Today in Toronto: New Ideas Festival and The Black Keys

New Ideas Festival The Alumnae Theatre offers up a solution for opinionated Torontonians with nowhere to vent: the company’s annual new play festival encourages attendees to let ’em have it. Audience participation—in the form of talkback sessions and comment forms—is all part of the process during the three-week juried event, as 15 short works-in-progress find their feet. Find out more »

The Black Keys The guitar-drums duo of Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney has distinguished itself as a more radio-friendly alternative to the gone-but-not-forgotten White Stripes. Their new album, El Camino, once again teams them with hip-hop producer Danger Mouse, who adds a smidgen of contemporary shine to the Keys’ throwback boogie-woogie. British music magazine cover darlings the Arctic Monkeys open. Find out more »