Hot off the tail of the previous season, the Fredericton Playhouse has announced the lineup for the upcoming 2022-23 Spotlight series. This season features 28 professional performances in music, theatre, circus, comedy and dance from across Canada and around the world.
In addition to a full Spotlight Series, the Fredericton Playhouse has four scheduled performances as part of the Kidstage Series – including one show offering both French and English performances – and even more “Pay What You Will” shows than last year. There is truly something for everyone in Fredericton to experience this year at the Playhouse!
Music
Maureen Batt & Greg Harrison: Lighthouse – A visually and sonically rich immersive experience that touches on themes of loss, love, and hope, weaving classical, electronic, and pop genres. This album was created from letters and journals written on a journey through grief.
Ron Sexsmith – Canada’s foremost, well-heeled singer-songwriter found domestic bliss outside of Toronto, inspiring his latest album, Hermitage. “I think it's a very upbeat album, lyrically,” he confirms. “It’s reflective of the sort of peacefulness that I'd recently felt. I'm getting more comfortable in my own skin.”
Silver Wolf Band – Lively, engaging, and self-assured lyrical performance is what makes this four-piece Indigenous folk-rock band one of the most in-demand music groups from Labrador. Lyrically, their songs are shaped and informed by family, community, love, and their homeland itself.
Debussy Quartet – The Debussy Quartet has established its reputation as one of the finest quartets touring and recording today. They perform a wide range of works and are perhaps most well known for their devotion to the French repertoire.
Dracula (1931) featuring members of Symphony NB and Resonance New Music - NB composer Andrew Reed Miller has created this original music to be performed by core members of Symphony NB, along with a screening of the 1931 classic film, Dracula.
Classified – One of Canada’s most respected and successful rap artists and producers will finally bring a new style of show to the stage. Classified’s acoustic show is more personal and intimate, letting the audience hear the stories behind the songs, and experience the music in a new way.
Michael Kaeshammer – Flavours of jazz, boogie-woogie and blues combined with passion and meticulous detail, Michael Kaeshammer is unafraid of crossing genre boundaries and uses his many influences to take the listener along on a memorable journey.
Erin Costelo – Award-winning, Nova Scotia artist and producer, Erin Costelo presents one of the most beloved albums in history, Carole King's Tapestry. In addition to this album, Erin will showcase her album We Can Get Over in an opening set.
The Last Waltz NB – New Brunswick pays tribute to one of the greatest concerts of all time! The Last Waltz NB features an all-star cast of New Brunswick artists, all backed by the East Coast's most dedicated "The Band" band — King Harvest.
Charlie A’Court, Lloyd Spiegel, Suzie Vinnick – Join multi-award-winning artists for a dynamic evening filled with songs, stories, and laughs as they take their roots ‘n’ blues kitchen party from coast-to-coast. Crossing the globe, commanding both festival and theatre stages, they are seasoned performers, singer-songwriters, and storytellers on their own and together.
Classic Albums Live
A perennial Playhouse favourite, Classic Albums Live presents skilled musicians who recreate the greatest albums of the ‘60s and ‘70s live on stage — note for note, cut for cut. Don’t look for costumes and lookalike theatrics at these rock recitals, just pure musicianship and songs that shaped a generation.
This season, Classic Albums Live presents Billy Joel: The Stranger, and The Beatles: Let It Be.
Theatre & Comedy
Pearle Harbour: Agit-Pop! - Drag “tragicomedienne” Pearle Harbour’s Agit-Pop! is a collection of her heart-wrenchingly hilarious short acts told with her signature acid-wit.
Hyprov – Canada’s master improviser, Colin Mochrie, teams up with hypnotist Asad Mecci for improv under hypnosis! Audience members volunteer to be hypnotised by Mecci, then remain on stage to participate in an improv scene with Mochrie – would you do it?
Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story – A humourously dark folktale woven together with a high-energy concert. This Klezmer-folk music-theatre hybrid starring genre-bending sensation Ben Caplan is inspired by the true stories of two Jewish Romanian refugees coming to Canada in 1908.
Between Breaths – Between Breaths is a one-act play telling the true story of Dr. Jon Lien, well-known in Newfoundland as the Whale Man. Lien pioneered techniques for rescuing whales trapped in fishing nets.
OVERLAP - Both a love letter and an uncompromising critique of the city of Moncton, OVERLAP is author Céleste Godinʼs first full-length play. Created in a language that is at once personal, dense with insight, and bursting with humanity; performed in Chiac (with English surtitles).
Dance
RUBBERBAND: Vic's Mix– This Montreal-based dance company expertly blends contemporary and urban dance with theatricality and highly athletic segments.
