215 Best Performing Arts Venues in Canada

Originally built in 1881 as a Methodist church, and converted into a theater by local impresario Bernard Caza 100 years later, this theater headlines well-known francophone comedians and singers such as Claude Dubois and Gilles Vigneault. Most, if not all, performances are in French.

Literally translated as "the seven fingers of the hand," the name is a play on a French expression about working collectively toward a common goal, and these seven fingers—the seven founding partners of the circus—have done just that, building up a world-renowned circus troupe for over two decades. Combining acrobatics, theater, and dance, they've performed at special events across the globe, including a Royal Variety Performance for Queen Elizabeth II and at the Olympics in Turin and Vancouver. They even made an appearance on America's Got Talent.

During this five-day festival, in early to mid-August, Québec City's centuries-old heritage comes alive. The streets of Lower Town are transported back in time, and events range from an old-time farmers' market to games and music—all done in period costume.

You can take in traditional Cape Breton music and other entertainments nightly in August (and sporadically throughout the year) at the Louisbourg Playhouse, a 17th-century-style theater that was modeled after Shakespeare's Globe. Originally constructed as part of the Disney movie set for Squanto: A Warrior's Tale, the venue was donated to the community in 1994 after filming wrapped.

Known locally simply as The Hall, this historic building was constructed in the 1920s and served as the headquarters of the Longshoremen's Protective Union. In recent decades, it has been established as an innovative theater housing the Resource Centre for the Arts Theatre Company (RCAT). It showcases professional main-stage and experimental second-space productions year-round. This theater and RCAT have been the launching pad for the province's most successful theatrical exports.

An intimate little theater that now falls under the umbrella of the Confederation Centre for the Arts, The Mack has just 200 seats, arranged cabaret-style around tables. Some evening performances have liquor service.

Operated by the same people who present the Montréal Fringe Festival every summer, the Mainline opened in 2006 to serve the city's burgeoning Anglo theater community and has been going strong ever since.

This sweet 208-seat theater and gallery space hosts plays, concerts, and cultural events showcasing regional performers (as well as amateur and local theater groups). Concerts range from popular Canadian folk artists to Celtic bands to cover bands and on occasion you get to see these performers in a much more intimate setting than they might usually play.

This multidisciplinary arts center, built in a row of historic houses mixed with new structures, is a hub for local artists and presents edgy installations and live shows, including a modern dance series.

Formerly the Sony Centre, this iconic 3,172-seat hall was deemed a heritage building by the City of Toronto in 2008 and boasts an international program of diverse yet mostly mainstream artists. Paul Simon, the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and RuPaul's Drag Race Werq the World Tour are among those who have graced the hall’s stage.

Puppets and performers retell classic and contemporary children's stories here. The troupe's home base is the 400-seat MIPAC (Mermaid Imperial Performing Arts Centre) adjacent to its Gerrish Street headquarters, but catching a Mermaid show can be tricky because of the hectic worldwide touring schedule. There are, however, visiting musicians, comedians, and performers who use the theater space (check the website for programing).

Mondial de la Bière is a captivating event where more than 100 Quebecois microbreweries and North American craft beer staples come together. Each May, this popular festival offers visitors an exclusive opportunity to expand their palates, understand beer production, meet artisans, and discover new flavors.

Lavish sets and dazzlingly sensual choreography have helped make Montréal Danse one of Canada's most popular contemporary repertory companies. It has a busy touring schedule, but also regularly performs at Place des Arts, Agora de la Danse, and the Théâtre de Verdure.

Built in 1893, this Baroque Revival and Mannerist style edifice, now a national monument, is one of the sites of the highly regarded École Nationale de Théâtre du Canada—aka National Theatre School of Canadas—which supplies world stages with a steady stream of well-trained actors and directors. The school works and performs in the historic and glorious old theater that hosted such luminaries as Edith Piaf and Emma Albani. (Québec's first feminist rallies in the early 1900s also took place here.) Graduating classes perform professional-level plays in both French and English. The theater also plays host to an assortment of touring plays, musicals, and concerts.

MURAL Festival transforms Montréal's streets into a sprawling open-air gallery, showcasing vibrant, large-scale murals by international and local artists. The event is held on a pedestrianized boulevard St-Laurent and complemented by a lively street fair and live musical performances, fusing creative marketplaces and interactive engagements.

