Centaur Theatre 58th Season

Centaur Theatre 58th Season

CENTAUR THEATRE ANNOUNCES ITS 2026-27 SEASON:

GREAT STORIES IN THE SPOTLIGHT

May 1,  2027

In the heart of Old Montreal

Centaur Theatre proudly unveils its 2026–2027 season, a bold and ambitious return to full-scale programming following the completion of its transformative renovation project. Themed “Great Stories in the Spotlight”, the five-play subscription series celebrates the power of theatrical storytelling in its most vital, imaginative, and human forms.

Marking the company’s first full five-play season in over six years, this landmark lineup reflects Centaur’s commitment to presenting high-calibre, thought-provoking work that resonates deeply with contemporary audiences. From inventive solo performance and world premieres to re-imagined classics and sharp-edged comedy, the season brings together an exceptional range of artists and voices.

The Centaur's Artistic & Executive Director Eda Holmes stated:

“This is a defining moment for Centaur. After a period of infrastructural renewal and transformation, our focus returns fully to the stage with a season that embraces theatricality, celebrates storytelling, and invites audiences to share in the immediacy and magic of live performance.”

In a significant step toward greater accessibility, Centaur is also reducing adult and senior subscription prices by more than 10%, reinforcing its belief that outstanding live theatre should be both extraordinary and accessible.

Centaur’s 58th season ushers in most ambitious programming in over six years, with a full five-play subscription series that celebrates the vitality and variety of live theatre. From celebrated Canadian artists and iconic Montreal performers to the world’s master storytellers—spanning ancient Greek epics to 20th century Irish modernism and cutting-edge First Nations comedy—this is a season designed to inspire, delight, and surprise.

Subscribe now to secure your place.

_________________________________________________

2026–2027 SEASON LINEUP :  

Centaur Theatre Presents

WONDERFUL JOE

October 13 – November 1, 2026

A Production of Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes
Created & Performed by Ronnie Burkett

Music by John Alcorn

A man and his dog set out on a fantastical odyssey through a fractured world, discovering magic in the margins and proving that even the most broken hearts can be filled with wonder. Age restriction: 16+.

________________________________________________________

Centaur Theatre presents

HOLIDAY IN ZÜRICH

November 4 – 22, 2026

By Colleen Murphy
Directed by Micheline Chevrier

With Danielle Desormeaux and Brian Dooley

A tender and darkly funny portrait of a happily married couple in their 70’s on the brink of a jam-packed trip to Switzerland, where romance, mortality, and wildly different ideas about “one last adventure” collide at the edge of goodbye.

________________________________________________________

Centaur Theatre and Théâtre du Double Signe present

ISMENE

March 3 – 21, 2027

By Carole Fréchette
Translated by Linda Gaboriau
Directed by Alisa Palmer

Starring Amelia Sargisson

Step beyond the myth and into the voice history forgot: Antigone’s sister reclaims her story, offering a bold new perspective on the classic tale of sacrifice, familial loyalty, and the cost of defiance.

________________________________________________________

Centaur Theatre and Productions Menuentakuan present

WOMEN OF THE FUR TRADE

April 14 – May 2, 2027

By Frances Koncan
Directed by Charles Bender

With Océane Kitura Bohémier-Tootoo, Marie-Pier Chamberland, Xavier Huard, Geneviève Pelletier and Étienne Thibeault

A razor-sharp and gleefully anachronistic remix of Indigenous and Canadian history that places a trio of women with a penchant for 21st century slang at the heart of the 19th century Riel Resista

________________________________________________________

 

Centaur Theatre and Théâtre Denise-Pelletier present

WAITING FOR GODOT

May 5 – 23, 2027 

By Samuel Beckett
Directed by Eda Holmes

Co-Directed by Rebecca Gibian

With Andreas Apergis, Wood Barthelmy, Frédéric Charbonneau and Lennikim

A raw, contemporary Godot, where a new generation waits, jokes, spirals, and searches for meaning in a world that keeps promising something—and never quite delivers.

________________________________________________________

 For more information, visit the Centaur Theatre website.

