TORONTO 鈥� Canadian Stage鈥檚 upcoming season includes a return of Robert Lepage, the Canadian premiere of the controversial 鈥淪lave Play,鈥� and a reinvigorated 鈥淎 Doll鈥檚 House鈥� that took Broadway by storm.
The not-for-profit theatre says the 2025/2026 lineup will see Lepage revive his 2000 space-race saga 鈥淭he Far Side of the Moon,鈥� including a score by Laurie Anderson, from Nov. 1 to 16; while Canadian Stage associate artistic director Jordan Laffrenier will direct Jeremy O. Harris鈥� provocative exploration of race and sex, 鈥淪lave Play,鈥� running Sept. 27 to Oct. 19.
The new year features Amy Herzog鈥檚 Tony-winning adaptation of Henrik Ibsen鈥檚 classic, 鈥淎 Doll鈥檚 House,鈥� directed by Canadian Stage artistic director Brendan Healy running Jan. 17 to Feb. 1 and starring Hailey Gillis as Nora.
Family-friendly fare includes this year鈥檚 Shakespeare-in-the park show, 鈥淩omeo & Juliet,鈥� July 13 to Aug. 31 with Praneet Akilla of the Paramount Plus show 鈥淪ky Med,鈥� and Ross Petty鈥檚 holiday Panto show 鈥淩obin Hood: A Very Merry Family Musical,鈥� from Nov. 26 to Jan. 4 with Julia Pulo from last year鈥檚 鈥淲izard of Oz鈥� spoof.
World premieres include Kanika Ambrose鈥檚 鈥淢oonlight Schooner,鈥� directed by Sabryn Rock from Nov. 21 to Dec. 14; and in the new year, Governor General鈥檚 Award-winning playwright Erin Shields presents 鈥淵ou, Always,鈥� directed by Andrea Donaldson from Jan. 31 to Feb. 15.
Healy says Canadian Stage chose productions meant to foster human connection and reflect Toronto鈥檚 diversity, although Canada-U.S. tensions were also top of mind: 鈥淚 am feeling an increase of patriotism for our country.鈥�
Still, he notes the lineup includes three American plays 鈥� Herzog鈥檚 take on 鈥淎 Doll鈥檚 House,鈥� 鈥淪lave Play,鈥� and Lynn Nottage鈥檚 鈥淐lyde鈥檚鈥� opening April 11, 2026 鈥� because they 鈥渟peak to today鈥檚 world in vital, original, and insightful ways.鈥�
鈥淚 stay committed to Canadian Stage鈥檚 internationalist mandate despite my outrage at the politics of the day," Healy said Monday in a release.
"It is often said that art knows no borders. I believe that this is because the human experience is universal.鈥�
Also on the lineup is 鈥淟ittle Willy,鈥� billed as a "sassy take" on "Romeo and Juliet" from Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes, running Feb. 27 to April 5, 2026.
Canadian Stage says there was an increase in single ticket sales in the current season, with the most single ticket buyers seen since 2003. The organization also saw a 51 per cent year-over-year increase in subscription revenue.
Season pass renewals for the 2025/2026 season are available now, first-time pass purchases open April 14, and single tickets go on sale June 30.
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Online: www.canadianstage.com
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 7, 2025.
Cassandra Szklarski, The Canadian Press
