Indie productions, hit Broadway musical part of busy fall theatre season

It used to be that September was a pretty quiet time on the local theatre scene, with the Fringe past and the bigger theatres still to open their seasons.

• RMTC's 2016-17 season brings the Queen, the King and Agatha Christie to the stage
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But in recent years, the early fall period has become a great chance to check out independent and smaller-scale productions. This fall isshaping up to be a particularly busy one for theatre fans FemFest is already underway, there are a handful of independent productions coming up along with another festival, and a big Broadway hit ismaking its return to the city.

Here's a look at what's coming up:

Dutchman (Sept. 22-Oct. 1)

This production of African-American playwright Amiri Baraka's award-winning 1964 play gets an inventive staging it will be performed in a train car at the Winnipeg Railway Museum, with both audience and actors as passengers. The one-act playtackles discrimination, power and privilege, and promises worthwhile discussion in a city that's had its own problems with racism.

Outside Joke with the Neighbourhood Watch (Sept. 24)

Winnipeg's favourite musical improv troupe kicks off a four-show season with the Neighbourhood Watch, a six-person improv troupe who create a fictional community onstage with the help of the audience. Other shows in Outside Joke's season at the Gas Station Theatre include an evening with sketch comedy faves HUNKS (Nov. 19), a performance with the irreverent Fu Fu Chi Chi Choir (Mar. 25), and one with contemporary dancer Brett Owen (May 27).

Book of Mormon (Sept. 28-Oct. 2)

Not an indie production in the least, but one that might appeal to those who find most theatre a bit "stuffy." The massive Broadway hit and Tony Award-winner about misguided Mormon missionaries drew huge crowdswhen it first came to Winnipeg last year. I confess I'm in the minority in that Ithink the show's over-hyped, but that's probably not going to stop the Broadway Across Canada touring production from drawing big crowds again.

Thom Pain (based on nothing) (Sept. 29-Oct. 2)

This local production of Will Eno's much-heralded one-man play a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama was originally slated to run during this past summer's Fringe Fest, but was pulled at the last minute. Better late than never, it's getting a short run at the University of Manitoba'snewConklin Theatre.

Constellations (Oct. 4-9)

Love, friendship and quantum physics collide in British playwright Nick Payne's award-winning 2012 play, which explores two characters living in a multiverse where various permutations of their relationship play out. Local theatre veteran Sarah Constible directs the Canadian premiere of the play.

Sargent & Victor & Me (Oct. 5-7)

Theatre Projects Manitoba debuted local playwright Debbie Patterson's achingly beautiful portrait of decay and hope back in 2014, and it gets a welcome, if short, revival at Knox United Church in Winnipeg after a tour of Manitoba and Northern Ontario (including Snow Lake on Sept. 24, Brandon on Sept. 28 and Thunder Bay on Oct. 1 and 2). See my2014 review of the show here.

Winnipeg Improv Festival (Oct. 11-15)

Returning for its 17th edition, Winnipeg's annual festival of improvised comedy welcomes performers from across North America, including members of Edmonton's Rapid Fire Improv, Mark Little and Andrew Bush of the sketch comedy troupe Picnicface, Kid in the Hall Kevin McDonald, and Seattle improv guru Randy Dixon. He'lllead one of the festival's more unusual offerings a show called The Improvised Man, featuring improv in the style of legendary science fiction author Ray Bradbury.

Taste Winnipeg (Oct. 29-30)

Just in time for Halloween, One Trunk Theatre joins celebrated local chef Ben Kramerfor something that's maybea littlecreepy but probably very tasty. Based on a production by Calgary's Ghost River Theatre, adventurous Winnipeg audience members will be blindfolded and seated in groups at a table with a performer, who crafts a story based on a secret tasting menu designed by the chef.