The Cultch is set to be one of the most exciting places to see world-class performances this year. From October 2025 to June 2026, audiences will be treated to a powerful lineup of theatre, circus, music, poetry and comedy across The Cultch’s three East Van venues: the Historic Theatre, York Theatre and Vancity Culture Lab.

This season features four local world premieres, including a multidisciplinary work from Carmen Aguirre titled Fire Never Dies: The Tina Modotti Project; the frank theatre’s Tomboy (Chłopczyca), a queer dance-theatre hybrid by Anais West; End of Greatness, a new play from East Van legends Veda Hille and Maiko Yamamoto; and Corey Payette’s latest musical, On Native Land.

Other local and Canadian theatre works to look out for are Hazel Venzon and Darren O’Donnell’s Everything Has Disappeared, a co-presentation with PuSh International Performing Arts Festival and Live Biennale that explores the unique relationship the Filipino diaspora has to the global economy. In Soldiers of Tomorrow, celebrated local storyteller and lighting designer Itai Erdal will bring a story that is both personal and political to the stage.

This year, thanks to support from the Ronald S. Roadburg Foundation, The Cultch will continue to spotlight exciting Indigenous creators. In addition to Payette’s On Native Land, don’t miss works like Santee Smith’s The Mush Hole and UPU, a Pasifika poetry show from Aotearoa/New Zealand that is also part of The Cultch’s 2026 Warrior Festival.

From April 16 until May 11, the Warrior Festival will showcase six liberating, boundary-breaking shows. In addition to UPU and Tomboy, festival goers will have the chance to see Leah Shelton’s Batshit, Hannah Moscovitch’s Red Like Fruit, The Search Party’s presentation of Duncan Macmillan’s People, Places & Things, and The Horse of Jenin, by Palestinian actor and comedian Alaa Shehada.

The Warrior Festival isn’t the only festival in the schedule this season. From Nov. 6 to 15, Transform Festival returns to the iconic Vancouver Playhouse to offer five nights of incredible performances. This collaboration with Urban Ink will once again feature works of collaboration between Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists, with the goal of bringing Vancouver audiences some of the best innovative theatre from around the world. Shows will include the wildly energetic Burnout Paradise, from Australia’s Pony Cam Collective, and Juliet & Romeo, from the U.K.’s Lost Dog, a comedic dance-theatre production that imagines a world where the star-crossed lovers did not die.

This season also celebrates circus, bringing to the stage three international circus shows: Paradisum, this season’s annual cirque/dance co-presentation with DanceHouse; Sophie’s Surprise 29th, from Three Legged Race Productions of the U.K.; and Wolf, from Australia’s renowned Circa (Sacre, Duck Pond), which will launch the season with a bang on Oct. 1.

This year’s lineup wouldn’t be complete without the annual production of the East Van Panto — Vancouver’s favourite hyperlocal holiday tradition. From Nov. 19 to Jan. 4, Theatre Replacement presents East Van Panto: West Van Story. Playwright Marcus Youssef (who wrote East Van Panto: Wizard of Oz and East Van Panto: Pinocchio) will return, teamed up with Panto newcomer Pedro Chamale to create the Romeo and Juliet retelling, and renowned Vancouver director Chelsea Haberlin will direct the Panto for the first time.

The Cultch’s 2025-26 season offers something for everyone, from deeply personal storytelling to boundary-pushing international work. As executive director Heather Redfern puts it, “Our work is to tell stories through a Canadian cultural lens, amplify the voices of artists, provide reciprocity by welcoming performances from other countries, and to share these remarkable events with the community.”

With bold local premieres and acclaimed international guests, The Cultch is once again positioning itself as one of Vancouver’s most vital and vibrant cultural hubs. Season ticket packages are now available, offering the best value and priority access to this can’t-miss season.

Learn more at The Cultch’s website.

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