  

Centaur Theatre 2026: Seeker

 

SEEKER

 

By Marie-Claude Verdier

World English Language Premier 

Translated by Alexis Diamond
Directed by Rebecca Gibian
With Bénédicte Bélizaire and Andrew Shaver

April 15, 2026  — May 3, 2026

CENTAUR THEATRE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH TALISMAN PRESENTS THE ENGLISH-LANGUAGE PREMIERE OF AWARD-WINNING SCI-FI THRILLER SEEKER

The play was first premiered in 2021 to sold-out audiences at Montréal’s Théâtre d’Aujourd’hui. It was acclaimed as a coup-de-force and was praised for its striking fusion of speculative science fiction and deeply touching human storytelling. It is intense and immersive in design and offers elements of intimacy, questioning, and also sorrow. It focuses on the humanity’s desire and urgency to travel beyond Earth, the survival in extreme conditions, and the possibility of unforeseen tragic consequences.

 

Hailed as a “coup-de-force” when it first premiered in 2021, this gripping sci-fi drama transports audiences to the year 2250, to a remote military base in Colorado. Lomond is a Seeker, recruited for his extraordinary ability to enter and interpret the memories of others. When he is summoned to undertake a classified military exercise, he is stunned to discover that the mission is being led by his estranged ex-wife—newly returned from a mysterious interplanetary mission.

As past and present begin to blur, Lomond is drawn into one of the most complex and unsettling investigations of his career. Forced to collaborate with the woman who once knew him best, he must navigate the volatile terrain of memory, loss, and concealed history. Together, they uncover a truth buried deep within lost memories—one that could reshape not only their relationship, but the future of humanity itself.

This sci-fi thriller drew sold-out crowds at its French premiere in 2021. It still has the same power to keep the focused attention not only of the devoted sci-fi fans but also of the general audiences. 

 

Seeker is directed by Rebecca Gibian, Centaur Theatre’s Associate Artist, making her Centaur directorial debut following a string of acclaimed productions across Montreal, including The Importance of Being Earnest (Repercussion Theatre), How to Survive in the Wild, and The Flick (both Persephone Productions).

This play's intimate two-hander features newcomer Bénédicte Bélizaire, recent META Award winner for Outstanding Lead Performance, and the acclaimed Andrew Shaver, whom Centaur audiences will recognize from productions including The 39 Steps, Trad, and others.

The design team brings together award-winning talent from across Montreal’s theatre community, including Geneviève Lizotte and Carol-Anne Bourgon Sicard (Set Design), Paul Chambers (Lighting Design), and Antoine Berthiaume (Music & Sound Design).

All photos in this article by Andrée Lanthier, courtesy of Centaur Theatre.
For more information, visit the Centaur Theatre website.

 

Centaur Theatre 2025: Kisses Deep

KISSES DEEP

Canadian English Language Premier

Autor:  Michel Marc Bouchard

Translator: Linda Gaboriau

Directed by Eda Holmes

With Lyndz Dantiste, Yves Jacques, Leni Parker, Alice Pascual and Kevin Raymond

November 26 - December 14, 2025

The Montreal’s Centaur Theatre is presenting the long-awaited English-language premiere of the Quebec playwright Michel Marc Bouchard’s play Kisses Deep.

Originally premiering in French in a co-production with Centaur at Théâtre du Nouveau Monde in 2021, Kisses Deep (Embrasse) now takes on a new life in English, reuniting many of the original creative team members under the direction of the very talented Eda Holmes, Centaur’s Artistic & Executive Director, who also directed the original Théâtre du Nouveau Monde French production.

Kisses Deep is an emotionally charged, evocative work that explores the transformative power of creative artistic impulses and talents intertwined with the emotional depth of pain and psychological confusion, at the same time finding the solace in the creative world of fashion and design. This play is striking, filled with raw emotional and psychological pain as well as the impetus to overcome it and to reach in one’s life the creative grandeur and the glamour of the world of fashion.

The central character of the play is the young man Hugo, from the Montreal suburbs, who is consumed by his passion for high fashion and dreams of becoming a designer. He is inspired by his idol Yves Saint Laurent, and dreams to be accepted into a prestigious design school. At the starting point of the play, he has a new obsession. He decides to channel his creativity into a singular mission: to restore the tarnished reputation of his mother, Béatrice, after she had just been arrested for an assault. To help her to reclaim her dignity, he decides to design the perfect outfit for her upcoming court appearance. Though facing turbulent complexities of his relationship with his mother, also caused by his parents’ past divorce, the two are bound by a deep but often painful love, and Hugo’s artistic pursuit becomes a means of both confronting and healing the wounds of their past.

