$40 Adult
$30 Student
Includes fees & charges

The world caught a glimpse of Shane Koyczan’s prodigious Spoken Word talent with his presentation at the 2010 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremonies in Vancouver. This stand-out performance shone a bright light on this street poet from Vancouver’s Downtown East Side.

Shane, an artist, inches away from living on the street and even in those troubled times, was putting out work like “To This Day”, a video that’s garnered 24 million views and used worldwide in classrooms as a teaching tool, as well in speech and forensic competitions. His second book, “Stickboy”, was adapted by Vancouver Opera. His voice has been sought after by luminaries like director George Miller, who worked with Shane on “Mad Max: Fury Road”. Koyczan also created the piece, “Shoulders”, which he toured with David Suzuki as part of The Blue Dot Tour, a movement to enshrine environmental rights in the constitution.

A collaborator with artists such as Ani DiFranco, Dan Mangan, Tanya Tagaq, and others, Koyczan has elevated the Spoken Word art form, from its humble beginnings in after-hour cafes to stages both grand and distant. Shane brings an authenticity to his work that connects with audiences, as evidenced by his fiercely honest TED Talk, which highlights the kind of humanity he brings to each performance.

Not just a poet moving from one subject to the next, Shane weaves his pieces together in a spellbinding narrative that show audiences themes that stretch over our lives. Koyczan continues moving through the difficult parts of our existence with humour in heart, and a notepad in hand; he scribbles down the whispers inside us and uses laughter as a poultice to press against our wounds.

In 2017 Shane invited us deep into family trauma with the documentary “Shut Up And Say Something”, an emotional trip through his past as he comes to terms with his estranged father. The film won Most Popular Documentary at Vancouver International Film Festival, moving audiences with its bravery and vulnerability.

An artist whose work has transgressed genres and given breath to a new generation of voices, Shane Koyczan wears the mantle of human and dares others to discover what that means.

Shane Koyczan – “We Are More (Define Canada)”

$49.00 Adult
$45.00 Senior
$35.00 Student (25 & under)
Includes fees & charges

Back by popular demand as VDPAC’s featured 24th Annual Birthday Bash season opener, Afrique en Cirque symbolizes the strength, agility, and joy of life found in African youth. Daring acrobats, accompanied by their musicians, perform to the pulsating rhythm of djembes of Guinea with their authentic and original choreography and breath-taking acrobatics.

With the melodious sound of the Kora, Yamoussa Bangoura transports us to a place where the diversity of traditional African arts are illuminated and combined with virtuosity and awe-inspiring physicality of a modern Nprth American Circus performance.

(Limited Cabaret-style Seating)

$45 Per Person
Including fees & charges

“Cousins’ disarmingly fluid vocal tone has the ability to convey the most internalized feelings without an ounce of fuss”. -NPR Music

On her new album, “Conditions of Love, Vol. 1” released March 14, 2025, followed by her April 2025 headline tour across Canada, acclaimed Canadian folk singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Rose Cousins graces the VDPAC stage for the very first time. Rose holds our hands as she guides us on a journey through “the conditions of love.” Ever the emotional explorer, the revered Nova Scotia-based folk artist seeks truth, in all its imperfection, in the depths of our most complicated of emotions: Love.

Co-produced with trusted friend and longtime bandmate Joshua Van Tassel, this new collection of songs sees Rose return to her first love, the piano. “Piano is where I feel the most connected. It’s the best partner in expressing the emotion I’m mining,” she shares.

The intimate, inviting and “more up-close and personal” vibe of the unique and ever-popular, cabaret-style OnSTAGE Concert presentation—right on VDPAC’s main stage—is PERFECT for such an intimate, heartfelt performer as Rose Cousins.

Rose’s work as garnered her two JUNO Awards (2013’s We Have Made a Spark & 2021’s Bravado), two Canadian Folk Music Awards, eleven East Coast Music Awards and one Grammy nomination (2018’s Natural Conclusion), along with praise from the likes of the CBC, No Depression, LA Times, Billboard, Folk Alley, and NPR, who raved “Cousins’ disarmingly fluid vocal tone has the ability to convey the most internalized feelings without an ounce of fuss.” Over the years, she has shared stages with Patty Griffin, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Jann Arden, Bruce Cockburn, Josh Ritter, Kathleen Edwards, Joe Henry, Aoife O’Donovan and Anais Mitchell, and her music has fittingly underscored scenes from notable TV shows including Grey’s Anatomy, Fire Country, Station 19 and Batwoman along with several independent films.

$45 Adult
$40 Senior 60+
$25 Student 24yr or under
*includes all fees and tax

Step out of the house for an unforgettable evening with Peter Oldring and Pat Kelly (CBC Radio’s This is That) as they reunite with Carolyn Taylor (Baroness von Sketch Show). These comedy powerhouses come together for the first time since their early days at The Second City to deliver a delightfully absurd and wildly entertaining variety show. Presenting a little bit of what made This is That and Baroness von Sketch so special, your algorithm has no business being in the theatre during this evening when these seasoned comedians launch into their exceedingly reasonable evening of comedy. Don’t miss this rare and hysterical reunion!

