Place des Arts Summer Theatre Troupe
Place des Arts offers art, drama, music and theatre programs in Coquitlam. It’s also home to Summer Theatre Troupe which does free plays with youth in summer.

Summer Theatre at Place des Arts

Place des Arts is a non-profit organization that offers a number of different classes and workshops for people of all ages. The sessions include both visual arts and theatre arts. During the summer there are plenty of programs aimed at children and teenagers and that includes the Summer Theatre Troupe.

The troupe puts on a show in July and/or August each year, with free performances open to everyone. The cast is typically an ensemble of students. The director, set and costume designer, and stage managers, however, are all usually professionals.

In 2026 the summer production is The Emperor’s New Threads, which is a humorous Hans Christian Andersen story. Its about a vain emperor who gets swindled by two scheeming crooks. Shows run on most days between July 24th and August 2nd.

Where and When are the Shows?

Most of the shows take place at Place des Arts which is located at 1120 Brunette Avenue in southwest Coquitlam. But be careful though, as a couple of the performances are also held at the City Centre Branch of the Coquitlam Public Library at 1169 Pinetree Way. Check your tickets for exact details.

Admission to the Summer Theatre Troupe shows are free but attendees must register for tickets in advance.

The 2026 production of The Emperor’s New Threads runs on the following dates and times:

Friday, July 24th – at 7:00 pm
Saturday, July 25th – at 2:30 pm and 4:30 pm
Sunday, July 26th – at 2:30 pm, 4:30 pm and 7:00 pm
Wednesday, July 29th – at 1:30 pm and 3 pm (at the Coquitlam Public Library)
Thursday, July 30th – at 1:30 pm and 3 pm (at the Coquitlam Public Library)
Friday, July 31st – at 7:00 pm
Saturday, August 1st – at 2:30 pm, 4:30 pm and 7:00 pm
Sunday, August 2rd – at 2:30 pm

Click the Place des Arts website for more details.

The Emperor’s New Threads Cast and Crew

Michael Fera is returning as the director of The Emperor’s New Threads production in 2026. He is the former Program and Events Coordinator at Place des Arts, and was the director of Munsch at Play in 2025. He is also the person who first created the Summer Theatre Troupe over a decade ago.

The Summer Theatre Troupe shows are for people of all ages. They’re a great show for families to go to, especially since they’re both fun and free.

More Place des Arts Summer Programs

There are plenty of summertime programs on offer at Place des Arts. The centre provides full-day and half-day camps for children ages 5 to 14 from the beginning of July to early August.

The summer camps range from visual arts to performing arts and other topics. They’re open to everyone and cost anywhere from about $140 to $265 per week (although this is to be determined for 2026).

See our article about Summer Camps in Metro Vancouver to learn more about what’s on offer at both Place des Arts and other organizations.