ALBERTA THEATRE PROJECTS
The “Season of Legends” comes to ATP, starting with The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Oct. 22 to Nov. 9, 2025) in collaboration with The Old Trout Puppet Workshop and Banff Centre for the Arts. ATP has something special planned for the Halloween night performance!
The Wizard of Oz (Nov. 25, 2025 to Jan. 4, 2026) returns to the Martha Cohen stage after a decade. Go catch that second Wicked movie, and then experience where the story started.
“It’s more than just nostalgia,” said ATP artistic director Haysam Kadri. “All the themes feel really deeply relevant to a very interesting time in our world.”
Casey and Diana (February 24 to March 15, 2026) is a moving story about Princess Diana visiting the Casey Hospice House in the 1980s, which housed patients with HIV and AIDS.
The season closes out with Wildwoman (April 21 to May 10, 2026), a defiant and modern reimagining of Beauty and the Beast.
BROADWAY ACROSS CANADA
Much-loved classics define the 25/26 BAC season. It all starts with MJ (Nov. 18-23, 2025), a story about Michael Jackson that is packed full of Jackson’s bangers.
The next three shows in the lineup are familiar to all movie-musical buffs, starting with Moulin Rouge (Jan. 6 to 11, 2026), followed by Les Misérables (March 4 to 8, 2026), then Mamma Mia! (May 19 to 24, 2026).
The season closes out with Clue (July 21 to 26), based on the hilarious oddball 1985 movie.
CALGARY OPERA
With Sunday matinees for timeless classics, fitting Calgary Opera into your life is easier than ever. The season begins with Madama Butterfly (November 1, 2, and 7, 2025), a classic tale of a young Japanese woman who falls in love with an older American naval officer. Calgary Opera filled many of its backstage roles — such as stage director, lighting designer, and seating designer — with women of Asian heritage.
“It’s really helpful to have folks who have lived experience helping tell these stories,” said Sue Elliott, general director and CEO of Calgary Opera. “That’s how seriously we take cultural sensitivity.”
Although it is a German opera, Hansel and Gretel (Jan. 31, Feb. 1, and 6, 2026) will be sung entirely in English and runs only about 90 minutes, making it a fantastic show to bring the kids to. It’s co-produced with The Old Trout Puppet Theatre and features the local Cantare Children’s Choir.
The spring brings comedic chaos with The Barber of Seville (April 18, 19 and 24, 2026). Elliott describes the main character Figaro as “the best used car salesman in opera.”
At the end of the season comes another great one for the kids, Little Red Riding Hood (Nov. 28 to Dec. 7, 2026). This production will also have a special sensory-friendly performance, where actors will sing a little more quietly than usual, and doors will remain open for anyone to step out for a break.
CALGARY PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
The Calgary Phil rings in its 70th anniversary with 70 productions across seven venues in the city. Highlights from the upcoming season include their opening concert, the Canadian premiere of Synthony: EDM Meets Orchestra (Sept. 5, 2025). Who doesn’t want to rave with an orchestra?
This is followed up by Phil in the Park (Sept. 7, 2025), a free yearly concert in Prince’s Island Park. The saga continues with Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in Concert (Feb. 19 and 20, 2026) and Star Wars: Return of the Jedi in Concert (May 15 and 16, 2026). Another beloved movie enters the line-up this year with The Princess Bride in Concert (Oct. 10 and 11, 2025). No matter what piques your interest, the Calgary Phil promises an unforgettable evening.
“When people come, they have very memorable experiences with the incredible orchestra and artists,” said Marc Stevens, Calgary Phil’s President and CEO. “[They] feel welcomed and surrounded by folks of all different stripes from around Calgary, and just feel like they belong.”
Explore the full schedule for the year at calgaryphil.com.
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
Experience the connection between humans and the animal kingdom through the stunning visuals that are a staple of Cirque du Soleil, with its new show, ECHO (Aug. 30 to Oct. 19, 2025). Acrobatic feats and a brand new, stunning visual aesthetic come together to tell a story of childlike wonder and empathy.
“It always resonates through the eyes of the parents or the child, but it resonates loudly with the climate we have. It was the case right before the pandemic [and] is still the case after the pandemic,” says Fabrice Lemire, ECHO artistic director. “The theme of self-exploration [and] the theme of self-discovery is what this is all about.”
Cirque takes place under a big top tent in Stampede Park, marking the city’s first takeover since 2023.
DOWNSTAGE THEATRE
After the world premiere in 2023, Downstage is bringing back The F Word (Oct. 8 to 12, 2025). This revamped show is a little tighter and smaller, but still brings all the music and humorous critiques on society’s perception of fatness.
Next up is the Alberta premiere of the Canadian play Botticelli in the Fire (March 5 to 15, 2026), produced in collaboration with Hit & Myth Productions. This show is a mash-up of new and old, with modern pop songs and choral Renaissance music. “It’s high art meets high camp,” said Clare Preuss, Downstage’s artistic director.
The season concludes with the Stage It Festival (May 21-24, 2026). It’s a festival for new works which are created through Downstage’s year-long mentorship program. The three-day festival is packed with supporting acts, music, drag, improv and more. It also includes a performance of Hunt/Peck, a film and dance piece that tackles sex tourism.