The neo-Gothic St. Bernard Church, an imposing stone structure famous for its acoustics, hosts classical concerts on some summer Sundays at 4 pm. Acclaimed artists from Canada and beyond perform here under the Musique Saint-Bernard banner. The church, a few miles north of Church Point, seats 1,000. Tickets are available at the door. It's also open to visitors on nonconcert days May through October, with an art exhibition throughout July and August.

This building is the home of the National Arts Centre Orchestra, and a top venue for the performing arts, from opera to dance. In summer the center co-hosts the Ottawa Dance Festival.

Canada's internationally recognized classical-ballet company was founded in 1951 and is made up of more than 70 dancers and its own orchestra boasting alumnus Karen Kain as artistic director. It's the only company in Canada to perform a full range of traditional full-length ballet classics, including frequent stagings of Swan Lake and The Nutcracker. The company also performs contemporary works and is dedicated to the development of Canadian choreography. The season runs late fall through spring at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, Canada's first purpose-built ballet opera house.

The country's oldest professional repertory playhouse—it opened in 1915—is also the largest in Atlantic Canada, with a main stage and studio theater under one roof. It presents year-round performances ranging from classics to comedy and contemporary Canadian drama, plus occasional concerts.

This renowned opera company, the largest francophone opera in North America, has a varied schedule of classics, including Le Nozze di Figaro. Rigoletto, and Silent Night. Seventy-five minutes before each show, the "pre-Opera" program, done in French with a summary in English, gives attendees a look at the history, music, and artists of the Opéra de Montréal.

The Orchestre Métropolitain de Montréal may lie in the shadow of the Met, but its talented conductor and artistic director, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, continues to draw the spotlight. He's in high demand across the world; in addition to his role here, he's the musical director at the Philadelphia Orchestra and New York City's Metropolitan Opera, and honorary conductor at the Rotterdam Philharmonic. His charismatic approach has brought in the crowds since 2000 and produced highly acclaimed performances. Most shows take place at Place des Arts or the Maison Symphonique de Montréal.

Montréal's premier English-speaking music event draws music enthusiasts to Parc Jean-Drapeau for an experience akin to Coachella without the heat or Glastonbury without the mud. A three-day celebration dedicated to music and visual arts, featuring top-tier international acts across various genres such as Kendrick Lamar, Radiohead, and Dua Lipa.

This art deco--era cinema located a few minutes west of the Annex underwent a splashy restoration in 2019. Classic and second-run movies are screened here, but the theater also plays host to live events, including a popular candlelit concert series. Grab a glass of wine at Blue Door Wine Shop, coffee or breakfast at Cafe Paradise, or Italian fare at an outpost of local chain Piano Piano.

State-of-the-art facilities and wonderful murals by American artist Frank Stella grace this 2,000-seat theater, built by father-and-son producer team Ed and David Mirvish in 1993 to accommodate the technically demanding musical Miss Saigon. Big-budget musicals like Come from Away and The Book of Mormon and plays such as War Horse are also showcased.

During the summer months, there are nightly educational shows at 7:30 pm at the theater at Redstreak Campground. Check the schedule at the campground kiosk for that night's topic.

Dinner theater, local dramas, comedies, and newly commissioned plays are performed from mid-June to mid-October as part of the Summer in the Bight Festival at the Rising Tide Theatre. The theater company also presents the New-Founde-Land Trinity Pageant and conducts walking tours of lanes, roads, and historical sites. More theater than tour, with actors in period costume.

The most historic of the Mirvish theaters, the \"Royal Alex\" has been the place to be seen in Toronto since 1907 and is the oldest continuously operating legitimate theater in North America. The restored and reconfigured theater features 1,244 plush red seats, gold plasterwork, and baroque swirls and flourishes that make theatergoing a refined experience. Charlton Heston made his debut here and Lawrence Olivier, Edith Piaf, Mary Pickford, Alan Bates, and John Gielgud have also graced the stage. Programs are a mix of blockbuster musicals and dramatic productions, some touring before or after Broadway appearances.

This fully restored 1939 single-screen theater hosts film fest screenings and special engagements, as well as live comedy and music. On top of the usual concessions, next-door bar Birreria Volo has opened a café and snack bar in the lobby, so you can grab a bite even on the days you can't catch a flick.