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Most major music acts make a stop in Vancouver when they're on tour, so international celebrity shows complement a packed calendar of rising local bands and performing arts. Vancouver has plenty of film festivals, cutting-edge theater, comedy, opera, and ballet amid its artistic offerings, with many companies resident in town. The added frisson of celebrity sightings are common thanks to the city's ever-strong film and TV industry (aka "Hollywood North").
Children's theater is the focus here, with most performances across the street at the Waterfront Theatre, though some are elsewhere in the city.
The Vancouver East Cultural Centre is a multipurpose performance space set in a 1909 church. Usually just called "The Cultch," it hosts concerts, theater productions, dance shows, and more.
In summer, family-friendly musicals like Mamma Mia!, Shrek, Mary Poppins, and 42nd Street are the main draw at Malkin Bowl, an outdoor amphitheater in Stanley Park. You can watch the show from the lawn and bring a picnic to make it dinner theater. Ask about the exchange insurance when buying tickets as plein-air shows happen rain or shine. If there's a downpour midshow, audience members are provided with ponchos—and chances are that the cast will applaud you for hanging in!
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