Shakespeare

Join us for **Fiddler on the Roof in Yiddish**, an extraordinary, award-winning production that critics are calling the most powerful *Fiddler* ever staged. Performed in Yiddish with English subtitles, this deeply moving and authentic interpretation (directed by Joel Grey) brings fresh emotion, humour, and resonance to the beloved story of Tevye and his family. ***Our group will save over 60% off the regular price! We'll be seated in the second half of the First Balcony @ $46 all fees included (regular $106.75). CLICK ON "Read More" BELOW FOR FULL DETAILS.*** **The Show:** In 2018, New York audiences fell in love with this truly authentic version of Fiddler for the very first time. Don't miss the Drama Desk Award-winning production of one of the greatest musicals ever written, presented in Yiddish with English subtitles. Laugh, cry, and feel the love at this powerful and universal testament to the strength and resilience of Jewish community. [More information](https://hgjewishtheatre.com/2025-2026-Fiddler-on-the-Roof.html?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23805489280&gclid=CjwKCAjwwpDQBhAuEiwAa-4Wo1l9txSTfAUH9KZAAuwVeAYnrF9_GaZqr2CP_vgrwRDVJaBTDOM1BRoCzxIQAvD_BwE#calendar). *** **OUR DISCOUNT TICKETS** **Group Tickets:** * **$46 including HST and service fee** (regular $106.75 with HST and service fee) ***No Meetup Fee*** *** **HOW TO PAY** 1\. Sign up on this event page 2\. Send an email to **belindameetup@gmail.com** to request the payment instructions 3\. Specify you are inquiring about **FIDDLER ON THE ROOF IN YIDDISH** 4\. Include the name you use on this Thumbs Up Theatre website\. 5\. Belinda will email you the payment instructions 6\. If you don't receive the instructions in your inbox\, check your junk box in case it has gone there **PAYMENT DEADLINE:** Sunday, May 24 @ 8 p.m. Members must purchase their ticket(s) in advance from Belinda. Purchase early to avoid disappointment. Pick up your ticket(s) from Belinda at the meetup spot on the day of performance. \*\*\* **OVERVIEW** **When:** Monday, May 25, 2026 **Time:** Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Meet Belinda between 6:45 p.m. and 7 p.m. **Where:** Elgin Theatre, 189 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario **Show Length:** 3 hours with one intermission *** **ACCESSIBILITY** The Elgin Theatre's first balcony is not accessible for wheelchairs or walkers. While there is elevator access to the mezzanine level, stairs are required to reach all seating in this section. If you require accessible seating in the Orchestra, please let Belinda know so she can check on availability and pricing. *** **MEETUP ARRANGEMENTS** Meet Belinda any time between 6:45 p.m. and 7 p.m. outside the Yonge Street entrance, on the right side as you face the theatre. Belinda is very short and will be wearing a bright pink hat and bright pink glasses. Cell # (416) 879-7575 (text/call) for use on the day / time of performance ONLY. **Intermission Meetup Spot:** On the aisle beside Mezzanine G301 **PLEASE NOTE OUR ZERO-TOLERANCE [CELLPHONE POLICY](https://www.meetup.com/thumbs-up-theatre-toronto/events/243426512/)**

**Ready to get better at speaking in front of a room and leading with confidence?** MidTown Toastmasters is a friendly, diverse club that meets twice a month to practice real public-speaking skills in a supportive environment. We keep it welcoming and fun. **What to expect** * Quick orientation for newcomers * Prepared member speeches * Table Topics impromptu speaking * Encouraging feedback that helps you improve right away **Guests are always welcome.** You are invited to try a few meetings as a guest before deciding to join. There is never pressure to speak on your first visit. **New here?** Message us here on Meetup with any questions, or ask for Josie when you arrive and you will get a proper welcome and introduction. **RSVP notes** Please RSVP to help us plan seating. If your plans change, update your RSVP so we can offer your spot to someone on the waitlist. **Where** St. Matthew's United Church Oakwood Room 729 St. Clair Avenue West (St. Clair & Christie) **Learn More About Our Club:** Club’s Website: [https://torontomidtowntoastmasters.toastmastersclubs.org/](https://torontomidtowntoastmasters.toastmastersclubs.org/) Our club meets **online** every 2nd Monday of each month, and meets **in-person** every fourth Monday of each month (holidays excepted). **\-\-\-** **Here's what our previous guests (from August 25) said about our club:** * "It was engaging from start to end" * "I'm very impressed by how the evaluators notice everything." * "I enjoyed practicing my active listening." * "The report on the filler words is useful. I can see myself improving with this feedback."

