There are a number of great shows and theatre productions happening on Vancouver’s North Shore in the fall and early winter of 2024.
Places you’ll find shows to see include Centennial Theatre, Presentation House Theatre, and Deep Cove Shaw Theatre (where both the Deep Cove Stage Society and First Impressions Theatre have productions).
In this article we list some of the shows coming up in the North Shore region. We also briefly describe the venues where the performances take place and the theatre companies behind them.
Upcoming shows include STAND Festival workshops and performances at Presentation House Theatre (on November 4th to 17th). There is the musical Bear Grease at Centennial Theatre (on November 8th). It’s similar to the 1978 musical starring John Travolta, but with an Indigenous twist and all-Indigenous cast.
For fans of Alfred Hitchcock, there is the comedy The 39 Steps in Deep Cove with First Impressions Theatre. It runs from November 14th to 30th, but with a special Preview Night on November 13th where proceeds benefit charitable projects supported by the Rotary Club of Lions Gate.
There are other shows happening soon too. Continue reading for details.
NORTH VANCOUVER HOTELS
Looking for a place to stay on the North Shore? Then check out our article about North Vancouver Hotels. There you’ll find information about a number of options, including the Pinnacle at the Pier which is one of our favourite hotels in Metro Vancouver.
Alternatively, if you want to stay in downtown Vancouver and either drive or take the SeaBus over to the North Shore, then check out StayVancouverHotels.com. You’ll find competitive rates on that website, plus you can earn a bonus gift when making your reservation. Hotels participating in their deals include the Pinnacle Harbourfront Hotel (which is a sister hotel to the Pinnacle at the Pier). Other hotels include the Westin Bayshore, Fairmont Hotel Vancouver and over three dozen other places.
Theatre Venue and Shows on the North Shore
The Lower Mainland is home to a number of great Theatre Companies, and the North Shore is no exception! There are plenty of great shows to check out throughout the year. Many of them are created by or starring local artists!
Below are some of the most notable productions taking place in the final few months of 2024. We also provide a little bit of detail about the venues at which they’re held.
Bear Grease at Centennial Theatre
Bear Grease is a Canadian-made play that’s an Indigenous adaptation of the classic film Grease (which starred John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John). The show has a special one-night presentation at Centennial Theatre on Friday, November 8th.
Bear Grease is a musical just like its source film, but the show is reworked to include some different characters and add a new flair to the story. The overarching story beats are familiar, but done in a way that makes them both modern and authentic to Indigenous culture in Canada and the United States.
Tickets to the show cost $60, or $50 for Indigenous Veterans (as November 8th is National Indigenous Veterans Day). The performance takes place at Centennial Theatre which is located at 2300 Lonsdale Avenue in North Vancouver.
Centennial Theatre seats up to around 650 people which makes it a good-sized venue. It’s a popular spot for shows and concerts of various kinds as well as other events like graduation ceremonies.
For tickets and details about the show, click Bear Grease 2024. To learn more about the venue, see our article about Centennial Theatre or visit the Centennial Theatre website.
Presentation House Theatre Productions
One of the busiest venues on the North Shore this fall is Presentation House Theatre. It has multiple productions in November and December.
The venue is located at 333 Chesterfield Avenue in North Vancouver’s Lower Lonsdale neighbourhood. It’s just a few blocks up the hill from Lonsdale Quay. The seating capacity is 150 seats, so smaller than Centennial. That doesn’t mean, however, that there isn’t also great theatre here too! There is lots of it!
Below are some of the shows taking the stage at Presentation House Theatre in the fall and early winter of 2024.
- The STAND Festival – the 4th edition of this annual festival, STAND provides a platform for immigrant and refugee artists to share their works. There are various shows throughout the run of the festival. (November 1st to 17th)
- Where the Wild Things Are – a stage adaptation of the famous children’s story presented in a very interactive way. (November 22nd to December 1st)
- A Christmas Carol – the classic Christmas tale features live accompaniment by West Vancouver’s Sentinel Secondary Jazz Band. (December 4th to 15th)
- Holiday Singalong – the audience is part of the performance in this event. Everyone is given song sheets and invited to sing along. It’s a great way to lift one’s spirits for the holidays. (December 17th to 21st)
Tickets for these shows range from $15 to $50.
To learn more, see our article about Presentation House Theatre or visit the phtheatre.org website.
The 39 Steps at First Impressions Theatre
First Impressions Theatre is one of two companies that use the Deep Cove Shaw Theatre as their venue of choice. First Impressions is a little younger than the other one, but not by much – they’re celebrating their 41st year in 2024!
The theatre venue seats around 130 people and is located at 4360 Gallant Avenue in the heart of Deep Cove (which is one of North Vancouver’s most picturesque neighbourhoods). The venue is also home to the Seymour Art Gallery and the Deep Cove Heritage Society.
This fall the featured production is The 39 Steps, which is a comedy based on the Alfred Hitchcock film of the same name. It’s a fast-paced show that includes a small number of cast members playing a high number of characters.
Opening night is on November 14th, and the production runs until November 30th. Tickets cost $35 for adults and $30 for seniors and students.
Note: On November 13th, so the day before opening night, there’s a pre-show fundraising event. You can see The 39 Steps that night if you buy your tickets from the Rotary Club of Lions Gate. If you do that, the tickets will cost $40 (plus online fees), but net proceeds will benefit Rotary-related charitable projects, including ones supporting youth on the North Shore.
For tickets to the regular season shows, see the First Impression Theatre website. For tickets to the Rotary fundraising performance, visit eventbrite.ca.
The Pantomime Cinderella
Deep Cove Stage Society (DCSS) is the other company that performs at the Deep Cove Shaw Theatre.
From December 19th to 29th there’s Cinderella which is this year’s edition of the DCSS’s annual Christmas pantomime. Tickets to see the famous fairy tale are by donation with a minimum of just $5, in celebration of the company’s 50th anniversary!
To learn more, see our article about the Deep Cove Stage Society or visit deepcovestage.com.
Other Information
To learn about other things to do in the area before seeing your show, check out the following articles:
- North Vancouver
- Vancouver’s North Shore
- Deep Cove
- Lower Lonsdale & the Shipyards District
- North Vancouver Restaurants
For more information about the above theatre companies, see the following articles and websites:
- First Impressions Theatre (or firstimpressionstheatre.com)
- Deep Cove Stage Society (or deepcovestage.com)
- Presentation House Theatre (or phtheatre.org)
- Centennial Theatre (or nvrc.ca/centennial-theatre)
To learn more about what the rest of Metro Vancouver has to offer, check out our article on Vancouver Theatre Companies and Venues.
Other articles that might be of interest include the following:
- Vancouver Shows & Entertainment
- Festivals & Events Calendar
- Vancouver Rainy Day Activities
- Entertainment in Vancouver
- Vancouver Choirs