Photo: Paint Your Faith by Henry Roxas, member of the blogTO Flickr Pool.

Events on Toronto's Radar for MONDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2009... lovingly handpicked from blogTO's events calendar.

BOOKS AND LIT | This Is Not a Reading Series with Michael Wex
When you think of centres of Yiddish culture, Lethbridge, Alberta doesn't exactly leap to mind. But Albertan Michael Wex has already written three highly successful books that elucidate some humourous Hebrewisms. His latest is How to Be a Mentsch (And Not A Schmuck), which examines how small daily decisions determine the difference between a good guy (mentsch) and a loser (schmuck). Wex is a comedian as well as author and lecturer, and he'll be doing a stand-up performance on the themes of his book, and then dancing to a Klezmer band.
Gladstone Hotel Ballroom, 1214 Queen St. W., $5, 7:30 pm

COMEDY | Carnegie Hall Loves Mondays! as part of the 2009 Toronto International Improv Festival
TIIF is no TIFF, but the Toronto International Improv Festival is the biggest of its kind in Canada. For the next 7 days some fine improv talent will be performing one hundred per cent made up material at the Comedy Bar. Tonight the Carnegie Hall show channels the variety show energy of the legendary Manhattan venue with an improvised radio drama complete with improvised commercials and a retrospective performance of the best improv routines of all time, made up from scratch. Not quite sure how that works.
Comedy Bar, 945 Bloor St. W., $10, $49 for festival pass, 9 pm

MUSIC THEATRE | Sondheim in September
For the next three Mondays some of Toronto's most talented music theatre folk will be bringing a taste of Broadway to Broadview, performing selections from the musicals of Stephen Sondheim in the Riverdale neighbourhood. Music theatre is a divisive genre, and we have Sondheim to thank/blame for its most enduring works. Tonight's edition includes songs from West Side Story, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and Gypsy, among others. Be sure to get tickets before the last night of Sondheim in September, which somewhat confusingly takes place during the first week of October. All proceeds go to the Actors Fund of Canada.
Metropolitan Community Church, 115 Simpson Ave., $25, 8 pm

MUSIC | Daniel Francis Doyle w/ Mom! Dad! The Machines!
Ausin, Texas lives a double-life in the music world. On the one hand it's well-known for producing great blues and Americana music, but the underbelly of the city's music community is a hard-thrashing punk rock scene. When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth are pretty good representatives of that scene, and tonight WDRtE member Daniel Francis Doyle comes all the way from the Lone Star State for a solo show at the Boat. He's joined by some fellow afficionados of loud in Mom! Dad! The Machines! and Women in Tragedy.
The Boat, 158 Augusta Ave., $7, 9 pm

FILM | Waging Peace: Canada in Afghanistan
This past week has seen a series of blows dealt to the Canadian mission in Afghanistan. Ever-mounting reports that the country's recent presidential election was rigged and news that 80% of the country is now under Taliban control has seen the war pushed to the fore in Canadian media once again. The screening of this indepently-produced film by embedded Canadian journalist Richard Fitoussi is thus more timely than ever, as it examines the war for which so many are dying, and what's at stake for the people of Afghanistan.
Ryerson University, 350 Victoria St., Rm LIB372, Free, 7 pm

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