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Bringing the best of professional theatre to our region.

2026-27 subscriptions
now on-sale

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Join us for an exciting season of theatre!

  • A fully homegrown family-focused holiday production.

  • Our 4th annual Brand New Stages Festival in February, a festival of new Canadian work for the stage.

  • The return of our beloved staged reading series.

  • Three full theatre productions: a family show and 2 comedies for adults.

  • Subscription packages that offer savings of over $100 (32%) and reserved seating.

  • All 8 shows at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre.

New Stages has concluded a most successful season, with 18 events performed at 3 venues in Peterborough, entertaining over 4,000 people.

Our mainstage subscription series returns in September 2026 with 8 Canadian plays at Market Hall, including 3 full productions and 5 staged readings.

New Stages’ 26-27 season includes:

Season Preview

2026

MUSTARD

by Kat Sandler

Sun Oct 4

A staged reading at Market Hall. Directed by Dahlia Katz, starring M. John Kennedy as Mustard.

What if your childhood imaginary friend never left? A funny, wistful, and wildly creative play from one of our great Canadian playwrights. Imagine a fairy tale for grown-ups (16+).

Winner of the Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding New Play.

CASEY AND DIANA 

by Nick Green

Sun Nov 15

A staged reading at Market Hall, featuring Linda Kash.

Based on the true story of Princess Diana’s visit to Casey House, Toronto's first AIDS hospice, and a dying man who is determined to survive long enough to meet her. One of the most produced plays in Canada in the past two years makes its Peterborough debut.

"An incredibly moving and deeply accomplished play… The most moving Canadian play of the year." — Toronto Star

Written and performed by Dreda Blow and Brad Brackenridge

Dec 9-13 (times vary)

A family holiday production at Market Hall. Directed by Mark Wallace, featuring Susan Newman and Rob Fortin.

Welcome to the wild, wonderful world of Edward Lear! Peterborough theatre artists Dreda and Brad present their homegrown homage to the whimsical nonsense stories of Edward Lear like The Owl and the Pussycat. Full of dancing, puppetry, music, and sheer wonder.

THE NONSENSE CLUB

2027

MONKS

Written and Performed by Annie Luján and Veronica Hortigüela

Jan 21, 22, 24 (times vary)

Two monks, 1 donkey, and a million lentils, what could go wrong? The clown-inspired phenomenon comes to Market Hall, fresh off the Edinburgh Festival and a month at Toronto's Tarragon Theatre. Winner of the Best New Canadian Work for 2025 by the Toronto Theatre Critics' Awards.

“Monks has the makings of Canadian theatre’s next big thing, destined for greatness.” – Globe & Mail

ON THIN ICE

by Drew Hayden Taylor

Thurs Feb 25

A staged reading at Market Hall

A new mystery comedy thriller set at remote cottage in winter, by award-winning Curve Lake playwright Drew Hayden Taylor. Premiered at Magnus Theatre in 2026.

Part of the 2027 Brand New Stages Festival

YOU, ALWAYS

by Erin Shields

Sun Feb 28

An ode to sisterhood from award-winning playwright Erin Shields. Set across 50 years of shared memories, we meet two sisters and the bond they share based on love, rivalry, and the kind of honestly only a sibling can deliver. Premiered at Crow’s Theatre in 2026.

Part of the 2027 Brand New Stages Festival

The Brand New Stages Festival (Feb 22-28) will feature several more new works for the stage, including by local artists:

  • Voices at Hand - The Work Behind the Work by Wendy Trusler

  • A new work by legendary dance artist Bill Coleman

  • More to be announced

THE MYTH OF
THE OSTRICH

by Matt Murray

Apr 21-25

An outrageous comedy production at Market Hall.

When two very different mothers meet to sort out what their teenagers are up to, a small misunderstanding spirals into a hilariously unpredictable & entirely unforgettable day. One of the funniest plays you’ll ever see.

“Delivers more consistent laughs than I’ve had at the theatre in a long time!” – CBC

JABBER 

by Marcus Youssef

Sun June 13

A staged reading at Market Hall.

A Muslim teenager and a rebellious outsider form an unlikely friendship that will put everything they've been taught to the test. Marcus Youssef is the winner of Canada’s most prestigious theatre award, the Siminovitch Prize.

Jabber has been performed across Canada and internationally, winning Berlin's Ikarus prize.

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Early-Bird Subscription Packages

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Individual tickets that remain will go on sale in August.

Bringing the best of professional theatre to our region.

2025/26 Leading Sponsors

Logo of Cambium Consulting & Engineering featuring a stylized tree and a sun in the background.
Memorial plaque dedicated to Joanne Brown and Shirl Delarue in memory of Nan and Rod Williamson.

2025/26 Season Sponsors

Logo for Grady's Feet Essentials featuring a stylized footprint in the center with the words "Comfort in Every Step" and "Feet Essentials," established in 1984.
The logo of Peterborough Optometric, featuring a stylized eye symbol and the company name in gray text.
Logo for The Little Building Company with a line drawing of a house and tree inside a circle, and text indicating Peterborough, ON.
Logo of the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough featuring a circular emblem with stylized initials 'cgp' and the organization’s name beside it.
Schilling Financial logo in black and white with stylized 'S' symbol and company name.
Kawartha NOW logo with large gray letters 'k' and 'N', website kawarthaNOW.com in black text, and a tagline 'A QUID NOVIS PRODUCTION' in gray.
Logo with stylized black letter A and the text 'The A-Frame' with tagline 'Creative Co-conspirators' in gray.

Government Partners

Logo with three wavy lines and the word "peterborough" in black text.
Black and white logo for Delta Bingo Gaming with a circular emblem containing a stylized 'D'.

Show Sponsors & Partners

Logo of the Community Foundation of Greater Peterborough featuring a circular emblem with stylized initials 'cgp' and the organization’s name beside it.
Logos of Barrick Real Estate and Royal LePage ProAlliance Realty, a real estate company.
Logo for Central Smith ice cream shop with an ice cream cone icon replacing the letter 'A' and the tagline 'We dream in ice cream.'
Logo for Arising Collective in black and gray text
Logo of East City Builders with stylized letter E and text in bold gray and black fonts.
Logo for Lakefield College School with the slogan 'Like No Other'
Logo for EDH Law featuring overlapping letters and a leaf design, with text indicating Nathan Higgins B.A. & J.D. and successor firm to Douglas F. Walker.
Book cover with the names Ayotte, Dupuis, Gunsolus, O'Neill in white text on a dark gray background
A logo for Meg Nimigon Coaching & Consulting, featuring a large black letter M within a black rectangular outline, with the name Meg Nimigon above and the words Coaching & Consulting below.
Black text that says 'SANDBAGGER' with scattered black dots in the background.
Hand-drawn sign for Silver Bean Cafe with a coffee cup icon.

Give today and help New Stages bring the best of contemporary, professional theatre to our region.

Give today and help New Stages bring the best of contemporary, professional theatre to our region.

Donate now

Give today and help New Stages bring the best of contemporary, professional theatre to our region.