The Cultch has announced its 2023-2024 50th anniversary season with a full slate of in-person shows, online productions and several special anniversary events.
“This 2023/2024 Season has a little bit of everything and something for everyone,” says The Cultch in a media release. “Those looking for new works, those looking to engage with new and interesting ideas, characters and stories, those looking to laugh, those looking to watch from home, and those looking to be amazed by pure spectacle will all find something to enjoy in this celebratory season.”
Among the productions from local companies is Jackie Sibblies Drury’s Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy Fairview (Sep 27-Oct 8) from The Search Party; Neworld Theatre’s production of Fat Joke, a new stand-up/storytelling dissection of fatphobia by Cheyenne Rouleau; How Black Mothers Say I Love You (Nov 2–12), an exploration of complicated family dynamics, from frank theatre; and Monster Theatre’s Juliet: A Revenge Comedy (Feb 8-18), a retelling of Shakespeare’s famous tragedy.
Returning for its 11th year, the East Van Panto is back again with Theatre Replacement’s twist on Beauty on the Beast (Nov 22–Jan 7) set on The Drive in East Vancouver.
The circus is back in town for The Cultch’s anniversary season, including a mix of circus and Māori storytelling in the world premiere of Te Tangi ā te Tūī (Oct 19–29), The Mirror (Jan 25-27) from Australia’s Gravity and Other Myths and Montreal’s Cirque Alfonse’s Barbu (Jun 12-23).
The Cultch will once again present several shows on its digital platform, offering accessible performances available on demand.
And while The Cultch will celebrate the relationships it has built over the last 50 years with local, national and international companies, its anniversary will also be an opportunity to celebrate new productions from new voices. Among the new works to be presented in 2023 and 2024 include a trio of premieres from up-and-coming playwrights Kamila Sediego, Aki Yaghoubi and Tai Amy Grauman with personal tales of family, community, lost memories, and healing.
“As we look forward, we have had to look back and remember what the live arts bring to the human spirit,” says Cultch executive director Heather Redfern. “We bring everyone together to celebrate our own and each other’s stories. We put messages of empathy, tolerance and hope into plays, dances, circus, music, puppets, storytelling and send it out into the universe for each person to find in themselves and to share with their communities. We are rebuilding and celebrating together.”
Season ticket packages are now on sale, with general tickets going on sale on July 17. Visit thecultch.com for more information.