Social Tango Project – Tango, a social dance, enables people of different ages, cultures, and backgrounds to meet in an “embrace.” Be it the music, the beauty, or the sense of connection, tango has won the hearts of dancers around the world.
Atlantic Ballet of Canada presents the world premiere of Pisuwin - From award-winning director and choreographer Igor Dobrovolskiy, and multi-disciplinary artist Nipahtuwet Naka Wespahtuwet (Possesom) Paul (Wolastoqiyik, Sitansisk First Nation), Pisuwin is an epic first ever Wolastoq story-ballet set to the soaring music of Polaris Prize and Juno award-winning composer Jeremy Dutcher (Wolastoqiyik, Neqotkuk First Nation).
Circus
Kalabanté – The Afrique En Cirque show symbolizes the strength, agility and joy of life found in African youth. A handful of daring acrobats, accompanied by their musicians, perform to the pulsating rhythm of the djembes of Guinea with their authentic and original choreography and acrobatics.
Machine de Cirque: La Galerie– The circus invades the museum! Machine de Cirque is a Québec City-based circus company that packs high doses of dizzying feats, powerful emotions, poetry, intelligence, and humour into its innovative and original circus shows. Seven zany acrobats and an electrifying musician take in a monochrome exhibit.
International
Piaf! The Show - A celebration of the rags-to-riches life story and music of Edith Piaf, Piaf! The Show narrates the Parisian singer’s career through her unforgettable songs, complemented by a visual tapestry of previously unreleased photographs and images of famous Parisian locations of the Edith Piaf era.
Lúnasa – One of the most influential bands in traditional music, Irish acoustic band Lúnasa’s complex arrangements and unique sound reshaped the boundaries of traditional music, and have energized audiences the world over.
OKAN – Taking their name from the word for heart or soul in the Afro-Cuban religion of Santeria, Juno-Aaward winning OKAN fuses Afro-Cuban roots with jazz, folk, and global rhythms in songs about immigration, courage, and love.
The Original Wailers - The Original Wailers give audiences around the globe the opportunity to experience their unique and innovative reggae sound. Led by guitarist Al Anderson, they continue the legacy of Bob Marley & The Wailers’ music.
Holidays
Fredericton Symphony Orchestra - The Fredericton Symphony Orchestra returns with its annual fan-favourite seasonal concert! Start your holiday season with a full symphony orchestra sound playing seasonal musical favourites. Good fun for the whole family!
The Ennis Sisters: Christmas Show – For 25 years Maureen, Karen, and Teresa have been captivating audiences with their highly woven sibling harmonies and endearing humour. With a mix of original songs, holiday classics, humorous recitations, and a little Irish step-dancing, the evening is sure to ignite your holiday spirit.
God is a Scottish Drag Queen: Christmas Special – Mike Delamon’t character of God, dressed in an all-new holiday power suit, returns to set the record straight and expound on everything from the beginnings of Christmas with Yule, Saturnalia and Winter Solstice, to holiday foods, Christmas carols, Star Wars, the true story of the Nativity, and even Tiny Tim!
KidStage
The Playhouse is thrilled to offer Pay What You Will pricing on all Kidstage Series shows.
DuffleBag: Robin Hood - DuffleBag Theatre brings the classic story of Robin Hood to life, with plenty of hilarious twists along the way! Suitable for all ages; tickets for this performance will be available November 15.
L'Aubergine's Ripopée - In this clownesque fable about the strength of friendship, four artists fall asleep in a theatre waiting for their guests. To their surprise, the audience is already there when they wake up! In the hands of these pals, everyday objects like musical instruments and masks become the tools for creating a wacky universe. Suitable for ages 5-12; tickets for this performance will be available February 10.
Théâtre de l'Oeil's Marco Bleu (FR) & Blue Marco (EN) - Marco and his friend Gina invent whimsical stories, just for fun. Stories about an alien from a strange planet where children don’t have to go to school, where there are only two days in a week, and where life just seems to be so much more exciting than it is down here on Earth! Then, one night, an entirely blue alien appears in Marco’s room and takes the little boy to his fantastical world. When the boy returns from this adventure, he understands that life on Earth can be extraordinary! Suitable for ages 5- 10; tickets for this performance will be available September 29.
Become a Spotlight member
For only $60, Spotlight members receive early access to the best seats in the house and special discounted pricing on Spotlight Series, Special Presentations and Spotlight Partner performances.
Tickets are available now to new and returning Spotlight Members; full priced tickets go on sale July 28.
Any questions?
For more detailed information on 2022-23 Spotlight Series performances, click here or contact the box office.