Today in Toronto: Divisadero, Hanson, War Horse and more

Divisadero: A Performance Michael Ondaatje’s 2007 novel got the theatrical treatment last year, with Daniel Brooks directing Maggie Huculak, Tom McCamus and Liane Balaban in a stage adaptation, which gets a remount this month. Acting neophyte Justin Rutledge—a very fine singer-songwriter and Ondaatje’s muse for the project—turns in a solid performance as itinerant gambler Coop, but it’s Amy Rutherford as a magnetic, desperate junkie who steals the show. Previews from Feb. 8. Find out more »

Hanson There’s no way to put this that won’t make you feel old: all three members of Hanson, the trio of blond brothers who very briefly owned the top of the charts with “MMMBop,” are married with children. (Yes, even the youngest brother, Zac, who was 12 when they first hit and behaved like the “before” in a Ritalin ad.) Find out more »

Laila Biali Biali’s voice can sometimes edge into the realm of breathy little girl, but her compositions tackle life and love with maturity, wit and some exemplary piano work—and that voice can blossom when it has to. Plus, she’s paid some dues, having opened for Diana Krall and Dave Brubeck and played Carnegie Hall. Find out more »

War Horse What began as a bestselling children’s book and recently became a Steven Spielberg film is arguably most powerful as a play, thanks to some fantastic work by the Handspring Puppet Company. The story—about a boy and his horse on the battlefields of World War I—is a little sentimental, but the puppetry is genuinely dazzling. Find out more »