Slide THEATRE ONE Moving Hearts and Minds TICKETS DONATE MEMBERSHIP

MAINSTAGE

Our 2023/24 season: 

BILLY BISHOP GOES TO WAR by John Maclachlan Gray with Eric Peterson

From feats of derring-do to the depths of the trenches and flying up to the skies, through the halls of Buckingham Palace, to inside the human spirit, Billy Bishop Goes to War follows the incredible adventures of Canada’s greatest First World War flying ace. Damon Calderwood has brought a fresh interpretation to one of Canada’s most enduring plays, making this musical so full of humour, hellfire, and the boldness of an extraordinary career of this military hero. Join Billy Bishop as he reconciles the ecstasy of flying with the horrors of war, in this captivating show.

 

6 Guitars – Chase Padgett

6 Guitars is a pitch perfect blend of music, comedy, and so much more. Chase Padgett, semi-finalist on Season One of Fox’s newest reality singing show ‘Alter Ego,’ delivers a virtuosic performance as he becomes 6 different guitar playing characters – each representing a different genre: Blues, Jazz, Rock, Classical, Folk, and Country.
As the show unfolds, the audience is treated to the stories and songs each character has earned and learned over a lifetime of music. From a 20 year old aspiring rocker to an elderly Blues man who’s seen it all, these original characters bring fresh fun to the styles we all love. Packed with plenty of laughs, great tunes, and moving musical stories, 6 Guitars is an unforgettable night out for any music lover at heart.

JUST KIDDING

Our 2023/24 season: 

THROUGH MY EYES – Bouge de la

Through My Eyes begins as a dancer enters the stage and discovers a massive furry ball. Intrigued, they move toward it, carefully. As soon as they touch it the magic of the stage is unleashed: the lights go up, the scenery appears all around them, shadows play their tricks and transform one dancer into many dancers! Through My Eyes is an ode to the power of imagination. It stimulates a child’s senses and brings us back to one of the loveliest things about childhood: a tireless capacity for wonder.

 

PENNY POM POM

The Penny Pom Pom show is an exciting multimedia experience full of music, storytelling, and magic for young kids. Penny is a colourful ball of energy who embodies creative confidence and artistic freedom. Sing and dance along to her catchy and original guitar-driven music about magic, creativity, nature, animals, and the seasons. Penny’s wish is for everyone to leave the show with a big smile, a song in their head, and a desire to share their own special magic with the world. Join along in the fun with Penny Pom Pom.

 

CINDERELLA – Dufflebag Theatre

Dufflebag Theatre returns to Nanaimo for a single performance of Cinderella. All the familiar characters including the lovely Cinderella, a flitting fairy godmother, an ugly stepmother, a dedicated messenger, and of course, the handsome prince, make appearances in this family friendly interactive version of the much loved story. In this refreshing adaptation of the classic fairy tale, DuffleBag Theatre invites audience members into the show to play the main parts!

EMERGING VOICES

Our 2023/24 season:

LEILA ROILS THE SEAS – by Lily Chang

“If you cry, Leila, I cannot move on.”

In Leila Roils the Seas, a Taiwanese-Canadian woman must help her comatose grandmother’s consciousness transcend to the celestial realm of Pure Land Buddhism, despite her nonbelief in the afterlife, her reluctance to lose her beloved grandmother, and her anger at her grandmother’s contradictions and history of violence.

Featuring Chinese opera, karaoke, fam dram, and chicken heads.

 

DIVING BELL – Brianna Bock

On an expedition to recover the sunken cargo of the wreck Galene, diver William Hill and ship’s doctor Stephen Anderson are trapped inside the diving bell when a storm strikes. Above, Captain John Scott and First mate Henry Roos find themselves struggling over the right thing to do, and vying for control over the sinking ship. All four men are forced to grapple with their relationships to each other and what it means to survive.

 

WOMAN AGAINST GRAVITY – Olivia Etey

Armed with her motto: “Suck life dry!” and her late husband’s words: “You have energy and only one life–so use it!” Tessa launches herself into the world of seniors’ online dating. This is the story of one woman’s fierce battle against Gravity, as she seeks to master the art of living in the moment. Can Tessa find someone to savour “the present” with her?

FUNDRAISERS

Our 2023/24 season:

Doug and the Slugs are coming to Nanaimo!

TheatreOne is thrilled to be bringing a very special Valentine’s Day concert to Nanaimo’s Port Theatre as the first show in the new TheatreOne Showcase Series – supporting live professional theatre production at TheatreOne.

Unquestionably, Doug and the Slugs is one of the most distinctive and entertaining Canadian bands of the last 40 years. Their new show, Doug and the Slugs: Semi-unplugged Slugs’ . . . twisted tales and Slug trails . . .  combines storytelling with band history, humour, hidden gems, and of course all the hits we have come to know.  Their upbeat musical style, musicianship, and offbeat stage antics have made them a staple of Canada’s radio and music scene for decades.

Tickets for this amazing Valentine’s Day concert are available by calling the Port Theatre Box Office at 250-754-8550 or online at https://tickets.porttheatre.com/TheatreManager/175/login&performance=5360

TheatreOne wishes to thank our supporters and funders: The City of Nanaimo, The Province of British Columbia, Mid-Island Co-op, Allegra – marketing-print-mail, Long and McQuade, and the Nanaimo News Bulletin.

A word from our Artistic Director:

Welcome to a new era for TheatreOne! With some challenging years behind us, we are moving forward with a spirit of renewal. We have a new Executive Director, Michael Cade, who brings decades of experience and expertise as a highly respected Theatre Administrator; we have an impressive, revitalized Board of Directors; and the organization has been inspired by the original mission of the organization: to provide excellent live performances to our community. Our core programming (Just Kidding for Kids, Main Stage, and Emerging Voices) is all part of that focus on high quality live theatre, and a key ingredient of that commitment is to have the company begin producing theatre locally again – starting this season with the World Premiere of Wild Geese written by a Nanaimo-based playwright Jennifer Wynne Webber. Join us this year as we start our new journey!

Support TheatreOne

By donating to TheatreOne, your contribution goes directly towards helping us “move hearts and minds”. These donations are tax creditable and always meaningful to TheatreOne.

For over 40 years TheatreOne has entertained, educated, and enriched the City of Nanaimo and the mid-Vancouver Island region.

Our Mainstage shows bring challenging and dynamic professional live theatre to the stage, with an emphasis on contemporary Canadian works.

Our Emerging Voices staged readings encourage and support the creation of new plays and the development of local playwrights.

Our Just Kidding for Kids program brings the magic of the performing arts to audiences of all ages and builds opportunities for young people and families to access, learn from, and celebrate the arts.

A donation to theatre goes a long way and yours would be most appreciated.

We are following provincial health guidelines regarding Covid protocols.

TheatreOne acknowledges and thanks the Snuneymuxw First Nation

on whose traditional territory we live, create, and perform.

THEATREONE’S GENEROUS SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS