1. TOBOR THE ROBOT
A new musical about a robot who longs to be a real boy, this Pinocchio-esque show is both for and by kids. Written by artistic director Jeremy Hutton, music director Kieren MacMillan and eight students from Toronto Youth Theatre, Tobor is performed by 14 youngsters (aged 14 to 21). Expect adventure, singing and lots of new talent. May 22 and 23. $20. Lower Ossington Theatre, 100A Ossington Ave., 416-915-6747, ext. 221, torontoyouththeatre.org.

2. MISS ROWE POP-UP SHOWROOM (FREE!)
Wardrobe and wallet friendly, this unique boutique is the ideal way to score a choice piece by Miss Rowe (the glam-rock-meets-Victorian-dandy label by local fashion maven Ashley Rowe). A pop-up showroom is open at the Toronto Fashion Incubator, but only for the next two Saturdays. Look for colourful frocks and leather separates from the spring-summer 2009 collection and discounted pieces from fall-winter 2008. Toronto Fashion Incubator, 285 Manitoba Dr., 416-971-7117, missrowe.com.

3. NATIONAL BALLET SCHOOL SPRING SHOWCASE
A Toronto dance tradition, the National Ballet School has hosted this springtime event annually since 1959, when its doors first opened. This year’s showcase features pieces by two alumni: Sequentia by Sabrina Matthews set to Hildegard von Bingen’s Canticles of Ecstasy and 30-Minute Beauty Makeover by Matjash Mrozewski, a light-hearted send-up of Sleeping Beauty. May 22 and 23. $45. Betty Oliphant Theatre, 404 Jarvis St., 416-964-5148, nbs-enb.ca.

4. LAURA CALDER (FREE!)
Food Network fave Laura Calder will be at Yorkville’s Cookbook Store this Saturday for a meet and greet in support of her new cookbook, French Taste. The book features recipes from Calder’s show, French Food at Home, as well as how-to essays on such basic culinary skills as buying cheese and serving digestifs. If the chef and the book don’t entice, there will be samples of Calder’s recipes. May 23, 2 p.m. The Cookbook Store, 850 Yonge St., 416-920-2665, cook-book.com.

5. DOORS OPEN (FREE!)
A sneak peek inside the secret lives of Toronto’s most beautiful buildings, this annual, weekend-long event is much anticipated by local architecture aficionados. This year, 175 buildings with architectural, historic or cultural significance are open for exploration, including such newcomers as the Albany Club (one of the city’s oldest private clubs, founded by Sir John A. Macdonald in 1882), the first new building of the Regent Park revitalization and the Tollkeeper’s Cottage on Davenport Road. 416-397-5023, toronto.ca/doorsopen.

6. HOUSE OF MANY TONGUES
Written by Toronto playwright Jonathan Garfinkel during his tenure in Tarragon Theatre’s Playwrights Unit, this controversial play is about four people who find themselves living in one house. The catch? They are in Jerusalem, and on opposite sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. To June 3. $32–$38.Tarragon Theatre Mainspace, 30 Bridgman Ave., 416-531-1827, tarragontheatre.com.

7. THIS IS NOT A READING SERIES LITERARY ARCADE (FREE!)
Piggybacking on the Gladstone’s participation in Doors Open, This Is Not a Reading Series is exhibiting its audio and visual archives at listening stations throughout the ballroom. There will also be a “living local library” of authors, including Claudia Dey, Lisa Foad, Stacey May Fowles, Ibi Kaslik and Zoe Whitall, who will all be on hand for meeting and greeting. May 24. Gladstone Hotel Ballroom, 1214 Queen St. W., 416-598-1447, ext. 221, pagesbooks.ca.

8. RIVERDANCE
What began as a seven-minute performance on the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest has since mushroomed into a global phenomenon. Somewhere in the neighbourhood of 10,000 performances later, the fleet-footed dancers of Riverdance are heading to Toronto as part of the show’s North American farewell tour. To June 21. $40–$99. Canon Theatre, 244 Victoria St., 416-872-1212, mirvish.com/riverdance.