5 things to do in Montreal today: Wednesday, May 15

The world-renowned Cirque du Soleil production has returned home all month and will literally hang around tonight as well.

Alegria, which was first performed by Cirque in 1994, stole the eyes and ears of more than 14 million spectators. Performed under a traditional Big Top tent, the show made its way to 255 different cities over 19 years of touring, until its last performance in 2013.

The show mixes the high energy acrobatics which Cirque du Soleil is famous for with a “rallying theme for change, hope, and optimistic renewal.” The cast is made up of more than 50 performers and musicians, all renowned internationally for their craft.

When: Wednesday, May 15
Time: 8 pm
Where: Big Top, Old Port – Jacques-Cartier Quay, de la Commune Street Est
Price: $150 – $412, available online

Drunk ‘Mean Girls’: Live Read

In honour of the popular film’s 15 year anniversary. a collection of local actors and actresses will be on stage reading the script to Mean Girls out loud. Your job as an audience is to drink because the performers will be too.

Audience members are actually encouraged to buy drinks for the players as the title so happily implies.

The cast includes Thomas Wilkinson Fullerton (as Bambi Dextrous) as Cady, Lucas Stowe as Regina, Kayleigh Choiniere as Gretchen, Maxine Segalowitz as Karen, Chantale Demole as Damien, Mara Lazaris as Janice, Michelle Bensimon as Aaron, and Holly Greco as Ms. Norbury.

When: Wednesday, May 15
Time: 7:30 pm – 10:30 pm
Where: The Diving Bell Social Club, 3956 Boulevard St-Laurent
Price: Pay what you can ($5 suggested)

21 Swings

Spring won’t be the only thing in the air as Montreal’s musical swing exhibition has returned to the Quartier des Spectacles.

The interactive, music art installation, 21 Swings, will have Montrealers feeling like kids again as guests can swing back and forth, creating musical melodies.

The 21 Swings (or Balançoires) installation was custom-made for the Promenade des Artistes in the Quartier des Spectacles. The work was created by Daily tous les jours, in collaboration with animal behaviourist Luc-Alain Giraldeau from UQAM and Radwan Ghazi Moumneh, the installation’s composer.

When: From now until May 28
Time: 10 am – 12 am
Where: Promenade des Artistes, Quartier des spectacles
Price: Free

Jeux d’échecs géants

Montreal is going to be enlarging a classic hobby this month for you to check(mate) out.

Four giant, playable, chess sets are returning to the Quartier des Spectacles from now until May 31 and it’s free to play.

The giant boards consist of all the required pieces to play an official game and each piece is made out of a light plastic that’s easily moveable.

Sure, it might be a little more difficult to strike your opponent’s queen emphatically, but that’s all part of the fun.

The outdoor chess sets will work on a first come, first served basis as there’s no registration or sign-up required.

When: From now until May 31
Time: 10 am – 8 pm
Where: Corner of Ste. Catherine and rue Jeanne Mance
Price: Free

Yoko Ono’s Arising

Yoko Ono’s new art exhibition debut in Montreal at the end of April.

As part of the Japanese multimedia artist’s ongoing installation called “Arising,” Ono is asking women to share stories of harm that has been brought on as a result of being a woman. Participants are asked to also send in a photo of their eyes as part of the project.

The installation will be shown accompanied by other interactive works by Ono in which specific instructions will be given to visitors.

When: From now to September 15
Time: 12 pm – 7 pm
Where: Fondation Phi pour l’art contemporain, 451 rue St-Jean
Price: Free