DAYTIME
Jenice Heo: The Neil Young Series
“I work,” Neil Young has said, “for the muse.” And now he is one. Taking inspiration from the titan songwriter and his music, the California artist Jenice Heo has created 13 paintings on found objects and mixed media assemblages. The soulful works come complete with such objects as turntables, road signs, model trains and vintage head phones. Dreamy and rugged, the pieces are scrapyard and scrapbook impressions of an idiosyncratic rock troubadour and sonic brush-man who has never painted by the numbers himself.
To Feb. 1, 2016. Free. Struck Contemporary, 571 Adelaide St. E., 416-601-9949 or struckcontemporary.com.
NIGHTTIME
King Lear
Not so long ago David Fox saw the writing on the wall, if not on the page. “I’m going to continue acting until I fall over, which might be soon,” said the onetime Road to Avonlea star. The industrious septuagenarian now takes on the role of King Lear, an aging ruler descending into madness. Directed and adapted by Rod Carley, here Shakespeare’s tragedy is set in the British court during the Rebellions of 1837 in pre-Confederation Canada, with themes of family treachery and social and political chaos. Some things never get old.
Nov. 27 to Dec. 6 (preview, Nov. 26). $30. Theatre Passe Muraille, 16 Ryerson Ave., 416-504-7529 or artsboxoffice.ca.
FOR THE KIDS
Raffi
Though he sings to the eensy weensy and is the thinking babysitter’s balladeer, there is nothing childish about Raffi. The Juno-winning performer (who released the album Singable Songs for the Very Young in 1976), is an environmentalist whose 2007 single Cool It was a toe-tapping rockabilly tune warning about global warming. At his heart though he is an entertainer: If you’re happy in his audience and you know it, clap your hands please.
Nov. 21, 2 p.m. $27.50 to $37.50. Hamilton Place, Hamilton, ticketmaster.ca; Nov. 22, 1 and 4:30 p.m. $27.50 to $65. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St., 416-872-4255 or roythomson.com.
OUT OF TOWN
A Foundation for Fifty Years: McMichael Masterworks
In 1965, Robert and Signe McMichael donated 194 paintings and the pioneer-style country retreat which held them to the province of Ontario. The McMichaels believed that galleries outside cities should be established, so that scenery, history and art could be enjoyed together. Fifty years on, the site and its collection – with an emphasis on the Group of Seven and Tom Thomson – has grown considerably, but the bucolic spirit remains. Two dozen of the original gifted paintings make up an anniversary exhibit.
Closed Mondays. $15 to $18, McMichael Canadian Art Collection, Kleinburg, Ont., 905-893-1121 or mcmichael.com.
LAST CHANCE
James Bond: The Music
Did anyone do it better than Carly Simon? When it comes to the famed 007 film franchise, the Bond girls that might spring to mind are characters evocatively named Honey Ryder or Pussy Galore. But the daring dames the Toronto Symphony Orchestra is enamoured with are the ones with the golden throats, such as Adele, Shirley Bassey and Ms. Simon. A program of stirring strings, blaring brass and signature silver-screen motifs has singer Capathia Jenkins covering the female parts and Ron Bohmer the male.
Nov. 21, 7:30 p.m. $33.75 to $118.25. Roy Thomson Hall, 60 Simcoe St., 416-593-4828 or tso.ca.