Through heartfelt and striking psychological exploration, Kisses Deep delves into the essence of artistic creation, questioning whether art can serve as a source of comfort or is merely a tool to deal with a deep-seated pain. The play invites the audience on a visually striking and emotionally charged journey of self-discovery and redemption.

The cast consists of exceptionally good actors able to portray the characters' emotional load in an very effective manner.

All photos in this article by Andrée Lanthier, courtesy of Centaur Theatre.
For more information, visit the Centaur Theatre website.

Centaur Theatre 57th Season

Centaur Theatre 57th Season

CENTAUR THEATRE ANNOUNCES ITS 2025-26 SEASON:

THE VIEW FROM HERE

May 26,  2025

Centaur Theatre unveiled its new 2025–2026 57th season, themed The View From Here. This new lineup invites audiences to reflect on where we stand—personally, culturally, and artistically—and to consider how perspective shapes our understanding of the world around us. From reimagined classics to bold new voices, each production offers a distinct lens on identity, resilience, memory, and transformation. Through genre-defying collaborations, world premieres, and unique theatrical moments, The View From Here is both an artistic snapshot of the present and a call to imagine what’s possible next.

Eda Holmes, Artistic and Executive Director of Centaur Theatre, stated:

“The View From Here is about perspective—where we are, where we've been, and where we're headed. This season invites audiences to see the world through different lenses: across cultures, generations, and imaginations. The works we’ve curated are courageous, theatrical, and deeply human—stories that challenge assumptions, spark joy, and leave lasting impressions. Whether you’re a longtime theatregoer or discovering Centaur for the first time, this season offers new ways of seeing and feeling. I can’t wait to share these remarkable journeys with Montreal audiences.”  

The following plays will be staged during the 57th Season:

Stone and Bone Spectacular

October 15 – October 26, 2025

The season opens with Stone and Bone Spectacular  a vibrant new work created by Ange Loft, in collaboration with Barbara Kaneratonni Diabo and Iehente Foote, with Tehatkathonnions Bush, Iehente Foote, Stéphanie Héroux-Brazeau, Wahsontí:io Kirby, Véronik Picard and Iota’keratenion Thomas-Beaton. This large-scale Indigenous production blends puppetry, dance, and storytelling to explore the layered history of Tiohtià:ke (Montreal). The outcome of Centaur’s inaugural Indigenous Artist Residency, Stone and Bone Spectacular is a playful and profound look at the history of Tiohtià:ke featuring dancing beavers, stone-lifting stunts, and long-lost lovers.

Kisses Deep 

November 26 – December 14, 2025

Next, the English-language premiere of Kisses Deep by Michel Marc Bouchard, and translated by Linda Gaboriau. takes the stage . This long-awaited English-language premiere tells the story of the transformational relationship between a troubled, gifted young man and his complex and inspiring mother. Directed by Eda Holmes, the cast includes Lyndz Dantiste, Yves Jacques, Leni Parker, Alice Pascual, and Kevin Raymond.

Goblin: Macbeth

March 4 – March 22, 2026

In 2026, the second half of the season begins with a spontaneous theatre creation by Rebecca Northan and Bruce Horak, directed by Rebecca Northan. When three goblins—Kragva, Moog, and Wug—come across The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, they eagerly take over a theatre and attempt their own wild, hilarious, and chaotic version of Macbeth. A one-of-a-kind blend of comedy, tragedy, and improvisation, Goblin:Macbeth is a mischievous, theatrical joyride.

Seeker

April 15 – May 3, 2026

Last but not least, a gripping sci-fi drama by Marie-Claude Verdier, translated by Alexis Diamond and presented in partnership with Talisman Theatre. Directed by Rebecca Gibian, with Bénédicte Bélizaire and Andrew Shaver, this hard-hitting sci-fi drama follows a pair of exes hired by the US military to conduct a mysterious mission on Mars that could have consequences for all of humanity. 

