Capitol Theatre announces Main Stage and Second Stage summer season

By Cecilia Nasmith

Some big shows are in store for local audiences at their home-town theatre this summer, as Port Hope's Capitol Theatre announces its summer season.

The Main Stage season lives up to that description with the Broadway smash-hit musical Come From Away, the Tony Award-winning musical You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, the new Canadian classic Liars at a Funeral and a thrilling Canadian adaptation of the noir classic Gaslight.

You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown opens the season May 15 to 31, directed and choreographed by the Capitol's Artistic Producer Rob Kempson. Winner of two Tony Awards and three Drama Desk Awards, this musical comedy chronicles the adventures of Charlie Brown and the entire Peanuts gang.

Liars at a Funeral by Sophia Fabilli runs June 12 to 28. When an estranged family gathers to mourn the passing of the family matriarch, the most dysfunctional family reunion ever ensues.

Come From Away, directed by Kempson, runs July 10 through Aug. 2 with a truly Canadian story of the small Newfoundland town that suddenly had to play host to 7,000 passengers stranded by the tragic events of 9/11.

Gaslight concludes the season, running Aug. 21 through Sept. 6, a Canadian adaptation that adds even more twists to the classic thriller.

And all through the season, the Second Stage Series runs in the Capitol's more intimate Sculthorpe Theatre.

This year's line-up includes three world premieres – Chris Tsujiuchi's Big Gay Cabaret (written and performed by Tsujiuchi), Born to be Bad: The Villains of Broadway (written and performed by Tahirih Vejdani) and an adaptation of Farley Mowat's And No Birds Sang (directed by Kempson and starring Aatron Macpherson and Daniel Reale).

And year-round concerts continue, including the Music Lovers' Series – which will feature the world premiere of I'm Every Woman: The Whitney Houston Songbook written and performed by Taylor Lovelace.

And No Birds Sang and I'm Every Woman were both developed through the Capitol's Creators' Unit, the home for new play development at the Capitol since 2023.

“This summer, the Capitol welcomes a large company of incredibly talented artists to Port Hope to bring our shows and concerts to life, with beloved returning folks and notable new faces,” Kempson said in the announcement.

“There is a deep breadth of artistic talent across the country, so we are thrilled to showcase stars from Stratford, Shaw, Mirvish and Canada's indie theatre scene in a predominantly Canadian season that runs from major musicals to intimate dramas.”

Tickets are now available, as well as a season promo video, at CapitolTheatre.com