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Drayton Entertainment Announces 2026 Season

October 8, 2025

Broadway Blockbusters … Canadian Comedies … Agatha Christie Thrillers ... Musical Revues … Family Favourites

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Award-winning Drayton Entertainment has announced its 2026 Season, featuring an ambitious lineup of 17 productions across 4 area stages: St. Jacobs Country Playhouse, Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge, Hildebrand Schoolhouse Theatre St. Jacobs, and Drayton Festival Theatre.
 
“Our 2026 Season spans genres, emotions, and generations but at its core, it's about what unites us: the need to laugh, to feel, to dream, and to share the experience together,” says David Connolly, Artistic Director of Drayton Entertainment. “We can’t wait to welcome you into this vibrant collection of unforgettable stories... where hope inspires change, courage strengthens connection, and shared experiences celebrate the joy, resilience, and humanity that bind us together.”

St. Jacobs Country Playhouse

The 2026 Season commences with one of the most remarkable shows in music theatre history. Dear Evan Hansen is the deeply personal and profoundly contemporary musical about life and the way we live in the digital age. With a book by Steven Levenson, and music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the musical follows a high school senior with social anxiety who invents an important role for himself in a tragedy that he did not earn. Winner of the Olivier, Tony, and Grammy Award for Best Musical, this production strikes a remarkable chord with audiences of all ages and critics everywhere. See it on stage March 18 to April 12. 

Next to take the stage is Agatha Christie’s mystery thriller, And Then There Were None. When a group of disparate guests arrive at an isolated island mansion, their past misdeeds are exposed and one by one, they start dying off. Trapped without hope of imminent rescue, the guests must determine the culprit before it’s too late. One of Christie’s most foreboding tales and a masterpiece of dramatic construction, this classic play’s growing sense of dread and unfaltering tension will keep audiences guessing to the very end. Put your sleuthing skills to the test May 20 to June 7.

Return to Grace, the Concert of a Lifetime, is an exhilarating theatrical experience that celebrates the enduring spirit of one of the greatest icons of our time. A jukebox of Elvis standards including “Love Me Tender,” “Hound Dog,” “Suspicious Minds,” “Heartbreak Hotel” and many more come to life in a breathtaking stage spectacle featuring 20 musicians, singers, and dancers. This high-energy musical revue, conceived and created by Robert Asselstine, is on stage July 15 to August 8. 

The summer rounds out with the comic event of the season, starring the most memorable pair of mismatched roommates you’ll ever meet. Neil Simon’s timeless comedy The Odd Couple chronicles the plight of slobby Oscar and neat freak Felix, two mismatched roommates forced to navigate a new living arrangement while contending with rib-tickling misunderstandings, uproarious conflict, and unexpected friendship. Catch this hilarious and entertaining tale August 12 to August 30. 

With the arrival of cooler weather comes Into The Woods, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. The line between reality and fantasy blurs when an epic fairy tale comes to life – with real world consequences. What follows is a production full of catchy songs, witty lyrics, and dark humour as storybook characters learn the complications of what follows happily-ever-after. A rare modern classic about wishes, family, and the choices we make, this mystical and magical musical adventure is on stage October 7 to October 25. 

For the final production of the 2026 Season, the longstanding British panto tradition continues with the reimagined fairy tale Snow White and the Seven Tenors by Caroline Smith. Banished by her jealous stepmother and tricked into biting a poisoned apple, Snow White stumbles across a group of powerhouse singers who help the princess find her voice, topple the wicked queen, and hit all the right notes on her journey back to the palace. A beloved tradition imported from the UK, pantomimes mix fairy tales with fabulous fun: chart-topping hits, dazzling dance, outrageous costumes, pop-culture gags, and cheeky humour for kids and grown-ups alike. See it during the holiday season, November 19 to December 27.

Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge

The 2026 Season in Cambridge launches with the soaring musical Finding Neverland, the  fascinating story of how Peter became Pan. Based on the Academy Award-winning motion picture, with a book by James Graham and music by Gary Barlow and Eliot Kennedy, it follows the story of author J.M. Barrie’s evolving relationship with a beautiful widow and her four mischievous boys, and how they inspired the world of Peter Pan. This gloriously sweet and wondrous telling of the beginnings of Neverland is on stage April 15 to May 3.

This is followed by the Broadway dance spectacular 42nd Street, with music by Harry Warren and lyrics by Al Dubin, and book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble. This timeless and inspiring showbiz fairy tale combines breathtaking tap dance routines, backstage intrigue, classic romance, and delightful comedy to dazzling effect. A young chorus girl gets a shot at stardom in this love letter to the stage packed with glitz and glamour, and sensational songs like “Lullaby of Broadway,” “We’re in the Money,” and “Shuffle Off To Buffalo.” Don’t miss it, July 2 to July 19. 

The season continues with Nashville Music City, a feel-good musical revue by Tracey Power and Van Wilmott that chronicles how Nashville became the heart and soul of country music. A neon light shines on defining music through the decades, covering hit after hit popularized by legends like Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson, and Johnny Cash to modern-day superstars like Shania Twain, Garth Brooks, Keith Urban, and Taylor Swift. Watch these incredibly talented musicians go wild, August 13 to August 30. 

