Vancouver Civic Theatres and the Orpheum

Performing arts groups rent the Orpheum Theatre for their productions. Vancouver Civic Theatres also hosts a number of its own events, including films.

There are Silent Movie Monday events happening on select dates from the fall of 2025 until the spring of 2026. The series takes place at the Orpheum Theatre and features a live jazz pre-show as well as live organ music accompanying each film. The films are black & white classics from the 1920s and the entire experience is most enjoyable.

For full details about upcoming events at the Orpheum, Vancouver Playhouse and Queen Elizabeth Theatre, visit the vancouvercivictheatres.com website. Or, to learn more about special events with Vancouver Civic Theatres, continue reading.

Vancouver Civic Theatres and Vancouver Events

Vancouver Civic Theatres is the City of Vancouver organization that manages the Queen Elizabeth Theatre and Orpheum Theatre. The organization also manages the Vancouver Playhouse, the ANNEX and šxʷƛ̓exən Xwtl’a7shn (the last of which is the outdoor plaza in front of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre).

Lots of events and organizations rent the various theatre facilities. Examples include touring Broadway productions as well as events with local groups like the Vancouver Opera and Vancouver Symphony Orchestra at different times of the year. Goh Ballet’s Nutcracker also takes place at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in December.

In addition to renting space to both local and touring organizations, Vancouver Civic Theatres hosts some of its own events. These include Sunset Cinema and Dance Dance Dance which are free activities in the summer. Vancouver Civic Theatres also sometimes hosts Tours of the Orpheum Theatre.

Visit vancouvercivictheatres.com for the full list of upcoming shows at the City of Vancouver’s downtown theatre venues.

Silent Movie Mondays at the Orpheum Theatre

Silent Movie Mondays

There are four Silent Movie Monday events scheduled for the 2025/2026 season. The first is a special edition of Phantom of the Opera on October 27th, 2025. There’s also The Black Pirate on December 8th. In 2026 Silent Movie Monday features the film It on March 2nd and The Lodger on May 25th.

The events are immersive experiences where you can watch a classic 1920s black & white film on the theatre’s movie screen. Just like in days long ago, the soundtrack for the film is live music from the Orpheum’s very own historic Wurlitzer organ (which is the sole organ of its kind in the country still in use at its original home venue).

In addition to the film and live organ music, Silent Movie Mondays begin with a live Jazz pre-show. Also, after the film, there is a discussion about the show and the era and historical influence of silent movies in general, led by a host from the Vancouver Film School. There is much more to a Silent Movie Mondays event than just watching a silent black & white film!

For an idea of what a Silent Movie Mondays event looks like, check out the following promotional video.

Civic Theatres Events in Summer

Vancouver Civic Theatres hosts a number of free events at šxʷƛ̓exən Xwtl’a7shn (the Queen Elizabeth Theatre Plaza) over the summer of 2025.

Their Summer Sounds series runs on Thursdays from July 10th until August 14th. Each week features a different lineup of live music. There are also Dance Dance Dance classes on Friday nights between July 18th and August 15th. Each session includes a free dance lesson and social dancing. Another series of events outside Queen Elizabeth Theatre is Sunset Cinema. The free film screenings include pre-show entertainment and run on Wednesdays from August 6th to 27th in 2025.

Orpheum Theatre Tours run in the summer as well. In 2025 they take place on the Saturdays of June 14th, July 12th, July 19th and August 9th.

There are plenty of other events at the Orpheum and other venues. They include musical acts, comedians and more. For the full schedule of events click vancouvercivictheatres.com.

Films at the Orpheum Theatre

Other Information

To learn more about the theatres managed by the City of Vancouver and events that happen at the various venues, see the official Vancouver Civic Theatres website.

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