New Stages grows after record year
After a milestone season in which 18 staged events drew more than 4,100 attendees, New Stages Theatre is moving into 2026–27 with an expanded plan that leans into local talent and adds more fully produced shows to Peterborough’s cultural calendar. Artistic director Mark Wallace says the company is building on last season’s momentum with a bigger offering, including the return of its mid-winter festival and, for the first time, three full productions in a single season.
The organization’s announcement positions New Stages as a consistent presence in the city’s performing arts scene, with programming spread across the season and a mix of development-focused events and mainstage presentations. While specific dates beyond the festival month and one December run were not detailed in the summary, the company has posted schedules and subscription packages at newstages.ca.
Festival returns; December show set for Market Hall
The Brand New Stages Festival is slated to come back in February for its fourth annual edition, continuing the winter platform the company has used to showcase new or in-development works. Alongside the festival, New Stages plans to mount three fully staged productions. One of those is The Nonsense Club, scheduled for December at Market Hall, and featuring an all-local ensemble.
Wallace underscored that giving Peterborough artists a prominent platform remains core to the company’s approach. The upcoming season emphasizes that focus by anchoring a mainstage title in a local cast and creative team, while keeping space for newer voices in the festival lineup.
What the numbers say
The company’s latest attendance figure—more than 4,100 across 18 events—indicates steady audience engagement for a mid-sized local presenter. It also suggests room to convert festival and reading-series audiences into mainstage ticket buyers as the company increases the number of fully produced titles. For residents, the expansion means a more reliable cadence of theatre nights throughout the year and more opportunities to see work created by neighbours and colleagues on professional stages.
| Season metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Events last season | 18 |
| Total attendance | 4,100+ |
| Festival | Brand New Stages (Feb., 4th annual) |
| Full productions (2026–27) | 3 |
| December title | The Nonsense Club at Market Hall |
| Local involvement | All-local talent featured in December production |
Why it matters for Peterborough
For audiences, the shift to more full productions means more choices beyond workshops and readings. For artists, the plan adds paid opportunities on a local stage and strengthens a path from development to production in the same city. The return of a February festival also provides a predictable winter anchor for the performing arts, which can help drive downtown attendance during a typically quieter period for venues and restaurants.
New Stages notes that beating last year’s results was a challenge but maintains the 2026–27 lineup is designed to meet higher expectations. The company is encouraging early commitments through subscriptions, which typically offer cost savings and priority seating relative to single-ticket buyers. Details on specific dates, casting and creative teams are being delivered through the organization’s website.
How to take part
- Browse season details and buy subscriptions at newstages.ca.
- Watch for February festival scheduling updates and ticket onsale windows.
- Plan for December at Market Hall to catch The Nonsense Club featuring local artists.
With more titles moving to full production and a continued emphasis on homegrown talent, New Stages is signalling a season built to keep audiences returning and to deepen the pool of professional theatre activity in Peterborough.
