from the 1st to 3rd, evenings after ’33.  Then from the 9th-10th and 16th-17th, the great Paul Hutcheson brings his THIRD TIME LUCKY to town.  And from the 13th thru 17th, Jayson MacDonald himself will unleash the GIANT INVISIBLE ROBOT on Ottawa for the first time since the ’07 Fringe Festival.  Welcome back, Jayson Mac, you’ve been missed.

The hard working kids at Obviously a Theatre Company are back, with a staged reading of THE CORONATION VOYAGE at Cafe Alt on the 2nd and 3rd.  Jacki Brabazon’s in it, what else do you need to know?  Not far off at Studio Leonard-Beaulne, THE JEWISH WIFE plays from the 1st to the 3rd,  and PROVINCETOWN PLAYHOUSE shows from the 15th thru 17th.  And at Academic Hall, MAMAMOUCHI (aka Le Bourgeouis Gentilhomme by Moliere) plays from the 27th thru 31st.

Back at my alma Mater the Ottawa School of Speech and Drama, the OTS kids are back with a new show created by Prix Rideau Awards darling Andy Massingham, WE WANT LIFE (formerly known as GREED), playing in the Natalie Stern Studio from the 6th thru 17th, and I can’t wait (fundraiser on the 1st at 8pm at the Westboro Clocktower!).

Back at Arts Court, New Theatre of Ottawa continues it’s season there with THE PLAYER’S ADVICE TO SHAKESPEARE, a one-manner starring the great Greg Kramer, this one you HAVE to go see.  From the 7th to 17th.

At the NAC, Ronnie Burkett’s epic-sounding grown-up puppet play PENNY PLAIN launches on the 14th and running thru April Fool’s Day.  It sounds pretty kinda amazing, folks.  For the kids, MONSTER MAKER has some fun on the 24th and 25th.

At La Nouvelle Scene, ZONE gets a repeat showing on the 3rd, and something by the enigmatic handle of // …yes, those two slanty lines are the title, and it plays from the 21st thru 31st.    Remember, folks, French Theatre is Cool Theatre!
Algonquin Theatre kicks of show #2 of its season with THEATRE OF THE FILM NOIR by George Walker from the 14th to 17th, and if it’s half the fun Walker’s ZASTROZZI was last season, you do not want to miss it.  Meanwhile, over at Carelton U the Sock’n’Buskin gang are staging Steven Sondheim’s COMPANY from the 15th thru 24th.  Tess McManus is in it, what else do you need to know?  There’s also another VAGINA MONOLOGUES going on, for more good causes, at Carleton on the 10th and 11th, tho I’m not sure PRECISELY where.  More when I find out.

The GCTC launches the penultimate show of their current season with EAST OF BERLIN on the 21st and running into next month.  Directed by multiple-Rideau Award nominated Joel Beddows, dontcha know!  Upstairs in the studio space, the 9th Hour Theatre Company is staging CRIME AND PUNISHMENT from the 22nd to the 31st.  Always fun to have shows running up AND down.

And yes, it sucks that Third Wall won’t be putting on WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? this month like originally planned…but never fear, they’re still active this month with another in the EMPTY SPACE reading series.  This time it’s a return to Chekhov, with Andy Massingham and Kristina Watt back for more stellar storytelling, on the 28th.

What else, what else…oh yeah, Orpheus is making some noise with RENT, starting on the thru to the 11th, over at Centrepointe.  Out at the Ron Maslin, the Kanata Players are showing FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS from the 27th, thru to April 7th.

Back at the Gladstone, 730 Productions returns with THE COMMUNICATION CORD from the 28th thru to the middle of April, and it sounds like sweet fun.   And at the Glebe Community Centre , GNAG is putting on KING LEAR from the 29th to April 1st, just to get it in before the NAC gets there.  Nicely done, Glebe. 🙂

And hey!  Over at the Velvet Room, Eddie May Mysteries presents Scarlett’s Dinner Theatre, now featuring THE CURSE OF THE PEKINESE PEREGRINE, directed by Zach Counsil and featuring a (pardon the pun) killer cast.  Every Saturday until, I dunno, a while now?  Sorry, I’m terrible at research…but definitely for March, and that’s dinner, a show, and some shenanigans afterwards.  A good nite out, folks.

Still more!  On the 27th at the NAC 4th Stage, the OTTAWA THEATRE CHALLENGE has its day, and it should be a lotta fun.  And if you’re one of those COOL people who live in Toronto, then maybe you might wanna (you really do) check out Mikaela Dyke’s incredible DYING HARD at the Tarragon Theatre, from the 13th thru 18th.  Tell’er the Visitor sent ya!

All this plus the DEAD UNICORN INK fundraiser on the 24th at the Fall Down Gallery, the GRUPPO RUBATO fundraiser on the 117th at the GCTC studio, all the usual Improv shows from CRUSH IMPROV, GRIMprov, CRYSTAL BASEMENT, INSENSITIVITY TRAINING, and newbies MI-6…phew!  If you’re bored this month, folks, you’re dead inside.  I didn’t even TOUCH the dance stuff, or the spoken word…sheesh.  Get out there.  See some shows, support some artists, make a little love, do what you gotta DO, folks.  Just do it.  I’m out…off to a couple things this evening my own self.  And if I can do it…boy, you can too.  Peace, love and soul, Ottawa,

The Visitor (and Winston)