Dig your roots deeper and create the safety, security and trust you need before the fiery season of summer begins. **Join for the full 6 week series or 1 journey at a time.** *Each week Chris Dub will offer a beautiful combination of Kundalini & Yin Yoga plus Healing Soundscapes for each of you to be immersed in. You will also get to choose what Toro "Qi" Meditation Cushion you would like to use, to build your qi throughout your practice with the incredible "Toro" Qi building technology.* Join us each week for a Kundalini Yin Yoga Journey themed around the Root Chakra, as we find more stability, security, trust, safety and strength in ourselves. Create positive change for yourself one yoga posture at a time. Each class we aim to spur on the type of grace that leads to unconditional loving acceptance of yourself. You will be given the safe space to open up your mind, process your current life experiences, rejuvenate your spirit, access your creativity, grow your faith and become immersed in source awareness. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **This series will focus on reseting your nervous system through specific Kundalini Kriya's and a Guided slowing down of the fast paced, anxious energies we can get caught up in through our day-to-day. We will bring in radical acceptance of, and a surrender to, what 'is'.** **This surrendering to reality as it actually 'is' supports you to see the road to living in presence. It will become more and more apparent that there is nowhere else you want to be, and you'll be able to more easily remain here.** **Each journey you will calm your nervous system, ground, centre and open up your heart in real time. Allow yourself to move through stagnant energies in a conscious and loving way, to get your vital life force energy flowing with grace.** \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- We will engage in particular kriya's, asana's, pranayama's, bhanda's (body locks), mantras and meditative techniques to support in awakening your kundalini in a graceful way & mastering your nervous system, mind, breath and your inner world. This is an integrative experience first and foremost, so we take our time to move forward with a gentle potency. You are encouraged and celebrated to move at your own pace. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- .:: 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗮 ::. Every class will have a deep, rejuvenating and integrative shivasana experience with soundbath, which will be different each week including gong, shruti box, steel tongue drum, crystal harp, crystal bowls, shamanic drumming, water stick, medicine songs and more. **.:: 𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐄𝐱𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 ::.** **𝐊𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐢 Yin 𝐘𝐨𝐠𝐚** (per class journey) $30 ($33.90 w/ tax) for 1 in-person journey (7:00 – 8:30 PM) $50 ($56.50 w/ tax) for a 2-journey pass (2 classes to be used in this 4 week series) $15 ($16.95 w/ tax) per zoom journey ***NEW 4 Class Pass*** $88 ($99.44 w/ tax) for 4 classes to be used anytime within 1 year of purchasing (In-Person or Online) $40 ($45.20 w/ tax) for 4 classes to be used anytime within 1 year of purchasing (Online Only) **𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐫𝐞 6 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬** Early Bird: $120 ($135.60 w/ tax)) in-person (includes the online zoom link) ends Feb 13th Regular Exchange: $130 ($146.90 w/ tax) in-person (includes the online zoom link) Zoom Classes: $50 ($56.50 w/tax) for all 6 E-Transfer to [chris@chrisdubkundalini.com](mailto:chris@chrisdubkundalini.com) the amount w/ taxes or pay via eventbrite **\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*** **.:: 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 ::.** **6 Journey 𝐘𝐨𝐠𝐚 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬** **\~ Begins: Monday, May 11th** **\~ Ends: Monday, June 15th** Each class is 7:00-8:30 PM Arrive between 6:35 - 6:55 PM to get settled (Doors close at 7:05 PM) **Located @ The Soul Sanctuary (303 Pape Ave)** **\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*** ***Come as you are and bring a water bottle, yoga mat (mats available) and wear comfortable clothing (optional: cushion, blanket).*** **.:: 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬 𝐃𝐮𝐛 ::.** **Intuitive Healer, Certified Kundalini & Hatha Yoga Teacher, Transformational Teacher & Guide, Quan Yin Energy Healer & Plant Medicine Ceremony Facilitator** Chris is devoted to cultivating and holding space for you to become more aware of your mental blocks and repressed emotions, which allows this energy to transform into a higher understanding of one’s self and your interconnectedness to all of nature. The result is a high degree of self love which leads to a letting go of past pain, hurt and trauma. Experience increased energy flow and creativity, zest for life, calmed nervous system, amplified self worth and deeper, more meaningful relationships. Chris is Yoga Alliance, KRI Certified, 3rd Lvl Babaji Kriya Yoga Initiate & holds a Diploma in Social Work. He teaches Kundalini Yoga, Meditation, Self-Awareness Practices, Sound-Healing and Breath-Work classes and events. Chris facilitates transformational retreats and deep healing ceremonies, he also hosts the Sacred Brotherhood Men’s Group and Women’s & Men’s Love Circles. Chris has undergone intensive breath work, bodily cleansing, meditation and self-inquiry to move through chronic pain and find deeper depths of self-love since 2009. Chris is passionate about supporting you to bring self-awareness and energy flow practices to your daily life so you’re internal GPS can always be online, guiding you to the most heart nourishing and fulfilling experiences.

