Yesterday, The Cultch announced its 2024/2025 season, full of must-see theatre, dance, circus, puppetry, and comedy. For its 51st season of programming, The Cultch continues its legacy of bringing Vancouver the best and most cutting-edge works from local, national, and international artists. Groundbreaking spectacles, shows that tackle big questions, and plays that spark the full spectrum of emotions, from tears to side-splitting laughter will be coming to The Cultch’s three stages.
“The Cultch has always been and will remain a place that fosters curiosity, community, and meaningful conversations. People come here to experience culture in all of its extraordinary—and unexpected—forms. We can’t wait to keep bringing you incredible, inspiring, edge-of-your-seat performances from around the world,” says Heather Redfern, Executive Director.
The season gets underway September 25-29, 2024 with the 2023 Governor General’s Literary Award for Drama winner, Cliff Cardinal’s As You Like It, or the Land Acknowledgement (Crow’s Theatre); an impactful examination of land acknowledgements.
Following that, two world-class dance productions will feature in the early fall. Dancers of Damelahamid (creators of Mînowin and Flicker) are returning to The Cultch for the world premiere of their highly anticipated tribute to Elder Margaret Harris, Raven Mother, a newly choreographed multi-media Indigenous dance work. Then, Quebec’s Tentacle Tribe (creators of Ghost) returns with Prism, a new contemporary conceptual hip-hop performance in their signature style.
Powerful stories from local theatre companies are bountiful this season at The Cultch with longtime collaborators Zee Zee Theatre producing Canadian play Every Day She Rose; vAct co-presenting Bad Muse Collective’s Love You Wrong Time; Kevin Loring and Savage Society’s Little Red Warrior and His Lawyer; the return of Corey Payette and Urban Ink’s Children of God; plus The Search Party’s production of Pulitzer prize nominee Dance Nation. Joining this impactful local mix is a world premiere from Niall McNeil, who identifies as an artist with Down Syndrome, called Beauty and the Beast: My Life.
Another local favourite, Theatre Replacement’s East Van Panto returns to the York Theatre for the 12th year. East Van Panto has become a favourite holiday tradition in the city, and this year’s Panto is East Van Panto: Robin Hood, an irreverent and political twist on the classic outlaw folktale, from returning writing duo Jivesh Parasram and Christine Quintana.
The Cultch is known for programming world-renowned acrobatics and wild spectacles, and this 24/25 Season is no exception. Partnering with DanceHouse once again, The Cultch is excited to be bringing a new work from Circa (the company behind 2023’s Sacre) called Duck Pond, a family-friendly circus interpretation of Swan Lake, to the Vancouver Playhouse. Also playing at the Vancouver Playhouse, in partnership with PuSh International Performing Arts Festival, The Cultch will present Dimanche (from Belgium’s Company Focus & Chaliwate?).
In the spring they will be presenting N.Ormes, from Quebec’s genre-bending duo Agathe & Adrien, and will cap off the season with a sexy and hilarious circus examination of fast fashion from Aotearoa/NewZealand’s The Dust Palace called Haus of YOLO.
From the very large spectacle of the circus to spectacle on another scale, Governor General award-winning puppeteer Ronnie Burkett is back on The Cultch’s Historic stage with Wonderful Joe, a brand-new production told by a masterful storyteller through beautifully hand-crafted marionettes.
With so much happening across their three stages, there is much for Cultch fans to look forward to this year. Visit thecultch.com for more details of the 2024/2025 season’s shows as well as ticketing information.