So following Minimum I made it to Tarragon Theatre with about two minutes to spare to see You Choose; an improvised murder mystery from the Howland Company. The show is created by Ruth Goodwin and Liz Johnston. M. Thibidault, owner of a country hotel, has invited some friends for dinner but shortly before the meal commences he is found murdered. It must be one of the guests or a member of the hotel staff. So far, so Christie but here’s the schtick. The cast draw lots to determine what character they will play and we, the audience, choose the murderer. The only members of the cast who know the murderer’s identity are the killer and the concierge/facilitator who moves the action forward with a series of prompts.
So last night at the Tranzac, as part of Against the Grain’s Opera Pub, Queen Hezumuryango and Ryan Nauta did a version of the “Seguidilla” from Bizet’s Carmen but with the roles reversed. It was the Pride Edition after all. Turns out it’s not the first time I’ve heard Carmen gender bent. Not so long ago I heard Korin Thomas-Smith sing the “Habanera”.
BTW, the rest of Opera Pub was pretty good too with even more gender bending as Ryan also sang “Quondo men vo”. There was a really nice account by Queen of “Printemps qui commence” from Saint-Saëns’ 
And that’s a wrap on Opera Pub for 2025/26 but it will be back at the Tranzac in the Fall.
operaramblings 