Join us for ESL Cafe on Mondays nights at St Paul's Bloor Street. We have groups for all levels of English: Basic English, Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. At ESL Cafe, you can practice English conversation, drink coffee (or tea) and have lots of fun meeting other interesting people!!

Join Sandon Jacobs on Monday, May 25th from 6:00pm hosted by Improving! 📍**Venue:** **Improving Office** 171 East Liberty St Unit 235 Toronto, Ontario M6K 3P6 **Directions (171 E Liberty St - Suite 235)** **By transit** Streetcars 504 and 509 both travel close to the office (less than 10 minute walk to the office from either), the lakeshore GO train is also a 5 minute walk from the office. **By car/parking** On street parking is available - there are a handful of paid parking spots directly in front of the entrance - with a large city parking lot across the street. **Entrance** The entrance to the office is beside the Bulk Barn entrance facing Hannah Street. There is an Improving logo on the door. 🗓 **Agenda:** * 6:00pm – 6:30pm: Welcome, Food/Drinks & Networking * 6:30pm - 7:30 pm: **From Chaos to Contract: Governing Data Streams** by Sandon Jacobs **💡 Speaker Details:** Sandon Jacobs, Senior Developer Advocate, Confluent **From Chaos to Contract: Governing Data Streams** So you’re committed to this path of data streaming with Apache Kafka. But, here’s a question: would you build a REST API and make users guess the request and response formats? Doing so opens a Pandora’s Box… * What’s the domain model? * Name the operation… POST? GET? PUT? PATCH? * What does this error code even mean? * Is the documentation - if it even exists - accurate and relevant? * Imagine the complex, repetitive logic every consuming system would need to implement to make sense of it all. In a distributed, asynchronous system, these problems are magnified. Apache Kafka's flexibility—messages as simple bytes—is a huge strength, but it's also a major risk. While your event streams likely consist of some structured data (maybe JSON strings), enforcing structure, managing evolution, and basic validations aren’t a hard requirement. This leaves consumer applications to perform this preprocessing of every event - even if that event has no business value. In this session, we'll define data contracts and how to enforce them at the source - the applications that produce events. We’ll cover the practice of using a schema registry - supporting popular serialization formats like Apache Avro and Google Protobuf - to design events in the terminology of our business domain. Because data structures change over time, let’s discuss safe schema evolution practices. Then we’ll utilize these contracts with schema registry-aware producer and consumer code. We’ll end our time by looking at how smart CI/CD pipelines and build-time checks can add an extra layer of defense against the costly problem of poison data. It’s time to stop guessing and start governing. Join us to learn how to move validation upstream and transform your event streams into high-quality, discoverable data products. You’ll walk away with a practical blueprint for enforcing schema integrity and automating evolution—ensuring your data streams are a trusted asset. \*\*\* DISCLAIMER We don't cater to attendees under the age of 18. If you want to host or speak at a meetup, please email [community@confluent.io](http://community@confluent.io/)

