Symphony aficionados, comedy lovers, live theatre supporters and ballet enthusiasts will discover that Vancouver is a city rich in live performance options.
Watch Shakespeare outdoors, with a backdrop of mountains, ocean and sky, at Bard on the Beach. Laugh at an improv show with Vancouver's TheatreSports League, or take in one (or more) of the 400 live theatre shows during the annual Vancouver International Fringe Festival.
The historic Orpheum Theatre houses the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra and, on Vancouver's east side, an old firehall and an abandoned church have become well-loved performing arts venues.
Learn more about Theatre & Performing Arts in Vancouver:
Symphony Orchestras
Dance Performances
Live Theatre
Improv and Stand-up Comedy
Music Concerts
Vancouver Symphony Orchestras
The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra presents a varied seasonal line-up, offering both classical and popular music performances. Its home venue is downtown's Baroque-styled Orpheum Theatre, which was constructed in 1927 and was the last of Vancouver's vaudeville venues.
An amateur orchestra, the West Coast Symphony continually impresses audiences in and around Vancouver. Their concerts - which operate by donation - promise not to disappoint.
Dance Performances in Vancouver
Vancouver is a major dance centre in Canada; styles range from traditional Asian dance to classical ballet.
Ballet BC is known for its innovative and sophisticated contemporary ballet. Many of the company's dancers have gone on to dance for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and internationally acclaimed companies.
Each performance of the eclectic ballet company, the Holy Body Tattoo, has a thrilling intensity tempered by its celebration of humanity and reflections on contemporary pop culture.
Live Theatre in Vancouver
The Vancouver International Fringe Festival is a huge annual live theatre event, with more than 400 performances by 65 different groups over 11 days. The shows are inexpensive, unique, and set on Granville Island.
In summer, both Vanier Park and Stanley Park double as outdoor theatre and musical venues during their respective hostings of Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival and Theatre Under the Stars.
On Vancouver's east side, the Firehall Arts Centre, a renovated firehall on the downtown east side, and The Cultch, a renovated church, present theatre, music or dance.
The Arts Club Theatre Company produces a popular mix of musicals, classics and dramas for their Granville Island location and restored Stanley Theatre in South Granville.
Western Canada's premiere performing arts facility, The Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts, showcases an array of Broadway hits and other popular performances.
The Vancouver Playhouse, the province's largest regional theatre, presents six high-calibre classical and contemporary plays each year.
Improv and Stand-up Comedy in Vancouver
Improv fans will want to check out the hilarious comedic offerings of the Vancouver TheatreSports League that performs on Granville Island.
Yuk Yuk's, located downtown, and Lafflines, located in nearby New Westminster, showcase stand-up talent from across North America.
Music Concerts in Vancouver
The Orpheum Theatre is home to the Vancouver Symphony, Vancouver Chamber Choir, Vancouver Recital Society as well as visiting musicians.
The Queen Elizabeth Theatre hosts the lavish productions of the highly praised Vancouver Opera Company as well as singular musical events.
A variety of performance and events, from classical recitals to jazz concerts, is offered at the acoustically magnificent Chan Centre for the Performing Arts.
Wonderful music festivals take place annually, including the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, Vancouver Folk Festival and the Vancouver Recital Society's Chamber Music Festival.
Pop and rock acts take over the Pacific Coliseum as well as General Motors Place.
Both the Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Orpheum Theatre and GM Place are located in downtown Vancouver. The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts is located at the University of British Columbia.