The Royal MTC has announced their 2025/26 season which will include 10 productions this year.
From world premieres from Canadian playwrights to internationally acclaimed plays making their debut in Manitoba, Artistic Director Kelly Thornton says there is something for everyone.
“Over the past five years, I’ve been listening to our subscribers and the community about what they want to see on stage, and I think this season is filled with incredible stories that will come to life at our theatres,” said Thornton. “It’s an entertaining and thought-provoking collection of stories that features extraordinary puppetry, design wizardry of a murder on the world’s most luxurious train, and a deliciously hilarious Christmas musical for the entire family.”
Subscriptions are currently on sale with savings for those attending more than one play.
“If you attend more than one show a year, you see the breadth of what we create over a season,” Thornton explained “Each play we’ve assembled in our 2025/26 season will take you on an incredible journey. Of course, you can visit one or two ‘cities’ but I invite you to join me on a first-class world tour, where you’ll enjoy the extraordinary experience of an entire season.”
Attendance for Royal MTC programming averages 300,000 each year.
Here’s a look at the full list of productions happening at the Royal MTC in 2025/26.
John Hirsch Mainstage
Life of Pi
Based on the novel by Yann Martel
Adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti
In partnership with Citadel Theatre
Directed by Haysam Kadri
October 16 – November 8, 2025 (preview October 15)
An epic story of courage, faith and survival, Life of Pi roars to breathtaking life with riveting storytelling and stunning puppetry. After Pi’s family and their zoo are lost during the chaos of a shipwreck, the teenager survives 227 days on a lifeboat in uneasy companionship with a Royal Bengal tiger. As Pi drifts aimlessly in the vast ocean, he struggles to keep his wits while avoiding being the tiger’s next meal. Based on the international best-selling novel, Pi’s astonishing tale will have us question what we see with our own eyes.
Elf – The Musical
Book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin
Music by Matthew Sklar
Lyrics by Chad Beguelin
Based on the New Line Cinema film written by David Berenbaum
Directed by Julie Tomaino
November 27 – December 20, 2025 (previews November 25 & 26)
Bursting with holiday spirit, joyful song and boundless cheer, Elf – The Musical is the gift we all need this Christmas. Buddy the Elf is happy, big-hearted and larger than life. Buddy is also larger than the other elves, which makes sense when it’s revealed he’s actually human. Gobsmacked by this discovery, Buddy sets off in search of the World’s Greatest Dad. When he arrives in New York, the irrepressible elf is disappointed to find out his human dad is far from the world’s greatest anything. Undaunted by a series of misunderstandings and misadventures, Buddy sings his way into the lives and hearts of his new family and friends.
Murder on the Orient Express
By Agatha Christie
Adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig
In partnership with Citadel Theatre
Directed by Kelly Thornton
January 15 – February 7, 2026 (preview January 14)
Showcasing the Queen of Crime’s signature twists and turns, and a luxury train onstage, this witty adaptation keeps us guessing until Hercule Poirot delivers his breathtaking verdict. Detective Poirot is aboard the Orient Express when an unlikeable wealthy American is murdered. As the debonair detective investigates, he encounters a cast of intriguing passengers, including the glamorous Mrs. Hubbard and the enigmatic Princess Dragomiroff. With his unparalleled eye for detail and keen instincts, Poirot uncovers secrets and motives as he seeks the truth behind the murder in this suspenseful tale of deception, revenge and justice.
Royal MTC presents A Crow’s Theatre Production
Rogers v. Rogers
Adapted for the stage by Michael Healey
Based on Rogers v. Rogers: The Battle for Control of Canada’s Telecom Empire by Alexandra Posadzki
Directed by Chris Abraham
Starring Tom Rooney
February 19 – March 14, 2026 (preview February 18)
A David vs. Goliath story for a new age, Rogers v. Rogers examines the merits of fighting back, the cost of ambition, and the complicated legacy of love and defiance in the shadow of power. Telecom tycoon Ted Rogers spent a lifetime turning Canada’s airwaves into money — and a company into a virtual monopoly. Now his son Edward is fighting to take control of the family empire. At the same time, a wily public servant is determined to block a billion-dollar merger. Ambition, defiance and public interest collide in a battle of wills.