**🏛️ WHAT'S PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY ABOUT?** Practical Philosophy is a weekly meet-up that brings critical thinkers together for an opportunity to dive deep on a topic, practice communicating, and building a community. All with no ‘official’ philosophy knowledge required! 😎 Practical Philosophy is based on the idea that philosophy should be accessible to all, and not something reserved only for academics. Each week we choose a topic, and the goal is to use the conversation to develop our critical thinking and communication as we explore that topic. The goal is to help develop our Critical Thinking, Communication, and Community 🙌 **📓 HOW DOES IT WORK?** Each week, we pick one topic and discuss it. The topic for the week is shared, generally in the [Whatsapp group](https://tally.so/r/81LP4A), along with jump-off points to get the conversation going. When groups get bigger than 7-8 people, it’s important that we break into smaller groups. This way we are able to maintain a conversational flow as opposed to having our meetups feel like a discourse or lecture. **General Meeting Agenda** Each Practical Philosophy meet-up follows this general timeline: * 19:00-19:15 - People arrive and chat, get to know each other before the official start. * 19:15-19:25 - Meeting introduction, explanation of Practical Philosophy and the topic for the week, read the guidelines and the overview so attendees know what to expect in terms of timelines. * 19:25-20:45 - Break into small groups - introduce yourselves and general thoughts on the topic, open discussion afterwards. At this point the group can review the ‘jump-off’ questions as needed, but they are just there to help guide the conversation. It’s not obligatory to answer them. * 20:45-21:00 - Bring everyone back together to discuss conclusions of the topic - each group gives a short 1-minute summary. Organizer concludes the meeting and everyone takes a group photo. * 21:00 - The official meeting is over but it’s a great opportunity to get to know people in a non-structured environment, so we often stick around, chat, and get to know each other. **🧧PRICING?** Practical Philosophy is operated entirely on voluntary donations! If we are meeting in a café, buy a beverage! Donations are 100% voluntary, but they help us to bring the gift of deep conversation to people around the world. If you'd like to support, you can [donate here](https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/donation-form/donate-to-practical-philosophy)! (Practical Philosophy is a registered Canadian charity) **💛 WHAT PEOPLE SAY ABOUT PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY** **🗣** “I feel like Philosophy Club helps someone build their own belief system through a series of perspectives while not promoting what’s right and wrong” - Ekam 🗣 “I got hooked from day 1 (the topic was authority) and felt it was the right place for me. I feel it is a place where people can go to learn and discuss new perspectives and increase critical thinking and community by interacting with people who might challenge your point of views but at the same time encourage you to have openness and mind flexibility.” - Daniel **🤓 FAQ** * **Do I need to study or read anything to attend?** No preparation is necessary. This isn’t a study of other thinkers. We want to know what you think about the topic, not what an old philosopher thought. If you have a perspective from a religion or a school of thought to share, throw it on the table and we’ll discuss it. * **Is there a specific philosophy that Practical Philosophy is focused on?** The goal of our meet-ups is to not have dogmatic discussions, and flex our critical thinking muscles. Because of this, we want to hear from every realm of thought, and don't study a particular school. * **Is it mostly men that attend?** Surprisingly, no! Although often, philosophy is seen as a Candelabra affair in a dark room with a bunch of guys, our Practical Philosophy meetups are generally 50/50 between genders, and we don’t meet in any dark rooms. * **Can I come alone?** Of course you can, we encourage it :) * **Can I be late?** Please don't be! We do have a 15 minute grace period where we allow people to funnel in while we hang out, but after that if you arrive too late, it disrupts the flow of the conversation. * **Where do you meet?** The location is posted in Meetup and our [Whatsapp](https://tally.so/r/81LP4A) group for this location. It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you join the Whatsapp group! If you want to know what other cities have a Practical Philosophy Club, you can see our chapters on our [website](https://www.practicalphilosophy.club/). 🤝**POLICY** To respect our members privacy, we ask that no one privately message a member without first getting explicit consent. (This looks like speaking in person and being asked to message privately.) Contacting or texting other participants without prior consent is not permitted and may result in removal from the group. Practical Philosophy reserves the right to enforce this policy at its discretion to maintain a safe and respectful environment. **PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY CLUB - Philosophy, everywhere. ✨** We started in Practical Philosophy back in 2021 and there are now 50+ chapters in 25+ countries, including Canada, Spain, Japan, Mexico and many more! 🗺️ **\*\*\*** **Join our [Mississauga Whatsapp](https://tally.so/r/81LP4A) 👈** **Follow us on [Instagram](instagram.com/practicalphilosophyclub/) 👈** **Our [website](https://www.practicalphilosophy.club/) 👈**

For May, we'll read Moll Flanders by Daniel Defoe 313 pages First published in 1722 About the book: Born and abandoned in Newgate Prison, Moll Flanders is forced to make her own way in life. She duly embarks on a career that includes husband-hunting, incest, bigamy, prostitution and pick-pocketing, until her crimes eventually catch up with her. One of the earliest and most vivid female narrators in the history of the English novel, Moll recounts her adventures with irresistible wit and candour-and enough guile that the reader is left uncertain whether she is ultimately a redeemed sinner or a successful opportunist.