CAROLYN TAYLOR is a whip-smart comedian, writer and actor known for her fearless satire and bold sense of humour. As a co-creator and star of CBC’s hit show The Baroness von Sketch Show, and creator of I Have Nothing on Crave, she’s won fans and accolades with her unique blend of sharp social commentary and character-driven sketches.

PAT KELLY is a creative powerhouse and co-creator of CBC’s acclaimed satirical radio show, This is That, with the touring stage version playing the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre in Fall 2017. Known for his sharp wit and knack for finding humour in the everyday absurd, Pat has carved a unique space in comedy, blending smart storytelling with biting satire, such as his memorable TED Talks parody.

PETER OLDRING is a comedian, actor and improviser celebrated for his chameleon-like ability to inhabit ridiculous characters. From his award-winning work on CBC’s This is That, to standout performances in film and TV, Peter has charmed audiences from coast to coast for over 30 years, always unpredictable and endlessly funny.

DON’T MISS “A PERFECTLY REASONABLE NIGHT OF COMEDY”!

$42 Per Person
Including fees & charges

Five Alarm Funk is Canada's premiere sonic and visual assault. With 20 years experience, in high voltage Funk infusion, FAF has carved a new path of live entertainment. The engagement, the hilarity, the precision and execution have heralded these manic Funk Bots with eight studio albums, two JUNO Award nominations, three Western Canadian Music Awards and a rap sheet of positive reviews.

Over the last 20 years, the band has toured premiere festivals across the globe in Canada, USA, Taiwan and even all the way to Mali, Africa at the UN headquarters. Five Alarm Funk is ready to take this fun, energized, atomic economic sonic and visual ritual to your doorstep. Fans and the curious alike will recall Five Alarm Funk as the “Saturday Night Festival Headliner” at Vernon’s annual SunDog Festival in 2024.

Stand & Dance at your Seat! In the words of FAF front man & drummer Tayo Branston: "Let's Funkin’ GO!!"

$59 Per Person
$49 Per Person for Groups of 10+
Includes fees & charges

“Why see a show when you can BE the show!?”

Choir! Choir! Choir! is the world-wide phenomenon, fully interactive, participatory show that turns audience into performer! So get ready to laugh, dance and SING! your hearts out with hundreds of other musiclovers just like you. It’s like a big birthday party for the greatest songs of all time--AND you’re invited!

So grab a friend (or ten), and come out ready to GIVE IT ALL YOU’VE GOT! - all voices welcome, no experience necessary. They Teach, You Sing! Everyone Wins!

This time, Choir! Choir! Choir! Presents: We Will CHOIR! You!: An EPIC QUEEN Sing-Along!

When it comes to EPIC anthems, it doesn’t get BIGGER than Queen! And nothing feels better than belting out their biggest hits with a room full of Queen fans! So unleash your inner Freddie Mercury, grab your best friends and frenemies, and create harmonies that will blow the roof off the place! “We Will CHOIR! You!” will be the most fun you’ve had in years…

Since 2011, Choir! Choir! Choir! directors Daveed Goldman + Nobu Adilman have blurred the lines between performer and audience, traveling the world to create harmony with strangers and friends alike. They’ve collaborated with renowned artists like Patti Smith, David Byrne, Brandi Carlile, Rick Astley, Rufus Wainwright, and even Kermit the Frog at New York’s Lincoln Center, creating memorable videos that have garnered views in the millions.

Now it’s your turn to SING! So grab your friends, get your tickets and we’ll C! you there! #NeverStopSinging

“Choir! Choir! Choir! has fashioned a profound way for people to connect and interact” – The New Yorker

$49 Adult
$45 Seniors
$35 Students

Jeremy Dutcher, is a classically-trained Canadian Indigenous tenor, composer, musicologist, performer and activist, who currently lives in Montréal, Québec. He became widely known for his ground breaking first album Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa, which won the 2018 Polaris Music Prize and the JUNO Award for “Indigenous Music Album of the Year” at the 2019 JUNO Awards.

Jeremy merges traditional songs with neoclassical, jazz, and pop influences. Join Jeremy and your VDPAC for this transcending performance, featuring music from Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa and his newest album, Motewolonuwok. Jeremy merges traditional songs with A Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) member of the Tobique First Nation in North-West New Brunswick, Dutcher studied music and anthropology at Dalhousie University. After training as an operatic tenor in the Western classical tradition, he expanded his professional repertoire to include the traditional singing style and songs of his community.

He recorded Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa following a research project on archival recordings of traditional Maliseet songs at the Canadian Museum of History, many of which are no longer being passed down to contemporary Maliseet youth.

The profound and indelible artist, Jeremy Dutcher identifies as Two-Spirit, a modern, Pan-Indian, umbrella term used by some Indigenous North Americans to describe aboriginal people fulfilling a traditional third-gender (or other gender-variant) ceremonial cultural role in their community.
neo-classical, jazz, and pop influences.

