Stompin' Tom Connors performs in a 1974 handout photo.The Canadian Press
Stompin' Tom Birthday Tribute
If Stompin' Tom Connors were alive today, he would be one day short of 78 years old, and perhaps unwilling to take part in any back-slapping tribute on his behalf. But the Popeye-jawed troubadour wouldn't want to spoil the occasion for anyone else, and to the notion of people gathering in a tap room to his salute his work, he would likely abide. His populist canon is full of stomp-alongs and Bud The Spud-style joiners. Drink, sing and do Canadian things – the man of the hour wouldn't have it any other way. Feb. 8, 7:30 p.m. $25. The Eton House, 710 Danforth Ave., 416-466-6161 or eventbrite.com.
Metamorphosis
Here we have a decidedly athletic version of Kafka's short story, which involves a man awaking to find himself transformed into an oversized bug. What has him crawling the walls, literally and figuratively, is the insect-mannered man's inability to work and provide for his family, which reduces him to sub-human status. The production, a collaboration between the Vesturport Theater of Reykjavik and Lyric Hammersmith of London, is oddly comic, with staging that is often as striking as the story. To March 9. $20 to $99. Royal Alexandra Theatre, 260 King St. W., 416-872-1212 or mirvish.com.
This is Not a Toy
Grammy-winning music man and Robin Thicke-collaborator Pharrell Williams draws attention to himself with funky park-ranger type headgear, but there's more going underneath that tall hat than beats, melodies and killer song hooks. The eclectic, upbeat Mr. Williams is a guest curator of a whimsical exhibit that blurs the lines when it comes to the function of play things, seeing the conceptual toy as an art and design object as well as a contemporary cultural signifier. To May 19. $15.42 to $18.90. Exhibition Hall, The Design Exchange, 234 Bay St., 416-363-6121 or dx.org.
The Radio Show
The music of Motown celebrated dancing in the street, complete with singing, swaying and records playing. From New York's young dance star Kyle Abraham comes a brand new beat, involving a hip-hop and classic-soul score and an abstract narrative that concerns the loss of communication and personal and cultural identity. A cast of seven from the dancer-choreographer's Abraham.In.Motion company has at a textured, meticulous work that receives its Canadian premiere. Feb. 8, 8 p.m. $39. Fleck Dance Theatre, 235 Queens Quay W., Harbourfront Centre, 416-973-4000.
Winter Games Lounge
Their pride is showing. The LGBTQ crowd is set to root for Canadian athletes at the Sochi Winter Olympics and perhaps blow the occasional raspberry at any on-screen image of the gay-intolerant Russian President Vladimir Putin. It all happens at an outdoor lounge and skating pond, where triple Lutzes should be cheered for but not attempted. To Feb. 23, 4 to 10 p.m. Free. Ryerson University Outdoor Rink, 25 Gould St., pridehouseto.ca.
Brad Wheeler