Join us this week as a guest to overcome your fear of public speaking and speak with confidence! We hold weekly meetings on Thursday nights to facilitate impromptu speaking, debates, discussions, and prepared speeches to practice our skills and give each other constructive feedback. We are a friendly group of all ages and backgrounds in the GTA, where we help our members and guests in their personal and professional development. We typically meet at the Etobicoke Civic Centre with lots of free visitor parking. You can join us as a guest anytime you want, for as long as you would like, to see what Toastmasters is all about! Come and join us this Thursday to become the best version of you. The theme for this week's meeting is TBD! Join us to practice your improv. speaking skills, debating skills, and to improve your public speaking abilities. If you're interested in attending this meeting, please contact us through our "Contact Us" form on http://goodyeartoastmasters.com/ See you there! ABOUT GOODYEAR TOASTMASTERS \*NOTE\* We are now back in-person at the Etobicoke Civic Centre! Visitor Parking is free. Simply let the Security Person know you're here for a Toastmasters meeting. • Our meetings start at 6:45 PM and lasts for about 2-hours. We suggest you arrive earlier to settle in and network before we begin. • It's free to attend as a guest and you can join us as many times as you would like. For the full access to the Toastmasters Pathways Programme, however, you will need to join as a member and pay a membership fee. • Don't worry about the low attendance numbers on Meetup. Members do not RSVP here. We use the club website instead. Meetup is primarily a place for us to reach out to newcomers such as yourself!

Practice French through real conversations, games, and shared experiences in a fun, supportive, and inclusive space ✨ ✨ **LaMova French Speaking Group** ✨ **Practice French. Meet People. Find Community** ☕💬 Looking to speak French more often in a relaxed, friendly environment? Welcome to the **LaMova French Speaking Club** \- a community\-first language company for real conversations\, good energy\, and meaningful connections\. This club is open to **all levels** and brings together **language learners and native speakers** who want to speak French more often, connect with others, and be part of a supportive, inclusive community. ### What to Expect * Casual, real-life conversations in French * Fun and interactive games * Prompts and helpful tips to keep conversations flowing * A supportive, judgment-free atmosphere * Good vibes and great people No pressure. No perfection. Just showing up and speaking. ### Who This Is For * French learners who want to practice **speaking regularly** * Native French speakers who want to **connect, share, and support** * Anyone who enjoys **language, culture, and community** * **All levels welcome** **Come for the language. Stay for the community 🌟** Questions? **info@lamova.net**

