When I began building our 2026/27 season, I knew I wanted to celebrate Canadian stories that were fearless, moving, and deeply human. The result is a season that reflects the richness of this country: its humour, its complexity, its communities, and the relationships that shape us.
We start with a show that has taken over the country, and a script that is so thrilling and provocative that it’s being developed into a TV show - Yaga by Kat Sandler. The perfect piece for late October - a thrilling, wickedly funny reimagining of a classic myth. Part mystery, part revenge tale, and packed with sharp wit - it's bold, surprising theatre that appeals across generations and promises to keep you guessing until the very end.
From a classic myth to a script that is sure to become a new Canadian classic, our second show is The Waltz by Marie Beath Badian. Set beneath a glorious Saskatchewan sky in the 1990s, this charming love story follows two Filipino Canadian teenagers whose lives are unexpectedly intertwined. The story brings a unique perspective on what it means to be a first-generation Canadian—caught between cultures, searching for belonging, and trying to understand where home truly is.
Spring brings flowers—and a clever, interactive twist on what happens after we say “yes” to the dress. Undressed, by Edmonton's own Louise Casemore, is a charming and inventive solo performance that uncovers the stories hidden within wedding dresses. Through humour, heart, and extraordinary storytelling, it examines love, memory, loss, and the lives we build around the milestones we celebrate. Married or single, queer or curious, Undressed is a heartfelt exploration of the weight and wonder held in a wedding dress as we pursue our own version of happily ever after.
We conclude with The Golden Anniversaries by Mark Crawford, a heartfelt comedy-drama about marriage, memory, and enduring love. Following one couple across fifty years together, it captures the joy, frustration, resilience, and tenderness of a life shared. Quintessentially Shadow Theatre—the kind of warm, funny, deeply human storytelling that our audiences have embraced time and again. This play will feel like a home coming of sorts, with the return of John Hudson as director, and featuring cornerstone Shadow actors Glenn Nelson and Coralie Cairns.
Whether through myth, first love, personal memories, or a fifty-year marriage, each play reminds us that the most powerful stories are often the ones closest to home. At their heart they are stories about our desire to be seen, accepted, and connected. In challenging times, that is what we must hold onto, our connection to community, and the love we share for each other - and what’s more Canadian than that?
These are Canadian stories. These are stories worth gathering for. Welcome to Our Stories, Our Stage.
See you at the theatre!
Lana Michelle Hughes Artistic Director