The Last Wife
By Kate Hennig
Directed by Cherissa Richards
March 26 – April 18, 2026 (preview March 25)
With sharp dialogue and compelling characters, this historical fight for power explores humanity through a contemporary lens. Katherine Parr, a sharp and determined woman, agrees to marry King Henry VIII on her own terms. As she asserts her agency and fights for equal rights for Henry’s daughters, the volatile King struggles for control and authority. With a modern voice and fresh perspective, Kate Hennig reimagines the intricate lives of these iconic historical figures. A funny and powerful dissection of patriarchy, sexual politics and women’s rights.
Rubaboo – A Métis Cabaret
By Andrea Menard
Music by Andrea Menard & Robert Walsh
Directed by Alanis King
April 30 – May 23, 2026 (preview April 29)
Métis singer-songwriter Andrea Menard’s feast for the senses blends master storytelling with the beauty of Métis culture through music, dance and visual art. Derived from the Michif word for “leftovers stew” or “big pot,” Rubaboo blends diverse cultural influences and invites us to reflect on the ongoing journey of cultural preservation and pride. Featuring the sounds of drums and guitar, this grand musical feast includes songs of reconciliation, unity, love and resilience.
TOM HENDRY WAREHOUSE
Royal MTC presents a Ronnie Burkett Theatre of Marionettes Production
Wonderful Joe
Created and performed by Ronnie Burkett
October 9 – 26, 2025 (previews October 7 & 8)
A singular and world-class talent, Ronnie Burkett brings his signature style to the Warehouse where he has wowed audiences with previous hits such as Provenance, Happy and Tinka’s New Dress. Joe and his dog Mister lose their home, and facing separation, head into the world for one last grand adventure. The world seems broken, but Joe sees magic in the mundane, beauty amid brutality, and life in the lost and lonely. A seemingly simple tale of a simple man, Wonderful Joe is a tender nod to imagination, hope, and the art of filling broken hearts with gold.
A Number
By Caryl Churchill
Directed by Alex Poch Goldin
November 13 – 29, 2025 (preview November 12)
What happens when you discover more than one YOU in the world? This psychological thriller explores themes of identity, family dynamics and the ethics of scientific experimentation. Bernard has contentedly navigated life as an only child. When his father reveals the truth about his place in the family order, Bernard’s world is turned upside down. Father and son relationships can be complicated at the best of times, but take on new meaning in a world where humans can be replicated. Caryl Churchill is at her unsettling best with this thought-provoking play about nature versus nurture, the emotional impact of cloning and the moral implications of creating human beings for experimentation.
Holland
By Trish Cooper
In partnership with Theatre Projects Manitoba
Directed by Suzie Martin
February 5 – 21, 2026 (preview February 4)
This world premiere is a hilarious madcap adventure, an unflinching look at disability rights and a love letter to everyday heroes who will do anything for their people.
Carrie and Paul are good people with solid friends and great kids. Another constant in their life is Alice, an antagonistic social worker who holds all the cards when it comes to their disabled son. Alice makes promises but keeps few, drowning the couple in paperwork, denying basic services and bewildering them with impossible deadlines. Pushed to the brink, Carrie takes matters into her own hands – in the most outrageous way possible – and goes from doing everything for her family to risking it all.
In the Shadow Beyond the Pines
By Rhonda Apetagon
March 12 – 28, 2026 (preview March 11)
Set in modern times but steeped in a dark and haunting past, this atmospheric ghost story explores the shadows of Indigenous life and lore with a hint of humour, and a lot of heart. Amid the mysteries of the vast wilderness of northern Manitoba, three young men wrestle with the loss of their friend by reclaiming the cultural practice of lighting a sacred fire. When they realize they’ve forgotten the flashlight and their phones have died, legends and memories are all they have to guide them through the night. Created in the Pimootayowin Creators Circle, this world premiere will draw you in while making no promises of letting you go.