Soulpepper Theatre Company Announce 2025.26 Season

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April 22, 2025 – August 23, 2026
Young Centre for the Performing Arts, 50 Tank House Lane

Soulpepper Theatre Company has unveiled its 2025–2026 season, titled Stories for a Stronger City, marking the final season under Artistic Director Weyni Mengesha. The lineup features 16 productions, including four world premieres by Canadian female artists: Copperbelt by Natasha Mumba, Tiger Bride by Hailey Gillis with Frank Cox-O’Connell and Andrew Penner, Medusa by Erin Shields, and Revolutionary Women in Blues by Divine Brown. The season also includes classics by Samuel Beckett, Harold Pinter, and Tennessee Williams, as well as Canadian and Toronto premieres like Lucy Kirkwood’s The Welkin, Dave Malloy’s Octet, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ The Comeuppance, Bad Hats Theatre’s Narnia, Jen Silverman’s Witch, and Christina Anderson’s How to Catch Creation. A notable highlight is a three-year partnership with Crow’s Theatre, aiming to enhance Toronto’s theatre landscape through collaborative productions

2025 – 2026 Schedule

20252026

A STRANGE LOOP @ THE BAILLIE THEATRE
April 22 – June 1, 2025 | CANADIAN PREMIERE

Tony Award-winning international sensation A STRANGE LOOP is coming to Toronto! Meet Usher, a Black gay man who’s writing a musical about a Black gay man…who’s also writing a musical about a Black gay man.

Red Like Fruit
May 28 – June 15, 2025

In Red Like Fruit, Governor General’s Award-winning playwright Hannah Moscovitch crafts a gripping, provocative new work that unpacks power, memory, and complicity in the post-#MeToo era.

Queer Youth Cabaret
June 20 – 21, 2025

This Pride Month, Queer Youth Cabaret spotlights nine emerging 2SLGBTQI+ artists debuting bold new work—drag, music, movement, comedy—live on the Soulpepper stage, mentored by alum Will Dao.

Six String: A History of the Guitar
July 18 – July 27, 2025 | WORLD PREMIERE

From blues to rock, this high-energy docu-concert traces the guitar’s cultural impact across genres—featuring iconic songs, legendary artists, and live storytelling from the creators of On a Night Like This.

Kim’s Convenience
August 8 – August 17, 2025

Back by popular demand, Kim’s Convenience returns this August! Ins Choi’s beloved hit blends humour, heart, and cultural insight in a warm, witty portrait of a Korean-Canadian family in Toronto.

Old Times
August 6 – September 7, 2025

Harold Pinter’s Old Times is a taut, minimalist thriller where memory, power, and desire collide. As old friends reunite, truth unravels and reality blurs in this haunting masterpiece.

The Welkin
September 4 – October 5, 2025

In 1759 England, twelve women must decide a condemned woman’s fate after she claims pregnancy. Lucy Kirkwood’s The Welkin is a bold, darkly comic drama about justice and power.

OCTET @ Crow’s Theatre
September 9 – October 12, 2025 | CANADIAN PREMIERE

From three-time Tony nominee Dave Malloy (The Great Comet) comes Octet, a haunting and hilarious chamber musical about eight internet addicts in a support group, battling everything from doomscrolling to conspiracy theories. Directed by Chris Abraham, Octet blends sharp social critique with stunning choral harmonies to explore human connection in the digital age.

King Gilgamesh
September 16 – October 5, 2025

After acclaimed sold-out runs across North America, King Gilgamesh returns—a Dora-winning, two-man epic blending ancient myth with modern Toronto, tracing friendship, exile, ambition, and art through music, laughter, and heart.

The Comeuppance
October 30 – November 23, 2025 | CANADIAN PREMIERE

At their 20th high school reunion pre-party, five old friends confront haunting memories, hard truths, and an unseen presence in The Comeuppance—a darkly funny, poignant reckoning for elder millennials.

BAD HATS THEATRE’S NARNIA
November 18 – December 28, 2025

From the creators of Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland, Bad Hats Theatre returns with a magical new musical: Narnia. When four children step through a wardrobe into a snowbound world ruled by a wicked witch, they discover that courage, loyalty, and imagination can change everything. Inventive, uplifting, and perfect for all ages, Narnia continues Bad Hats’ tradition of reimagining classic tales with heart, humour, and wonder.

‘TWAS ON A NIGHT LIKE THIS
December 12 – December 28

Beau Dixon and world-class musicians return with a lively Holiday concert featuring eclectic songs, heartfelt stories, and visuals that capture the spirit and soul of the season.

Witch
January 29 – March 1, 2026 | TORONTO PREMIERE

A devil arrives in Edmonton offering deals for souls—but Elizabeth, labeled a “witch,” refuses to play along. Darkly funny and subversive, Witch is a sharp, modern spin on temptation and power.

SUMMER AND SMOKE @ Crow’s Theatre
February 3 – March 1, 2026

In a sweltering small town, Alma Winemiller, a minister’s daughter, falls for the reckless doctor next door, John Buchanan. As their longing intensifies, desire, duty, and convention collide—blurring the line between passion and ruin. Blistering, poetic, and rapturous, this rarely staged gem reveals Tennessee Williams at his most heart-rending.

Copperbelt
February 7 – March 1, 2026

Eden leaves her wealthy Zambian family to forge a new life in Toronto—but when her father falls ill, she returns home, facing secrets, ambition, and the steep price of success.

Detroit: Music of the Motor City
March 19 – March 29, 2026

After a sold-out run, Detroit: Music of the City returns—exploring Detroit’s rise, fall, and soul through Motown, jazz, hip hop, and more in a powerful tribute to its enduring sound.

How to Catch Creation
April 23 – May 17, 2026

In San Francisco, four creatives uncover the work of a Black queer feminist writer from the 1960s—sparking a bold exploration of art, legacy, and who gets to shape the future.

Tiger Bride
May 27 – June 21, 2026 | WORLD PREMIERE

A punk-rock reimagining of Angela Carter’s The Tiger’s Bride, Tiger Bride is a feral, gothic song cycle where Beauty transforms—into something wild. Part concert, part theatre, all unapologetic roar.

Medusa
June 16 – July 19, 2026 | WORLD PREMIERE

Before the legend, there was a woman feared for her power. Medusa is a raw, electrifying journey through myth, memory, and female rage—silenced, punished, and finally, unleashed.

Happy Days
August 4 – August 30, 2026

Buried waist-deep, then neck-deep, Winnie clings to routine, memory, and cheer. Beckett’s Happy Days is a darkly funny, haunting meditation on resilience, isolation, and the will to endure.

Revolutionary Women in Blues
August 13 – August 23, 2026 | WORLD PREMIERE

The Blues shaped modern music—but the women behind it often went unheard. Divine Brown and an all-star team celebrate Rosetta Tharpe, Ma Rainey, and Bessie Smith in this powerful tribute.

About Soulpepper Theatre Company

Soulpepper Theatre Company, based in Toronto, is one of Canada’s leading theatre companies renowned for its innovative productions and commitment to artistic excellence. Founded in 1998, Soulpepper focuses on producing classic and contemporary works that engage and inspire diverse audiences. The company nurtures Canadian talent by providing opportunities for actors, playwrights, and creatives while maintaining a strong connection to the community through education and outreach programs. Known for its dynamic and thoughtful programming, Soulpepper balances beloved classics with bold new voices, making it a vibrant hub for theatrical creativity and a vital contributor to Canada’s cultural landscape.

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