Canada Ireland Foundation to Host BEALTAINE Theatre Festival in Spring 2026

​The Canada Ireland Foundation will present the second annual Bealtaine Theatre Festival, featuring Canadian premieres of some of Ireland's most captivating contemporary theatre productions. The Festival runs from May 21 to June 7 at the Corleck — CIF's brand new venue for arts, cultural and heritage programming on Toronto's waterfront. Festival attendees will be among the first to experience this state-of-the-art performance space, officially opening in November 2026.

Bealtaine kicks off with the one-of-a-kind, one-person show, Chicken. This award-winning production from Sunday's Child Theatre had a sold-out run at the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and exemplifies the originality of Ireland's independent theatre scene. Next, from Dublin's boundary-breaking Brokentalkers comes Bellow, a new theatre performance exploring the beauty and weight of keeping traditional Irish music alive, featuring expert accordionist Danny O'Mahony. Then comes an extraordinary adaptation of the story of Ulysses for children and adults alike. In Branar's You'll See, James Joyce's epic story is reinvented for ages 8 and up.

Bealtaine (pronounced byal-tin-uh) takes inspiration from the ancient Celtic festival celebrated on May 1st, marking the arrival of summer. One of the four major Gaelic seasonal festivals that CIF honours, Bealtaine has become a time to celebrate creativity, connection and community. 

BEALTAINE THEATRE FESTIVAL

CHICKEN

by Sunday's Child Theatre
Co-written by Eva O'Connor and Hildegard Ryan
Directed by Hildegard Ryan
Featuring Eva O'Connor

On Stage May 21-24

Don Murphy is a proud Irishman, a hopeless addict, and one of his generation's greatest actors. He also happens to be a chicken…

Over one fateful night, the feathered Oscar-winner shares his star-studded story with an intimate audience — from his big break, to his first bird-on-bird sexual experience, to navigating life in the (human-dominated) celebrity spotlight. But along the way, Don will be confronted with some harsh truths about himself, chickenkind and humankind.

Additional Credits: Costume Design: Bryony Rumble; Lighting Design: Marianne Nightingal; Movement Director: Sarah Blanc.

Performances: May 21 & 22 at 8 pm | May 23 at 2 pm & 8 pm | May 24 at 2 pm
Run Time: Approx. 60 mins.
Tickets: (General Admission) $55*
Recommended for Ages 13+ 

BELLOW

by Brokentalkers
Written by Feidlim Cannon, Gary Keegan & Danny O'Mahony
Featuring Danny O'Mahony, Gary Keegan & Emily Kilkenny Roddy
 

On Stage May 27-30

A new theatre performance exploring the weight of keeping traditional Irish music alive and the artist's need to express their true self.

Danny O'Mahony has dedicated his life to the mastery of his instrument as well as to the preservation and performance of Irish traditional music. Now, after 40 years of breathing life into centuries-old tunes, Danny revisits pivotal moments from his past — his first taste of music as a child, the mentors who shaped him and the unrelenting pursuit of mastery that left room for little else. Alongside Danny's sublime live playing, Bellow features original electronic composition, new writing and contemporary dance, heightening the tension between past and present.

Additional Credits: Movement Director: Eddie Kay; Sound Design & Composition: Valgeir Sigurðsson; Set Designer: Sabine Dargent; Lighting Designer: Sarah Jane Shiels; Costume Designer: Sarah Foley; Dramaturg: Bjarni Jonsson; Mask Designer & Construction: Ger Clancy; Creative Producer: Rachel Bergin.

Bellow is funded by The Arts Council of Ireland.Co-Produced by The Everyman, Droichead Arts Centre, Mermaid Arts Centre and Town Hall TheatreGalway.Supported by Dublin Theatre Festivals Futures Award.Touring is kindly supported by Culture Ireland

Performances: May 27, 28, 29 & 30 at 8 pm
Run Time: Approx. 1h 25mins. 

Tickets: (General Admission) $55*

Recommended for Ages 16+ 

YOU'LL SEE

by Branar
Adapted by Marc Mac Lochlainn and Helen Gregg
Directed by Marc Mac Lochlainn
Featuring Helen Gregg

On Stage June 6-7

Ulysses for children? Yes, Ulysses for children. 

James Joyce's epic story of one day in one city is brought to life in this inventive new show, bringing Ireland's most notorious book to audiences aged 8 and upwards, and to all those who haven't got around to reading it yet. 

Combining live performance, intricate paper design, an original score and Joyce's odyssey, this is theatre that will excite both young and old.

Additional Credits: Producer: Joanne Beirne; Composer: Michael Chang; Book Design & Creation: Maeve Clancy; Lighting Design: Michael Foley; Sound Design: Adrian Ferry; Costume Designer: Elaine Mears; Cinematography: James Ryan and StationHouse Media; Set Build: Ciaran Kelly; Paper Creation: Sorcha Ní Chróinín; Stage Manager & Technician: Michael Foley; Line Producer: Niamh Ní Fhlatharta; Marketing: Noel Minogue; Production Assistant: Nóra Burke; Design Assistant: Oisín Parslow.

Kindly supported by Culture Ireland. Commissioned as part of Ulysses 2.2, a collaborative project between ANU, Landmark Productions and Museum of Literature, Ireland. 

Performances: June 6 & 7 at 12:30 pm & 3:30 pm
Run Time: Approx. 45 mins.
Tickets: (General Admission) $30*
Recommended for Ages 8+ 

Ticket Packages*

Buy Chicken and Bellow together for $100 

Buy a Family 4-Pack to You'll See for $110