Plays in Ottawa, Eastern Ontario and beyond—Theatre for every taste

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If seeing live theatre is one of your favourite ways to spend an afternoon or evening, check out this regularly updated list of upcoming plays in Ottawa, Eastern Ontario and beyond. From comedies of manners to thought-provoking dramas, there should be something on this list to appeal to just about every theatre fan. To quote Bugs Bunny, “Overture, curtains, lights. This is it, you’ll hit the heights. And oh what heights we’ll hit. On with the show, this is it.”

Note: Did I miss a play from your favourite local company? Or do you have photos of an upcoming production that I could add to this post? Please email me! I update this post regularly to add plays as they are announced.

Rough Crossing, Ron Maslin Playhouse, Kanata (September 9 to 19, 2026)

Kanata Theatre is staging Tom Stoppard’s light-hearted comedy Rough Crossing, based on a play by Ferenc Molnar and set in the 1930s. Two Hungarian playwrights and a young French composer set sail from Cherbourg to New York, to present their latest musical comedy, The Cruise of the Dodo. Their plan to surprise the play’s stars—dim bulb Ivor and glamorous Natasha—with a new song go awry when they overhear a declaration of love between the two actors.

Beautiful Scars, National Arts Centre, Ottawa (September 10 to 19, 2026)

This NAC Indigenous Theatre production of the musical Beautiful Scars tells the story of Tom Wilson, of the band Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, and his search for truth and identity when a family secret is revealed. It follows his journey from Hamilton’s East Mountain to the Kanien’kehá:ka (Mohawk) community of Kahnawake.

Come From Away, l’École secondaire publique De La Salle, Ottawa (September 10 to 19, 2026)

The smash hit musical Come From Away tells the uplifting story of some of the airline passengers grounded in Gander on 9/11 and the big-hearted Newfoundlanders who helped them. I’ve seen it twice (plus once on TV) and I love it to pieces. This particular production has had a somewhat harrowing journey to the stage: Suzart Productions had already sold thousands of tickets to the show, which was supposed to be staged at the Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe, when Canada Day flooding closed the theatre for extensive repairs. Suzart had to move the whole shebang to De La Salle. So if you’ve ever wanted to see Come From Away, this would be a great opportunity to do so while also helping a local theatre company through a rough patch.

The Long Weekend, Upper Canada Playhouse, Morrisburg (September 10 to October 4, 2026)

The Long Weekend is one of Norm Foster’s most-produced comedies. Successful lawyer Max and his wife Wynn are about to show off their beautiful new summer home to their best friends, wannabe writer Roger and his wife Abby. What’s meant to be a relaxing holiday weekend turns into a battle of wits as their pasts catch up with them, old scores get settled and the so-called best friends discover how they really feel about each other.

Wonderful Joe, Thousand Islands Playhouse, Gananoque (September 10 to October 4, 2026)

Joe and his dog Mister lose their home and, facing separation, head off on one last adventure. The world seems broken, but Joe sees magic in it. Along their fantastical journey, they meet Mother Nature, Santa Claus, Jesus, the Tooth Fairy and more. A seemingly simple tale of a simple man, Wonderful Joe is a love letter to imagination and hope, brought to life with puppets by Ronnie Burkett.

If You Don’t Know, You Wilno!, Rankin Culture and Recreation Centre, Pembroke (September 12 to 20, and October 16 and 17, 2026)

Stone Fence Theatre is returning to its musical comedy roots with the premiere of If You Don’t Know, You Wilno! (I love this title so much.) The show highlights Wilno’s famous chicken supper and goings-on at the village’s community hub, the Wilno Tavern. In the play, a wealthy developer arrives in the village with plans to buy it up (the residents aren’t impressed), while a local rock band is going through a touchy reunion. Much of the music is based on Kashub/Polish folk songs sung by the late Martha Linton of nearby Barry’s Bay.

Son of a Preacherman, National Arts Centre, Ottawa (September 16 to 26, 2027)

Son of a Preacherman is a one-man autobiographical show written and performed by Ins Choi. Before Choi was born, his mother promised God that, if she had a son, he would dedicate his life to the church. Turns out both God and Ins had other plans. This musical storytelling journey shares how Choi built a career in the arts and won over his parents in the process.

Having Hope at Home, Studio Theatre Perth (September 17 to 27, 2027)

Set in Lanark County, David S. Craig’s Having Hope at Home is a light, uplifting comedy with some weightier undertones. Carolyn has one night in a cold, drafty farmhouse to cook an elaborate turkey dinner, make peace with her parents, get married in her grandmother’s dress and hide the fact that she’s in labour. She wants to have her baby at home, but her dad is head of gynecology at the local hospital. What could go wrong? 

