Swan Lake (Sony Centre for the Performing Arts) — What a neat twist on the old ballet. Instead of watching dancers in point shoes and tutus, see Tchaikovsky’s classic piece performed by skaters on ice. Yes, they’re flooding the stage at the Sony Centre for these 25 Russian skaters, who will do Olympic-level lifts, double axels and triple flips, as well as aerial gymnastics. They’ll be telling the story of Prince Siegfried, who falls in love with a woman under an evil curse that has transformed her to live part of her life as a swan. She can be cured by love from a faithful man, but the evil Count Von Rothbart tries to interfere by tempting the prince with his daughter Odile. The whole production promises to be gorgeous with the same set designers who work on the Sydney Olympic Games and 110 sumptuous costumes by the designers from the Stanislavski Theatre. Swan Lake is playing from April 30 to May 11. Tickets are $35 to $95 through Ticketmaster at 416-872-2262 or www.ticketmaster.ca or through the Sony Centre’s box office at One Front Street East.
Free to Be You and Me (Randolph Academy) — Some of the ideas in the original recording — which soon after became a TV and then a stage adaptation — were a tad on the hippie side, and radical in many ways. But they helped define a generation, who pushed for gender equality and the right to self actualization. Now, I wonder if the ideas in songs and skits such as “William’s Doll,” “Boy Meets Girl” and “It’s All Right to Cry” seem dated now, or sound like a helpful reminder that we still aren’t there yet. You be the judge, for even if the idealism of the 1970s has gone, good songs and stories always endure. This one should be extra cute, as it’s performed by the Randolph Young Company, which is kids aged 8 to 14. At the Bathurst Street Theatre from May 9 to 11. Tickets $20, 416-872-1111.