FEATURED ON THE LISTED GUIDE
Ready to get more art into your life? We’re here to help!
Enjoy some new experiences with our rundown of 10 great art events to check out in Vancouver in April, including Hairspray, RuPaul, and more.
And for more fun things happening around town, be sure to visit our Listed section.
Broadway Across Canada – Hairspray
Hairspray/Broadway Across Canada
What: Good morning, Vancouver! Broadway Across Canada is bringing the Tony Award musical Hairspray to town.
Cheer on Tracy Turnblad as she attempts to dance her way onto TV’s most popular show in 1960s Baltimore. Hairspray is beloved by fans for memorable tunes such as “Welcome to the ’60s” and “You Can’t Stop the Beat.”
When: April 2 to 7, 2024
Time: 8 pm from Tuesday to Saturday, 2:30 pm on Saturday and Sunday, and 7:30 pm Sunday
Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre — 630 Hamilton Street, Vancouver
Tickets: Various prices, purchase online
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Femme Festival
What: The Cultch’s Femme Festival celebrates the strength and importance of female-identifying voices. The seventh annual event features concerts, plays, and more from self-identifying female, trans, and non-binary folk.
This year’s festival includes four world premieres: Parifam, You used to call me Marie…, Fat Joke, and Homecoming.
When: Various dates from April 4 to May 12, 2024
Time: Various times
Where: York Theatre, Vancity Culture Lab, and Cultch Historic Theatre
Tickets: Various prices, purchase online
Tomatoes Tried to Kill Me, But Banjos Saved My Life
What: Fringe veteran and former CEO Keith Alessi shares his true story of leaving the corporate world behind to follow his dreams of playing the banjo! When faced with a battle with cancer, the certified public accountant discovers the key to saving his life may be his music.
When: April 10 to 13, 2024
Time: 7:30 pm (Wednesday and Thursday), 8 pm (Friday and Saturday), plus a 2 pm matinee on Saturday
Where: Surrey Arts Centre – 13750 88 Avenue, Surrey
Tickets: Regular tickets $40, accessible tickets $15, purchase online
RuPaul: The House of Hidden Meanings
RuPaul (Kathy Hutchins/Shutterstock)
What: Drag fans are in for a treat this spring as RuPaul is coming to Vancouver for a “transformational” event.
The legendary creator of the long-running RuPaul’s Drag Race is appearing at the Commodore Ballroom on Tuesday, April 16, for the release of his highly anticipated memoir, The House of Hidden Meanings.
According to event producer Live Nation Canada, the intimate event will showcase a different side of the drag superstar than fans are used to.
When: April 16, 2024
Time: 6 pm
Where: Commodore Ballroom — 868 Granville Street, Vancouver
Tickets: $70 plus fees, purchase online
SOUNDspace by Dorrance Dance
What: DanceHouse and Vancouver Tap Dance Society are teaming up to present the Canadian premiere of Dorrance Dance’s SOUNDspace.
Dorrance Dance aims to grow the audience for tap by exploring new possibilities of the relationship between sound and movement. SOUNDspace is described as a breathtaking meeting of traditions and current techniques. So get ready to enjoy a virtuoso display of physical percussion that gives rise to a wall of sound, the performers uniting to build a syncopated conflagration that will set the stage afire.
When: April 19 and 20, 2024
Time: 8 pm
Where: Vancouver Playhouse – 600 Hamilton Street, Vancouver
Tickets: Starts at $35, purchase online
Capture Photography Festival
What: A free, month-long photography festival featuring dozens of free events returns to Metro Vancouver in April. Known as the Capture Photography Festival, this year’s events include gallery exhibitions, public art installations, photo walks, and more across the region.
Highlights include the Festival Launch and Opening Reception of the featured exhibition, On Time, on April 4, an artist talk with Karen Zalamea on April 14, and an online talk with Shana Lopes, Assistant Curator of Photography at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art on April 17. Make sure to bring your camera along because you will definitely be inspired.
When: April 1 to 30, 2024
Time: Various times
Where: Various locations throughout Metro Vancouver
Tickets: Starting from $29, purchase online
Sexy Laundry
What: The Arts Club presents Vancouver playwright Michele Riml’s international hit play, Sexy Laundry. Get to know Alice and Henry as they come to terms with their lacklustre sex life, and follow along as they embark on a naughty hotel retreat to try and rekindle the spark in their 25-year marriage.
When: April 11 to May 12, 2024
Time: Various times
Where: Granville Island Stage — 1585 Johnston Street, Vancouver
Cost: Tickets from $29, purchase online
Art Vancouver
Art Vancouver (Pablo Galiacho/Submitted)
What: Local art lovers will get a chance to discover some of Canada’s and the world’s best artists at the Vancouver Convention Centre this April.
Art Vancouver features an eclectic contingent of exhibitors and galleries from around the globe. There will also be inspiring Art Talks discussions, art classes for all ages, and a thrilling painting competition to discover throughout the four-day event.
When: April 11 to 14, 2024
Time: 7 to 10 pm (Thursday), 1 to 9 pm (Friday), 12 to 9 pm (Saturday), and 11 am to 5 pm (Sunday)
Where: Vancouver Convention Centre East – 1055 Canada Place, Vancouver
Tickets: Tickets start at $25 plus fees, free to children under 12 years old. Purchase online
Dan Savage’s HUMP! Film Festival
What: The HUMP! Film Festival is a celebration of creative sexual expression. Head to the Rio Theatre to enjoy a carefully curated program with a cornucopia of body types, shapes, ages, colours, sexualities, genders, kinks, and fetishes; all united by a shared spirit of sex positivity.
When: April 11 to 13, 2024
Time: 6:30 pm and 9 pm
Where: Rio Theatre – 1660 E Broadway, Vancouver
Tickets: $25 plus fees, purchase online
International Dance Day at The Dance Centre
What: The Dance Centre celebrates International Dance Day with free performances, studio showings, and more. Full details on all of the fun will be announced closer to the big day.
When: April 29, 2024
Time: Various times
Where: The Dance Centre at Scotiabank Dance Centre – Level 6, 677 Davie Street, Vancouver
Cost: Free
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