Bealtaine Theatre Festival

What is Bealtaine?

Bealtaine is an ancient Celtic festival celebrated on May 1st, marking the arrival of summer. One of the four major Gaelic seasonal festivals—alongside Samhain, Imbolc, and Lughnasadh—Beltane was traditionally associated with fertility, renewal, and the blossoming of life.

The festival was known for bonfires, music, and storytelling, with flames symbolizing purification, protection, and the return of warmth. Flowers, especially those that bloom in May—like hawthorn, primrose, and rowan—were woven into garlands and doorways to welcome abundance and good fortune. These vibrant blooms were seen as a sign of nature’s renewal and the promise of summer’s bounty.

Today, Bealtaine is often celebrated as a time of creativity, connection, and community, making it a perfect inspiration for a festival that brings stories and artistic expression to life.

The King of All Birds

April 25th to 27th at the Ontario Heritage Centre

I’m going to do a few songs today. In about 30 minutes, we’re going to crown a new king. And then, I’m going to fly.

We’ve always been obsessed with the sky. We marvel at aerial views of our homes, gather in awe to watch people take flight, and, every so often, we crown a king.

Martha Knight guides us through this quirky and innovative story using song, vocoder, film collage, text, and music. She unpacks our long history with the sky: centuries of looking up in wonder, the first bold attempts to touch it—kites, balloons, planes, even cameras strapped to carrier pigeons. And now, our relentless ascent, climbing higher and higher, never quite satisfied.

The King of All Birds is a celebration of flight, ambition, and the stories we tell to keep our dreams soaring.

“When you leave the theatre and look up at the sky, it will have you imagining all sorts of stories playing out above our heads”
★★★★☆
The Irish Times

Tom Moran is a Big Fat Filthy Disgusting Liar

May 2nd and 3rd at Theatre Passe Muraille

Have you ever told a lie? How bad was it? And how far would you go to keep it a secret?

Brimming with humour and heart, Tom takes the stage to share a story, spill some secrets, and maybe—just maybe—set things right. A self-proclaimed people-pleaser and expert in empathy, he also happens to be terrible at telling the truth. In this hilarious yet deeply personal journey, he unpacks masculinity, childhood, and the messy ways our past shapes who we become.

“Superlative… A masterclass… Spectacularly lives up to expectations”
The Irish Independent

Story of a Day

May 17th and 18th at the Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse

I’m awake… I think. But what was it that woke me? The tap, tap on the window? A sliver of sunlight on the wall? My cold foot? Or… was it my dream?

So begins a magical, music-filled journey through one child’s day, where the ordinary transforms into the extraordinary. Through live music, vibrant storytelling, and vivid animation, Story of a Day invites young audiences to see the world with fresh eyes.

For children aged four and up and their families.

The Libravian

May 24th and 25th at the Helen Gardiner Phelan Playhouse

Meet Lynn—a lovable, bookish librarian (or, as she likes to say, “libravian”) who’s perfectly happy minding her own business… until fate intervenes!

In The Libravian, audiences embark on a playful journey through literature, guided by Lynn as she lip-syncs to immersive audiobook soundscapes. Each book, written by Irish authors, explores the theme of bravery, bringing stories to life in unexpected ways.

Perfect for young audiences of eight to eleven and their families.