This Summer, the Orillia Opera House Stage Is Calling
There’s something about live theatre on a warm summer evening that just hits differently. Maybe it’s the shared energy of a full house, or the way a great performance can make you laugh, cry, and leave humming a song you forgot you loved. Whatever it is, the Orillia Opera House has bottled that feeling and stretched it across three remarkable productions this season.
Glory Days: The Troubadours at The Troubadour
July 7-11, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Kick off summer with a show that feels like rediscovering a favourite record. Glory Days celebrates the songwriters who cut their teeth on the open mic nights at Hollywood’s legendary Troubadour Club, and the music they left behind. The Eagles, Elton John, Carole King, Billy Joel,Gordon Lightfoot, Bob Dylan. These aren’t just songs; they’re the soundtrack of entire lifetimes.
Written and directed by Chris McHarge (veteran artistic director at Lighthouse Festival, Theatre Aquarius, and the Grand Theatre), this is a production that blends storytelling and live music into something genuinely special. Whether you were there the first time around or discovering these artists fresh, Glory Days will leave you moved. Get your tickets here.
Mitch Albom’s
Tuesdays with Morrie
July 24-30, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
If Glory Days gets your foot tapping, Mitch Albom’s Tuesdays with Morrie will reach straight for your heart. Based on Mitch Albom’s beloved memoir, this two-person play follows a driven journalist who reconnects with his old college professor, only to find him battling ALS. What starts as a brief visit becomes a weekly ritual of conversation, wisdom, and unexpected grace.
It’s the kind of show that changes how you see things, even just a little. Directed by Joan Mansfield and produced in partnership with Mansfield Entertainment, this intimate production is simply not to be missed. Tickets available here.
The Last Five Years
August 6-13, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Close out summer with one of the most inventive musicals of the modern era. The Last Five Years tells the story of Jamie and Cathy’s relationship. Here’s the twist: he tells it forward, she tells it backward, and somehow Jason Robert Brown’s extraordinary score makes it all heartbreakingly coherent. It’s a story about love, ambition, and the way two people can live the same years completely differently. Raw, honest, and beautifully performed. Grab your tickets here.
Want to See All Three? Get the Sunshine Pass.
If you’re already thinking “I want to see all of these” (smart), then the Sunshine Pass is made for you. For $129, you get all three productions at just $43 per show, compared to the regular $51.50 ticket price. Whether you’re planning a lazy summer afternoon or a proper night out, there’s a showtime that works. More theatre, less math, more summer well spent. Call the box office at 705-326-8011 or visit orilliaoperahouse.ca to grab yours before they’re gone.