Theatre Calgary Reveals 2023-24 Season and New $39 Reduced Price Tickets

Theatre Calgary's Artistic Director Stafford Arima has announced its 2023-24  season of plays. The new lineup is highlighted by works from notable names like Agatha Christie, Steve Martin, William Shakespeare, and The Beatles. It also features newer work from Alberta artists Farren Timoteo, Maria Crooks, Caroline Russell-King, Geoffrey Simon Brown, and Anna Cummer. The season also includes a second performance space, as two of our shows will be presented in the Martha Cohen Theatre, with five in our Max Bell Theatre.

"Our 23-24 season features plays that are filled with joy, inspiration and entertainment," says Arima. "We want to continue to welcome Calgarians back to our theatre, and there’s no better way to put a spring in one’s step than with a variety of feel-good shows that are guaranteed to lift the spirits of our audiences. Not only do we get to bring some very recognizable writers and music to our stage, but we are able to showcase an amazing Alberta playwright and actor, and a world premiere from two Calgary playwrights."

In addition to our season lineup, we are thrilled to announce that with the support of a group of generous donors, all tickets on our main floor (orchestra seating) will be priced at $39 for every show. This is the first time in our history that we have been able to offer this initiative, which will see main floor seat pricing reduced by more than 50% from last year.

"This year marks the introduction of Theatre for All, a new initiative that will make the high-quality theatre we produce more accessible and affordable than ever," says Theatre Calgary Executive Director Maya Choldin. "As Calgarians continue to pay more for groceries and gas, we’re making it easier to escape to a night of theatre. This is truly a great opportunity for more of Calgary to be entertained by Theatre Calgary." 

Our 23-24 season kicks off September 12th in the Max Bell Theatre with Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap. On a dark and snowy night, seven strangers find themselves trapped in a remote guesthouse. The next morning, the snowed-in guests are joined by a police sergeant who brings news of a grisly murder in London. To the guests’ horror, he reveals that the killer may be in their midst. The game is afoot as the sergeant delves into the histories of the guests to uncover sordid pasts. This brand new production of the world’s longest-running play will be directed by Craig Hall.

Next, we bring a lively one-person performance to the stage on October 17th with Made in Italy, written by and starring Farren Timoteo. Every meal tells a story, and this one is about family. In this tour-de-force solo show, Francesco, a young Italian immigrant and his father, Salvatore, recall their experiences in 1970s Jasper, Alberta. A semi-autobiographical tale, Made in Italy is a comedic chronicle of the generational differences in an immigrant family. This show will run in the Martha Cohen Theatre, and will be directed by Daryl Cloran. 

Beginning November 30th, our holiday classic returns with Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. A timeless tale of redemption, told as only Theatre Calgary can tell it: full of life, spectacle, and backed by a huge cast on the Max Bell stage. On Christmas Eve, Ebenezer Scrooge, a miser with a heart of stone, is visited by three ghosts who confront him with the consequences of his actions. This adaptation by Geoffrey Simon Brown will be directed by Stafford Arima.

On January 23rd, we bring the signature wit of celebrated actor and playwright Steve Martin's absurdist, fast-paced comedy Meteor Shower to the Max Bell stage. On a warm summer evening in 1993, Norm and his wife, Corky, are setting the table for a dinner party to accompany a once-in-a-lifetime meteor shower. They’re hoping for an evening of polite conversation with Norm’s tennis partner, Gerald, and his wife, Laura. But from the moment the evening begins, things become increasingly surreal and chaotic, challenging the couples’ relationships and perceptions of reality. The show will be directed by Lezlie Wade.

Starting February 27th, we are excited to bring William Shakespeare and The Beatles together in a musical version of As You Like It, adapted and directed by Daryl Cloran. It’s the 1960s, and things are getting groovy in the Forest of Arden. Shakespeare’s classic comedy of love and mistaken identity is given new life in this high-spirited adaptation featuring the music of The Beatles. When Rosalind is banished from court, she disguises herself as a man and escapes to the forest. There, she meets the similarly-banished Orlando, who happens to be in love with her, but cannot see through her disguise. From there, things get increasingly tangled as the play explores love and gender roles, infused with the music of the "Fab Four" in the Max Bell Theatre. 

On April 9th, we are thrilled to bring the true story of the woman behind the American dime with the world premiere of Selma Burke by Calgary playwrights Maria Crooks and Caroline Russell-King. Few know of Selma Burke, the Black American sculptor who played a major role in the Harlem Renaissance movement of the 1920s and 30s. Among her works is a bas-relief plaque of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, which is now widely accepted to be the basis for the design on the American dime, and something for which she never received credit within her lifetime. This stirring play about the importance of art, courage, romance, and justice, Burke’s rarely-told story will be brought to life on the Martha Cohen Theatre stage. Selma Burke is being presented in partnership with Alberta Theatre Projects. 

In May of 2024, we will close out our season with an exciting musical, and more details about this show will be announced later in June. 

In addition to our seven mainstage shows, our 23-24 season will once again see our traditional Shakespeare by the Bow program on the road throughout the city as Shakespeare on the Go from July 14 to August 6. This year, we will present a cast of seven young emerging actors performing an adaptation of Shakespeare's comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream. The show will be adapted by Theatre Calgary's Associate Artistic Director Anna Cummer and directed by Kelli Fox. More details on performance locations around Calgary will be announced in late-June.

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