$49.00 Adult
$45.00 Senior
$25.00 Student (25 & under)
Includes fees & charges

The Barra MacNeils: An East Coast Christmas is a musical potpourri of traditional MacNeil family favourites gleaned from Christmas ceilidhs, midnight masses and the general festive frolic that accompanies each holiday season. With their captivating vocals, distinctive harmonies and extraordinary musicianship, The Barra MacNeils inject new life and energy into the sights and sounds of Christmas…one moment a rousing chorus, then a hauntingly beautiful Gaelic ballad, the next a flurry of foot-stomping instrumentals, which of course pulls one then another into a step-dancing revelry.

For a delightful seasonal celebration, don’t miss An East Coast Christmas with The Barra MacNeils!

$69 Per Person
Including fees & charges

Canadian Country Music Award-winners George Canyon and Aaron Pritchett unite for “A Coast-to-Coast Cowboy Christmas” cross-Canada tour, delivering their chart-topping hits and your favourite holiday classics!

George Canyon rose to fame in the early-2000’s, winning multiple JUNO, CCMA & East Coast Music Awards, and induction into the Nova Scotia Country Music Hall of Fame. George is best known for hits including Just Like You; I Want You to Live; and Slow Dance; and is a celebrated humanitarian, receiving the CCMA Humanitarian Award and Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal. He has also appeared in acting roles on Heartland; Trailer Park Boys; and in Hallmark’s One Starry Christmas.

Aaron Pritchett has been a Canadian country favourite for over 20 years, with 13 Top Ten hits including Hold My Beer; Worth a Shot; and his #1 Single Better When I Do. Aaron is widely-loved, known for his dynamic live performances, heartfelt songwriting, and his continuing to push country music boundaries.

Don’t miss two of Canada’s country music legends, together: George Canyon & Aaron Pritchett’s “A Coast to Coast Cowboy Christmas” this holiday season at the Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre.

$40.00 Per Person
Including fees & charges

Fresh off her emerging star-revealing opening performance for Tom Cochrane’s Signature Concert at VDPAC in July, JIMI is undeniably a rising force in contemporary Rock, Country & Blues. Blending virtuosic guitar riffs, soulful vocals, captivating songwriting and a magnetic stage presence, JIMI brings a fresh, genre-defying sound. Her many viral performances have led to co-writing collaboration with rock icon Bryan Adams and a Western Canada tour opening for multiple CCMA-nominated Cameron Whitcomb. Bold, raw and unapologetically real, JIMI is the next big artist to watch!

Limited Cabaret-style Seating on the Mainstage

$49 Per Person
Including fees & charges

Described as “one of the most compelling acts Canada has to offer” -TIME Magazine

Audiences will recall Sarah Slean’s only previous special guest appearance at the VDPAC, with her unforgettable performance with the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra in April 2018.

Sarah Slean is a 4-time JUNO, 2-time Gemini nominated performer and a CSA-winning composer with 25 years of broad experience in music; widely-recognized for her lyrical songwriting, exquisite orchestral arranging and virtuosic piano-playing—But don’t overlook her ethereal voice—described by CBC as a “19th cenutry Kate Bush.”

Slean is a unique, multi-faceted creative force. Since being signed to Atlantic/Warner Records at age 19, Sarah has released 11 albums in over 10 countries worldwide. She cites such diverse influences as Leonard Bernstein, philosophy, Joni Mitchell, Buddhism and Bach. Her music “burrows” aspects of cabaret, pop, and orchestral. Classically trained from age 5, Sarah routinely collaborates with cutting-edge contemporary classical ensembles like The Art of Time, sharing the stage with 10 of Canada’s professional orchestras and invited to sing world premieres by Canada’s leading composers.

Sarah has also toured Europe, the US and Scandinavia, opening internationally for such artists as Bryan Ferry, Rufus Wainwright, Alanis Morissette, Andrew Bird, Feist, Ron Sexsmith and Chris Isaak.

She is alumna of the prestigious Canadian Film Centre’s screen composing residency (2017-18), earning her first Canadian Screen Award (2021). In 2021-22, Sarah composed the music for the onstage musical adaptation of the award-winning film “Maudie”.

Don’t miss this unique, unforgettably moving concert experience—a perfect gift for next Valentine’s Day!

For more about the artistry, songwriting, arranging and unforgettable voice of Sarah Slean, visit:

https://sarahslean.com

$45.00 Per Person
Including fees & charges

The 21st Annual I Am Woman, Hear Me Laff! Comedy Show, a beloved annual tradition, brings a selection of the brightest professional stand-up comedians together for a night of female empowerment guaranteed to deliver side-splitting, tearinducing laughter. Grab your besties and get ready for a sizzling night out!

Headliner & Guest Comedians to be Announced

CAUTION: It gets SPICY! May contain 19+ strong language & mature content.