Ensemble Theatre Festival
After a three-year hiatus, Vancouver’s Ensemble Theatre Festival is making a triumphant return to the stage this summer! Running from July 8–18 at the Jericho Arts Centre, this year’s festival presents Bloodlines, a thrilling full production series that traces the invisible threads between past and present, family and system, survival and self-invention.
Under the new co-artistic leadership of Keltie Forsyth and acclaimed local artist Chris Lam, the festival features two compelling, contrasting productions running in repertory:
Peerless by Jiehae Park (Directed by Keltie Forsyth): A darkly comic, razor-sharp reimagining of Shakespeare's Macbeth. Set in the high-stakes pressure cooker of elite college admissions, it follows twin sisters M and L as their ambition spirals into an unhinged, magnetic obsession.
A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams (Directed by Chris Lam): A definitive masterpiece of the American theatrical canon. This searing portrait of desire, illusion, and collapse lays bare the fragility of identity through the iconic Blanche DuBois. Nearly eighty years after its premiere, Williams’ work remains essential, raw, and deeply resonant.
Queer Leadership at the Helm What’s On Queer readers will be particularly excited to celebrate the work of Chris Lam, who is directing Streetcar. Lam is an award-winning Chinese-Canadian stage director, actor, and a vital force in Western Canada’s 2SLGBTQIA+ theatre community. Known for his commitment to uplifting queer narratives, Lam’s notable past projects include directing the world premiere of Big Queer Filipino Karaoke Night! and the contemporary opera The Fox. A recipient of the prestigious Ray Michal Award for an Emerging Director, Lam brings his signature nuance and passion to Williams’ iconic text.
More Festival Highlights In addition to the mainstage productions, this year’s festival will feature special performances by singer-songwriter and actor Violet Grace, alongside Fistful of Crime!, a one-of-a-kind, laugh-out-loud improv show.
Originally founded in the late-1990s, the Ensemble Theatre Company (ETC) has a long-standing reputation for thrilling, artist-driven repertory theatre, earning numerous Jessie Richardson Award nominations (and a win for Superior Donuts). Don't miss their highly anticipated comeback season!
Event Details:
What: Ensemble Theatre Festival: Bloodlines
When: July 8–18
Where: Jericho Arts Centre (1675 Discovery St, Vancouver)
Tickets & Info: Grab your tickets and view the full schedule on the Ensemble Theatre Company Website.
TICKES & INFO