Tony n' Tina's Wedding

Instead of having dinner and then seeing a show, there are Vancouver theatre groups that combine the two into the same experience with dinner theatre shows!

One of the best dinner theatre options is Vancouver Mysteries‘ Murder is a Drag series. Forbidden Vancouver’s Secrets of the Penthouse tour is a similar event at the Penthouse Nightclub.

Dinner Theatre in Vancouver

Vancouver is home to a number of fabulous theatres and Theatre Companies. Performances take place across the Lower Mainland throughout the year.

While most theatre productions take place on a stage with the audience sitting and watching the show, there are some that are more interactive. Dinner theatre shows are ones where the line between audience and actor is a little more blurred. Those who attend can enjoy a nice meal and a fun show at the same time.

Below are some examples of dinner theatre in Vancouver, or similar kinds of dinner + entertainment events.

Murder is a Drag

Murder is a Drag is a series of shows put on by Vancouver Mysteries. They are one-night special events where your ticket includes dinner, drag performances and the chance to try and solve a murder mystery case.

The performers interact a lot with the audience, in fact if you arrive early enough you could potentially become a character in the show! There are puzzles to solve and clues to collect along the way, as well as the chance to vote on who you think is the killer.

The Murder is a Drag shows don’t happen all the time, but there usually are a few of them throughout the year. There’s a special holiday-themed Dinner Date with Death show on December 11th, 2024. It happens at Water Street Cafe and everyone who attends is part of Tony Bennetti’s holiday party! Unfortunately, the happy mood is soured by a mysterious murder that needs solving.

To learn more about the Murder is a Drag events visit the Vancouver Mysteries website.

Secrets of the Penthouse

The Secrets of the Penthouse isn’t exactly a theatre show but it’s a fun event that includes dinner, a backstage tour of the Penthouse Nightclub, live jazz music and plenty of stories to tell. The event is put on by Forbidden Vancouver which is a local company that offers great walking tours throughout downtown Vancouver.

The tour of the building is led by the Penthouse’s owner Danny Filippone. He and other guests share sordid stories of the area’s past including murder, bootlegging and how mobsters evaded capture from the police.

The night also includes live jazz music at the club as well as a classic spaghetti and meatballs dinner. Tickets cost $70 and the event usually sells out. It runs about once a month or so. There’s a special holiday edition on December 18th, 2024, followed by a regular night on January 29th, 2025.

For more check out the Forbidden Vancouver website.

Tony ‘n Tina’s Wedding

A fun dinner theatre experience that happened recently was Tony n’ Tina’s Wedding, put on by Hammer Up Productions. It took place at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 179 (on the upper level) on Commercial Drive in Vancouver on November 22nd and 23rd, 2024.

The play was a comedy about a traditional Italian-American wedding and reception. Things began normally but soon turned into a hilarious disaster. The show was an immersive experience and interactive for folks who chose to participate.

Organizers encouraged everyone to dress up as if they were attending a real wedding. There was an Italian dinner buffet to enjoy as well.

Hopefully this show or ones similar to it will happen again sometime in the future!