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.

Crackers and Debate Debacle, Gladstone Theatre, Ottawa (April 24 to May 2, 2026)

Phoenix Players is presenting this double bill of two one-act plays by John Cook, Crackers and Debate Debacle. Crackers is the story of two parrots who don’t get along, trapped in the same cage. In Debate Debacle, a prime minister who is prepping for a televised election debate suddenly becomes pleasant and carefree—so, of course, his staff try to hustle him out of the building. (P.S.: My husband Paul is playing the PM!)

Four Old Broads, Old Town Hall, Winchester (April 24 to May 3, 2026)

The comedy Four Old Broads is set in Magnolia Place Assisted Living. Former burlesque star Beatrice Shelton dreams of escaping on a Caribbean cruise, but she and her friends have to solve a mystery—involving a suspicious nurse, strange pills and disappearing residents—before they can set sail. Cue the outrageous schemes and sassy one-liners!

Renovations for Six, Osgoode Community Centre, Osgoode (April 24 to May 3, 2026)

In ITR Theatre Company’s production of Renovations for Six, town newcomers Shayna and Grant Perkins decide to host a dinner party. The guest list includes a pair of former song-and-dance performers, as well as a stuffy psychiatrist and her engineer-turned-novelist husband. All three couples have rocky relationships, and all hell breaks loose at the dinner party in this Norm Foster comedy. There’s a dinner theatre performance on Saturday, April 25, and Sunday matinées on April 26 and May 3.

The Lion King Jr., École Catholique Cathédrale, Kingston (April 28 to 30, 2026)

École Catholique Cathédrale’s production of Disney’s The Lion King Jr. follows Simba, a young lion prince. Simba’s life is shattered when his jealous Uncle Scar murders Simba’s father, Mufasa, and convinces Simba it was his fault. After growing up in exile, Simba returns home to confront Scar and reclaim his place as king. It’s all about the “Circle of Life.”

Jade Circle, GCTC, Ottawa (April 28 to May 10, 2026)

Using Mandarin and English, Jade Circle follows Jasmine, a second-generation Canadian who has lost her mother tongue. Through intimate interviews with her mother and using music, movement and storytelling, Jasmine finds her place within the legacy of her matriarchs. As she learns Mandarin, she unearths the lost stories of her grandmother’s past in this solo show.

The Invisible, National Arts Centre, Ottawa (April 29 to May 9, 2026)

The Invisible was inspired by the real-life international team of female agents who comprised the Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare during the Second World War. Catalyst Theatre drew on historical research, film noir, spy fiction and graphic novels to create this genre-busting, multilingual, film-noir musical. These seven extraordinary women risked their lives to fight a dangerous war through sabotage, propaganda and espionage.

Siberian Summer, Merrickville Community Centre (April 30 to May 3, 2026)

In Siberian Summer, three retired women and one of their sons travel the Trans-Siberian Railway from St. Petersburg to Beijing, along with a candid Russian tour guide named Sonya. Along the way, they drink, laugh, bicker and learn about life.

The Play That Goes Wrong, Carleton Place Town Hall (April 30 to May 9, 2026)

In the hit Broadway farce The Play That Goes Wrong, a college drama club is staging a play called The Murder at Haversham Manor. With a falling-apart set, a concussed leading lady and a corpse that refuses to play dead, this murder mystery goes hilariously off the rails.

The Maltese Falcon, Studio Theatre Perth (April 30 to May 10, 2026)

In The Maltese Falcon, set in the 1930s, cynical private detective Sam Spade tackles a deceptively simple new case. Blind corners, false turns and mesmerizing strangers about in the hunt for a mysterious falcon.

Alice by Heart, Shenkman Arts Centre, Orléans (May 1 and 2, 2026)

Set during the London Blitz, the musical Alice by Heart—presented by the Ottawa School of Theatre in partnership with School of Rock—tells the story of Alice Spencer and her friend Alfred. When Alfred is quarantined, Alice invites him to escape into their cherished book, and they journey together down the rabbit hole into Wonderland. The play explores first love, loss, courage and the transformative power of imagination.

Beetlejuice Jr., St. John Catholic High School, Perth (May 6 to 9, 2026)

Beetlejuice Jr. is a musical, teen-friendly version of the beloved Tim Burton movie. Theatregoers will relive the story of quirky teen Lydia Deetz, whose life changes when she meets a recently deceased couple and a demon who loves stripes.

The Birds and the Bees, Ottawa Little Theatre (May 6 to 23, 2026)

In the rural comedy The Birds and the Bees, beekeeper Gail has survived quite well since her husband ran off with the neighbour’s wife 20 years earlier. But now, her turkey-farming daughter Sarah has left her husband and moved back home, and a strapping young entomology student has entered the picture.

Passion simple, National Arts Centre, Ottawa (May 7 to 9, 2026)

Passion simple draws on the work of French author an Nobel prize winner Annie Ernaux. In this bilingual production, a woman waits hours, day, weeks by the phone. She is expecting a call from her Lover, a married foreign diplomat.

Wine & Halva, Teesri Duniya Theatre, Montreal (May 9 to 23, 2026)

How can friends do justice to each other when they have almost nothing in common? This is the question that Turkish-Canadian playwright Deniz Başar explores in Wine & Halva. Three narrators guide their audience through an unusual friendship between Farias, a white gay man trapped in a menial service job, and Derya, a Turkish woman who emigrates to North America to complete her PhD.

The Heart of Robin Hood, Ron Maslin Playhouse, Kanata (May 13 to 23, 2026)

In Kanata Theatre’s production of The Heart of Robin Hood, the titular bandit and his band of outlaws steal from the rich, but they don’t share with the poor, so the people aren’t exactly fans. It is down to Marion to protect the poor and convince Robin that he must listen to his heart if they are to save the country.

Fun Home, Gladstone Theatre, Ottawa (May 14 to 23, 2026)

When her father dies unexpectedly, graphic novelist Alison dives into her past to tell the story of the volatile, brilliant man whose temperament and secrets defined her family. Moving between past and present, Alison relives her childhood playing at the family’s Bechdel Funeral Home, her growing understanding of her own sexuality, and the looming, unanswerable questions about her father’s hidden desires. Fun Home, produced by TotoToo Theatre, is an honest musical about seeing your parents through grown-up eyes.

Th’owxiya: The Hungry Feast Dish, National Arts Centre, Ottawa (May 16, 2026)

NAC Indigenous Theatres is presenting a family-friendly show, Th’owxiya: The Hungry Feast Dish, for one day only. From the Kwantlen First Nation village of Squa’lets comes the tale of Th’owxiya, an old and powerful spirit that inhabits a feast dish of foods from around the world. When a hungry mouse named Kw’at’el steals a piece of cheese from her feast, he finds himself in a perilous situation.

The Perfect Time, Almonte Old Town Hall (May 22 to 31, 2026)

The Perfect Time is a new Canadian musical that follows Gen-X professionals preparing for a high school reunion—and dealing with a glamorous fellow student who suddenly returns to town—while their kids stare down graduation.

A Fox on the Fairway, Seaway Valley Theatre, Cornwall (May 22 to June 7, 2026)

In the farce A Fox on the Fairway, Quail Valley Country Club exec director Henry Bingham is in a bind—several binds, really. A golfer Henry was backing in a high-stakes tournament defects to Henry’s arch nemesis, Dickie Bell. Henry’s employee Justin steps into the breach, but he loses his focus when his fiancée loses her engagement ring. Oh, and Henry’s wife thinks Henry is having an affair with Dickie’s ex-wife…

The Perils of Persephone, North Grenville Community Centre, Kemptville (May 28 to 31, 2026)

North Grenville Community Theatre is staging The Perils of Persephone, a comedy by Dan Needles. The Currie family is struggling to hold onto their turn-of-the-century dairy farm. A summer drought has Orval Currie ready to trade cows for camels, while his brother Eldon pursues a career in local politics. Then, a truck filled with nuclear waste crashes on their property. Cue the government inspectors and a bureaucratic merry-go-round.

Far From Home, uOttawa Academic Hall (May 29 to 31, 2026)

Far From Home, written by and starring Elmwood School alumna Janet Uren, tells the true story of British children evacuated to Canada during the Second World War and how Elmwood offered them safety, care and a sense of home. Set between wartime England and Ottawa in the 1940s and 2004, the two-act play follows a group of young evacuees who arrive at Elmwood School and the young teacher determined to keep them together.

Singin’ in the Rain, Meridian Theatres @ Centrepointe, Ottawa (May 29 to June 7, 2026)

The Orpheus Musical Theatre production of Singin’ in the Rain will showcase the toe-tapping tunes that made the 1952 movie an enduring classic. (You’ve got the title song in your head right now, don’t you?) Set during Hollywood’s transition from silent movies to talkies, the musical tells the tale of an ingenue singer hired to dub the squeaky voice of one of the silent era’s biggest stars—calling into question who should really be a star at all.

Va falloir toujours toujours, National Arts Centre, Ottawa (May 30 and 31, 2026)

Va falloir toujours toujours blends dance and theatre in a production aimed at kids aged 6 to 12. Jonathan and Nina are pro dancers, but things get complicated when a third dancer hurtles onto the stage. This pop-philosophy show blends dance and theatre to wreak havoc on our ideals of the perfect family. In French.

Once, Gladstone Theatre (June 3 to 13, 2026)

Elevator Theatre Company is presenting Once, the Tony Award-winning musical about an Irish musician and a Czech immigrant whose chance encounter sparks a transformative journey of love, music and self-discovery. Set in Dublin’s vibrant music scene, it celebrates the power of music to heal and inspire, with a score blending folk, rock and soaring ballads.

Danny & Delilah, Upper Canada Playhouse, Morrisburg (June 4 to 28, 2026)

In the new Norm Foster comedy Danny & Delilah, friendships are found in unlikely places. Danny, a retired widower and grumpy Toronto Maple Leafs fan, isn’t sure what to think when his daughter Sherry brings home a Pakistani student who needs a place to stay. He and Delilah have little in common at first, yet somehow they manage to connect.

Alice in Wonderland Jr., Ron Maslin Playhouse, Kanata (June 5 and 6, 2026)

The musical Alice in Wonderland Jr. is based on the 1951 Disney film Alice in Wonderland, along with Lewis Carroll’s Alice novels. Young Alice finds herself in a strange world where everything seems upside down, where she encounters the ever-tardy White Rabbit, the grinning Cheshire Cat, a cool Caterpillar, the wacky Mad Hatter, the hot-tempered Queen of Hearts and other beloved characters.

Macbeth, National Arts Centre, Ottawa (June 5 to 11, 2026)

In this French-language production of Macbeth, Robert Lepage tackles Shakespeare’s Scottish tragedy and its themes of paranoia, political conspiracy and the bloody thirst for power, setting it in the world of criminal biker gangs in 1990s Quebec.

Pressure, Ottawa Little Theatre (June 10 to 27, 2026)

Pressure takes place on the eve of D-Day in June 1944, when 300,000 troops are ready to invade Europe. Success or devastating failure hangs on an accurate weather prediction. Eisenhower must choose between conflicting forecasts from his American celebrity weatherman and the chief meteorological officer for the Allied Forces. The intense thriller explores the responsibilities of leadership and the personal toll of taking a stand.

The Foursome, Smiths Falls Station Theatre (June 19 to 28, 2026)

In the Norm Foster comedy The Foursome, Rick, Ted, Donnie and Cameron are home for their 15-year college reunion. They head out for a round of golf, but the conversation doesn’t revolve around beer and final exams. Instead, they find themselves discussing colonoscopies, home-security systems, alcoholism, Buddhism and more.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Marble Arts Centre, Tweed (June 26 to July 5, 2026)

In The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, six tweens vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their lives, the kids spell their way through a series of words, hoping never to make a spelling mistake. This comedy includes audience participation, so you might want to brush up your knowledge of tricky words!