Then it’s Murder on the Orient Express, one of Agatha Christie’s greatest literary achievements, adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig. When a wealthy passenger is murdered aboard, Detective Hercule Poirot investigates a cast of intriguing passengers, uncovering secrets and motives as he seeks the truth. This suspenseful tale of deception, revenge and justice is on stage October 14 to November 1. 

The final production of the season is so epic that it must stay under wraps – for now! The Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge will be transformed during the holiday season as one of the biggest and most successful productions in Broadway history takes to the stage.

“We have been trying relentlessly to secure the rights to this particular production for years, and once revealed we know that audiences will be as excited as we are,” says Connolly. This special holiday production will be officially announced later this year, and will run November 18 to December 27. 

Hildebrand Schoolhouse Theatre St. Jacobs

Elbows up, theatregoers … the Mountie is on his “final” farewell tour, and he’s funnier than ever!  Back by popular demand, humorist Neil Aitchison takes the stage as his beloved alter ego RCMP Constable Archibald F. Inkster in Sorry…I’m Not Sorry! Along with hilarious musings on what it means to be quintessentially Canadian, this unapologetic comedy conceived by Alex Mustakas also highlights our rich musical heritage with stunning selections from the Great Canadian Song Book. Laugh along with Neil and friends all summer long, June 2 to August 22. 

The fall promises big laughs with an even bigger heart. Jonas & Barry in the Home, a lighthearted buddy comedy by Norm Foster, celebrates the humour and humanity in life’s later chapters. Two seniors embark on clever ways to spice up their lives – and the lives of those around them – at an assisted living facility, with hilarious results. This testament to living each day to the fullest is on stage October 6 to November 8. 

The Schoolhouse will mark the holidays with a story about peace on earth. All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 is a remarkable true story, told in the words and songs of those who lived it, written by Peter Rothstein with vocal arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach. A group of weary English soldiers hunker down in the trenches of The Western Front on Christmas Eve, only to encounter an extraordinary night of camaraderie, music, and peace. Crowned “One of the top live events for Christmas in North America” by BBC Magazine, this production will take audiences on a journey to parts of the heart rarely explored. This celebration of shared humanity is on stage from November 24 to December 27. 

Drayton Festival Theatre

There is a saying in Nashville, “It all begins with a song” … and the 2026 Season follows suit. The season-opener, Nashville Music City created by Tracey Power and Van Wilmott, pays tribute to the artists and songs that gave the city its name. Experience Nashville’s enduring musical legacy June 10 to June 27. 

Next up is the divine musical comedy Sister Act, with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Glenn Slater, and book by Cheri Steinkellner and Bill Steinkellner. Based on the hit movie starring Whoopi Goldberg, a disco diva is forced to hide out in a convent after witnessing a violent crime. Disguised as a nun, she finds herself at odds with the rigid lifestyle but with her sensational talent, she helps her fellow sisters find their inner voices while unexpectedly finding her own. Filled with glorious gospel-inspired music, dancing, and an uplifting story that celebrates sisterhood, Sister Act will leave audiences jumping for joy July 2 to July 26.

Closing out the 2026 Season at the original Festival Theatre is Sexy Laundry, a contemporary Canadian comedy by Michele Riml. To rekindle the magic in a 25-year marriage, a couple goes on a naughty hotel retreat, equipped with a copy of “Sex for Dummies.” But they soon find that when the clothes come off, so do the gloves. This international hit play is on stage August 12 to August 30. 

Additional Programming

The Drayton Entertainment Youth Academy High School Project allows high school students across the Waterloo Region to experience the working environment of a professional theatre, at no cost to the participants. Mentored by professional artists, over 50 students will gain valuable life skills through onstage and behind-the-scenes roles in a fully staged production of Disney’s The Little Mermaid.

In a magical kingdom fathoms below, the beautiful young mermaid Ariel longs to leave her ocean home to live in the world above. When she saves a prince from drowning in a storm, she is determined to find a way to be with her true love. With lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, music by Alan Menken, and book by Doug Wright, the production features the hit songs “Part of Your World,” “She’s in Love,” and the Oscar-winning “Under the Sea.”  A splashy Broadway spectacle for the entire family, Disney’s The Little Mermaid is on stage at the Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge from September 22 to October 4.     

Creative teams and full casting for all 2026 Season productions will be announced later.

Ticket Information

Tickets are on sale exclusively to Members on Monday, December 8, and to Subscribers on Friday, December 12. Tickets are on sale to everyone by phone, in person at select Box Office locations (Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge and St. Jacobs Country Playhouse only), and online at draytonentertainment.com/2026 beginning on Monday, December 15. 

Season at a Glance

Hamilton Family Theatre Cambridge

St. Jacobs Country Playhouse

Drayton Festival Theatre

St. Jacobs Schoolhouse Theatre

Other Programming

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For more information, or to schedule an interview, please contact:
Danielle Dixon, Community Engagement Specialist
Phone: (519) 621-5511 ext. 256
danielle@draytonentertainment.com

 

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