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, Almonte Old Town Hall (September 18 to 20, 2026)

The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is based on Rick Riordan’s bestselling novel. It follows Percy Jackson, a teenager who discovers he is the son of a Greek god. During his ensuing quest to save the world, Percy and his friends face monsters, impossible odds and their own self-doubt. This production is presented by the Riversong Players Youth Summer Intensive.

Come From Away, Thousand Islands Playhouse, Gananoque (September 22 to November 1, 2026)

Come From Away is based on the real-life events following 9/11, when thousands of travellers were diverted to Gander, Newfoundland. As fear gripped the world, the people of Gander opened their arms. Cultures clashed and nerves ran high, but uneasiness became trust, and gratitude grew into lasting friendships. (P.S.: I’ve seen two other productions of this Tony Award-winning musical at different theatres, and I highly recommend it!)

The Cottage, Ottawa Little Theatre (September 23 to October 10, 2026)

At Sylvia’s annual naughty weekend with her lover, her hopes for a future with him are derailed when their spouses show up with surprisingly different agendas. Inspired by screwball comedy and bedroom farce, The Cottage—a recent Broadway hit—puts the ladies in the driver’s seat.

Mommy, le retour, National Arts Centre, Ottawa (September 25 and 26, 2026)

A woman who died in a long-term care facility comes back to life with some scores to settle—as a mom or as a mummy—in this musical horror show. Mommy, le retour is (and I quote from the NAC’s website here) “sung and rapped by neo-fascist zombies portrayed by remarkable, hyper-energized performers.” In French.

Something Rotten!, Urbandale Arts Centre, Kemptville (September 26 to October 10, 2026)

Kemptville Youth Musical Theatre Company is staging Something Rotten!, the rollicking story of brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom. In 1595, they’re trying to revive their flailing theatre company while also dealing with the interference of a full-of-himself playwright named William Shakespeare.

The Hollow, Smiths Falls Station Theatre (October 16 to 25, 2026)

An unhappy weekend of romantic entanglements explodes into murder in the Agatha Christie mystery The Hollow. The cast of memorable characters—many of them suspects—includes hosts Sir Henry and Lucy Angkatell, lothario Dr. Cristow, Cristo’s boring wife Gerda, his mistress Henrietta (a sculptor) and his former lover Veronica (a Hollywood star), and visitors Edward and Midge. Nearly everyone has a motive for murder, but who did the deed?

Rogers v. Rogers, GCTC, Ottawa (October 20 to November 1, 2026)

Step inside one of the most dramatic boardroom showdowns in Canadian history, as Edward Rogers fights for control of the telecom empire that his father Ted Rogers built. (Meanwhile, a shrewd public servant is determined to derail the company’s billion-dollar takeover of Shaw Communications.) Rogers v. Rogers has been adapted for the stage by Michael Healey, based on Rogers v. Rogers: The Battle for Control of Canada’s Telecom Empire by Alexandra Posadzki.

Jane Eyre, Ottawa Little Theatre (October 28 to November 14, 2026)

Charlotte Brontë’s haunting novel comes to the stage in a new adaptation by Canadian playwright Erin Shields. This version of Jane Eyre is a witty, feminist take on the timeless story of an accomplished, outspoken young woman overcoming the odds to achieve her true potential.

Peter Pan, Upper Canada Playhouse, Morrisburg (November 6 and 7, 2026

DuffleBag Theatre is bringing its touring production of Peter Pan to the Upper Canada Playhouse in Morrisburg. Many kids will love the tail of a magical boy who refuse to grow up, and the children who join him in his adventures.

Emilie: La Marquise Du Châtelet Defends Her Life Tonight, Ron Maslin Playhouse, Kanata (November 18 to 28, 2026)

In Emilie: La Marquise Du Châtelet Defends Her Life Tonight, an 18th-century noblewoman comes back from the afterlife to defend her scientific legacy and her romantic choices. By all accounts, she lived an amazing life, flouting contemporary prejudices about what women could understand and do. For instance, she wrote a groundbreaking paper on the nature of fire, as well as a celebrated commentary on Isaac Newton’s Principia Mathematica. On top of all that, she found time for numerous affairs, including one with the writer and philosopher Voltaire.

Snow White: The Panto, Marble Arts Centre, Tweed (November 27 to December 5, 2026)

This production of Snow White follows the grand British tradition of pantomime, where audiences cheer the hero and boo the villain, Tweed & Company. The producers promise flashy musical numbers, outrageous costumes, comedy, magic, mayhem and lots of audience participation for the whole family.

