Massey Theatre announces 2023-24 mainstage season
Juno-nominated klezmer band Oktopus, Kid Koala, and multidisciplinary Over the Ridge among the highlights
Oktopus. Photo by Emmanuel Crombez
FROM KLEZMER MUSIC to Dog Man: The Musical to Kid Koala’s latest live production, Massey Theatre has announced its 2023-24 mainstage season.
It all kicks off on October 21 with a performance by Oktopus. Devoted to klezmer, the eight-piece incorporates classical and Québécois music as well as some jazz and Balkan stylings into its own unique sound. The band is known for its high-energy performances laced with stories that veer from joyful to profound.
On October 28 and 29, New York City-based TheaterWorksUSA’s Dog Man: The Musical hits the Massey stage. The production is based on the international bestselling series by Dav Pilkey (of Captain Underpants and Cat Kid Comic Club fame), Dog Man having sold more than 50 million copies of its books in print in multiple languages to date. Adapted from “A Tale of Two Kitties”, the show brings the lovable hero to life as he fights crime and tries to save the city. The Massey is the only theatre in the Lower Mainland to present the Dog Man on the Canadian leg of its tour.
Kid Koala’s The Storyville Mosquito (A Theatrical Cinema Experience) runs November 25 and 26. Each Chaplin-esque show is unique, being performed, filmed, projected on screen, and scored live on stage each time. The story follows a young mosquito who leaves his small town in the country for the big city to fulfill his dream of playing in one of the greatest bands of all time at Sid Villa's Music Hall. Kid Koala and a string trio provide live music, while a team of 14 brings the tale to life through miniature sets, puppetry, cinematography, and more.
International Guitar Night 24 takes place on January 25, 2024. The touring fest features the most innovative acoustic guitarists from around the globe. The next edition features IGN favourites Luca Stricagnoli (Italy), Thu Le (Vietnam), and Marco Pereira (Brazil), while Australia’s Minnie Marks makes her North American debut.
On February 10, 2024 Ballet Jörgen presents Anne of Green Gables – The Ballet. Based on the Canadian novel by Lucy Maud Montgomery, the production follows the adventures of Anne Shirley, an orphan girl sent to live on a farm in the fictional town of Avonlea, Prince Edward Island.
The Massey season winds up on April 13, 2024 with the premiere of Over the Ridge. The evolution of folk-roots band The Fugitives’ Ridge concert, which spawned the Juno-nominated album Trench Songs, the production by Brendan McLeod is being developed in partnership with Ballet BC and Arts Umbrella and Over the Ridge features contemporary ballet choreographed by the band’s founder, Jacob Williams. The work also incorporates live music by The Fugitives with storytelling in its look at the Battle of Vimy Ridge. The story unfolds via letters received by families of young soldiers who fought and died in the conflict.
“These performances are truly magical as they meld forms and take the audience on a journey,” Massey Theatre Society executive director Jessica Schneider says in a release. “Each of these artists are extraordinary and they connect deeply with the audience. We’re incredibly proud to be able to present these shows and give the audience an opportunity to travel the world of artistic expression on display.”
Tickets for the 2023-24 season are now on sale, with audiences are being given the chance to save on pricing if they see more shows. More information is at Massey Theatre.
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