The Beaver Club, Upper Canada Playhouse, Morrisburg (July 2 to 26, 2026)

In the new comedy The Beaver Club, four women head out on a cross-country road trip from Toronto to Dildo, Newfoundland. The raucous journey is filled with chaos, confessions, old memories and new beginnings, as the members of the Beaver Club deal with their past, present and future and discover that life is better when they face the world together.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Bancroft Village Playhouse, Bancroft (July 8 to 19, 2026)

In The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, six tweens vie for the spelling championship of a lifetime. While candidly disclosing hilarious and touching stories from their lives, the kids spell their way through a series of words, hoping never to make a spelling mistake. This comedy includes audience participation, so you might want to brush up your knowledge of tricky words!

10-Minute Play Festival, Ron Maslin Playhouse, Kanata (July 24 to 26, 2026)

In its sixth annual 10-Minute Play Festival, Kanata Theatre will present seven short plays helmed by seven different directors, all in a single afternoon or evening show.

Forever Plaid, Almonte Old Town Hall (July 30 to August 1, 2026)

Once upon a time, four guys (Sparky, Smudge, Jinx and Frankie) discovered a shared love of music. They got together to emulate their idols: The Four Freshmen, The Hi-Lo’s and The Crew Cuts. Rehearsing in the basement of Smudge’s family’s plumbing supply company, they became “Forever Plaid.” But on the way to their first big gig, a school bus broadsides the “Plaids” and kills them instantly. At the end of their lives, the musical story of Forever Plaid begins.

Whose Wives Are They Anyway?, Upper Canada Playhouse, Morrisburg (July 30 to August 23, 2026

In Whose Wives Are They Anyway?, co-workers David and John check into The Oakfield Golf and Country Club for a golfing weekend without their spouses. They unexpectedly run into their new boss, Ms. Hutchison, who insists on meeting their wives. In a panic, John persuades Tina, the hotel’s receptionist, to play the role of his wife—but he also has to play David’s wife. The farce ramps up when their real wives arrive!

Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue, National Arts Centre, Ottawa (August 7, 2026)

Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue is just what the title says: a follow-up to the TV series about four funny retirees sharing a Florida house. In this outing, Sophia is out on bail after being busted by the DEA for running a drug ring. Blanche and Rose have created a sex app for seniors, and Dorothy has a young, sex-crazed lover.

No Strings Attached, Smiths Falls Station Theatre (August 14 to 23, 2026)

The family musical No Strings Attached is a fun adaptation of the classic tale of Pinocchio. When rebellious teenager Carl is magically transformed into the famous marionette, he meets some familiar characters—including a cricket with attitude, a devious fox and cat, and the memorable Blues Fairy—along with some new ones. After a string of poor choices, Carl/Pinocchio finally does something good by saving Geppetto from a giant shark. 

Fiddler on the Roof, Bancroft Village Theatre, Bancroft (August 19 to September 6, 2026)

Set in the village of Anatevka, Fiddler on the Roof centres on Tevye, a poor milkman, and his five daughters. With the help of a tight-knit Jewish community, Tevye tries to protect his daughters and ground them in traditional values in the face of changing social mores and the growing anti-Semitism of Czarist Russia. With beloved songs such as “Sunrise, Sunset,” “If I Were a Rich Man” and “Matchmaker, Matchmaker,” Fiddler on the Roof is a musical theatre staple.

Murder for Two, Marble Arts Centre, Tweed (August 28 to September 6, 2026)

In Murder for Two, small-town cop Marcus Moscowicz dreams of becoming a detective. When Great American Novelist Arthur Whitney is murdered, Marcus jumps at the chance to prove his sleuthing skills. Was the culprit Arthur’s scene-stealing wife Dahlia, prima ballerina Barrette Lewis or suspiciously friendly psychiatrist Dr. Griff? Marcus doesn’t have much time to find the killer.

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.

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.

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.

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?

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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