Liars at a Funeral, GCTC, Ottawa (December 1 to 13, 2026)

When an estranged family gathers to mourn the passing of their matriarch, the funeral becomes a dysfunctional reunion. Secrets unravel, long-buried truths emerge and a family curse keeps siblings apart in the comedy Liars at a Funeral. Can this eccentric family of liars navigate the road to reconciliation?

Ethan Claymore’s Christmas, Ottawa Little Theatre (December 2 to 19, 2026)

In the Norm Foster comedy Ethan Claymore’s Christmas, struggling egg farmer Ethan is having a strange Christmas Eve. The loveable grump next door has decided that widower Ethan needs to buy new clothes, hang out with the guys, find the perfect Christmas tree and meet the new teacher in town. Things get weirder when Ethan’s recently deceased brother shows up.

The Gift of the Magi and Other Christmas Stories to Warm the Heart, Smiths Falls Station Theatre (December 4 to 13, 2025)

Eight stories in all will be featured in this performance by Smiths Falls Community Theatre. Along with the O. Henry classic The Gift of the Magi, about a penniless young couple who struggle to buy each other a wonderful Christmas present, you can enjoy the Philip Van Doren Stern story The Greatest Gift (the inspiration for the movie It’s a Wonderful Life). The show also features tales by Lucy Maud Montgomery, Hans Christian Anderson and others.

Snow White: The Panto, Bancroft Village Playhouse, Bancroft (December 9 to 19, 2026)

This production of Snow White follows the grand British tradition of pantomime, where audiences cheer the hero and boo the villain, Tweed & Company. The producers promise flashy musical numbers, outrageous costumes, comedy, magic, mayhem and lots of audience participation for the whole family.

A Snow White Christmas, Ron Maslin Playhouse, Kanata (December 27 to 30, 2026)

A Snow White Christmas is playwright Norm Foster’s riff on the beloved fairy tale. The family-friendly Kanata Theatre production follows Snow White in the years after her marriage. She has fallen on hard times and is looking for happiness. Who will help? Will she find her way?

Cabaret, Ron Maslin Playhouse, Kanata (February 3 to 13, 2027)

In a Berlin nightclub, as the 1920s draw to a close, a garish master of ceremonies assures his audience that they will soon forget all their troubles. With the Emcee’s bawdy songs as wry commentary, the musical Cabaret explores the dark, tumultuous life of Berlin’s natives and ex-pats as Germany slowly yields to the emerging Third Reich. Young American writer Cliff falls in love with English singer Sally Bowles, while their landlady tentatively begins a romance with Jewish fruit seller.

Hurricane Diane, GCTC, Ottawa (February 9 to 21, 2027)

In Hurricane Diane, the title character is a butch permaculture gardener with supernatural abilities—because she’s actually the Greek god Dionysus. Having shown up in the modern day to rally followers and restore the Earth to its natural state, she begins with four housewives in a suburban cul-de-sac. Pulitzer Prize-finalist Madeleine George’s comedy skewers our willful ignorance in the face of climate change.

Misery, Ron Maslin Playhouse, Kanata (March 24 to April 3, 2027)

The thriller Misery—by William Goldman, based on the Stephen King novel—follows romance novelist Paul Sheldon. After his “number one fan,” Annie Wilkes, rescues him from a car crash, he wakes up captive in her secluded home. While Paul is convalescing, Annie reads his latest book and becomes enraged when she discovers he has killed off her favourite character, Misery Chastain. Annie forces Paul to write a new Misery novel, and he quickly realizes she has no intention of letting him leave.

Age Is a Feeling, GCTC, Ottawa (April 6 to 18, 2027)

How many chances do you get to change the course of your life? What will you leave unsaid when you go? Haley McGee’s solo show Age Is a Feeling charts the seminal moments, rites of passage and turning points that make up an adult life. Along the way, it examines the way our connection with mortality shapes the way we live.

The Beaux’ Strategem, Ron Maslin Playhouse, Kanata (May 12 to 22, 2027)

Kanata Theatre is staging Thornton Wilder and Ken Ludwig’s adaptation of The Beaux’ Strategem by George Farquhar. It tells the story of two penniless young rogues who leave London and roam from town to town in search of love and fortune. To find a wealthy heiress for at least one of them to marry, they pose as master and servant, exchanging roles from one town to the next.

Waiting for Godot – Inuktitut, National Arts Centre, Ottawa (May 19 to 29, 2027)

In Waiting for Godot – Inuktitut, Vladimir and Estragon wait endlessly for someone named Godot. Hungry, battered, bored and deeply bound to one another, they rely on their wit and companionship to make life bearable. Samuel Beckett’s legendary play will be performed in Inuktitut, with subtitles and sections in English. It will be produced in association with Great Canadian Theatre Company, NAC Indigenous Theatre and the NAC’s National Creation Fund, and tickets will be available only through a five-show subscription.

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