Tickets must be purchased in advance! [https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/life-lessons-from-a-cardiac-operating-room-by-dr-bobby-yanagawa-tickets-1989051291958?aff=oddtdtcreator](https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/life-lessons-from-a-cardiac-operating-room-by-dr-bobby-yanagawa-tickets-1989051291958?aff=oddtdtcreator) Life Lessons from a Cardiac Operating Room — Dr. Bobby Yanagawa Step inside the high-pressure world of cardiac surgery for an unforgettable evening of stories, insight, and conversation with renowned cardiac surgeon **Dr. Bobby Yanagawa**. Hosted by Stellar Socials Lectures, this unique social lecture experience blends intellectual conversation with a stylish nightlife atmosphere — bringing ambitious and curious people together to learn, connect, and engage. From life-and-death decisions inside the operating room to lessons on pressure, leadership, discipline, and the human experience, Dr. Bobby Yanagawa will share captivating stories and perspectives rarely heard outside hospital walls. Whether you’re in healthcare, business, entrepreneurship, or simply love meaningful conversations, this is an evening designed to inspire thought, spark curiosity, and create real connection. ## 🎤 What To Expect • A captivating live lecture by Dr. Bobby Yanagawa • Real stories from the cardiac operating room • Life lessons on leadership, focus, resilience & decision-making • Networking with ambitious, like-minded professionals • A stylish social atmosphere with drinks & conversation ## 🧠 About Stellar Socials Lectures Stellar Socials Lectures brings together professors, experts, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders for engaging talks hosted inside upscale bars, lounges, and social venues. Our mission is simple: create experiences where learning feels social, inspiring, and genuinely enjoyable. Because education shouldn’t stop after graduation. ## 👥 Who Should Attend? • Young professionals • Entrepreneurs & creatives • Healthcare professionals & students • Curious minds & lifelong learners • Anyone looking to meet inspiring people and experience something different ## ✨ Why Attend? ✔ Expand your perspective ✔ Meet new people in a relaxed social setting ✔ Hear fascinating real-world experiences ✔ Enjoy an elevated alternative to traditional networking events 🎟️ Limited tickets available. Early registration is strongly recommended. ## About Dr. Bobby Yanagawa Dr. Bobby Yanagawa is the Division Head, Division of Cardiac Surgery, St. Michael's Hospital and Program Director, Division of Cardiac Surgery, University of Toronto. He holds the SURE General Contractors Inc. Professorship in Infective Endocarditis. Dr. Yanagawa completed residency training at the University of Toronto and INOVA Fairfax Hospital (Fairfax, VA) and an advanced valvular fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital (New York, NY). His research training includes a PhD at the University of British Columbia and post-doctoral fellowships at the University of Wales College of Medicine (Cardiff, UK) and National Cardiovascular Center (Osaka, Japan). His clinical and academic focus is surgical revascularization and surgery for infective endocarditis. He is the Director of the Canadian Society of Cardiac Surgeons Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce. His research interests include clinical outcome studies of ischemic and valvular heart disease. He has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles, 40 reviews and 15 book chapters. He is on the editorial board of the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Canadian Journal of Cardiology, Guest Editor - Current Opinions of Cardiology and Feature Editor, Annals of Thoracic Surgery. ### **Agenda** 6:00 p.m. - Arrival. Doors open as soon as 5 p.m. Come in, grab a drink, some food, and settle in. If you’d like to sit closer with your friends, we advise coming in early. 7:05 p.m.- Introduction, lecture begins, followed by Q&A 8:15 p.m. -One-on-one with the lecturer, socializing. You can order another round of drinks. 8:30 p.m. -Wrap up

SPACE IS LIMITED! This is a much smaller class than our 7:30 pm event and we can only accept a limited number of students. Key areas of focus: Practicing oral communication (speaking languages), for conversations, presentations, interviews and job skills Schedule: 1. 6:30 - 7:15 pm : 45 -minute language conversation class with certified award-winning language teacher John Dias. 2. Language exchange social (7:30 - 11 pm): includes Free access to the Toronto's BIGGEST Language Party and Social Party also in the Madison Pub led by teacher John Dias (same location) **Cost: just $ 5 while we have this promo.** **PROMO (Limited Time): $5 fee will give you access to both events (usual rate: $15 total)** Feel free to message us if you have any questions!

Grab the mic and bring your crew. Karaoke Fridays at Ace of Spades Lounge is the spot to sing, dance, and let loose in the heart of Little Italy. Huge song catalogue, great sound system, full bar, and a crowd that’s there to have fun. Whether you’re a seasoned performer or stepping up for the first time, you’ll feel right at home. Cocktails, beer, wine, and snacks available all night. When: Every Friday, 8pm Where: Ace of Spades Lounge, 536 Manning Ave., Toronto Cost: Free entry Come solo, bring friends, make new ones. See you on the mic.

