Advance Theatre Festival brings five staged readings to the Shadbolt Centre, January 26 to 30

Ruby Slippers Theatre presentation features new works by Irene (Fan) Yi, Abi Padilla, Marcia Johnson, Alexandra Lainfiesta, and Sewit Eden Haile

SPONSORED POST BY Shadbolt Centre for the Arts

(From left) Playwrights Alexandra Lainfiesta, Sewit Eden Haile, Abi Padilla, Marcia Johnson, and Irene (Fan) Yi.

Advance Theatre Festival: Advancing the Radically Inclusive Stage is bringing five staged readings to the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts from January 26 to 30. It is presented by Ruby Slippers Theatre in association with the Shadbolt Centre and Playwrights Guild of Canada.

Opening the festival on January 26 is Irene (Fan) Yi’s I Have a Dream in Chinese, a one-woman theatrical journey set aboard a flight from Hong Kong to Vancouver. On January 27, Abi Padilla’s Far and Free is a coming-of-age romantic comedy that takes place during the Philippines’ martial law era.

Marcia Johnson’s Just Like Paris, an Alberta-set Second World War play, is on January 28; and on January 29, Alexandra Lainfiesta’s magic-realist play Bella Luz follows a Guatemalan dancer’s quest for permanent residency.

Closing the festival on January 30 is Sewit Eden Haile’s Roald Dahl Doesn’t Care About You, about a self-run writer’s group navigating change.

All five performances take place at 8:30 pm. Tickets are available here.

Post sponsored by Shadbolt Centre for the Arts.

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Ruby Slippers Theatre presentation features new works by Irene (Fan) Yi, Abi Padilla, Marcia Johnson, Alexandra Lainfiesta, and Sewit Eden Haile

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THEATRE, FESTSStir VancouverJanuary 6, 2026Partner Content, Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, Shadbolt Centre, shadbolt centre for the arts, Advance Theatre Festival, Ruby Slippers Theatre

Advance Theatre Festival brings five staged readings to the Shadbolt Centre, January 26 to 30

Ruby Slippers Theatre presentation features new works by Irene (Fan) Yi, Abi Padilla, Marcia Johnson, Alexandra Lainfiesta, and Sewit Eden Haile

Advance Theatre Festival: Advancing the Radically Inclusive Stage is bringing five staged readings to the Shadbolt Centre for the Arts from January 26 to 30. It is presented by Ruby Slippers Theatre in association with the Shadbolt Centre and Playwrights Guild of Canada.

Marcia Johnson’s Just Like Paris, an Alberta-set Second World War play, is on January 28; and on January 29, Alexandra Lainfiesta’s magic-realist play Bella Luz follows a Guatemalan dancer’s quest for permanent residency.

Closing the festival on January 30 is Sewit Eden Haile’s Roald Dahl Doesn’t Care About You, about a self-run writer’s group navigating change.

All five performances take place at 8:30 pm. Tickets are available here.

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