welcome

MAY 2026 | VOLUME 263

May 18-31

Theatre for Everyone

The last weeks of May turn out to be a busy time for theatre in our town. With so many companies ending their seasons, opportunities arise for independent shows and festivals like rEvolver at The Cultch and the Vancouver International Children’s Festival. Two of everyone’s favourite musicals are playing, Come from Away and Mamma Mia! Bard on the Beach and Theatre Under the Stars are opening soon. And as you can see below, we have fundraisers galore. Now that just about every company has announced its 2026-27 season, now is not too early to grab the best seats for your season’s tickets. Think Father’s Day!

Our On Now page shows you everything running through May. And plot your theatregoing through June on our Coming Soon page.Be sure to look for the BUY TICKETS buttons.
Theatre lovers, theatre students, theatre historians and casual readers are invited to browse our ARCHIVES pages. Read 1100+ reviews of what you may have seen or missed over the past two decades of Vancouver-area theatre.

Important Note: The BUY TICKETS Button on our PREVIEW and REVIEW pages is strictly a convenience for theatregoers. Click on the button and get direct access to the company’s box office for that show. Vancouverplays gets no cut or commission from your ticket purchase. 100% of the money goes directly to the theatre company.

Massey Theatre invites you to Reading Theatre with Allan Morgan, reading A Death in Gravy by Toph Whitmore, May 20; The Dresser by Ronald Harwood, June 3; Lilies, or The Revival of a Romantic Drama by Michel March Bouchard, June 17. Readings 1:15 pm in Studio C. Free.

Glitch Theatre presents Arc One, a live podcast-recording experience showcasing the work of D/disability-identified artists. May 23, 7:30 pm at the Roundhouse Performance Centre. Tickets & info at https://glitchtheatre.ca/.

Royal City Musical Theatre presents An Intimate Evening with Valerie Easton: director, choreographer, and Artistic Director Emerita of RCMT, with musical guests. Inn at the Quay, New Westminster, May 24, 7:00 pm. By donation HERE.

Gateway Theatre’s 50/50 Spring Fling Raffle could win you up to $10,000. Deadline May 25. Tickets & info HERE.

North Van’s Presentation House Theatre presents Raising the House: An Online Auction in support of PHT. Bid HERE until May 29.

The Improv Centre will showcase its East Van Schools Improv Project, an educational program for East Van secondary students, on May 30.

Carousel Theatre for Young People is holding a 50/50 raffle. Deadline June 1. https://www.rafflebox.ca/raffle/cts

The all-female Her Ladyship Sketch Comedy Showplays Granville Island’s The Nest, June 4-6. Tickets HERE.

Presentation House Theatre invites you to Curtain Call – Murder Mystery Night, June 15, 7 pm. $35 HERE.

Pacific Theatre has found a new home for the 2026-27 season in the Revue Theatre on Granville Island. They invite you to their Housewarming Party, June 18, 7:30, with Ins Choi and Ivan Decker. $50. Info and tickets HERE.

Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre presents Springboard: Emotional Resiliency Workshop, June 26, and Multilingual Creation, July 7. https://vact.ca/springboard/

Congratulations to Corey Payette who leaves his role as Urban Ink’s artistic director after 12 years at the helm. Vancouverplays wishes him all the best.

The Cultch’s15-show season includes work by Vancouver’s Search Party,Rumble, ITSAZOO, Theatre Replacement (a new East Van Panto), Pi, Urban Ink, and a new musical from Amiel Gladstone & Veda Hille, plus from Toronto Michael Healey’s Rogers v. Rogers and a new Daisy Theatre from Ronnie Burkett. www.thecultch.com

The Arts Club’s 14-play 2026-27 season plus 4 plays on tour is highlighted by Death of a Salesman, John Proctor Is the Villain, plus new work and musicals, including Les Misérables. https://artsclub.com/season-tickets/packages

Coquitlam’s Evergreen Cultural Centre’s 8-play season features three Arts Club plays on tour including Little Women, a remount of English, and Little Shop of Horrors. www.evergreenculturalcentre.ca      

Metro Theatre’s 7-play season includes musicals Avenue Q and Hello, Dolly!, an Agatha Christie and Our Town. www.metrotheatre.com

United Players’ 5-play 2026-27 season features Canadian plays by John Lazarus and Vern Theissen and Beckett’s Happy Days. www.unitedplayers.com

Richmond’s Gateway Theatre’s 5-play season includes musicals Songs for a New World and 42nd Street plus Michele Riml’s She Shoots, She Scores! www.gatewaytheatre.com

Broadway Across Canada’s 5-play musical season at the Queen E opens with & Juliet and includes Hamilton and musical adaptations of Mrs. Doubtfire and The Bodyguard. https://vancouver.broadway.com/#season-26-27

Deep Cove’s 4-play First Impressions Theatre’s 2026-27 lineup includes Norm Foster’s Lunenberg, Krystal Dos Santos’ History of Motown plus Little Shop of Horrors. https://firstimpressionstheatre.com/next-season/

For its first season in its new Granville Island home, Pacific Theatre offers 3 shows including Ins Choi’s Son of a Preacherman and a new play by Jill Daum. HERE.

There’s a new improv group in town. SinPeaks presents The SuiSIN Squad, Tues. and Weds to May 27 at Little Mountain Gallery Raccoon Room, 111 Water St., 2nd floor.

Presentation House Theatre is holding a Commedia dell’ Arte Intensive with Susan Bertoia, May 19-22, 4-7 pm $160 + gst. Open to grades 8-12 on the North Shore. Info & registration HERE.

Registration is open for Carousel Theatre’s Summer Drama Day Camps for ages 6-12. Details HERE.

Perry Ehrlich’s Gotta Sing! Gotta Dance! musical theatre program is accepting applications for next summer, sessions July 7-30 and Aug. 4-27, M-F 9:00-4:00. Info and applications here: https://theimpresario.ca/gotta-sing-gotta-dance/

Register your kids for Theatre Replacement’s East Van Panto-themed summer camps for ages 5-13. Info HERE.

The Improv Centre is offering classes in improv at all levels. Info HERE.

Enjoy,

Jerry