Centaur Theatre 2025: Michel Tremblay

For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again

by Michel Tremblay

May 13 - June 1, 2025

The Centaur Theatre closes its 56th season with a production that is personal and yet universally resonant. The Michel Tremblay's play For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again is a moving love letter to his mother. Though it presents just an individual and a deeply personal experience of a mother-son relationship and interactions, it has a universal quality that invites the members of the audience to remember and to reevaluate their past relationships with their individual mothers.

With the staging of this brand new production of the play, which was translated from French into English by the Governor General’s Award-winning Linda Gaboriau, directed by Alice Ronfard, and enacted by Ellen David and Emmanuel Schwartz, the Centaur theatre celebrates the iconic Quebec and Canadian playwriter Michel Tremblay.

Trembley draws a curtain off his past and lets us peek into his relationship with his mother, and shows us how she inspired, influenced, and drew him into becoming a literary and a playwriter persona he is now. She was an avid reader and the literature connoisseur, and in that way, indirectly, strongly influenced her son. Though at times overpowering and annoying, she was deeply loving and had a sense of humor that also guided and contributed to Tremblay's formation as a playwriter. His mother no doubt also helped him to better perceive, understand,  and to be able to reproduce and portray more accurately and compassionately the women's character in his own literary creations and in his plays.

Set against the backdrop of working-class Montreal in the 1950s and 1960s, the story is both deeply personal and universally relatable. The English-language premiere of this contemporary classic of Quebec drama took place at Centaur in 1998, and the production was hugely popular, going on to tour Canada and the United States. Centaur is proud to bring this masterpiece back to Montreal audiences. 

This play not only celebrates a cornerstone of Canadian theatre but also highlights the significance of translating Quebecois works for English-speaking audiences, an effort that enriches the cultural dialogue between Quebec and the rest of Canada. With the help of a talented creative team, the production provides a rare opportunity for English-speaking audiences to experience the emotional depth and theatrical exuberance of a classic Quebecois piece, making it one of the must-see shows of the season.

About Michel Tremblay

Michel Tremblay is one of Quebec’s most iconic playwrights, renowned for his transformative contributions to Quebec and Canadian theatre. With over 30 plays, 31 novels, and numerous adaptations, Tremblay’s work reflects the complexities of Quebecois life and identity. His play Les Belles-Sœurs revolutionized Quebec theatre, and his works have been translated into 40 languages and performed worldwide. Tremblay has earned over 90 prestigious awards, including the Prince Pierre of Monaco Award and the Gilles-Corbeil Award, solidifying his status as a key figure in global theatre.

All photos in this article by Andrée Lanthier, courtesy of Centaur Theater.
For more information, visit the Centaur Theatre website.

Centaur Theatre 2025: Sakura

Centaur Theatre / 56th Season

SAKURA – After Chekhov

Written by Harry Standjofski

Directed by Eda Holmes

With Deena Aziz, Ravyn R. Bekh, Stefanie Buxton, Marcel Jeannin, Marc-Antoine Kelertas, Howard Rosenstein, and Paul Van Dyck

September 17, 2024 — October 6, 2024

This is a world premiere adaptation of a 19^th century Russian play, based on Anton Chekhov’s masterpiece The Cherry Orchard, a story of a pre-revolutionary Russian upper-class (gentry) family forced to sell their estate, including a beloved orchard, to pay off debts that have accumulated from years of mismanagement and self-indulgence. Yet if one cherishes the original Chekhov's plays, the subtle and even elusive way he portrays his characters, their dilemmas and relationships, as well as the general mood and wider social connotations, the Harry Standjofski's reinterpretation of the play for the 21th century is very different. Although he uses the same though renamed characters as in the Chekov's play, with basically the same plot, his play fails to create a deep sympathy for the personages on stage as do the original Chekov's plays.

Moreover, the Standjofski's play is supposed to be a "witty comedy with a hint of nostalgia". Chekov's play was not a comedy. This is where the plays of two playwriters part. The frequent language crudity and the enactment on stage of the sex act bring both plays even further apart.

Harry Standjofski is a Montreal playwright and actor. His play is based on the present day's milieu that surrounds him and that he knows the best: their current sensibilities, the language usage, their relationships, and how they tend to express their frustrations and desires. A great number of the audience could relate to that and even identify with it. However, those who might hope to see a Chekov-type of play might be disappointed.

