Films at the Orpheum Theatre

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

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN EARLY 2025

There are a couple of Silent Movie Monday events happening in the first half of 2025. The series takes place at the Orpheum Theatre and features a live jazz pre-show as well as live organ music accompanying each film. Piccadilly shows on March 10th and The Gold Rush (starring Charlie Chaplin) is on June 2nd. The films are black & white classics from the 1920s and the entire experience is most enjoyable.

The Vancouver Playhouse hosts National Geographic Live events this year too. The Untold Story of Sharks, for example, is on April 2nd.

Just a few of the many other upcoming events at the Vancouver Civic Theatres venues include Shen Yun (the New York-based Chinese performing arts company) at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on April 9th to 13th and a concert with Early Music Vancouver at the Vancouver Playhouse on April 12th. There is also An Evening With Jane Goodall on April 14th and Madama Butterfly with Vancouver Opera at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on April 26th to May 4th. There are also Tours of the Orpheum on a Saturday about once a month, plus lots of other shows and events too.

To learn more about the above and other 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.

Civic Theatres Events

In 2025 Orpheum Theatre Tours take place on the Saturdays of January 18th, February 15th and March 22nd. They run at 11:00 am and 1:00 pm on all three dates.

Silent Movie Mondays at the Orpheum also take place from time to time. They feature classic black & white films along with live music before and during each screening. In 2025 films include Piccadilly on March 10th and The Gold Rush on June 2nd.

Another series of events is National Geographic Live at the Vancouver Playhouse. These special nights include a presentation of stunning pictures and video accompanied by a live presentation by those involved in creating them. The first event was Wild Wolves of Yellowstone on February 12th, 2025. Second is The Untold Story of Sharks on April 2nd. Each date includes a matinee show at 11:00 am and an evening show at 7:30 pm.

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

Silent Movie Mondays

Silent Movie Mondays take place a few times a year. They 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.

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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