Capitol Theatre Announces 2025 Season

With the 2024 season not quite complete, Port Hope’s Capitol Theatre is announcing their 2025 season. The theatre hosted a special event offering the unusual combination of champagne and popcorn (What? No caviar?). But there was a gala atmosphere with entertainment live on stage, as well as videos from some upcoming performers. Artisitic Director Rob Kempson was master of ceremonies for the big announcements, which were met with cheers from the appreciative and near-capacity audience.
Among the entertainers were Alicia Ault, Kyle Golemba, and Cale Crowe. Alicia sang two songs, one from the musical Waitress, where she will be playing Dawn. Kyle performed a number from his one-man-show, Handsome but Charmless. Kyle will be familiar to Port Hope audiences, thanks to his role in Bed and Breakfast earlier this year. The name of his show, Handsome but Charmless comes from a review written about him in one of his first performances, which obviously didn’t slow him down!  Cale Crowe also sang a duet (yes, he sang both parts) from his show Rez Gas. Cale of Alderville First Nation and Genevieve Adam of Cobourg wrote Rez Gas as part of the inaugural Creators’ Unit at the Capitol. I had the pleasure of seeing it workshopped as part of the Unit.  It was very impressive and I look forward to seeing it again.

Cale Crowe performing a number from Rez Gas. 

Here’s what Port Hopians have to look forward to:

First, don’t forget that we haven’t yet seen the 2024 season finale — Rapunzel – A Merry (Hairy) Holiday Panto. There are also a few concerts to come before year end: Billboard in Concert 2000 on October 25 and 26, and a Tina Turner tribute on New Year’s Eve, to name a couple.

But looking forward to 2025, here’s the line up.

CAPITOL THEATRE: 2025 MAINSTAGE

Alice in Wonderland
From Bad Hats Theatre
Adapted by Fiona Sauder
Music by Landon Doak & Victor Pokinko
Dramaturgy by Matt Pilipiak
Directed by Sue Miner
May 16 – June 1, 2025
A musical take on this classic adventure!
This smash-hit, Dora Award-winning family musical broke Canadian box office records over the
past two years and now it’s coming to the Capitol! Bad Hats Theatre’s contemporary spin on
Wonderland takes us down the rabbit hole with Alice, a girl with a lot of questions.

Waitress
Music & Lyrics by Sara Bareilles
Book by Jessie Nelson
Based on the motion picture by Adrienne Shelly
Directed by Rob Kempson
June 13 – 29, 2025
A heart-filled and hilarious musical about finding your voice.
Waitress tells the story of Jenna, an expert pie-maker who dreams of a way out of her small town
and rocky marriage by entering a pie competition. But when she meets her new doctor, her plans
get more complicated, and sugar, butter, and flour simply won’t solve this conundrum.

Steel Magnolias
By Robert Harling
Directed by Courtney Ch’ng Lancaster
July 18 – August 3, 2025
A classic story of friendship, family–and hair.
Women are as delicate as magnolias but as tough as steel. This classic play tells the story of Truvy’s
in-home beauty parlour and the women who frequent it. As the women confront their own unique
challenges, they rely on their friendship to get them through some of the hardships of life: health,
family, religion, and relationships.

Rez Gas
By Cale Crowe & Genevieve Adam
Music Supervision by Jeff Newberry
Directed by Herbie Barnes
August 22 – September 7, 2025
A world premiere musical about discovering home.
After moving away from his home reservation to pursue a music career, Destin stumbles back into
town with unexpected car trouble and lands at the Wide Wigwam, the diner at the centre of the
community. There he finds many of those who he left behind and who want to remind him of his
history and his place in the community.

HOLIDAY PANTO
Hansel & Gretel: The Sticky & Sweet Panto
By Rob Kempson
Musical Arrangements by Jeff Newberry
Directed by Rob Kempson
November 21 – December 28, 2025
A twisted and sugary fairytale for the holidays!
Hansel and Gretel are siblings who are abandoned in a forest, and due to some rather unfortunate
navigation, they fall into the hands of a nasty witch who lives in a gingerbread house. With songs
you know and love, hilarious characters, and the silliest of stories, this sugar-laden panto will have
you rolling in the aisles!

CAPITOL THEATRE: SECOND STAGE SERIES

Handsome But Charmless
Created & Performed by Kyle Golemba
Music Direction by Adam White
June 3 – 8, 2025
A bad review becomes a brilliant one-man show!
Titled after Kyle’s worst review, Handsome But Charmless chronicles his journey navigating life as an
actor. Full of great Broadway music, hilarious stories, and reflections on the ups and downs of life in
the theatre, Kyle (Bed & Breakfast, 2024) is sure to make you tap your toes while tickling your funny
bone.

The Newfoundland Songbook
Created & Performed by Shipyard Kitchen Party
July 3 – 13, 2025
You may not be a Newfoundlander when you take your seat, but you’ll feel like one when you leave!
From the remote outports to the vibrant city of St. John’s, you’ll hear the timeless sea-shanties,
triumphant ballads, and the hilarious foot-stomping sing-a-longs that make Canada’s 10th province
its most legendary.

Let Me Explain
From Green Light Arts
Created & Performed by Izad Etemadi
Directed by Matt White
August 12 – 17, 2025
A hilarious night of songs, satire, and personal stories.
Izad Etemadi has spent most of his life explaining himself to others: his ethnicity, his sexuality, the
pronunciation of his name. This queer Iranian-Canadian immigrant born in Germany is going to
attempt to explain his entire existence in 60-ish minutes, so he never has to do it again.

CAPITOL THEATRE: CONCERTS

Billboard in Concert: The Power of Women
Conceived by Jeff Newberry & Rob Kempson
March 8 – 9 & September 27 – 28, 2025
The songs you know and love live on stage!
Our signature remix of your favourite tunes returns in 2025 with a twist.
The Power of Women will feature hits by: Jann Arden, Aretha Franklin, Carole King, Mariah Carey,
Adele, Taylor Swift, Toni Braxton, and many more!

Billboard in Concert: 1986
September 27 – 28, 2025
Created by local and regional artists, these unique concerts celebrate the top billboard hits of a given year.
1986 will feature hits by: Lionel Richie, Patti LaBelle, Prince, Whitney Houston, Starship, Madonna,
Bon Jovi, Janet Jackson, and many more!

How We Got to Jersey: A Tale of Two Frankies
Created and Performed by Jeff Madden & Adrian Marchuk
Musical Direction and Arrangements by Mark Camilleri
Oct 24 – 26, 2025
All your favourite hits from Jersey Boys in one show!
How We Got To Jersey: A Tale Of Two Frankies is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hear not one,
but two Frankie Vallis in a show-stopping concert revue that takes you behind the scenes of the
blockbuster Broadway smash hit, Jersey Boys. Starring Adrian Marchuk and Jeff Madden, find out
how two small-town Canadian kids grew up to both play a bonafide Rock-and-Roll Hall of Fame
superstar on stages around the world, to an audience of millions.

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