All images in this article courtesy of Centaur Theatre.

For more information about Centaur Theatre visit the Centaur Theatre website.

Centaur Theatre 56th Season

Centaur Theatre 56th Season

CENTAUR THEATRE ANNOUNCES ITS 2024/25 SEASON:

Where Great Stories Bring Us Together

May 23, 2024

PRESENTING:

Sakura

September 17, 2024 — October 6, 2024

A nostalgia-filled comedy that reimagines Chekhov for the 21st century, following a down-and-out family as they face the impending sale of their beloved orchard. based on Anton Chekhov’s masterpiece The Cherry Orchard, written by Montreal playwright and actor Harry Standjofski, and directed by Centaur Artistic Director Eda Holmes. This world premiere adaptation brings the play home from 19^th century Russia to 21^st century Quebec where one over-privileged family faces an uncertain future with nostalgia, anxiety, and a healthy dose of Chekhovian wit.

Three Women of Swatow

November 5, 2024 — May 24, 2024 

By Toronto-based Chloé Hung, this play paints the portrait of three generations of women through the lens of the Chinese-Canadian diaspora. This darkly comedic play looks at the legacy of abuse, the power of family, and how to prevent the resurrection of a headless chicken. Originally presented at the Tarragon Theatre, this award-winning and critically acclaimed work will feature a cast and creative team drawn almost exclusively from the Asian-Canadian community. A French translation of the play has been commissioned to offer performances with French surtitles.

Strawberries in January - A Musical Fantasy

January 21, 2025 — February 9, 2025

Written by Évelyne de la Chenelière and translated by Morwyn Brebner. An aspirational dreamscape following four lonely hearts as they search for the kind of connection with someone else that makes you want to sing. This musical adaptation of the original play is led by the renowned Québec director Frédéric Bélanger. It is a beautiful mix of the Anglophone and Francophone theatre communities.

For the Pleasure of Seeing Her Again

May 13, 2025 — June 1, 2025

Michel Tremblay's classic an homage to Tremblay's mother, returns to the Centaur stage for the first time since it premiered in English in 2002. The production will feature Ellen David and Emmanuel Schwartz, bringing these two leading actors—one from the English community and one from the French community—under the direction of Tremblay’s close collaborator Alice Ronfard. It promises to reveal this Quebec classic in a whole new light. 

-----------------------------------

For more information on the present and future programs and activities, visit the Centaur Theatre website.

Centaur Theatre 55th Season

Centaur Theatre 55th Season

CENTAUR THEATRE ANNOUNCES ITS 2023/24 SEASON:

BUILDING THE FUTURE @ CENTAUR

BREAKING NEW GROUND IN OLD MONTREAL IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE

April 20, 2023

PRESENTING:

alterNatives

October 17 – November 5, 2023

The English-language production of Menuentakuan’s alterNatives

Written by Drew Hayden Taylor / Directed by Xavier Huard

With Charles Bender, Natalie Tannous, Étienne Thibeault, Lesly Velazquez, Nadia Verrucci, and Xavier Watso

Moose roast, meatless lasagna, and biting social commentary are on the menu in this irreverent comedy of manners from one of the leading Indigenous playwrights in Canada.

GUILT (a love story)

March 12 – 30, 2024

The Tarragon Theatre production of GUILT (a love story)

Written and Performed by Diane Flacks / Directed by Alisa Palmer

A sharply perceptive and painfully funny one-woman show confronting the unshakable monster that is guilt.

Thy Woman’s Weeds

April 23 – May 12, 2024

In partnership with Repercussion and Tableau D’Hôte 

Written by Erin Shields / Directed by Amanda Kellock

With Deena Aziz, Leni Parker, Joy Ross-Jones, Espoir Segbeaya, Warona Setshwaelo, Felicia Shulman, and Julie Tamiko Manning

Seven of Montreal’s finest actresses pull back the curtain on the Bard in this bold behind-the-scenes look at what it means to be a woman working with Shakespeare today.

-----------------------------------

For more information on the present and future programs and activities, visit the Centaur Theatre website.