Imagine a chance to see some of the best emerging performers in Canada before their names light up Broadway marquees or TV screens. Imagine a school so rigorous that its students train 12 hours a day in dance, voice, and acting, immersed in one of the most demanding conservatory programs in the country. And imagine that this same school has produced stars like Carly Rae Jepsen, along with award-winning actors, directors, and producers now shaping stage and screen across Canada. That school is the Canadian College of Performing Arts (CCPA), operated by the Canadian Heritage Arts Society. This season promises comedy, drama, music – and the thrill of spotting tomorrow’s stars today. “We focus on what’s known as a triple threat – dance, acting, and music,” managing director Erin Gavaghan explains. “We want students to leave here with a full toolkit of talent and skills.” The 2025-26 season was carefully designed to lean into the complexities and vibrancy of youth – and all that goes with it. “We wanted to invite directors who would bring different practices,” Gavaghan says. “A real juxtaposition of styles and types of plays so students get a rich experience, and our audiences get a lot of variety.” The lineup begins Oct. 16 with Significant Other. Joshua Harmon’s comedy about weddings and the search for love comes to life under director Danik McAfee. “Some of our students will be juggling up to three different roles,” Gavaghan says. On Nov. 27, Concord Floral by Jordan Tannahill arrives under the direction of Tom Arthur Davis. Set in a decaying greenhouse, the award-winning play plunges into secrets and the haunting guilt that comes from burying a deadly secret that should have been revealed. Dec. 11 brings the Year 2 students centre stage in Blue Stockings, Jessica Swale’s drama about women at Cambridge University in the 1890s. Co-directed by R.J. Peters and Raugi Yu, the play captures both the personal and political stakes of young women struggling for the right to graduate on equal terms with their male peers. The new year launches with a bolt of rock-star energy. Opening Jan. 30, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical brings Rick Riordan’s best-selling novel to the stage. Directed and choreographed by Kaylee Harwood with music direction by Brad L’Écuyer, the show follows 12-year-old Percy Jackson as he discovers he’s the son of Poseidon and is accused of stealing Zeus’s master lightning bolt. With humour, heart, and a driving rock score, it’s a quest about friendship, identity, and finding your place in the world. The season closes with Disney’s Newsies at the McPherson Playhouse, running April 17-25. Directed by Kayvon Khoshkam, with choreography by Tiffany and Jeremy Miton and music direction by Jeff Poynter, the musical dramatizes the 1899 strike by New York’s newsboys. With high-energy dance numbers and a rousing score, the production will feature the entire student body. “Our year-end musical is always huge,” Gavaghan says. “This year we’ll have 48 students on stage.”
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