The return of Matilda, a Beach Boys anniversary concert and five other things to do this week
Broadway’s boisterous take on Matilda
Neglected by her parents and terrorized by a sinister headmistress, the precocious youngster takes refuge in books and mischief before discovering she has extraordinary powers. Roald Dahl’s classic story gets the Broadway treatment in this playful musical, featuring a pint-size cast who stomp, sing and scooter their way around the stage. Listen for “Revolting Children,” a feisty number with all the attitude (and short pants) of School of Rock. Tuesday, July 5 to Sunday, October 16. $50–$175. Ed Mirvish Theatre, 244 Victoria St., mirvish.com.
An indoor-outdoor food fest
This weekend, nearly 50 vendors will converge on the Chinese Cultural Centre for the annual TO Food Fest, filling it (and its parking lot) with sushi burritos, mac and cheese, dumplings, gourmet popsicles, fully loaded hot dogs and more. Admission is free, but there’s a suggested donation of $2 or a non-perishable food item for Second Harvest. Saturday, July 9 and Sunday, July 10. Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto, 5183 Sheppard Ave. E., tofoodfest.com.
A nostalgic Brian Wilson set
The dense orchestral arrangements and melancholic lyrics of the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds were musical miles away from their Surfin’ Safari beginnings. To mark the album’s 50th anniversary, 74-year-old mastermind Brian Wilson performs the whole thing, from the mournful opening notes of “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” to the wistful lament of closer “Caroline, No.” Monday, July 4. $39.50–$125. Massey Hall, 178 Victoria St., masseyhall.com.
The jam-packed Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition
This summertime staple takes art off the gallery wall and drops it into a massive, open-air market. The three-day fest is informal and accessible—and, with 300 artists in attendance, it offers everything an art lover could ask for: paintings, photography, sculptures, ceramics, prints, and more. Friday, July 8 to Sunday, July 10. Nathan Phillips Square, 100 Queen St. W., torontooutdoorart.org.
A blast of Weezer’s best years
A lot of listeners justifiably tuned out in the lean years of the aughts, when the band was churning out cheap singles and filler-stuffed albums with names like Raditude. But the flag-bearers of ’90s alt-rock are on the upswing: this year’s White Album features the sort of playful hooks and powerful progressions that turned them into ’90s rock legends. Wednesday, July 6. $35–$75. Molson Amphitheatre, 909 Lake Shore Blvd. W., ticketmaster.ca.
An ambitious queer art exhibition
The late artist and activist Wendy Coburn specialized in sculptures and photographs that riffed on lesbian themes, but her most memorable work is Slut Nation: Anatomy of a Protest, a shit-disturbing documentary film about the agents provocateurs who infiltrated SlutWalk. This group exhibition, Standing Grond II, Chance and Variation, places her legacy in context with paintings by Stephen Andrews, underwear pop art by the late LGBT icon Will Munro and works by other queer artists. Friday, July 8 to Saturday, August 13. Paul Petro Contemporary Art, 980 Queen St. W., paulpetro.com.
Tom Forrestall’s enchanting East Coast paintings
At 80, the steadfast chronicler of Atlantic Canada is still creating uncanny, not-quite-photorealistic paintings. They capture beautiful and strange scenes from rural Canada—an abandoned boat sitting in an empty field, or an airliner spotted through a tangle of tree branches—and wittily explore the ways that humans interact with (or intrude upon) them. To Saturday, September 10. Mira Godard Gallery, 22 Hazelton Ave., godardgallery.com.
More Things to Do in Toronto
 of School of Rock. Tuesday, July 5 to Sunday, October 16. $50–$175. Ed Mirvish Theatre, 244 Victoria St., mirvish.com.
An indoor-outdoor food fest
This weekend, nearly 50 vendors will converge on the Chinese Cultural Centre for the annual TO Food Fest, filling it (and its parking lot) with sushi burritos, mac and cheese, dumplings, gourmet popsicles, fully loaded hot dogs and more. Admission is free, but there's a suggested donation of $2 or a non-perishable food item for Second Harvest. Saturday, July 9 and Sunday, July 10. Chinese Cultural Centre of Greater Toronto, 5183 Sheppard Ave. E., tofoodfest.com.
A nostalgic Brian Wilson set
The dense orchestral arrangements and melancholic lyrics of the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds were musical miles away from their Surfin’ Safari beginnings. To mark the album’s 50th anniversary, 74-year-old mastermind Brian Wilson performs the whole thing, from the mournful opening notes of “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” to the wistful lament of closer “Caroline, No.” Monday, July 4. $39.50–$125. Massey Hall, 178 Victoria St., masseyhall.com.
The jam-packed Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition
This summertime staple takes art off the gallery wall and drops it into a massive, open-air market. The three-day fest is informal and accessible—and, with 300 artists in attendance, it offers everything an art lover could ask for: paintings, photography, sculptures, ceramics, prints, and more. Friday, July 8 to Sunday, July 10. Nathan Phillips Square, 100 Queen St. W., torontooutdoorart.org.
[caption id="attachment_387832" align="alignnone" width="2000"] Weezer.[/caption]
A blast of Weezer’s best years
A lot of listeners justifiably tuned out in the lean years of the aughts, when the band was churning out cheap singles and filler-stuffed albums with names like Raditude. But the flag-bearers of ’90s alt-rock are on the upswing: this year’s White Album features the sort of playful hooks and powerful progressions that turned them into ’90s rock legends. Wednesday, July 6. $35–$75. Molson Amphitheatre, 909 Lake Shore Blvd. W., ticketmaster.ca.
An ambitious queer art exhibition
The late artist and activist Wendy Coburn specialized in sculptures and photographs that riffed on lesbian themes, but her most memorable work is Slut Nation: Anatomy of a Protest, a shit-disturbing documentary film about the agents provocateurs who infiltrated SlutWalk. This group exhibition, Standing Grond II, Chance and Variation, places her legacy in context with paintings by Stephen Andrews, underwear pop art by the late LGBT icon Will Munro and works by other queer artists. Friday, July 8 to Saturday, August 13. Paul Petro Contemporary Art, 980 Queen St. W., paulpetro.com.
[caption id="attachment_387833" align="alignnone" width="1458"] The Dramatic Entrance.[/caption]
Tom Forrestall’s enchanting East Coast paintings
At 80, the steadfast chronicler of Atlantic Canada is still creating uncanny, not-quite-photorealistic paintings. They capture beautiful and strange scenes from rural Canada—an abandoned boat sitting in an empty field, or an airliner spotted through a tangle of tree branches—and wittily explore the ways that humans interact with (or intrude upon) them. To Saturday, September 10. Mira Godard Gallery, 22 Hazelton Ave., godardgallery.com.
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