Join us for **Kinky Boots**, a funny, high-energy musical that will lift your spirits to high-heeled heights! Winner of every Best Musical award, including the Tony®, Grammy®, and London’s Olivier Award. ***Our discount tickets start at $39 up in Orchestra and Mezzanine + service fee. Top price is $59 in Orchestra! Please click on "Read more" below and follow the HOW TO PURCHASE instructions to pay for your ticket(s).*** **The Show:** Based on true events, ***Kinky Boots*** follows the journey of two people with nothing in common— or so they think. The unlikely pair find that they have more in common than they realized... and discover that you change the world when you change your mind. ***Kinky Boots*** has captivated and entertained audiences around the world with a Tony-winning score by Cyndi Lauper, book by four-time Tony Award-winner Harvey Fierstein, and original direction and Tony-winning choreography by Jerry Mitchell. *** **OUR DISCOUNT TICKETS** *(Choose your price!)* * **$39** (regular $69 + $89 in Orch R to V and Mezz H and M) * **$59** (regular $109 + $129 in Orch C to Q and Mezz AA to G) **Service Fee:** $11 per ticket ***No Meetup Fee*** *** **HOW TO PAY** 1\. Sign up on this event page 2\. Send an email to **belindameetup@gmail.com** to request the payment instructions 3\. Specify you are inquiring about **Kinky Boots** 4\. Include the name you use on this Thumbs Up Theatre website\. 5\. Include the number of tickets you need\. 6\. Belinda will email you the payment instructions 7\. If you don't receive the instructions in your inbox\, check your junk box in case it has gone there Members must pay for their tickets by May 19 @ 8 p.m. Pick up your prepaid ticket(s) from Belinda at the meetup spot. *** **OVERVIEW** **Date:** Thursday, May 28, 2026 **Time:** Show starts at 7:30 p.m. Pick up your ticket from Belinda between 6:45 p.m. and 7 p.m. on the day of performance. **Where:** CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre, 263 Yonge Street, Toronto, ON **Show Length:** 2 hours, 30 minutes (including intermission) *** **ACCESSIBILITY** The Ed Mirvish Theatre is an old theatre. You will need to use stairs to get to your seat(s). If you have difficulty with stairs you should book Orchestra ticket(s). There's an elevator at the theatre's Victoria Street entrance that can take you to the Orchestra-level lobby. If you have difficulty with stairs, let Belinda know. *** **MEETUP ARRANGEMENTS** Meet Belinda between 6:45 p.m. and 7 p.m. outside the Yonge Street entrance, on the right side as you face the theatre. Belinda is very short and will be wearing a bright pink hat and bright pink glasses. Cell # (416) 879-7575 for use on day/time of performance ONLY. **Intermission Meetup Spot:** TBD **PLEASE NOTE OUR ZERO-TOLERANCE [CELLPHONE POLICY](https://www.meetup.com/thumbs-up-theatre-toronto/events/243426512/)**

Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at 7:00pm on Wednesday, February 11 at Streetlight Guild. Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done. **SCHEDULE:** 6:45ish - Quick introductions 7:00 - Timer starts: write for 1 hour 8:00 - The End **OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING** happens before and after the writing hour. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing. **BEING LATE IS OKAY:** just show up and get settled! If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing & I look forward to seeing you at Streetlight Guild! **WHAT SHOULD I BRING?** Whatever you need to be able to write! You're welcome to bring earplugs/headphones if noise will bother you! **OTHER IMPORTANT DETAILS:** * **RSVP:** Please RSVP by 6:00pm the evening of the meeting. This helps me know how many to expect, and if we'll need additional space! * **COVID:** While masks are not required, please be mindful of the other writers around you and their comfort levels. * **WIFI/OUTLETS:** Outlets are limited, so please ensure your devices are charged when you come! But Streetlight Guild does have free WiFi! Yay! * **PARKING:** There is free public parking at Streetlight Guild.

**Get your creative flow going with a Sunday Afternoon Maker Meetup!** Whether you are looking to carve out dedicated creative time, wanting to get a lingering project across the finish line, or just looking to chat with fellow local makers—this is the space for you. 🧵 **What to Bring** Bring any art or craft project you are currently working on, as long as it is portable and quiet. Think: * **Yarn & Thread:** Knitting, crochet, embroidery, cross-stitch, hand-sewing, mending. * **Paper & Sketching:** Sketchbooks, adult coloring books, watercolors, bullet journaling. * **Digital:** Tablets, iPad drawing, laptop writing/design. * *Please note: Because we are meeting in a shared public space, no power tools, sewing machines, or high-odor materials (like strong solvents or spray glues), please!* **📍 Where to Find Us** * We will be meeting at **Columbus Metropolitan Library - Martin Luther King Branch** in **Meeting Room 1**. Room is reserved under **CBUS Maker Meetup.** **⏱️ Timeline** * **1:00 PM:** Arrive, grab a seat, get settled, and do a quick round of introductions so we can see what everyone is working on. * **1:15 PM - 3:00 PM:** Open maker time! Chat, craft, relax, and swap creative ideas. **⚠️ A Note on RSVPs** Space for this first meetup is strictly limited to 10 spots. If your plans change and you can no longer attend, please update your RSVP to "Not Going" as soon as possible so someone on the waitlist can grab your spot. We ask that you try to give at least 48 hours' notice if you need to cancel. *** **We can't wait to meet you and see what you're making! All skill levels welcome.**

Let’s meet and share discussion of the James Baldwin short story collection, Going to Meet The Man.

