Musicals in every hue of the rainbow mark July’s big arts shows. From the annual tradition of Theatre Under The Stars in Stanley Park, to The Phantom of the Opera gracing the big stage at the QE, it’s no business like show business this month.
Some daring new artists are also mixing things up for your entertainment, debuting timely, local plays at a variety of smaller venues. Whether you’re walking on sunshine or getting down to some dark and timely issues, Vancouver’s theatre scene has you covered.
Here are 10 of July’s hottest arts shows.
The Two Gentlemen of Verona – Bard on the Beach
Image: David Cooper & Emily Cooper
Bard on the Beach continues to be one of the best ways to beat the heat this summer. Two Gentlemen is a classic Shakespearian comedy featuring an all-too-recognizable love triangle. This epic rom-com stars two bros living through the turmoils of friendship and love, plus one scene-stealing dog.
- Where: Vanier Park – 1000 Chestnut St, Vancouver
- When: June 29 to September 17
- Tickets: At Bard on the Beach; $21-$64
Problem Child – Stone’s Throw Productions
Image: Stone’s Throw Productions
By Canadian playwright George F. Walker, Problem Child is about a dysfunctional family trying to get their child out of the system. Absurd, dark and surprisingly funny, Pacific Theatre’s up-and-coming apprentices put on this one-act play. Highlighting the stark social-economic differences at play in our public institutions, Problem Child is for anyone who’s ever come across “the system” and its shortcomings.
- Where: Pacific Theatre – 1440 W 12th Ave, Vancouver
- When: July 5 to 8
- Tickets: At Pacific Theatre; $15
See also
- 18 concerts in Vancouver to check out this July
- 13 movies and TV shows filming in Vancouver this July
- 7 new movies opening in July
Dancing on the Edge Festival
Image: Frederic Chais
It’s the 29th anniversary of the festival this year, which, as the name suggests, pushes the edges of contemporary dance. Alongside strong Canadian talent and choreography, the opening performance features an exploration of life and death by the Beijing Modern Dance Company. Closing out the festival is No Fun from Montreal-based company Helen Simard, an interdisciplinary piece on punk icon Iggy Pop.
- Where: Various Locations Across Vancouver
- When: July 6 to 15
- Tickets: At DOTE; $28
The Drowsy Chaperone – Theatre Under The Stars
Image: Tim Matheson
TUTS is switching things up from its steady diet of family-friendly staples with this five-time Tony Award-winning musical. The Canadian parody packs all the glitz and glam of the 1920s Jazz Age into a musical homage. Equipped with all of the saucy innuendo you can handle, this production will surely heat up Stanley Park this summer.
- Where: Malkin Bowl at Stanley Park – 610 Pipeline Road, Vancouver
- When: July 8 to August 19
- Tickets: At Tickets Tonight; $30-$49
City of Angels – Putting It Together Collective
Image: Putting It Together Collective
Musicals set in iconic eras seems to be the trend this summer, and City of Angels transports us to 1940’s Hollywood—the height of glam and decadence. Put on by a group of independent local artists, the musical spoofs the film noir crime genre and brings to light Hollywood’s treatment of writers.
- Where: Performance Works, Granville Island – 1218 Cartwright Street, Vancouver
- When: July 8 to 17
- Tickets: At Brown Paper Tickets; $41
Still The Kettle Sings – Plan Z Theatre
Image: Julie Casselman
A brand new Canadian play, Still The Kettle Sings is about the conversations women have about the big and small moments of everyday life. Based on actual interviews with older women, the play reveals the extraordinary hidden within storytelling and shared experiences.
- Where: Pacific Theatre – 1440 W 12th Ave, Vancouver
- When: July 12 to 15
- Tickets: At Brown Paper Tickets; $20
Phantom of the Opera – Broadway Across Canada
Image: Matthew Murphy
“The Phaaaaantom of the Opera…” with one of the most memorable musical refrains of our era, Phantom is back at the QE big stage this summer. One of the most successful musicals ever, this rendition features a newly designed stage and scenic design. Featuring 52 cast members and orchestra, Phantom will run in Vancouver for two weeks before continuing to other major cities.
- Where: Queen Elizabeth Theatre – 650 Hamilton Street, Vancouver
- When: July 12 to 23
- Tickets: From Broadway Across Canada; $35-$140
In the Next Room – Ensemble Theatre Festival
Image: Thorsten Gohl
Ensemble Theatre Festival is now five years strong, and this year’s collection of three plays examine current affairs with a fresh perspective. But none stand out as much as the self-acclaimed “vibrator play,” which takes a close look at doctor-patient relations. From contemporary US playwright Sarah Ruhl, In the Next Room is a new comedy of manners for our changing times.
- Where: Scotiabank Dance Centre – 677 Davie Street, Vancouver
- When: July 13 to August 18
- Tickets: At Ensemble; $25-$30
This is Our Youth – Midtwenties Theatre Society
Image: Ken Thorne
Fresh blood in the new theatre scene, these millennials are putting on their first production about scary road to adulting. Set in Trump-era New York, three privileged teenagers do all the things you do in your twenties, while growing up in our politically-correct world.
- Where: Red Gate Revue Stage, Granville Island – 1601 Johnston Street, Vancouver
- When: July 14 to 23
- Tickets: At Brown Paper Tickets; $20
Lion in the Streets – Resonance Theatre Collective
Image: Nicola Whitney Griffiths
Witnessing the complexities of age and wealth from the viewpoint of a nine-year-old Portuguese girl, Lion in the Streets is by Toronto playwright Judith Thompson. Taking inspiration from her own Toronto neighbourhood, the play doesn’t sugar-coat the widening social-economic divide within Canada. Put on by a group of UVic Theatre alumni, the show presents glimpses into the strangers you walk by on the street.
- Where: Pacific Theatre – 1440 W 12th Ave, Vancouver
- When: July 20 to 29
- Tickets: At Brown Paper Tickets; $17-$20
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