215 Best Performing Arts Venues in Canada

This multipurpose theater hosts about a dozen different productions a year, staged by several different theater companies. New creations and experimental productions are always a strong part of the mix.

The charming and intimate Théâtre Petit-Champlain is a fine spot to hear contemporary francophone music and comedy acts during the year and take in a play in summer.

With approximately 100 comfortable seats, this independent alternative theater features comedy and improv shows most nights. On Sunday, there's a free improv workshop that's open to all, with participants later showing off what they learned as that evening's entertainment. The theater also houses a café-bar as well as Le Nouveau International, a nonprofit organization run by a thriving community of artists working year-round to produce theater, comedy, improv, films, a bimonthly magazine, and sketch shows.

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!

A five-story architectural masterpiece, this glass-paneled building houses the year-round headquarters of the internationally acclaimed Toronto International Film Festival, which takes place in September. Throughout the year visitors can attend film-related lectures, watch screenings, and enjoy smaller film festivals, including the TIFF Next Wave Film Festival, a film festival with free movies for anyone under 25 that takes place in April. A stellar educational program includes summer camps and ongoing workshops—on how to produce a stop-motion movie, for example. The TIFF Cinematheque, open to the public, plays world cinema classics and contemporary art house films.

Dedicated to horror, sci-fi, and thriller films. Late October.

This group of more than 120 singers and choristers was formed in 1894 and performs major classical choral works at various venues, including the lovely Koerner Hall and Yorkminster Park Baptist Church at Yonge and St. Clair. The choir often performs with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, including at its annual Christmas performance of Handel's Messiah.

Concerts and classic and contemporary theater works are staged at the University of Calgary Theatre.

Concerts and classic and contemporary theater works are staged at the 550-seat University of Calgary Theatre.

The resident company at the Orpheum Theatre presents classical and popular music. Some of their performances are at other city venues such as the Chan Centre in Point Grey. 

In an abandoned old fire hall nestled off Whyte Avenue, five different companies put on rousing theater all year-round. Expect twisted comedies thick with wit and riveting dramas replete with characters that serve up unforgettable experiences. Try to see Die Nasty, an improvised soap opera that has been running for 30 years.

Victoria's wine fest in late August/early September showcases international wines with tastings, dinners, and seminars, including island wineries and labels from Washington State.

Offering a renowned professional program with a focus on contemporary Canadian theater and music, this place may only have 150 seats but it has big talent and a huge heart. Operating in July and August, the circa-1914 venue offers theater productions plus assorted concerts.

Interpretive programs are offered daily during the summer months at the theater at Whistlers Campground. Programs are appropriate for both children and adults, and a schedule of seminars and activities is available at the information center. Parks Canada interpreters use theater, singing, dancing, and storytelling to help visitors young and old learn more about the flora and fauna in the park. The theater is wheelchair-accessible and has designated wheelchair seating.

The concert hall is the home of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra and a premier concert venue. With 1,716 seats and crystal clear sound, it's the perfect venue for your favorite act or an ESO performance. Under the direction of Alexander Prior, the ESO plays classical music as well as pop-cultural tributes to the music of Star Wars, Star Trek, and The Lord of the Rings.

Xplorer Program, for children 6–11, encourages kids to explore the world around them and the nature and history of the parks. There are 16 pages of activities in the Xplorer booklet and you need to complete at least six of them to receive a certificate and a souvenir. The booklets for these programs are available from the park kiosk or at the Kootenay National Park visitor center.

Canada’s largest and oldest professional theatre for young audiences offers high-quality productions that engage both kids and adults. With a mix of fun, interactive shows like Where the Wild Things Are and powerful dramas like Hana’s Suitcase, YPT never talks down to its audience. Performances are thoughtful, age-appropriate, and rich with meaning—making it a must-visit for families seeking meaningful, entertaining theatre.

Founded in 1950, the COC has grown into the largest producer of opera in Canada, and has proven innovative and often daring with presentations that range from popular operas to more modern or rarely performed works. The COC maintains its international reputation for artistic excellence and creative leadership by presenting new productions from a diverse repertoire, collaborating with leading opera companies and festivals, and attracting the world's foremost Canadian and international artists. It often hosts world-renowned performers, and it pioneered the use of scrolling SURTITLES, which allow the audience to follow the libretto in English in a capsulized translation that appears above the stage. Tickets sell out quickly. Tours (C$20 for adults; C$15 for seniors/students) of the COC's opera house, the magnificent Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, are given when the performance schedule allows (usually on Sundays); check the website for times and dates.

This movie theater screens lots of interesting foreign and offbeat films, and it's the only one within easy reach of Old Québec. Many of the films are shown in English.

In July and August, free movies are screened outdoors as part of the Free Flicks program. Documentaries, frequently accompanying summer festivals, cultural events, and retrospectives, are presented ad hoc throughout the year.

This venue has two theaters for dance and two renowned dance series: Next Steps which runs from September through the spring, and World Stage which also includes theatre and begins in January. The Fleck Dance Theatre was built specifically for modern dance in 1983. The proscenium stage hosts some of the best local and Canadian modern and contemporary companies, in addition to some international acts. The Enwave Theatre welcomes these same types of dance performances as well as plays and concerts. It has excellent acoustics. Both theaters are small (446 and 422 seats, respectively) so you're never far from the stage.

Next to the Quartier des Spectacles theater district, la Vitrine Culturelle (literally: Cultural Window) is the perfect place to get information and buy tickets for just about every type of show in town. Great last-minute deals are often available.