The topic for June is "Roadtrip" Speak Easy: true stories, told live. The idea is simple: an audience, an open microphone, and great stories. Hilarious, gripping, poignant- it's up to you. Audiences are invited to come to listen or come to tell as folks from all corners of Columbus offer their stories live on stage! Held at Wild Goose Creative's warm, intimate space, this night of tales occurs on the 3rd Thursday of every month. Doors open at 6:30 pm, show starts at 7:00 pm. Please arrive early if you want to tell, as we generally only have room for a limited number of tellers, and the sign-up sheet has a tendency to fill up fast. Formed around the idea that people need stories--they're what hold and draw us together--SpeakEasy celebrates the strangeness and commonness of being human. And in a world of smartphones, Facebook, Twitter, and more . . . it gives people a real, breathing, in-person way to connect. The night is geared for true stories of all kinds, taking the best tales told around kitchen tables, in darkened pubs, on the street corner, and at late-night parties and giving them an audience. Speak Easy is also a great outlet for performers, writers, and artists looking to share their favorite stories and perfect their skills. We strongly encourage tellers to please tell the story rather than read it so we keep within the spirit of good storytelling and stay engaged with the audience. All are welcome. Hang around after the show for a drink and build community!

Join us as we get together to see Paul Rudd in the latest comedy-drama-musical from John Carney, POWER BALLAD! The film follows a washed-up wedding singer, a fading boy band singer and a stolen hit song. Here’s a description, trailer and plan for this event: DESCRIPTION: Rick, a washed-up wedding singer, and Danny, a fading boy band star, bond over music and a late-night jam session. When Danny turns Rick's song into a hit, Rick sets out to reclaim the recognition he believes he deserves. Power Ballad is written/directed by John Carney, the master of the modern musical and creative mind behind Once, Begin Again and Sing Street! It stars Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Peter McDonald, Marcella Plunkett, Havana Rose Liu and Jack Reynor. BUZZ & ACCLAIM: The film premiered to rave reviews at this year’s Dublin International Film Festival where critics call it “a sure-fired crowd-pleaser” that “just might be the feel-good hit of the year!” Others say, “Paul Rudd delivers a career-best performance in this charmer” that’s both “hilarious and deeply moving!” SUMMER OF ICE CREAM, VOL 2: SHAKE NO. 8! Ranked the #1 Ice Cream Shop in Columbus in 2024, this is the perfect place to kick off our Summer of Ice Cream and grab a sweet treat after the show! Their menu features an array of traditional, specialty and vegan shakes, hot cocoa, and more! You can check out their full menu here: [https://www.shakeno8.com/menu.php](https://www.shakeno8.com/menu.php) PLAN: We’ll plan for a 7pm-ish showing and will meet in the lobby area about 20 minutes before the show. Once showtime is announced, advance ticket purchase is advised! Once you have yours, please list your seat number in the Comments section of this event. We'll head to nearby Shake No. 8 immediately following the show! Should be a fun one, Dan

It’s time to take control of your mental health. How do you get rid of stress, anxiety and uncertainty? These emotions are buried deep in your reactive mind. Find out what the reactive mind is, and in the process find yourself. Have you ever suffered from a traumatic experience, a deep loss or been through a painful breakup? Has your ability to communicate suffered as a result? And after that, even though you "moved on" did you find that things were never quite the same? Have you ever looked at childhood photos, or reminisced your early life and wondered where that happiness and spark went? Are your emotions out of your own control? Have you ever felt, even if you aren’t aware of it, that possibly you are getting in your own way of your happiness and success? How does this affect your self-confidence? Find out what is at the root of all stress, anxiety, depression and self-doubt. Find out how and why you hold yourself back from achieving your goals and having the life you have dreamed of. As soon as you learn what is at the root of these unwanted conditions, you’ll see it is something you can DO something about. You will not be labeled or categorized at this MeetUp.